Yak Butter Blues: A Tibetan Trek of Faith
256
Yak Butter Blues: A Tibetan Trek of Faith
256Paperback(2nd Revised ed.)
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Overview
"Wilson observes the impact of the Chinese occupation on the daily lives of Tibetans... Recommended for adventure travel and Tibetan culture collections." LIBRARY JOURNAL
"An engrossing, fascinating read sure to be relished by those readers interested in adventure travel and the Tibetan culture. It is also a highly spiritual story of faith which reminds us that nothing is really impossible..." MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW
"A hair-raising yarn...a high-altitude tale of synchronicity, divine providence, begging monks, trigger-happy Chinese soldiers and dehydration." PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
"You can almost smell the dust and feel the blisters. Worth a read by any adventure or travel-trekking novel enthusiast." BACKPACKING LIGHT MAGAZINE
"A true pilgrimage, one that plumbs the heart of troubled Tibet..." HONOLULU ADVERTISER
"A wonderful and wild read...charged, alive, and a little threatening. Yak Butter Blues flickers insistently like a flashbulb afterimage in the mind long after the book is tucked away." Richard Bangs, adventurer/Producer Richard Bangs ADVENTURES
"A soaring travel diary. It places the reader in the thick of the action every bit as well as Marco Polo transported Italians to China and, as it seems to me, better than Lowell Thomas led readers in the dust of Lawrence of Arabia." Joseph W. Bean, MAUI WEEKLY
"Told with humor and insight, this vivid narrative allows you to vicariously experience life at true Tibetan pace, one step at a time: so close, you can almost smell the yak butter." Michael Buckley, author, TIBET: THE BRADT TRAVEL GUIDE
"Inspiring, Engaging, Compassionate! This book is a treasure to the Tibetan people and to the rest of the world. It gives us a true glimpse of Tibet and captures a beautiful land and culture that may not be around in years to come. Well done!" Naomi C. Rose, author, TIBETAN TALES FOR LITTLE BUDDHAS
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780977053667 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Pilgrim's Tales, Inc. |
| Publication date: | 11/01/2005 |
| Edition description: | 2nd Revised ed. |
| Pages: | 256 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.30(w) x 8.48(h) x 0.92(d) |
| Age Range: | 14 Years |
Table of Contents
Regional Map iiTibet Route Map iv
Introduction 1
Chapter I Never Say Impossible 3
Chapter II A Hundred Yak Butter Lamps 13
Chapter III So Long, Shangri-La 25
Chapter IV If Wishes Were Horses… 39
Chapter V A Crooked Little Finger 51
Chapter VI The Road Less Taken 65
Chapter VII Showdown in Shigatse 77
Chapter VIII Village Of Fear 89
Chapter IX Passes And Passages 107
Chapter X Keeping the Faith 135
Chapter XI Zen Answers 151
Chapter XII In Quest of Mount Everest 167
Chapter XIII A Simple Act of Defi ance 181
Chapter XIV Words Of Hope 191
Chapter XV The Snowy Road to Hell 209
Chapter XVI A Bridge to Freedom 219
Chapter XVII “Ghoda! Ghoda! Ghoda!” 231
Chapter XVIII Flags Of Solidarity 245
Epilogue 257
Afterword 259
To Become Involved 261
Suggested Reading 263
About the Author 265
Special Thanks 267
What People are Saying About This
"In a world where everything seems out of our control, it is a rare occurrence to read about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Brandon Wilson, in his "Yak Butter Blues" gives us such a book. More like you and me instead of a Livingston or Mallory, Brandon and his wife Cheryl have an idea to walk the ancient pilgrimage route from Kathmandu to Lhasa, and they just do it. "Impossible!" say the Chinese officials, but the simple act of stepping one foot in front of the other is a force more powerful than instant travel in this era of bullet trains and supersonic jets. The wonder about Brandon's book is that he doesn't embellish the highs or ignore the lows. You experience the whole trek, the cold, the hunger, the fear but also the joy, the happiness, the accomplishment of having completed something 'impossible'.
Read this book over and over to learn how perseverance in the face of hardship can give us both joy and hope along the road to our futures."
—wanderingtheworld.com
"Inspiring, Engaging, Compassionate! Brandon Wilson's Yak Butter Blues caught my attention from the first page and kept me engaged throughout. The story and writing had heart, adventure, devotion, and truth. When the book was over, I felt like I had treked with the author and his wife and was sorry it had come to an end. I appreciated the skillful weaving of description of the land, interactions with the people, historical information, personal doubts, and triumphs. This book is a treasure to the Tibetan people and to the rest of the world. It gives us a true glimpse of Tibet and captures a beautiful land and culture that may not be around in years to come. Well done!" (5 stars)
—award-winning author of Tibetan Tales for Little Buddhas
A remarkable account of bravery and determination. Wilson leads us through a harsh and beautiful landscape and takes us into the hearts of the people who live there. Time and again he shows us that hardships can become blessings.
—author of Arctic Daughter: a wilderness journey and Arctic Son: fulfilling the dream
Travel in Tibet is rough, but attempting it Tibetan-style ...and with winter approaching -amounts to sheer lunacy. Brandon Wilson and his wife Cheryl-along with a trusty pack-horse named Sadhu- set off on the ultimate trek: to walk an ancient pilgrimage and trading route from Lhasa to Kathmandu.
Their zany adventures leap from the pages of this book-getting showered in dust, coated in snow, hammered by the wind, getting lost, getting shot at. More to the point, this grueling form of travel brings them close to the extraordinary people and the breathtaking landscapes of the Tibetan plateau.
Told with humour and insight, this vivid narrative allows you to vicariously experience life at true Tibetan pace, one step at a time: so close, you can almost smell the yak butter.
—author of Heartlands-Travels in the Tibetan World
This was no walk in the park. Having walked the Appalachian Trail, I can attest to the inner fortitude required to walk long distances across rugged terrain and through less than desirable weather.
Even Indiana Jones would have reconsidered the expedition, but the Wilsons drew strength from their faith in humanity and each other--as well as from countless Tibetans offering yak butter tea, rugged lodging, and meals cooked over burning yak dung. The Wilsons journey across Tibet serves as a beacon of light for a repressed people held captive within their own country.
—award-winning author of A Walk for Sunshine
Any doubts I had about reading Yak Butter Blues melted away like yak butter under a hot sun as I came under the spell of Brandon Wilson's lively and vivid prose. He is a fine writer, perceptive, funny, and has a great way with words, making the book a whooping good read--an outstanding production.
—world-renowned mountaineer, author, and adventure kayaker
Are you ready for a walk? Because it's doubtful after reading "Yak Butter Blues" you'll be able to sit still.
The land of the Dalai Lama and Shangri-la calls with a voice too mysterious, too ancient to be ignored. And Brandon and Cheryl are the ideal guides—passionate folks delightedly figuring things out as they execute an improbable hike from Chinese-controlled Lhasa to Kathmandu.
—director of True Fans