Of Rainbows & Clouds [Hardcover]

Queen Ashi D. Wangmo Wangchuck (Author), Yab (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2000 | ISBN-10: 0906026490 | ISBN-13: 978-0906026496

Yab Ugyen's memoirs reveal the story of a remarkably close and loving family, brought to life through historical photographs of five generations of its members as well as contemporary photographs of those temples, houses and palaces associated with the family. The book includes a description and the only extant photographs of the royal wedding in 1988 of His Majesty the King of Bhutan with four of Yab Ugyen's daughters.

The latter part of the book chronicles Yab Ugyen's struggles as he grows from a fledgling shopkeeper to a successful merchant. Through the dramatic and gripping vicissitudes of his life and fortunes, beautifully narrated by his daughter, Yab Ugyen reveals a simple and inspiring philosophy of life that has enabled him to tide him over hard times and deepened his spiritual faith and belief in the invisible forces of karma.

This biography provides a fascinating and vivid insight of Bhutan. There are intimate and revealing glimpses of traditional life in monastic retreats, remote villages, forts and palaces.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 184 pages
• Publisher: Serindia Publications (October 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0906026490
• ISBN-13: 978-0906026496
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,564,207 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #33 in Books > History > Asia > Bhutan

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Additional reading, January 7, 2006

By 

Rudolf U. Weber (Switzerland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Of Rainbows & Clouds (Hardcover)

If you are interested in Bhutanese history, you should read Michael Aris' "The Raven Crown" (1994) first. Unfortunately Aris covers only the period up to about 1960. Despite his intimate knowledge of the royal family (he was tutor to the royal children around 1970) he does not mention the Queens at all and their family only in passing.

"Rainbows and Clouds" offers some interesting glimpses at 20th century Bhutan and at somebody who lived through the huge changes this country has undergone, maybe even helped to shape it. Also there are some interesting pictures. But naturally this is a very personal book without any claim to objectivity and there are some big holes. Especially the issue of Ugyen Dorji's oldest brother "Chogley" Jigme Tenzin is rather perplexing, since Aris does not mention him at all. However, both books basically agree on the death of the Shabdrung in 1931, although as a historian Aris is naturally more careful.

I got the strong impression that this book is in part meant to establish a defined and clean record of the maternal ancestry of the future king and it should therefore be read very critically.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Review, January 21, 2003

By 

**alyssa ** (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Of Rainbows & Clouds (Hardcover)

The book is very interesting for someone who is fascinated with the history and culture of bhutan but the first few chapters are very complicated to read. The author goes into too much detail and there are many whord written in bhutantese. Nonetheless there are beuatiful pictures of the king and the countryside. The pictures are worth the whole book.

1.0 out of 5 stars I can't believe people think this is well written, January 11, 2007

By 

Robert J. Smith "curious traveler" (New York City) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Of Rainbows & Clouds (Hardcover)

I could barely make it through. The beginning is filled with endless Bhutanese names of places and events that eventually are very oblique and confusing. Her story telling ability is very limited and misses any real immediacy since it is a life told to her by her father and then told to the reader. I do not know anything about the history of Bhutan but I had a sense that this was a story only somewhat related to any fact. Her father told her this story and she remembered all of the details to eventually write down? She has a far better memory than most if that is the case! The photos were adequte, but the country is beautiful and the photos could have been so much better. The photos at best illuminated the simple nature of the country and showed the modest situation of the royalty totally devoid of the opulence of a European crown. I would not buy this book.