Buddhist Himalayas [Hardcover]

Matthieu Ricard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 21, 2002

The Buddhist Himalayas is a stunning collection of photographs of the majestic landscape and Buddhist people of the Himalayas. The authors' unique intimacy with their subject is immediately apparent in these awe-inspiring images, presenting as they do a harmonious mosaic of the unmatched richness of the civilization at the Roof of the World. The pictures are accompanied throughout by contributions from nineteen eminent specialists on the region, who reflect on the political and spiritual personalities of the Himalayan world. The book comprises four sections - 'Birth', 'Life', 'Death' and 'Rebirth' - sections that reflect not only the cycle of our existence, but also the history of the Himalayas. These elements combine to make this the definitive work of reference on the Buddhist Himalayas in the 21st century.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Terma," a Tibetan word meaning "revealed treasures," applies to teachings hidden by ancient masters under rocks or in the earth to be found by future generations; it also applies to this massive volume of photographs and text. The Föllmis have spent 25 years living, working and travelling in the Himalayas with peasants, nomads, monks and spiritual masters; Ricard, a monk himself, has photographed life in Tibet and Nepal for 30 years and is the French translator for the Dalai Lama. Their giant, glossy photographs (often in two-page spreads) capture the vividness of Tibet's landscape and people in beautiful detail. The accompanying essays cover basic Buddhist concepts, schools of Tibetan Buddhism, Tibetan astrology and medicine as well as profiles of village, monastic and nomadic life. (The topic of meditation, however-a core practice of Buddhism-strangely warrants only a brief description in the glossary.) Chilling accounts of the Chinese invasion and occupation and its results (1,200,000 slaughtered, over 6,000 temples destroyed) convey the bleakness of the situation: this is a culture on the verge of extinction. Captions to the 185 color photographs come at the end of the book, and although going back and forth from photo to explanatory text can be bothersome, the stunningly rich images make the effort worthwhile. For anyone interested in Buddhism and the history and culture of Tibet, this book is a worthy object of meditation.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Olivier and Danielle Follmi are both renowned French photographers; they have both spent many 25 years sharing the lives of the Himalayan villagers and nomads. Matthieu Ricard has lived in the Himalayas for over thirty years.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 424 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson (October 21, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500511012
• ISBN-13: 978-0500511015
• Product Dimensions: 14.6 x 11.6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,571,046 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Most Exquisite Photography Book!, January 15, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Buddhist Himalayas (Hardcover)

This book has the most beautiful photographs of the Himalayas that I've ever seen. The photographers captured the essence of this region in perfect, minute detail. Interspersed between the photos are articles written by prominent buddhist lamas and scholars, including HH the Dalai Lama. It demands its own book stand and place for display in your home. The book is very large. The photos are borderless and some span both pages. This is truly something to have to pass down in your family. For lovers of Buddhist thought and for those who just appreciate great photography.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deeply Beautiful, April 22, 2003

By 

"gsabino1" (Montclair, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Buddhist Himalayas (Hardcover)

The photos in this book are simply extraordinary. The composition of each shot is lyrically beautiful. The images of great masters are radiant and inspiring. The quality of the reproductions is wonderful and unusual (I think) in a book at this price. Anyone with a love of
Tibetan Buddhism should surely have this book. (By the way, I bought this in a bookstore and paid about twenty dollars more)

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Buddist Himalayas, August 18, 2005

By 

K. Mahanna (Boulder, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Buddhist Himalayas (Hardcover)

This is a gorgeous book with exquisite photography and interesting and sensitive text. The only problem was the poor quality of the binding which fell apart the first time I opened it. Otherwise i would rate it 5 stars.