Dreams of the Peaceful Dragon: A Journey Through Bhutan (Paperback)

~ Katie Hickman (Author) "I have never been much good at beginnings..." (more)
Key Phrases: uttermost east, thunder dragon, prayer wall, Padma Sambhava, General Manager, Dreams of the Peaceful Dragon (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The charm and vivacity of the writing match the mood of the trip.” -- The Times Literary Supplement

Product Description

Katie Hickman, author of the best–selling Daughters of Britannia, offers a captivating record of her travels through the forbidden Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Phoenix House (February 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0753813076
• ISBN-13: 978-0753813072
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 6.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,351,663 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #20 in	Books > History > Asia > Bhutan
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sensitive journey into the soul of Bhutan and of the author, August 20, 2003

By	Mieko Nishimizu - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Hickman writes beautifully. This book is a captivating account of her own journey into the depth of Bhutan, which she records honestly from the bottom of her heart. Hickman, unlike most western writers on Bhutan, captures something of the soul of Bhutan, as she narrates her own emotional journey as a young woman of good sense and rich sensitivity.

At the same time, the book is also an exciting adventure story. Anyone with good wanderlust in their heart will not be able to put it down until all the pages are turned, and will be left yarning for more after the last page is read.

While eastern Bhutan remains less exposed to outside visitors than the western part of the country, it is now much easier to travel there than during Hickman's time. There is now a motorable road to everywhere she went on foot and ponies. Television, telephone and internet highway -- prohibited or non-existent back then -- now bring in outside information more easily to Bhutan. Most importantly, Bhutan has achieved a phenomenal increase in the literacy of her people, with English as the chosen medium of class-room instruction and as the "link" language among the country's numerous linguistic groups. As such, beyond its literary value, this book also has a place in the historical literature, capturing the ways of the eastern people of Bhutan before their greater exposure to the outside world.

Having said that, however, Bhutan's vision of "Gross National Happiness" (being more important than Gross National Product), and the enlightened development strategy associated with it -- balancing material and spiritual gains, and valuing its historical, cultural and natural heritage -- mean that Hickman or any other visitors would find the soul of Bhutanese people not much altered since her visit.

The book would certainly tempt many to consider visiting this unique Himalayan nation called Bhutan. Like Hickman's own, it promises to be a journey of personal discovery, leaving one to ponder some cosmic reasons why such a nation exists on earth...

5.0 out of 5 stars blood sweat and marvels, July 24, 2004

By	Diana R Roome (MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Reading this was a journey of enchantment for me, too. If the author had some special help in reaching the uttermost reaches of this little-known country, she paid for it with the intense discomfort,hardships, dangers, fever, and uncertainties of a journey made the old-fashioned way, without maps or roads or even a half-decent meal at the end of each day. Jolted right out of the comfort zone of planned modern travel, her heightened awareness and acute observations are the prizes she brings back in this wonderfully written and often hilarious book.
I can't wait to find a copy of the book of photos (now sadly out of print) taken on the same journey by Tom Owen Edmunds.

8 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Irritating, January 20, 2004

By A Customer

While it's always fascinating to read about adventures in Bhutan and other Himalayan places, for some reason I found this book - and the author's style - quite irritating. Despite an acquaintance with the Bhutanese royal family, the author appears to be sailing through on a free ride, and doesn't seem to have the grasp of the country that is apparent in Beyond the Sky & the Earth, by Jamie Zeppa.