A powerful, emotional memoir and an extraordinary portrait of three generations of Tibetan women whose lives are forever changed when Chairman Mao's Red Army crushes Tibetan independence, sending a young mother and her six-year-old daughter on a treacherous journey across the snowy Himalayas toward freedom Kunsang thought she would never leave Tibet. One of the country's youngest Buddhist nuns, she grew up in a remote mountain village where, as a teenager, she entered the local nunnery. Though simple, Kunsang's life gave her all she needed: a oneness with nature and a sense of the spiritual in all things. She married a monk, had two children, and lived in peace and prayer. But not for long. There was a saying in Tibet: "When the iron bird flies and horses run on wheels, the Tibetan people will be scattered like ants across the face of the earth." The Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1950 changed everything. When soldiers arrived at her mountain monastery, destroying everything in their path, Kunsang and her family fled across the Himalayas only to spend years in Indian refugee camps. She lost both her husband and her youngest child on that journey, but the future held an extraordinary turn of events that would forever change her life--the arrival in the refugee camps of a cultured young Swiss man long fascinated with Tibet. Martin Brauen will fall instantly in love with Kunsang's young daughter, Sonam, eventually winning her heart and hand, and taking mother and daughter with him to Switzerland, where Yangzom will be born. Many stories lie hidden until the right person arrives to tell them. In rescuing the story of her now 90-year-old inspirational grandmother and her mother, Yangzom Brauen has given us a book full of love, courage, and triumph,as well as allowing us a rare and vivid glimpse of life in rural Tibet before the arrival of the Chinese. Most importantly, though, ACROSS MANY MOUNTAINS is a testament to three strong, determined women who are linked by an unbreakable family bond.
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"This is a beautiful book about the importance of culture and family history, about strong women, about the terrors of a dictatorship, and about peaceful protest, human kindness, and intercultural support. A very heartfelt and personal story by a talented, thoughtful author. Enjoyed every page."
— Barbara (5 out of 5 stars)
" Beautifully written story about three generations of women. I loved their strength and honesty. "
— Heather, 2/20/2014" Wonderful book, a must read "
— Shannon, 2/2/2014" The story of three generations of a Tibetan family takes them from indigenous life in Tibet to city life in Switzerland. First hand descriptions of how idyllic though primitive life was in Tibet and the painful existence of Tibetan refugees in India. Even though most of the events in this book took place many years ago, the plight of the Tibetan refugee has not changed much. "
— Jeanne, 1/18/2014" Enjoyed learning about life in pre-China Tibet and more about Buddhist beliefs and rituals. The story line about the grandmother/nun and her daughter (the writer's grandmother and mother, but the last part about the writer's life was less interesting. Definitely worth reading. "
— Jacalyn, 1/13/2014" Whilst it's interesting, it's clearly written by an amateur & so it seems slow at times, even repetitive. The 1st book I've read on Tibet though, so revealing. "
— Darcey, 1/2/2014" So good! Very informative and an amazing story. Learned a lot about Tibetan and Budhist culture. "
— Kathy, 12/27/2013" Interesting but frustrating! The author makes so many generalizations about the culture of "old Tibet" (before the Chinese invasion) but then seems to contradict them both in her recounting of the Tibetan response to the Chinese invasion and in her own family history. "
— Ruth-Ann, 12/19/2013" This book was an amazing story of hardship and triumph. It is really a heartwarming story about a family who went through a lot together and never gave up! "
— Lynnea, 12/10/2013" Great memoir about Tibetan Buddhists who fled Chineses communism. "
— Joelegrand, 12/10/2013" This was a fairly fascinating book, except it didn't hold my attention so well as to inspire me to actually finish it. I'm not sure why. Perhaps another time. "
— Catherine, 4/28/2013" A riveting book about the indomitable spirit of three women but most especially that of Yangsom's grandmother., Kunsang. Kunsang's life gives us an insight into the destruction of the Tibetan way of life under Chinese rule and the subsequent search for cultural and religious freedom. "
— Theresa, 7/20/2012" Very interesting book on plight of Tibetans and adjusting to new cultures. "
— Sue, 3/5/2012" Such courage! "
— Janet, 10/13/2011" I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Truly captivating tale that not only explains a lot about Buddhist/Tibetan culture, but also portrays an intriguing intergenerational family tale. "
— Peter, 9/24/2011" From the very start of this book I was drawn into the lives of this family. "
— Adam, 8/8/2011