Further reading |
There are many excellent books and films about Tibet. The following, broken down into categories are only some of the publications you might find of interest.
-Contemporary Politics And Socio-Economics Of Tibet
-Tibetan History Pre-1950
-Films about Tibet
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Fire Under the Snow: True Story of a Tibetan Monk: Palden Gyatso and Tsering Shakya Shocking account of one man’s 33 year long ordeal in Chinese prison and his revelation since his escape in 1992 of the human rights abuses in Tibet. |
Sky Burial: An Eyewitness Account of China's Brutal Crackdown in Tibet. Blake Kerr. Having witnessed the repression of a peaceful demonstration in 1987 Lhasa, Kerr, a young physician returned to Tibet to document the population control measures imposed by the Chinese on the fledging Tibetan population. |
Tears of Blood: A Cry for Tibet: Mary Craig Extensively researched and masterfully told, the author of Kundun reveals the decades of persecution, environmental devastation, and human atrocities suffered by Tibetans since the Chinese invasion of 1950. |
Inside the Treasure House: Time in Tibet: Catriona Bass A former English teacher, Catriona Bass details the cultural-tensions and repressions in 1980s Lhasa. |
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The Search for the Panchen Lama: Isabel Hilton British journalist Hilton witnesses the power of religion to survive persecution and destruction as she accompanies the search to identify the 11th incarnation of the Panchen Lama, the second-highest spiritual authority in Tibet. Although the Chinese have recognised another child, the true incarnate, as appointed by the Tibetans, is believed to have been detained in mid-'90s. |
A Beginner's Guide to Changing the World: For Tibet, with Love: Isabel Losada An account of Isabel’s passionate, single-handed effort to change the world, just a little. |
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The Dalai Lama's second volume of autobiography touches on his childhood, rule in Tibet, his flight from the Chinese and his life and work in exile up to 1988. |
Conducted over three years, journalist Thomas Laird offers His Holiness’s personalised account of Tibet’s history and his life’s work as both spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetan people. ) |
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Portrait of the Dalai Lama: The Life and Times of the Great Thirteenth Sir Charles Bell Biography of the 13th Dalai Lama (1876-1933), often called “the Great”, who lobbied in vain for support from the outside world against the Chinese invasion he foresaw |
A Tibetan Revolutionary: The Political Life and Times of Bapa Phuntso Wangye: Melvyn C. Goldstein, Dawei Sherap and William R. Siebenschuh The as-told-to autobiography of one of the most important Tibetan Communists in the China today. |
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Daughter of Tibet: Rinchen Dolma Taring Mrs Taring's autobiography tells of daily life in aristocratic society in Lhasa prior to 1950 and her starting the Tibetan Homes Foundation in India following her escape. |
Captured in Tibet: Robert Ford As a radio officer in 1950 for the government of Tibet, Ford spent 5 years being "re-educated" in a Chinese prison following the invasion. Also see this link. |
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Warriors of Tibet: Story of Aten and the Khampas' Fight for the Freedom of Their Country: Jamyang Norbu The story of one Khampa's flight with his family and his fight against the Chinese with the guerrillas of Mustang. |
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Running a Hotel on the Roof of the World: Five Years in Tibet: Alec Le Seur |
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An incidental traveller’s account of hospitality and hardship in the early 1980's Tibet. |
A series of four exchanges between the two authors considering the paradoxes of Tibet’s history, China’s cultural imperialism and the challenges facing Tibetan writers and thinkers of today. |
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The Status of Tibet: History, Rights, and Prospects in International Law: Michael C. van Walt van Praag |
Circles of Protest: Political Ritual in the Tibetan Uprising, 1987-1992: Ronald D. Schwartz An examination of how protest against the occupation of Tibet has served as a vehicle for expressing and reinforcing Tibetan nationalism. |
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Tibet: The Road Ahead: Dawa Norbu A first-hand description of life in rural Tibet, 1950-59 and analysis of Tibet's future in post-Deng China. |
Tibet: Survival In Question Pierre Antoine Donnet An experienced Beijing press correspondent's investigation of the politics of Tibet in the 1990s. |
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Contemporary Tibet: Politics, Development and Society in a Disputed Region: June Teufel Dreyer and Barry Sautman Published in 2005, offers a fresh perspective on the controversial Tibet question and considers topics including: representations and sovereignty, economic development and political conditions, the exile movement and human rights, historical legacies and international politics, identity issues and the local society. |
State Growth and Social Exclusion in Tibet: Challenges of Recent Economic Growth (Nordic Institute of Asian Studies Reports):Andrew Martin Fischer Using official Chinese statistics and fieldwork analyses, Fischer explores the changing socio-economic landscape and challenges facing Tibetans from rapid state-led growth. A must for those wishing to understand the transformations in the Tibetan areas of China. |
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Seeking to contextualise the Chinese occupation of Tibet, Heath examines the reasons for Mao Zedong's decision to invade Tibet; the consequent changes ranging from ecological demise to cultural erosion and economic development, and explores the question of how best achieve a solution acceptable to both parties. |
In Exile from the Land of Snows: The Definitive Account of the Dalai Lama:John F. Avedon Modern history of Tibet until 1984 looking at the struggles of the exiles to preserve their culture, the suffering of those who stayed and the fight of the Mustang guerrillas. |
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The Dragon in the Land of Snows: a history of modern Tibet since 1947: Tsering Shakya Relying heavily on primary sources this is a much-needed account of Tibet’s history since 1950 including political manoeuvrings in Tibet, the Dalai Lama's escape in 1959 and the CIAs involvement resisting the Chinese invasion. |
The CIA's Secret War in Tibet: Kenneth Conboy and James Morrison An account of the CIA’s efforts in bolstering the Tibetan resistance movement including its help in securing the Dalai Lama's safe passage to India. |
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The Snow Lion and the Dragon: China, Tibet and the Dalai Lama:Melvyn C. Goldstein
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A serious analysis of the Tibetan independence movement, this book views the struggle from a comparative perspective, making an overt comparison with the Indian independence movement. |
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Violence of Liberation: Gender and Tibetan Buddhist Revival in Post-Mao China:Charlene E. Makley A powerful study on how the Tibetan region of Labrang became part of China as well as the transformations of the region since 1950. |
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A History of Modern Tibet, 1913-1951: The Demise of the Lamaist State: Melvyn C. Goldstein and Gelek Rimpoche The well-known anthropologist examines the Tibetan feudal system and reasons that underscored the lack of Tibetan resistance to the Chinese invasion. It also looks at internal Tibetan politics and the roles of other nations. |
Trespassers on the Roof of the World: The Race for Lhasa: Peter Hopkirk Peter Hopkirk colourful tale of many adventures in the race for Lhasa in the 19th and 20th centuries by inquisitive Western explorers through the Chinese invasion of 1950. |
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Tibet: A Political History: Tsepon W. D. Shakabpa A long-standing member of the Tibetan Government before the Chinese invasion, Shakabpa relies on government archives and ancient text to provide a definitive guide to Tibet's political history from the 7th century to modern times. |
Tibet and its History Hugh E. Richardson Tibet's history from early records to the Chinese invasion by a British diplomat and the first European to be permitted to reside in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa. |
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Artefacts of the National Museum of Denmark unveil an illustrated guide through Tibetan nomadic culture and artistic traditions. |
Imagining Tibet: Perceptions, Projections and Fantasies:Thierry Dodin, Heinz Rather A comprehensive attempt to trace the images of Tibet in the writings of explorers and missionaries, through to scholars, and present-day activists. |
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Lhasa: Streets with Memories (Asia Perspectives: History, Society & Culture): Robert Barnett Uncovering the foreign misconceptions and hidden texts of Lhasa. |
Duel in the Snows: The True Story of the Younghusband Mission to Lhasa by Charles Allen The true story of the Younghusband mission to Lhasa. |
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