Book Description
FBI Special Agent Pendergast is taking a break from work to take Constance on a whirlwind Grand Tour, hoping to give her closure and a sense of the world that she's missed.They head to Tibet, where Pendergast intensively trained in martial arts and spiritual studies. At a remote monastery, they learn that a rare and dangerous artifact the monks have been guarding for generations has been mysteriously stolen.As a favor, Pendergast agrees to track and recover the relic.A twisting trail of bloodshed leads Pendergast and Constance to the maiden voyage of the Britannia, the world's largest and most luxurious ocean liner---and to an Atlantic crossing fraught with terror.
Customer Reviews:
Another Pendergast triumph.......2007-10-18
Most fans of the previous novels starring FBI agent Pendergast will enjoy this book as well. It follows a similar theme of some of the earler novels, such as Still Life With Crows, or Relic. What seems like a muder mystery aboard a Titanic-like ocean liner, becomes tinged with something of the supernatural, like the earlier Pendergast novels. I can't say this is the best of the Pendergast series, but it is still a worthwhile read for any fan of this series by Lincol and Child.
Mystery is gone.......2007-10-17
I liked Pendergast more when I knew less about his past and each book that comes forward now seems to take away the mystery of Aloysius.
The dynamic duo has done it again.......2007-10-16
The dynamic duo has done it again.
In THE WHEEL OF DARKNESS, their eighth supernatural thriller, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child give us another fast-paced, riveting mystery featuring the seemingly unflappable Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast and his young ward Constance Greene, and the elements of the unknown.
The book picks up in the aftermath of THE BOOK OF THE DEAD, with Constance recovering, we suspect, from an aborted pregnancy (the father: Pendergast's villainous younger brother). Constance and the good agent seek solace and solitude through escape. They are drawn to Gsalrig Chongg, a monastery in Tibet, where women historically have not been accepted as students. Recognizing something special about Constance, she becomes the exception to the rule and is welcome by the brotherhood. (Her name, it turns out, translates to "Green Tara," the moniker of the mother of all Buddhas. This revelation forecasts something big to come.)
It is, of course, no coincidence that the stoic agent and his frail ward end up amongst the monks. Instead of moving past the tragedy they had just survived, they find themselves drawn into yet another puzzling and harrowing mystery.
The monks' sacred trust for generations --- the Agozyen --- has been discovered missing during an annual ritual. Guarded daily and accessible by only a single key, its disappearance is mind-boggling. And terrifying. The treasure holds a deadly secret akin to Pandora's box being opened.
The trail of minimal clues leads to Jordan Ambrose, an American rescued and nursed back to health at the monastery when he appeared, half-dead, on the Nepalese border mountain range. Unable to describe the never-seen icon, the monks dispatch Pendergast to bring it back, warning that it is powerful if released and not to be reckoned with.
What ensues is pure Preston-Child magic. The maiden voyage of a transatlantic cruise ship is the terrifying setting of the search for the relic. And what could be more frightening than a claustrophobic ship, with its over-arching sense of being trapped in the middle of the ocean with an unknown, undefinable force preying on and menacing the entire crew and guests? Bodies are reduced to mush, others disappear whole-cloth. Panic sets in, mutiny is threatened and control of the ship is lost, all while Pendergast sets about his methodical unraveling of the mystery of the Agozyen and its all-encompassing powers.
THE WHEEL OF DARKNESS has the classic clash of good versus evil, the inescapable comparison of East versus West, and the unanswerable questions of coincidence versus fate. A surprise at the end will surely delight all fans of Pendergast and Greene, Preston and Child, and will leave us asking ourselves "What's next?" Surely, there has to be more from these two master storytellers!
--- Reviewed by Roberta O'Hara
darkness could have been darker................................2007-10-16
Love Preston & Child. Have read all thier books and have to say that they never disapoint.Cabinet of curiosity is their all time best book.
I love the mystical/spiritual aspect of this new book. I do think that the book could have been a little longer, around 430 pages.
Pandergast was lacking a little action in this book. Still I highly disapprove the one star rating few readers have given to this book. This book was a page turner like their other books. C'mon! these writers are better than koontz, Stephen King etc.I dont know why they don't have more name recognition and movie deals. They are deserving by all means.
Diogenes ! we are waiting for your entry in the next book.
Love the series..........2007-10-15
Thank goodness for Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Their characters are completely unrealistic, the plots are fantasy and, let me just say, BRAVO!! I couldn't be more in love with the Pendergast character and every book where he and his cohorts appear. Easy to read, easy to enjoy and an easy escape from the stress of everyday life. Thanks, guys, for pulling me out of my life for a few hours every day to enjoy another one of Pendergast's adventures. Can't wait for the next one!!
Book Description
A book to contemplate each day, Offerings is a deeply thoughtful collection of wisdom and knowledge from the masters of Tibetan Buddhism. Three-hundred sixty-five photographs by Olivier Föllmi present an evocative new image every day-each accompanied by a choice Buddhist quote. This spiritual advice, which is suited to people of any belief or religious tradition, is organized into 52 themes, including spirituality, ancestors, money, trust, and dependence.
Danielle and Olivier Föllmi share a message of peace and hope in this new book. Through subjects that preoccupy us today, the masters of Tibetan Buddhist thought-including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Kalu Rinpoche, Chogyam Trungpa, Shabkar, Jack Kornfield, and Arnaud Desjardins-convey to us their vision of existence. Their collective and individual vision celebrates humanity and encourages continual self-improvement.
Customer Reviews:
Ho Hum ..... .......2007-09-26
While the thoughts and "wisdom" provided are beautiful, they seem a bit cumbersome for every day referral. A quick one liner would be more suitable and more apt to remain with us throughout each day. These seem pretty wordy even though the thoughts are terrific and inspirational. The length makes it difficult to wrap your arms around them and keep them in your thoughts throughout the whole day. The pictures are lovely but the whole "feel" of the book is not inviting to and welcoming to pick up and open to any page .... soft cover might be more conducive.
Offerings: Buddhist Wisdom For Every Day.......2007-07-25
I have been looking for this book ever since seeing it at a friend's house. Turning the page is a wonderful way to start each day, full of inspiration and insight. I have put this on my gift list of must buys for all of my friends! I keep my copy in my art studio for all visitors to enjoy.
The human condition in word and image.......2007-06-27
A deeply thoughtful collection of wisdom. Beautiful photographs accompany each daily entry. All about the spiritual and transitory nature of the human condition. A spectacular collection of photos and guidelines. Totally unique. By far and away one of my favorite books.
Love this book! .......2007-03-15
I reference this book when I need an inspiring quote, or a reminder on how to be a better behaved human being. It is full of rich wisdom and beautiful pictures.
excellent.......2007-01-19
Such a beautiful book. Inspiring and the photos are fabulous. I bought this for my mother for Christmas and I would love to buy one for myself. Great to start your day with a meditation from this book.
Amazon.com
The Climb is Russian mountaineer Anatoli Boukreev's account of the harrowing May 1996 Mount Everest attempt, a tragedy that resulted in the deaths of eight people. The book is also Boukreev's rebuttal to accusations from fellow climber and author Jon Krakauer, who, in his bestselling memoir, Into Thin Air, suggests that Boukreev forfeited the safety of his clients to achieve his own climbing goals. Investigative writer and Climb coauthor G. Weston DeWalt uses taped statements from the surviving climbers and translated interviews from Boukreev to piece together the events and prove to the reader that Boukreev's role was heroic, not opportunistic. Boukreev refers to the actions of expedition leader Scott Fischer throughout the ascent, implying that factors other than the fierce snowstorm may have caused this disaster. This new account sparks debate among both mountaineers and those who have followed the story through the media and Krakauer's book. Readers can decide for themselves whether Boukreev presents a laudable defense or merely assuages his own bruised ego.
Book Description
As the climbers of the 1996 Mt. Everest disaster vanished into thin air, one man had the courage to bring them down alive....On May 10, 1996, two commercial expeditions headed by expert leaders attempted to scale the world's largest peak. But things went terribly wrong. Crowded conditions, bad judgement, and a bitter storm stopped many climbers in their tracks. Others were left for dead, or stranded on the frigid mountain. Anatoli Boukreev, head climbing guide for the Mountain Madness expedition, stepped into the heart of the storm and brought three of his clients down alive. Here is his amazing story-of an expedition fated for disaster, of the blind ambition that drives people to attempt such dangerous ventures, and of a modern-day hero, who risked his own life to save others...
Customer Reviews:
Into Thin Air take a back seat..........2007-09-09
Hands down beats out Into Thin Air. Thrash that 'other' novel and read this!
Far Superior to Into Thin Air!!.......2007-06-11
I've read most of the 96' Everest books and this phenomenal read surpasses Krakauer's slick narrative with simple language but raw and honest passion and consideration. If you have already read Into thin Air I strongly recommend reading this as well. It not only places the hyped 96' tragedy in better perspective, it also gives incredible insight into the Russian mindset.
Awesome book.......2007-05-10
I read this book after reading "Into Thin Air" (another excellent book). This is a highly recommended followup to "Into Thin Air". If you are interested in the business/logistics of an Everest expedition, as well as hearing about an amazing individual (Anatoli Boukreev), this book is highly recommended!
A great read.....very compelling........2007-02-12
What could have been written as an angry rebuttal to the slanted writings of Jon Krakauer's accountings of the 1996 Everest disaster, is actually a moving recounting of a tragedy that has no one single point of blame. Anatoli Boukreev details the series of fateful decisions made by the several parties involved, and drives home the ultimate message: Climbing Everest, and any peak above 8000 meters is, under the very best conditions, a life-threatening gamble with fate. This book is a must read for we armchair Everest buffs, and anyone who has read "Into Thin Air". Anatoli Boukreev was a legend and hero, and we are fortunate to have his words recorded before his tragic death .
The other side of a well-known story.......2007-01-01
Every story has two sides. In this book, readers of Jon Krakauer's best selling Into Thin Air can hear the other side of that particular tale. It's my opinion that no one ought to read one without also reading the other.
On May 10, 1996, a winter storm decided to attack the world's highest mountain in spring. Caught in the well-named Death Zone, so high above sea level that the bodies of climbers who linger there literally start to die, the members of two commercial expeditions fought desperately for survival. The leaders of both teams - New Zealander Rob Hall, and American Scott Fischer - died despite being world-class mountaineers and Everest veterans. So did three members of Hall's team, while a fourth barely got off the mountain alive. All of the Fischer guides and clients survived, though, and none suffered the kind of horrific frostbite that left Hall client Beck Weathers both maimed and disfigured. Why did things turn out so differently for the two teams, after both lost their leaders? Krakauer's book offers one answer. This book, co-authored by Scott Fischer's head guide, offers quite another.
Neither Anatoli Boukreev nor his co-author possesses Krakauer's well-honed journalistic skills. This is a much plainer work, in many ways; and it's definitely less readable. I found it just as compelling, though, and it's rich in source material. Thank goodness Boukreev completed it before his death, because his side of the story is well worth hearing.
Average customer rating:
- Mysterious and thought provoking. My kind of book!
- A Classic Adventure in the Himilayas
- What is paradise?
- "...the whole atmosphere was more of wisdom than of learning, of good manners than seriousness."
- A classic
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Lost Horizon: A Novel
James Hilton
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
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Lost Horizon
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Messenger: A Sequel to Lost Horizon: A Story of Shangri-La
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ASIN: 0060594527
Release Date: 2004-06-15 |
Book Description
While attempting to escape a civil war, four people are kidnapped and transported to the Tibetan mountains. After their plane crashes, they are found by a mysterious Chinese man. He leads them to a monastery hidden in "the valley of the blue moon" -- a land of mystery and matchless beauty where life is lived in tranquil wonder, beyond the grasp of a doomed world.
It is here, in Shangri-La, where destinies will be discovered and the meaning of paradise will be unveiled.
Customer Reviews:
Mysterious and thought provoking. My kind of book!.......2007-10-09
I loved this book. The writing was superb and had a wonderful, mysterious quality about it. I am recommending this book to my friends.
A Classic Adventure in the Himilayas.......2007-09-23
Note: I made some Mormon reader angry over my reviews of books written by Mormons out to prove the Book of Mormon, and that person has been slamming my reviews.
Your "helpful" votes are appreciated. Thanks.
On Lost Horizon: You'll love this story of lost civilization, where people live hundreds of years. Hidden in the Mountains of the Blue Moon, the survivors of an airplane crash wonder into a charmed valley, where no one thinks of death. The hero falls in love with one of the women.
I don't want to tell too much, but I do highly recommend this classic adventure first published in 1933. It has all the ambiance of that era, and as one Amazon reviewer said, it is the perfect book to curl up with on a slow day.
What is paradise?.......2007-08-29
The Lost Horizon really brings to mind the question of what is your paradise?
This is a book about a man who, along with three other companions, ends up in a mysterious civilization in some community lost among the mountains. This new life offers immortality (or close to it), but there is one catch. You may not leave. Some are able to become used to the confines of the little city but others (mainly one of the main character's companions) refuse to accept and make an attemt at an escape.
The main character has to decide if he will stay, because for him this new place is paradise, or if he will help the other young man escape.
It is an interesting book and, once you get past the first couple of pages, it goes by fast. I would recommend this book to anyone.
"...the whole atmosphere was more of wisdom than of learning, of good manners than seriousness.".......2007-08-20
After seeing Frank Capra's film version of this book, I had to read James Hilton's novel. The book and the film are very similar, so my love for the film has transferred to the original work. Lost Horizon is the story of four people, an American, a young British soldier, a middle-aged British man, and a female missionary, who have the misfortune of being kidnapped on an airplane. They are crashed near a mysterious and dismal mountain somewhere in Tibet, and all seems to be lost to them, including their pilot who dies in the crash. However, they are rescued by a group of men who live in a strange valley nearby. They call their oasis Shangri-La.
The middle-aged British man is named Conway; he has the best grasp of the goals of Shangri-La of any of the people in his group. Instead of fidgeting when he is told he and his friends will never leave the villiage, he embraces his new home where everything is done in moderation. He marvels over the expensive library of treasures and begins to love a tiny Chinese girl with a fondness for music. He has the good fortune to meet the High Lama of the monastary there and to be told the secrets of Shangri-La.
Conway's sentiments narrate the story, and his calm personality resonates with the reader and makes the sometimes outlandish beliefs of Shangri-La become vivid and desirable.
This is a magical book with the same feeling of hope and inspiration that is present in Frank Capra's films. Although it was written in the early 30s, the sentiments are applicable in today's world. Thus, it is a timeless classic that every person should have the good fortune of stumbling upon. It will never leave you.
A classic.......2007-07-12
Classic work - timeless. Psychological study of the protagonist - contast of who he is v. how he is perceived. Can't we all relate to that? And, contrast of Western v. Eastern mindset.
Amazon.com
In the autumn of 1973, the writer Peter Matthiessen set out in the company of zoologist George Schaller on a hike that would take them 250 miles into the heart of the Himalayan region of Dolpo, "the last enclave of pure Tibetan culture on earth." Their voyage was in quest of one of the world's most elusive big cats, the snow leopard of high Asia, a creature so rarely spotted as to be nearly mythical; Schaller was one of only two Westerners known to have seen a snow leopard in the wild since 1950.
Published in 1978, The Snow Leopard is rightly regarded as a classic of modern nature writing. Guiding his readers through steep-walled canyons and over tall mountains, Matthiessen offers a narrative that is shot through with metaphor and mysticism, and his arduous search for the snow leopard becomes a vehicle for reflections on all manner of matters of life and death. In the process, The Snow Leopard evolves from an already exquisite book of natural history and travel into a grand, Buddhist-tinged parable of our search for meaning. By the end of their expedition, having seen wolves, foxes, rare mountain sheep, and other denizens of the Himalayas, and having seen many signs of the snow leopard but not the cat itself, Schaller muses, "We've seen so much, maybe it's better if there are some things that we don't see."
That sentiment, as well as the sense of wonder at the world's beauty that pervades Matthiessen's book, ought to inform any journey into the wild. --Gregory McNamee
Customer Reviews:
a great travel log with a little zen.......2007-09-18
Matthiessen is a talented writer who consistently manages to capture the essence of what he sees. He insists that he is a fiction writer, first and foremost, but the honesty and vibrance of his words in nonfiction are phenomenal. As an "travel log"-type book, this is one of the best. His interactions with the sherpas and his colleague, GS, are human and believable. There are extremely personal moments throughout the book, concerning his first wife and kids and missed opportunities with them, since he spent so much time traveling. A section about a bowl makes me sad even now. The discussion of the animals of the region ( not just the leopard) are very detailed and accurate. Particularly, sections that are devoted to Schaller's attempt to distinguish between goats and sheep. While the leopard, itself, adds a magical quality, a more intriguing creature is the yeti. I became a full-time fan when he spoke of it.
Beyond the actual journey is the constant discussion of Zen. The history and facts he gives are deep, at times. There are many footnotes. It is an excellent resource for Zen students and it's interesting to see how it fits into his life. Zazen in his tent, for instance. Zen isn't something to be learned, but this book and Cave of Tigers are two that every aspiring student of zen should read.
He talks about his wilder days and where he finds himself going at the time (metaphysically speaking, of course.) I picked up this book because I had seen the film At Play in the Fields of the Lord. It is like nothing I have ever read. I still randomly reread passages to experience it again. This is a book that changes how people feel.
Reviewed by Shelton1.......2007-09-11
The SNOW LEOPARD - Interesting descriptions of Tibet back country and customs but author constantly contradicts himself, he seems disoriented like he might have done too many drugs in his life, imagine that, he is a self admitted psychedelic user and he writes like it. Matthiessen demeans his Sherpas while intimating some sense of loss at leaving his 8-year-old son at home one year after his wife died while he treks around Tibet for two months, inexcusable!
to the mountaintops and back . . ........2007-08-19
Matthiessen and George Schaller's 3 month trek into the most remote area (Dolpo) between Nepal and Tibet to study the blue sheep and possibly sight the elusive snow leopard. With lucid and fascinating prose, Matthiessen describes the lives of his Sherpa companions; the rough traveling conditions over snow blocked mountain passes by yak; the monks and hermits in remote monasteries; and of course, his own struggle to attain a spiritual peace triggered by the death of his wife.
The writing has its self-indulgent moments; yet, the author is honest about his searching and why that has brought him to the Himalayas. The quest to glimpse a snow leopard turns out to be a mirror image of Matthiessen's own inner quest for enlightenment. Leaving his young son behind in New England with relatives causes much remorse (and self-pity) on his part; however, the need to go deeper into himself is understandable after the loss he has experienced.
Matthiessen's articulate descriptions of his journey seem to offset the regrets he feels. He is honest enough to admit his deficiencies while he works on his awareness of observing himself in these alien surroundings.
The descriptions of this process are articulate and compelling.
Peter Matthiessen is a naturalist; he mixes this experience with his spiritual musings so that the blend is a very interesting read. This is a multi-level book: a zoological exploration coupled with a man's search for spiritual meaning through zen practice.
This writing is graceful yet deep with insight. A high recommendation to those with an interest in finding meaning via a man who has been to the mountaintops and back.
Extracts: A Field Guide for Iconoclasts
The Cloud Reckoner
Unenlightening.......2007-07-12
I suppose that the spiritual aspects of this book really moved a lot of people, but not me. I found it to be a poor man's version of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. It surprised me that the guides, sherpas, porters, and indigenous people were so often regarded as being lazy and dishonest, with few exceptions. This myopic view of the world detracted from any spiritual impact the book might have had. I'll bet if Peter Matthiesen and GS had paid their workers decently, they would not have been abandoned so many times. I've seen it before: so many Americans expect third world people to be really poor and really happy at the same time. That bothered me, and it diminished the significance of his spiritual quest. I think he should get his act together.
Can a book generate a karma all its own? This one does........2007-02-08
The Snow Leopard is not just a book, rather a marvelous mental holiday one can return to as often as one needs, like a literary hitchhiker, to get away from the modernity and electronic technology that swamps us. Matthiessen illuminates the mystery and silence of the Himalayas, and the human need for nature and it's transformational powers.
I read this book every year, and for two years taught it on a college level to over 500 freshman. Yes, freshmen, at 7:00 a.m., who have never even seen snow.
Being a public college and teaching a book with overtly religious themes, I suggested they skip over the "Buddhist bits" if it did not interest them, and stick to the journey, paying attention to PM, George Schaller and the mixed bag of porters and Sherpas who guided them. Funny thing when you tell students not to read something, they go right for it.
To my amazement, they got it. They understood Matthiessen's flaws: the drug use, failed marriages, parental doubts about leaving family once again to pursue "nothing" in one of the remotest places on earth--the Land of Dolpo, where lamas rule and people obey. Students are intimate with the concept of to work for the sake of work; be it one foot in front of the other on a trail in Nepal, or their own path of study; these young people easily saw how humans transforms themselves through their work and passions. They were also quite politically savy, impressed by the results of this remarkable and timeless journey into the heart of the wilderness where it's okay to get lost, make mistakes and fail.
Readers should not ignore the after affects, literal shock waves, both literary and political which came out of this simple journey between a writer and field biologist, who submitted his report on the wildlife numbers to Kathmandu who ten years later created the Shey-Phoksumdo National Park, the largest preserve in Nepal. The snow leopard still lives and is protected because PM and GS walked that path, and more importantly freely shared their observations, not just writing within their fields, but about themselves as human beings and the role human beings play in protecting or destroying what's left of our environment.
Matthiessen much deserved the National Book Award for Contemporary Thought in 1980, and many people do not know The Snow Leopard was to be the cover story for the New York Times Book Review the Sunday the pressmen went on strike for the first and only time in it's history. The review was never run. It did not become the best seller it seemed destined to be, given the glowing reviews of the time.
It has become a cult classic instead, with a karma all its own. It's okay not to "get it" all the first time you read it. It unfolds, like a lotus blossom.
Book Description
At some point during the inhumanly cold Himalayan winter straddling 1965 and 1966, a peculiar collection of box-shaped objects — one sprouting a six-foot, insect-like antenna — plummets nine thousand feet down the sheer flanks of a remote peak. Ripped from its moorings by an avalanche, the jumbled apparatus slides down a funnel-shaped hourglass of hard snow and shoots over a black cliff band, careening a vertical distance six times the height of the Empire State building. The boxes come to rest on the glacier at the mountain's base. One, an olive-drab casing the size of a personal computer, begins to sink. Then, trailing a robotic dogtail of torn wires, it slowly burns through the snow, melting into solid blue glacial ice, eventually disappearing beneath the surface, and never seen again.
No one actually witnessed this event. But as you read these words, nearly four pounds of plutonium — locked in the glacier's dark unknowable heart — are almost certainly moving ever closer to the source of the Ganges River.
Eye at the Top of the World, provides a harrowing present-day account of Takeda’s expedition to solve the mystery of Nanda Devi.
Customer Reviews:
Misleading title; really just a medicore climb journal.......2007-10-08
Quite disappointing. I was expecting a documentary about the CIA missions, instead it is a journal of a modern climb along the same route. Unfortunately, the story is poorly told: the characters could be compelling (they're real people!), but the writing just never develops them as the author just dumps detail on us leaving us with an impression of cardboard cutouts. The story could be compelling (high altitude climbing is tough and tricky), but again, the author choses the wrong details. Combine the poor telling with with poor fact checking by the editor (e.g., Padilla was not a dirty bomb maker, a fact known in 2005 whereas this book's copyright is 2006, etc) and numerous spell-checker induced spelling errors and low quality photo reproductions...
Apparently I wanted Spies in the Himalayas: Secret Missions and Perilous Climbs (Modern War Studies) by M.S. Kohli and Kenneth Conboy. Perhaps you do as well.
Gripping Read; Chilling Historical Event; Modern Day Adventure.......2006-12-21
This book is a rare breed--a story that blends the recounting of a gripping and alarmingly serious historical event with a fascinating 1st person story of personal discovery and adventure. For anyone from history buffs to armchair mountaineers to concerned citizens, this book has something to offer. If anything, I'm surprised that the book hasn't garnered more attention, especially considering that the environmental crisis that may result from the botched CIA mission in the 1960s could become a chillingly deadly and vicious situation for one of the world's most populous nations.
Read the book, you won't be disappointed!
An Eye At The Top Of The World wins 2007 HIMALAYAN LITERATURE AWARD........2006-10-23
An Eye At The Top Of The World has jointly received the first prize from the 2007 Kekoo Naoroji Memorial Himalayan Literature Award.
The Himalayan Club, based in New Delhi, awards the Kekoo Naoroji Award in association with Naoroji family and Godrej Industries for the best book on mountains of Himalaya published during a year.
JURY VERDICT:
"Well written with crisp authority on both scientific and mountaineering matters Peter Takeda`s AN EYE AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD is a survey of secret climbing expeditions to Uttarakhand in the 1960`s crafted with considerable skill. It combines in an expedition narrative the details of earlier clandestine climbs where American and Indian operatives placed and lost on Nanda Devi a nuclear powered spying device and replaced it with another (later recovered) on Nanda Kot. Radical in its concept, Takeda tracks down convincingly the planning and execution of this startling CIA operation, and has written a mountaineering thriller into the bargain. For years rumours have floated around the mountaineering fraternity and it is fascinating to have a good many of them confirmed though their sequence may have been mixed up. Despite being written for a lay American readership and from an American point of view, this a sensitive enquiry and the author`s feelings for the Nanda Devi region come across as both intimate and real. Bound to be controversial, the book`s sober tone guarantees its uncomfortable disclosures and their presumed fallout on the environment will find a lasting audience. The jury is unanimous in according joint first place to this compelling story."
Customer Reviews:
Couldn't put it down!.......2007-07-14
This honest, gripping account of Bear Grylls trek to the summit of Everest is a must read. He eloquently takes you thorough the excitment and the grave dissapointments that surround such a climb. He is both vulnerable and strong, lucky and prepared, and takes you along for the ride. You will feel like you are right there with him; and, you will put it down with a new respect for climbing and a new respect for nature.
Inspirational!.......2005-03-28
A fantastic and inspirational book! The true story of a man with a passion. A book to make you both laugh and cry. Highly recommended.
Book Description
Both a magnificent celebration and a call for compassion, Himalaya is a panorama of the unique history and uncertain future of the world's highest region and its colorful inhabitants. The awesome beauty of these lofty peaks, including Everest, Kanchenjunga, and Annapurna, is brought to life by gifted photographers like Steve McCurry, Art Wolfe, and many more, while such notable contributors as Jimmy Carter, the Dalai Lama, Sir Edmund Hillary, Tenzing Norgay, and over two dozen others share vivid personal tales of Himalayan life, recount their efforts to encourage hope and opportunity, and emphasize the urgent need to preserve the vibrant variety of these ancient landscapes and cultures as they face the mixed blessings of the modern world.
The book begins by introducing the region: its astonishing biodiversity, its mountaineering history, its rich ethnic heritage, and the interplay between two major religions, Hinduism and Buddhism. Himalaya addresses challenges to these mountainous domains: political turmoil, population growth, touristic demands, and ecological stresses. Finally, a compelling conclusion comes in the stories of doctors, conservationists, environmentalists, and volunteers of every kind, whose efforts provide a global model for practical results and lasting relief, still respecting, honoring, and protecting the magic of a place unlike any other on Earth.
Customer Reviews:
A moving tribute to the Himalaya.......2007-06-07
This is a wonderful book for anyone who loves the great places of the world like the Himalaya. This is a great collection of stories by people who have fallen in love with the region, the people and the mountains. The basis for the book is to protect places, cultures and the people of an endangered region. A must have book for your collection.
Stunning and Moving.......2007-01-16
This is a wonderful essay book with stunning photography. The essays are from a diverse group - from world leaders to refugees, to mountain climbing legends. Together they tell the story of the Himalayas - its beauty, its culture, its challenges and the hope that so many people help to bring to this part of the world. I gave this book as a gift to many people for the holidays and everyone has mentioned to me that they have enjoyed reading it and it is often a conversation piece when people see it on the coffee table. I recommend it highly.
Himalaya Personal Stories of Grandeur, Challenge, and Hope.......2007-01-04
My Himalayan book shelf and coffee tables already groan, but I ordered this National Geographic beauty immediately. All at once I was reminded of the depth of love and anxiety I have about these young mountains and these very old people. I learned a lot, even considering that I'm privileged to spend at least a month in Nepal and nearby countries once a year over the last decade. Photographs of masters, spiritual seekers, and people lovers lead the way to understanding the powerful impact of just being in the magic presence of the peaks. They soar beyond the clouds; the people strive for spiritual peaks and life goals too. In editing a series of short contemporary, highly relevant, but personal articles, Richard Blum, Erica Stone, and Brot Coburn show readers what can be seen and what can be done to reach out to help ease burdens there. Mountaineers, trekkers, and couch climbers, helpers and those looking for a cause, travelers, pilgrims, and all of us seeking greater human understanding will relish the guiding words of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, Sir Edmund and Peter Hillary, and Lodi Gyalsten Gyari. Everyone who loves the Himalayas or wants to get to know them MUST HAVE this well rounded easy to read, glorious to see, summary of current times in and under the mountains of the Gods.
Joyce Tapper
Los Angeles
A Himalayan Feast.......2006-12-01
This book would be worth buying for the photographs alone. There are well over 100 of them and nearly every one (as is appropriate for a National Geographic Society book) is of salon quality. But you shouldn't just look at the pictures. They are accompanied by 40 short pieces by a wide variety of people, each with a story to tell, either of how their life has been changed by their Himalayan experience, or how what they do is changing the life there. These are by leading Himalayan authorities in the climbing world (today's and yesterday's),in conservation, research, art restoration, human rights, development, and Buddhism. Among the authors are a former American president (Jimmy Carter) and a current US senator (Diane Feinstein), as well as leading Buddhist figures (including the Dalai Lama, who wrote one of the three introductory essays). You don't have to read all of these essays and yet, as you leaf through the book, you may find yourself doing just that. For one thing, they are short - two to three pages each. For another, these are personal stories, which means that in each case, the author connects himself with the subject he is describing, giving it an immediacy that it might otherwise lack. And for still another, they are talking about really interesting things - things like the region's problems, its wildlife, its earthquakes, its politics (a little bit), and - of course - their own experience there. The book has been produced by the National Geographic Society with the American Himalayan Foundation, and many of that organization's projects have been described. It is introduced by Richard Blum, who is its head and (with Erica Stone and Broughton Coburn) one of the book's three editors. He quotes the instructions of Lama Govinda, a 20th century holy man, on how to see a mountain: "To see the greatness of a mountain, one must keep one's distance. To understand its form, one must move around it. To experience the moods, one must see it at sunrise and sunset, at noon and at midnight, in sun and in rain, in snow and in storm, in summer and in winter and in all other seasons. He who can see the mountain like this comes near to the life of the mountain, a life that is as intense and varied as that of a human being."
If you are not in a position to do all this for the Himalaya, just read this book. It will get you close to an intense and varied experience of the world's most famous mountains and the people who live among them.
Average customer rating:
- Richard shares his quest with us all
- Truly inspirational!
- These images broke my heart.
- pictures of compassion
- Pictures with soul
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Pilgrim
Manufacturer: Bulfinch Press
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The Dalai Lama in America : Mindful enlightenment
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Ruling Your World: Ancient Strategies For Modern Life
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Customer Reviews:
Richard shares his quest with us all.......2001-02-19
Richard has access to places most people do not. Take, for example, His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His Holiness is not accessable to you and I on the level that Richard has. Richard shares private photos, such as plate 63 where His Holiness is in meditation. The photo alone portrays a depth of intensity that the experience offers. Richard also has a true sense of the tragedy of the Tibetan people and can deliver that in a light that few people can ever grasp, even after several trips to the region. Richard is the Pilgrim and we are fortunate to be able to see things in a way he does. Very few photographers can say that of their work. Perhaps it is due to his experience in film, perhaps as a result of his practice as a buddhist, maybe just because the openness of his sharing is felt in his work, regardless of the medium. Thank you my friend for sharing your life with us and a wonderful book.
Truly inspirational!.......1999-09-07
This is a fantastic book! The photographs stir a number of emotions in you. Only a true artist like Mr. Gere could convey these feelings and capture them in his shutter. The book also features excellent text and was a very nice present. I think everyone should peek at this book. A great book for religious souls and open minds.
These images broke my heart........1998-12-10
This book was exactly what I expected from such a sensitive and intelligent man. Thank you, Mr. Gere. We need our hearts broken now and then.
pictures of compassion.......1998-08-29
I cannot look at this book without crying. It is very beautiful yet pierces my heart with sadness, I believe that the plight of Tibet is the canary of our planet. This book is about an amazing and gentle people and my hope and prayer is that it will generate more compassion . The text is very direct and simple and is not next to the photos but at the back. One quote stuck in my mind, "It's all ego." You can see these photos with your heart and they will melt it, if you are open.
Pictures with soul.......1998-08-24
The pictures are not supposed to show images but meanings. That's exactly what they do. They are visual metaphors, inviting us to see what is not visible. The first one, more than any other, in its deep beauty, allows us to catch a glimpse of a spiritual state or an epiphany. If I had taken it I would feel forced to share it with everyone, as Mr. Gere kindly did.
Average customer rating:
- Was Shambhala a MANICHEAN Rather than a Buddhist Kingdom?
- Great Road-Trip Reading
- The Way to Shambhala
- Classic Shambhalism
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The Way to Shambhala: A Search for the Mythical Kingdom Beyond the Himalayas
Edwin Bernbaum
Manufacturer: Shambhala
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ASIN: 1570628742
Release Date: 2001-12-11 |
Book Description
For centuries the people of Tibet and Mongolia have believed in the existence of Shambhala, a mythical kingdom hidden in the remote mountains of Central Asia. There, it is said, a line of enlightened kings is guarding the highest wisdom for a time when all spiritual values in the world outside will be lost in war and destruction. At that time, according to the legend, a great king will emerge from this sanctuary to defeat the forces of evil and establish a golden age. Drawing on Tibetan and Sanskrit texts, interviews with lamas in Nepal and India, and his own experiences in the Himalayas, Edwin Bernbaum gives a detailed account of this intriguing legend, examining its basis in the history and religion of the region, as well as exploring its symbolic meaning.
Customer Reviews:
Was Shambhala a MANICHEAN Rather than a Buddhist Kingdom?.......2007-01-16
I was first attracted to this book by my fascination with the Himalayas, my personal affinity for Manicheanism, and my hunch that Shambhala was in fact not a Buddhist kingdom, as is generally believed, but a Manichean one. That hunch came from a quotation offered in a PBS documentary, "The Search for Shangri-la with Michael Wood," which is based upon the travels of the Portugese Jesuit Antonio Adrade. It contained a quotation from the Tantra of the Great Circle of Time, as follows:
"One day greed and ignorance will lay waste to the earth, and an evil king will triumph and spread his power over all humankind. But just when it seems there is nothing left to conquer, then the mists will lift to reveal the icy mountains of Shambhala. Then the king of Shambhala will ride forth, and overthrow the forces of evil, and wisdom will at last be enthroned upon the earth."
That sounded Manichean to me. I began to look for books about the search for Shangri-la, which was originally called Shambhala, and came across Edwin Bernbaum's THE WAY TO SHAMBHALA. Bernbaum quite insightfully concludes that Shambhala is a real place hidden in time rather than space-- "an ancient kingdom that passed long ago into myth." (p. 40) He has passages which echo the above legend, and attributes them to the influence of Manicheanism (Gnosticism) and that of its parent religion, Zoroastrianism (pp. 42, 99). He goes into greater detail about the final confrontation between the evil king and the lord of Shambhala, who is called Rudra Cakrin, "The Wrathful One with the Wheel":
"You, the best of holy teachers, will ride a stone horse with the power of wind; Your hand will thrust a spear into the heart of Chipa, King of the Barbarians. Thus shall the forces of evil be defeated..."
The final outcome of this battle will usher in a golden age, "better than anything that has happened before." (pp. 22-23). Again Manicheanism-- certainly the painting depicted in Bernbaum's Plate 4, showing Rudra Calkin in a field of battle surrounded by slain horses and people, does not seem to evoke the Buddhist ideal of ahimsa or non-violence.
Furthermore, unlike Wood and Father Andrade, the latter of whom he does not even mention, Bernbaum locates the historical Shambhala not in the Himalayas, but far to the north, in the Tarim Basin or Turfan Depression between the Tien Shan and Kunlun Mountains. "Established by the Uighurs, a Turkish people around 850, the kingdom of Khocho flourished for four hundred years as a remarkable oasis of culture and learning. A predominantly Buddhist country [sic], with numerous monasteries, it also had active centers of Manicheanism and Nestorian Christianity... At the time the Kalackra [the chief source for information about Shambhala] appeared in India, the kingdom of Khocho probably possessed the most advanced civilization of any country in Central Asia. Well-irrigated fields and orchards produced enough surplus food to allow the Uighurs to run welfare programs for the poor. Living together in peaceful harmony, people of different races, religions and languages stimulated each other's thought and culture. Paintings found in the ruins of Turfan show houses built in the Chinese style, men and women dressed in embroidered silk, and a chamber ensemble complete with harps, guitar, and flutes. Even the Chinese, the most fastidious connoisseurs of culture, were impressed by the grace of Uihur society." (pp. 42-43)
But was Khocho really Buddhist? According to Hans-Joachim Klimkeit, Translator and Editor of GNOSIS ON THE SILK ROAD: GNOSTIC TEXTS FROM CENTRAL ASIA, it may have been more Manichean that Buddhist: "in the Turkish state of Kocho (850-1250), for some time at least, Manicheanism had the status of an official religion." (p. 11-- see also p. 157). the majority of extant Manichean literature in the world today comes from the ruins of the Kingdom of Khocho, and the rulers of Khocho, with their capital at Gaochang, are pretty universally considered to have been Manichean. As Dr. Priyatosh says in "The Spread of Indian Art and Culture to Central Asia and China," "The Uighur rulers adopted Manicheanism as their personal faith but they were tolerant of other religions." (http:ignca.nic.in/pb0013.htm). There can be no doubt that Manicheanism lived peacefully side-by-side with Buddhism. But it was not the same as Buddhism, though it used Buddhist terms. As Klimkeit says, "On closer inspection, the Buddhist terms turn out to be mere husks around an unmistakably Manichean kernel." (p. 5)
Why does it matter whether Shambhala was predominantly Buddhist or Manichean? What is the difference? The difference is this. To Buddhists, evil is an illusion stemming from the personal ego. When one transcends one's ego and achieves enlightenment, evil will disappear (see the Introduction to ENTERING THE STREAM: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BUDDHA AND HIS TEACHINGS, edited by Samuel Bercholz and Sherab Chodzin Kohn). To Manicheans, with their dualistic concept of an eternal battle between the forces of Light and Darkness, evil is a reality. Thus something stronger than personal enlightenment is required to dislodge it. Despite the pacific protestations of the self-proclaimed "Neo-Manicheans" (see Wikipedia's article on Neo-Manicheanism), Manicheanism is a fundamentally MILITANT religion. Militant need not mean "violent", but it may, if-- to use the argument put forward by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence-- all other means of fighting evil have been exhausted. Manicheanism can impel the enlightened individual in a completely different direction from that taken by Buddhist sages, not to an essentially escapist quest to attain nirvana, but to help the God of Light in his struggle against the forces of evil by combating evil here on earth. Does not the legend of Shambhala accurately describe the world as it is today? Could it not have been a premonition of the very situation that we face, in which an oppressive and seemingly all-powerful government tramples unchecked over the peoples of the world? And does it not call forth the adherents of the God of Light to oppose it in that final battle against injustice and cruelty?
As a final comment on Bernbaum's book, I found it balanced and even delightful in parts, such as his description of his own discovery of a Shambhala-like "hidden valley" (pp. 60-61). But when he began to expound upon Buddhist theology in Chapter 5, I put the book down. I had read that sort of thing and rejected it all long before.
Great Road-Trip Reading.......2004-11-28
The Way to Shambhala is a lovely read and an excellent traveling companion, because the whole book is about different kinds of journeys (some physical, some personal) and destinations. There's certainly enough detail to capture the imagination, but not so much that the prose loses momentum. It's a pleasure to read an intelligent inquiry like this. If you find me at an airport or highway rest area, and you steal my bag, you'll probably find this book and nothing else of value. Don't steal my bag.
When you travel with this book on the brain, you begin to find Shambhalas. I'm referring to those oases of beauty and sanity that take a lot of work to reach, and are (to you at least) unexpectedly right-on. One example for me was the town of Enterprise in Wallowa County, Oregon. Kind people, good coffee, incredible mountains...and the journey!
Happy travels...
The Way to Shambhala.......2002-10-16
I loved the first 100 pages of this reading. It dealt mostly with the geography and mystical aspects of the region. After that it became a repetitive series of pages involving a look at the superstition of the mythical kingdom. I would only suggest this book to the advanced reader with a real passion for the stories of the ancient aspects of the search for the kingdom.
Classic Shambhalism.......2002-07-02
First published in 1980, this classic by ur-Shambhalist Edwin Bernbaum is now thankfully back in print. In the first couple of chapters Bernbaum covers the background of the Legend of Shambhala without the sensationalism and dubious scholarship which hovers like a miasma around many other Shambhalists. Some may object, however, when he goes on to equate the journey to Shambhala with an interior mental road of self-discovery. As another noted Shambhalist, John Newman, has pointed out, "Bernbaum's analysis of the journey to Shambhala in terms of three levels of consciousness - surface consciousness, subconscious, and superconsciousness - seems to owe more to Freudian psychoanalysis than to Buddhism." Also, despite what is said in perhaps a dozen other books, Bernbaum does not, repeat does not, include here extensive excerpts from the Third Panchen Lama's "Guidebook to Shambhala"; what he does include is a translation of the Kalapavatara, another guidebook to Shambhala on which the Panchen Lama's book is based, and also translations of excerpts from several other Tibetan guidebooks to the storied kingdom, all of which will be of extreme interest to dedicated Shambhalists. This book deserves a place alongside Andrade's "Novo Descobrimento do gram Cathayo, ou Reinos de Tibet, pello Padre Antonio de Andrade da Companhia de Jesu, Portuguez, no anno de 1626" on the shelf of any armchair Shambhalist's library, or in the portmanteau of any Shambhalic sojourner.
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The Cabinet of Curiosities
