Matthew T. Kapstein

This is a wonderful book about the history of Tibet, and insofar as I can tell, unique. I have been doing a lot of reading on Tibet, it's art, history and culture, and that is a difficult task, due to the specialized nature of the literature out there. If you want to read a book on spirituality, you can find it. A book on Tibetan art can also be had. But if you want to find out how that art is related to spirituality, and how it plays into the politics and the people of the region, I can show more report that it is frustratingly difficult to do. Until now, that is.

This book is a wonderful synthesis, and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in this region for whatever reason, whether you're on a spiritual or academic journey, or just plain curious about what makes that part of the world tick.

This is the book I wish I had started my studies with. I would recommend it to anyone who is curious about these matters as the perfect starting
point.

Intriguingly, Kapstein covers all the bases of folklore, politics, etc., and gives a lot of indications about how little is known about several areas. There is still a lot of mystery about the "Land of Snows". This book covers what's known, and points the reader in the direction of the work that remains to be done to complete the picture.

Readable, thorough, and intriguing. show less

Kapstein is a capital-S scholar, and that comes through here: very informative, very responsible, occasionally dry, not particularly elegant. Considering the utter irresponsibility of many writings about Tibetan Buddhism, I consider that pretty high praise, but readers should be aware that this is heavy on the history (with which most of us are unfamiliar) and light on the encomiums to the lamas (with which, and with whom, most of us are at least a bit familiar).

I didn’t know much about Sherpas before reading this book.

One memory I have was of an old black-and-white film showing some westerners, dressed in all their climbing kit, going up some mountain in the Himalayas accompanied by a couple of Sherpas. The Sherpas with huge backpacks were jumping from rock to rock wearing what looked like flip-flops. This book has widened my knowledge considerably. Thanks.

For followers of Tibetan Buddhism, this book offers valuable insights into a lesser-known show more strand of the tradition. it shows a fascinating world where the spiritual and the artistic converge at the roof of the world. show less

Thirteen centuries of religious traditions in Tibet (primarily Bon and Buddhist) described alongside the political background of known Tibetan history. While fairly technical in terminology, a layman such as myself with some understanding of the situation and of Buddhism will have little trouble following along. The actual narrative is perhaps 110 pages, with the balance a lengthy notes section. Very informative regarding variations in Buddhist philosophy and techniques (especially the show more clarifications on tantric practices and the real meaning of the mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum"), as well as connections with China and Manchuria over the centuries. The brevity of the text makes the descriptions a bit choppy, but there are many sources quoted and described for the reader to use for further reading. show less