Tibetan Rescue: The Extraordinary Quest to Save the Sacred Art Treasures of Tibet [Hardcover]

Pamela Logan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2002

The culture and artifacts of Tibet,like those of other remote indigenous
societies, are under siege by the relentless modern world. The fate of monasteries in Tibet has been a subject of concern to many in the West; but
until Tibetan Rescue little specific information had been published. As president of a nongovernmental organization that brings foreign aid into
Tibet, Pamela Logan brings a first-hand account of h er journey through Tibet,
as she evolves from solo traveler to expedition leader. Her mission: to save
the precious ancient murals of Pewar Monastery. To reach her goal she travels a long and circuitous path raising funds, getting permission from the Chinese bureaucracy, assembling an international team, and leading four
expeditions by bus, truck, and horse caravan to Pewar Monastery. Along the
way she meets a memorable parade of characters, overcomes bureaucrats and
blizzards, and survives a brutal attack by a pack of Tibetan dogs. Her book is an insider's look at a remote and little known part of Tibet, her story an inspiration to those who cherish challenge and adventure.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This detailed, informal diary chronicles the work of a woman devoted to a cause. Logan, who jettisoned an academic career (as a professor of physics, no less) after a vacation to Nepal in the mid-1980s, recounts her attempts to preserve the sacred Buddhist artwork of Tibet. She has to overcome numerous obstacles along the way: on one trip, dogs attack her in a monastery (she's saved by a group of monks); later, back at home, the anti-Tibet remarks of an American congressman virtually derail a fund-raising trip for the nonprofit Kham Aid Foundation she created. The temples themselves lodged in unstable buildings with leaky roofs and poor ventilation pose another difficulty. As she writes of one temple, "One more earthquake would surely bring it down, burying murals, treasures and people in the process." Despite these problems, her recovery teams boast significant progress toward preserving some of the world's art treasures. Logan's writing is clear and easily conveys the excitement of her work, but while she is obviously enamored with her subject, she's not above a criticism or two: "I'm a fan of Tibetan culture, but Tibetan medicine fills me with misgiving." The lack of art and historical background or details of conservation techniques (all are oddly placed in the book's appendix) will limit the book's appeal to the general reader. But those interested in art history, Asia and Buddhism are likely to be engaged and perhaps even inspired by Logan's efforts.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Logan (Among Warriors: A Woman Martial Artist in Tibet), an American with a Ph.D. in aerospace, here chronicles her four-year endeavor, beginning in 1994, to restore a monastery in a remote part of Tibet. Divided into five sections, each devoted to a specific "mission," the book centers mainly on the author's maneuvering with the not always cooperative Chinese bureaucracy. Logan also chronicles her journey across some of the most isolated parts of eastern Tibet and gives detailed explanations of Tibetan beliefs according to the murals of the building. Appendixes supply a wealth of additional information on conservation techniques, toponyms, Buddhism, and more. What sets this book apart from most Western writing on the plight of Tibet is that it demonstrates what can be accomplished to preserve and, more important, nurture what remains of the traditional culture. Recommended for larger public and academic libraries supporting interests in Tibet and specializing in conservation of the arts. Harold M. Otness, formerly with Southern Oregon Univ. Lib., Ashland
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 227 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing (January 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804834210
• ISBN-13: 978-0804834216
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,116,132 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful juxtapostion of travel and information, May 27, 2002

By 

Hans Ruppel (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tibetan Rescue: The Extraordinary Quest to Save the Sacred Art Treasures of Tibet (Hardcover)

I highly recommend this book. Clearly, it will resonate
with anyone who has ever been to Tibet, but even more so,
with those who care about the Dharma and about the
treasures associated with it. The book is well written,
balanced -- a marvelously crafted tale of adventure and
caring.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book about Eastern Tibet and its art treasures., March 6, 2002

By 

L. D. Wai "D.L." (Toronto) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tibetan Rescue: The Extraordinary Quest to Save the Sacred Art Treasures of Tibet (Hardcover)

This book is about an enormous effort by someone who has devoted many years in helping Tibetans in the eastern part of Tibet called Kham. She is Pamela Logan, who could easily have enjoyed a comfortable life with her Ph.D degree in physics, but chose to spend many months per year in her cause, including disaster relief, schooling of rural children, bringing wheelchairs to remote villges, and restoration of Tibetan Art. This book is about the challenges in restoring art in a remote area where travel had to be done by horseback and supplies are very limited, not to mention the bureaucratic problems with the officials.

It's a fascinating book for anyone interested in that part of Tibet, and not just about the art, but about the daily life of Khampa Tibetans, and the land. The author also included some history of that area . There are very few books about this part of the world, which was opened up for foreigners travel only since 2000. I myself travelled there that year and the trip was an eye-opener.

The author's writing is easy to read, even when it comes to technical things about the preservation of murals. If there is anything I have to wish for better, it would probably be that some of the photos are not as clear as it can be, but that just demonstrated one of the challenges the author had to deal with. She did not even have freedom to document the restoration project. Many of her films were confiscated by the police for the silliest of reasons.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A DIFFERENT KIND OF RESCUE, April 20, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Tibetan Rescue: The Extraordinary Quest to Save the Sacred Art Treasures of Tibet (Hardcover)

Normally, art conservation is not high on my list of exciting subjects to read about. Pamela Logan has changed my mind. This personal and dramatic story about her commitment to the preservation of a small, remote monastery in the Tibetan region of Kham is unique. Interwoven with short paragraphs on the Buddhist interpretation of the major paintings that "protect" the temple, she tells us a story of how a small group of dedicated "experts", led by a woman who would not give up, and accompanied by an eclectic band of monks, government overseers, and trainees gave new life to the ancient murals of a monastery that were almost forgotten. Filled with the challenges of bringing technical expertise to a remote region where much needed materials are brought in on the backs of horses and supplies mysteriously disappear, the book inspires, entertains, and educates. There are very few books about the mysterious land of Kham. Logan once again takes us there and gives life to a people and a place that few of us will see, but all of us will remember. I give it five stars.