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Escape from the Land of Snows: The Young Dalai Lama's Harrowing Flight to Freedom and the Making of a Spiritual Hero Audiobook
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(3.17) - 139 listener ratings
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On the evening of March 17, 1959, as the people of Tibet braced for a violent power grab by Chinese occupiers—one that would forever wipe out any vestige of national sovereignty—the twenty-four-year-old Dalai Lama, Tibet’s political and spiritual leader, contemplated the impossible. The task before him was immense: to slip past a cordon of crack Chinese troops ringing his summer palace and, with an escort of 300, journey across the highest terrain in the world and over treacherous Himalayan passes to freedom—one step ahead of pursuing Chinese soldiers. Mao Zedung, China’s ruthless Communist dictator, had pinned his hopes for total Tibetan submission on controlling the impressionable Dalai Lama. So beloved was the young ruler—so identified with his country’s essence—that for him to escape might mean perpetual resistance from a population unwilling to tolerate an increasingly brutal occupation. The Dalai Lama’s minders sent word to the Tibetan rebels and CIA-trained guerrillas who waited on the route: His Holiness must escape—at all costs. In many ways, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, was unprepared for the epic journey awaiting him. Twenty-two years earlier, government search parties, guided by prophecies and omens, had arrived at the boy’s humble peasant home and subjected the two-year-old to a series of tests. After being declared the reincarnation of Tibet’s previous ruler, the boy was brought to Lhasa to learn the secrets of Buddhism and the ways of ultimate power. Forced in the ensuing two decades to cope with aching loneliness and often stifling ritual—and compelled to suppress his mischievous personality—Gyatso eventually proved himself a capable leader. But no previous Dalai Lama had ever taken on a million Communist Chinese soldiers bent on stamping out Tibetan freedom. To keep his country’s dream of independence alive by means of a government in exile, the young ruler would not only have to brave battalions of enemy soldiers and the whiteout conditions waiting on the slopes of the Himalayas’ highest peaks, he’d have to overcome a different type of blindness: the naïveté intrinsic to his sheltered palace life and his position as leader of a people who considered violence deeply taboo. His mind made up, the young Dalai Lama set off on his audacious journey to India while behind him a Chinese army rolled over Lhasa, its advance hunter patrols in fierce pursuit of the man they most coveted. The 14th’s escape was an act of daring and defiance that represented Tibet’s last hope, and so the world watched, transfixed, as the gentle monk’s journey unfolded. Emotionally powerful and irresistibly page-turning, Escape from the Land of Snows is simultaneously a portrait of the inhabitants of a spiritual nation forced to take up arms in defense of their ideals, and the saga of an initially childlike ruler who at first wore his monk’s robes uncomfortably but was ultimately transformed by his escape into the towering figure the world knows today—a charismatic champion of free thinking and universal compassion.
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"Beautifully written and very moving. No matter what your religious beliefs, this is a fascinating true story of the Dalai Lama's escape on foot from communist China's occupation of Tibet back in 1959. It's difficult to fathom such an expedition through the Himalayas. Very tragic! "
— Dave (5 out of 5 stars)
Escape from the Land of Snows Listener Reviews
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" 3 1/2 Parts were very good. Made me want to learn more about Tibet. "
— Nancy, 2/5/2014 -
" I didn't care for how much it jumped around - made it hard to follow at times. But, what a fascinating story. It's a topic I didn't know much about, and am grateful to know more now. "
— Andrea, 2/3/2014 -
" Pretty good, but I was reading a lot of non-fiction and hit a wall with this book. I had to take a break and that cut the momentum and thus the readability of the book. In retrospect, I might have rather read one of the Dalai Lama's own biographies. Nonetheless, this was interesting and I learned a lot. I have even greater respect now for the Dalai Lama. "
— Anastasia, 1/10/2014 -
" Beautifully written and very moving. No matter what your religious beliefs, this is a fascinating true story of the Dalai Lama's escape on foot from communist China's occupation of Tibet back in 1959. It's difficult to fathom such an expedition through the Himalayas. Very tragic! "
— Dave, 1/1/2014 -
" Well-researched, compelling book. Insightful, fast-paced (mostly), and factual without being dry. "
— Jayalexn, 12/31/2013 -
" Wonderful book which taught me there once was a place called Tibet. Now Tibet exists in the hearts and souls of people around the world. "
— Bernadette, 12/21/2013 -
" This was a great biography of the Dalai Lama and how he escaped from Tibet. I was amazed at how the Tibetan people supported him and helped in the escape. It was fascinating. "
— Valerie, 12/15/2013 -
" Interesting and informative, Talty examines the escape fo the Dalai Lama from the Chinese invasion of Tibet. Talty provides an excellent context for understanding how the Dalai Lama grew into his role as the leader-in-exile of the Tibetan people. "
— Leslie, 12/9/2013 -
" I enjoyed this book, but I expected more focus on the person and less on the politics. The book centered on the tension and battle leading up to the escape. I had hoped for more information directly from the Dalai Lama. "
— Dorothy, 12/1/2013 -
" Very interesting account of the escape of the Dalai Lama from Tibet. The book recounts the history his early life through his escape to India. "
— Kathy, 8/17/2013 -
" Gives you perspective on the suffering and compassion the Dalai Lama has endured and grown through to inspire others. Excellent book! "
— Denise, 2/2/2013 -
" Stephen Talty's well-written account of the Dalia Lama's escape from Tibet's capital in 1959 reads more like a thriller. Very fast moving, with explainations of the Tibetan and Buddhist cultures. Seemingly unbiased, discusses events from various points of views. Highly reccommend. "
— Jon, 9/7/2012 -
" I really liked it, I just never got a chance to finish it because my teacher needed it back. It's highly interesting. "
— Alex, 8/25/2012 -
" This was an incredible book. I learned a lot about the region & the people of Tibet. I really enjoyed reading this account of the Dalai Lama's epic journey. I have a greater respect for him as a person & a leader now that I understand what he survived & underwent. "
— Royce, 7/20/2012 -
" I don't generally like books that have to have a cast of characters at the beginning of them, but this book was interesting and had excellent, simply writing that made it very easy-to-read and quick to read. Not my favorite book, but not bad either. "
— Emily, 6/25/2012 -
" Very interesting story, well written. I learned a lot. "
— Penny, 5/14/2012 -
" I always wanted to learn more about the Dalai Lama and Talty certainly wrote a great story concerning this notorious figure. "
— Dave, 12/22/2011 -
" Interesting. Good read. Learned a lot about Tibet as a country and about the people and culture of Tibet. "
— Maaike, 11/15/2011 -
" I liked the book. This covers the background of the Dalai Lama's escape to India, and a bit about the journey itself. "
— Chris, 10/28/2011 -
" 3 1/2 Parts were very good. Made me want to learn more about Tibet. <br/> "
— Nancy, 5/3/2011 -
" Very interesting account of the escape of the Dalai Lama from Tibet. The book recounts the history his early life through his escape to India. "
— Kathy, 4/24/2011 -
" I enjoyed this book, but I expected more focus on the person and less on the politics. The book centered on the tension and battle leading up to the escape. I had hoped for more information directly from the Dalai Lama. <br/> "
— Dorothy, 4/21/2011 -
" Interesting and informative, Talty examines the escape fo the Dalai Lama from the Chinese invasion of Tibet. Talty provides an excellent context for understanding how the Dalai Lama grew into his role as the leader-in-exile of the Tibetan people. "
— Leslie, 3/29/2011 -
" Interesting. Good read. Learned a lot about Tibet as a country and about the people and culture of Tibet. "
— Maaike, 3/5/2011 -
" This was an incredible book. I learned a lot about the region & the people of Tibet. I really enjoyed reading this account of the Dalai Lama's epic journey. I have a greater respect for him as a person & a leader now that I understand what he survived & underwent. "
— Royce, 3/1/2011
About Stephan Talty
Stephan Talty is the award-winning author of Agent Garbo, Empire of Blue Water, and other best-selling works of narrative nonfiction. His books have been made into two films, the Oscar-winning Captain Phillips and Only the Brave. He is also the author of two psychological thrillers, including the New York Times bestseller Black Irish. He has written for the New York Times Magazine, GQ, and many other publications.
About Shishir Kurup
Shishir Ravindran Kurup is an Indian-born American actor. He played Dr. Singh on the sci-fi series Surface, and also had roles on the series Heroes, Lost, and True Blood