Tibet

This look at land and people of Tibet emphasizes the struggle of the Tibetan people to maintain their unique way of life in the face of a Chinese occupation. Author Bobbie Kalman presents Tibet as a land shrouded in mystery, known as "the roof of the world" because it is located on the highest and largest plateau in the world. Opening chapters in this book look at the geography and history of Tibet, before focusing on the daily life of nomadic families. After considering the current status of Tibet as a part of China, Kalman looks in some detail at the culture of Tibet, especially as the home of Lamaist Buddhism, a special form of the Buddhist religion whose priests are called lamas. Overall Kalman covers a lot of topics, going for breadth instead of depth in her coverage. Every chapter is broken down into several subcategories, so that a young student researching Tibet will be able to find particular information or see the extent to which a given aspect of Tibet can be explored. "The Lands, Peoples, and Cultures Series" focus on the Far East, with three volumes (one on each topic) devoted to Japan, China, and India. Tibet was the first single volume in the series. "Tibet" is illustrated with color photographs, of the terrain and people, as well as the shaggy yak and most notably of a gaint "thangkas" on display.