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Tibet (Country Guide) | 
 enlarge | Author: Bradley Mayhew
Publisher: Lonely Planet
Category: Book
List Price: $26.99
Buy New: $16.40
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New (37) Used (8) from $15.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 28577
Media: Paperback
Edition: 7
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 368
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 5 x 0.9
ISBN: 174104569X
Dewey Decimal Number: 915
EAN: 9781741045697
ASIN: 174104569X
Publication Date: February 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Condition: new
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Amazon.com
From Antarctica to Zimbabwe, if you're going there, chances are Lonely Planet has been there first. With a pithy and matter-of-fact writing style, these guides are guaranteed to calm the nerves of first-time world travelers, while still listing off-the-beaten-path finds sure to thrill even the most jaded globetrotters. Lonely Planet has been perfecting its guidebooks for nearly 30 years and as a result, has the experience and know-how similar to an older sibling's "been there" advice. The original backpacker's bible, the LP series has recently widened its reach. While still giving insights for the low-budget traveler, the books now list a wide range of accommodations and itineraries for those with less time than money. This completely revised and updated Lonely Planet guide to Tibet features new maps, detailed trekking information, overland routes from China and Nepal, Tibetan and Mandarin language sections, as well as essential notes on history, culture, and Buddhism. The author imparts expert advice on where to stay and eat, and presents engaging sidebars on topics such as "The World of a Monk," "Everest's Name," "King Gesar," "Important Figures of Tibetan Buddhism," "The Mandala," "Sutra & Tantra," and Tibetan travelers' first-hand experiences. --Kathryn True
Book Description
Discover Tibet
Be caught in the slipstream of wafting incense as you navigate past prostrating pilgrims to Lhasa's Jokhang Temple
Gaze at clear views of Everest's north face framed in the windows of the world's highest monastery
Slurp the rich, salty goodness of yak-butter tea...and learn the pitfalls of finishing your cup
In This Guide:
Three authors, 119 days on the road, 356 protector chapels
Includes Tibetan and Chinese characters, so you can easily communicate and find where you want to go
Informed coverage of permits, the China-Tibet train line and gateway cities Chengdu and Kathmandu
Content updated daily - visit lonelyplanet.com for up-to-the-minute reviews, updates and traveler suggestions
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 Good Practical But Poor Background Information March 14, 2008
14 out of 15 found this review helpful
I look for two things in guide book: narratives that enhance my understanding of the place I am visiting and accurate practical information. This review focuses on the shortcomings of the narrative and ends with comments on the practical aspects of the Lonely Planet Tibet (7th Edition).
The historical discussion of Liberation on pages 38-9 illustrates narrative problems which continue throughout the book. (The liberation section should be accessible on the amazon.com main web page for the Lonely Planet Tibet book.)
GENOCIDE: In the first paragraph of the section the author states that " `liberation' led to 1.2 million Tibetans deaths". This information first appeared in the early 1980s along with accusations of genocide. Although the 1.2 million has often been repeated on websites, in movies, print and even in the "prestigious" British War Museum in London, it has never been supported by credible evidence. No demographers, for example, have ever provided support in a peer reviewed journals. On the contrary, the census data on ethnic Tibetans in Tibet indicate an increase of 53.9% from 2.3 to 3.8 million between 1964 and 1982. This is a much higher rate of population growth and absolute numbers than the preceding 50 years. (Yan Hao, Asian Ethnicity, Volume 1, Number 1, March 2000; accessible at the Case Western University Website http://www.case.edu/affil/tibet/booksAndPapers/tibetan.population.in.china.pdf ).
CHINESE INVASION: The second paragraph of the section perpetuates the notion that Chinese military encounter with the Lhasa Tibetan Government forces was "an onslaught." While a very popular belief in the West this is does not appear to be accurate and seems to unfairly demonize the Han Chinese . The only confrontation of forces occurred at Chamdo and saw fewer than 200 casualties on the Tibetan side before surrender. The PLA treated captured Tibetan forces well, took away their weapons, made sure they had food and clothing and gave all soldiers and their families money and sent them home. ( See for example Lee Feigon, Demystifying Tibet (Ivan R. Dee, Chicago, 1996), p. 144. ; Prof. A. Tom Grunfled, The Making of Modern Tibet (An East Gate Book, London, 1996), p108)
EL SALVADOR: The third paragraph contains the narrowly true but misleading story about El Salvador being the only country with courage enough to introduce a UN resolution condemning Chinese aggression against Tibet. The story is misleading because El Salvador had just completed its own very effective genocide--called La Matanza --against its Mayan citizens and was behaving as a dutiful puppet of the McCarthy era US government . La Matanza was so effective that the remaining Maya gave up their language dress and customs overnight. El Salvador was hardly a bastion of human rights courage. See the US Library of Congress Country Study on El Salvador at http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+sv0017) for a discussion of La Matanza.
SINO-TIBETAN NEGOTIATIONS: The representation of the Tibetan and Chinese negotiations in the fourth paragraph is very misleading. The narrative trots out the old lie about the Chinese preparing "forged seals" to sign the agreement. The Chinese made personal seals for each of the Tibetan negotiators and no personal coercion was applied based on the testimony of the negotiators themselves. See Goldstein`s recently published, A History of Modern Tibet (University of California Press, 2008) . Goldstein's recently published History of Modern Tibet Volume 2 (2008) which has the most complete and very well documented exposition of how the negotiations went and why on pages pp 106-7.
FOOD SHORTAGE AND INFLATION: The sixth paragraph perpetuates one of the biggest myths about the "occupation" of Tibet, namely how the Chinese troops caused a food shortage and massive inflation. Actually, there were more than ample supplies of food for many times the number of PLA soldiers in Lhasa. The food market was manipulated by Tibetan aristocrats and monasteries who were the large corporate landowners and holders of grain surplus. The intent was to cause tremendous hardship for commoner Tibetans and thereby build public sentiment against the Chinese who had promised improved conditions. . The de facto Tibetan regent/prime minister Lukhangwa engineered the fake shortages strategy and reaped great personal gain. He was eventually removed from office when the Dalai Lama assumed office as the head of state. Again, Goldstein (2008) cited above has the best exposition of this whole affairs; see Chapter 9, The Food Crisis.
Note also that the author of Lonely Planet Tibet inaccurately cites Goldstein's Volume 1 of the History of Modern Tibet in the margin of this Liberation section stating that it covers the period 1913 to 1959. Actually Volume 1 covers the period up to 1951 and doesn`t deal with the Liberation period. Goldstein's Volume 2 (not cited in Lonely Planet Tibet) covers the Liberation period. I doubt the Lonely Planet author read either book.
THE CIA: The final paragraph of the Liberation narrative makes passing mention that the revolts in the late 1950s had CIA covert assistance. The truth is that US covert operations began in the 1940s through to the 1970s including funding of the Tibetan Government in Exile. This is quite common knowledge discussed in many books but again Goldstein's works are the best place to start if you are interested. Keep in mind that this is the same CIA that was overthrowing the democratically elected governments of Guatemala and Iran at this time.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECPOMMENDATIONS: The above criticisms are important for two reasons as one is about to make a large expenditure of time and money on a trip to Tibet. Tibetan culture, history and society are among the most fascinating on the planet with many unique features. It is important to look beyond the polemical perspectives and misinformation that is contained in the narrative throughout this book so that you can begin to see the richness and complexities that are there. I consider Goldstein to be the best source of information in English I have found so far because his works are based on meticulously documented source materials and interviews with all the key players. He is fluent in Tibetan (and I believe Chinese also) and more importantly has been doing field research in Tibet and among Tibetans and Han Chinese since the early 1960s. His short book, The Snow Lion and the Dragon (1997), is probably the best introductory overview. The Case Western Reserve Center for Research on Tibet is a great source of on line materials, references and links: http://www.case.edu/affil/tibet/. Goldstein is the head of the Center.
Second, in the US (and Europe) we are flooded with misinformation about Tibet and China, as the above examples illustrate. The misinformation is highly emotional and appeals to our best instincts but comes from sources with their own (often hidden) agendas. The sources which I have cited here are valuable because I think they rise above self-serving controversy with quality scholarship and analysis. If you are going to step into this very controversial part of the world, you owe it to Tibetans, to Han Chinese and to yourself to become more informed. Another US military adventure will, as in Iraq, only benefit the Haliburtons and Lukhangwas of this world and hurt a lot of innocent people.
Based on my reading and traveling I have concluded that there are cogent and credible arguments for Tibetan independence as well as for Tibet's inclusion in a multi-ethnic/multi-national China. I prefer the China "option" because I think we need a more multi-polar world with more examples of multi-ethnic states. We all have to live together. The West should be seeking ways for constructive reconciliation rather than encouraging confrontation by formally supporting China and informally supporting Tibetan Independence.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION: With respect to the practical information in the Lonely Planet Tibet, I plan to spend the next 2 and a half months traveling around Tibet and may submit another review later on the practical information later. It has been my experience that Lonely Planet guides provide good information on lodging and transportation and are generally good on food choices, shopping, entry tickets and hours of operation. Their maps are the best I have seen in guide books: practical, accurate and useable. The maps are the reason why I continue to use Lonely Planet. I have been to Tibetan areas of Gansu and Qinghai. I found the practical information contained in the Lonely Plant China book to be as useful as can be expected for places undergoing rapid change.
 Cursory and limited, but somewhat sufficient for travel January 25, 2007
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
This book does what most of the Lonely Planet guides do best: provides clear, personalized reviews of places to stay, eat and explore wherever your destination may be. However, LP Tibet focuses mostly on Central Tibet and the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR), with very little info and inadequate maps for what was Kham and Amdo (now contained in Sichuan and Qinghai provinces). This is where other Tibet guides, Gyurmed Dorje's Footprint edition in particular, shine. LP Tibet will get you around the TAR comfortably, but lacks the depth of information and regional exploration required for more intensive and insightful travel there.
For the most extensive discussions of religious sites (but DO NOT USE these routes and maps!), try to find the "Tibet Handbook" by Victor Chan (out of print). Also, Keith Dowman's "The Power Places of Central Tibet" provides excellent, traditional descriptions of Tibetan sacred sites.
 Tibet guide at its best January 17, 2007
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
I've used Lonely Planet guides in all my travels. I've found their guide book for Tibet the best one they have ever published. It captured everything about Tibet intricately.
Perfect Also for the Armchair Traveler September 24, 2006
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
I've never been to Tibet and probably never will get there, but reading about Tibet and Central Asia is one of my interests, so I bought this book to augment my reading. The book I was reading, "Younghusband" by Patrick French, told of the eponymous colonial Brit who explored and exploited Tibet late in the 19th century. It was interesting to compare his notes of more than 100 years ago with Lonely Planet's descriptions of the same places today. This book was incredibly detailed and well-written, and although I can't vouch for its accuracy, reading the other reviews here indicate that the authors were right on the money. Good job.
I went to Tibet June 10, 2004
11 out of 22 found this review helpful
Last summer I went to Tibet with this book as a NGO officer. This book is very useful, but no information about dalily life of real Tibeatian. Acturally, in the downtown, there are few Tibetian people. There are only Hun people, majority ethnic group in China, who enjoy their prestages. On the other hands, Tibetian people live in the northen part with surveillance camera. Since some of them are sterllized, real Tibetean people would disapper in this century, apart from the exiles in Indea.
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