The Story of Tibet

August 21, 2006
In a tenderly crafted study that is equal parts love letter, traditional history and oral history, Laird chronicles the development of Tibet from its mythic origins to its takeover by Communist China in 1950. Weaving historical research with interviews with the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled leader, veteran journalist Laird (Into Tibet: The CIA's First Atomic Spy and His Secret Expedition to Lhasa
) offers insight into the triumphs and failures of the country. In one particularly fascinating section, the Dalai Lama expresses reservations about the truth of the Tibetan creation myths involving a demon and a monkey and accepts Darwin's theory of evolution as the most logical explanation of the origins of humankind. Laird traces Tibet's sometimes tortured relationships with China and India, recounting the country's conflicts with the Mongols and the Manchu Empire, as well as its struggles for independence in the face of Chinese occupation. The Dalai Lama also recounts his early life; vividly recalls his first meeting, at age 19, with Mao Zedong; and reflects on his years in exile and his hopes for Tibet to be freed from occupation. Throughout, Laird's colorful and lively writing brings to life thousands of years of Tibetan history, inviting the reader on his journey to a strange and wonderful land. 16 pages of color photos.

January 1, 2007
Nepal-based American journalist Laird ("Into Tibet: The CIA's First Atomic Spy and His Secret Expedition to Lhasa") has long been following events in Tibet. Between 1999 and 2000, he interviewed the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet in India, where His Holiness has been in exile since 1959. Laird asked the Dalai Lama about his life and his understanding of the history and development of Tibetan Buddhism. For this reason alone, this book makes a significant contribution to the outpouring of recent writings on Tibet. We see the human being behind all the media generated wherever the Dalai Lama goes, and we see how he interprets the events that have brought his native land and followers to where they are today. Laird does, however, comment and expand considerably on his subject's remarks, so the reader is given an edited, filtered, and sympathetic look at this remarkable man. Like most books on Tibet, this one is politically charged and highly critical of Chinese actions there. An epilog brings the continuing story up to 2006; the bibliography is commendably thorough. Laird's book will find a readership in both public and academic libraries. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 2/15/06.]Harold M. Otness, formerly with Southern Oregon Univ. Lib., Ashland

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