The Gnome King reviewed Peaks on the horizon by Charlie Carroll
Review of 'Peaks on the horizon' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Before reading this book what I thought I knew of Tibet was;
1. It is a country in Asia
2. Some time ago China moved in and claimed it had always been part of China
3. It’s very high above sea level, if you visit you’ll probably feel rough because of the altitude
4. Loads of monks live there
5. Every now and then celebrities will try to Free Tibet before they get bored and move on to some other campaign.
This book is a wealth of knowledge, Charlie Carroll has done an immense amount of research to try and find the true history of Tibet amongst all that is fake. During his time in Tibet he has tried to find the real Tibet and he has interviewed many Tibetans, but he only ever gets little bits of info here and there as most are terrified he might be a …
Before reading this book what I thought I knew of Tibet was;
1. It is a country in Asia
2. Some time ago China moved in and claimed it had always been part of China
3. It’s very high above sea level, if you visit you’ll probably feel rough because of the altitude
4. Loads of monks live there
5. Every now and then celebrities will try to Free Tibet before they get bored and move on to some other campaign.
This book is a wealth of knowledge, Charlie Carroll has done an immense amount of research to try and find the true history of Tibet amongst all that is fake. During his time in Tibet he has tried to find the real Tibet and he has interviewed many Tibetans, but he only ever gets little bits of info here and there as most are terrified he might be a spy and that they will end up in prison for some re-education, he just doesn’t seem to be able to get anywhere with his research. This is all until he meets Lobsang who is willing to tell him his life story.
The book is split into two stories, Lobsang’s and Charlie’s with alternating chapters.
Charlie’s is mainly a history/geography lesson and he shares his obsession of Tibet with the reader. He captivates your imagination and you truly do crave a visit to see this beautiful country and it’s mysterious inhabitants.
Lobsang’s though is an incredible story of a refugee, from being a very small child escaping Tibet across the Himalayas to his eventual return as an adult. A really moving story that will leave you feeling empty at times, it is a story full of love and danger.
This is a book that everybody should check out, not only a great place to find out about Tibet, but a beautifully written dual narrative.
Blog review: felcherman.wordpress.com/2021/02/04/the-friendship-highway-two-journeys-in-tibet/