Magic and Mystery in Tibet

Alexandra David-Neel was among the first Westerners to extensively explore Tibet. In these memoirs she tells of her encounters there; the people and their culture, and fervently Buddhist society. The author's early years, wherein her enthusiasm for travel and curiosity of faraway cultures grew, are excluded from these pages. Rather we begin with David-Neel's first trip to Tibet, and her initial impressions of the country. The friends she makes, and the various officials and Buddhist priests of varying rank and station, are recounted vividly. As a Western woman, David-Neel did not always encounter friendliness or tranquility in those she met: many were less than welcoming, or even hostile, to her presence. As she was a pioneer in Tibet, it is for these explorations that David-Neel is most remembered. The complex traditions of the Tibetan lamas, and how its people existed upon the high plateau of the Himalayas, fascinated many in Europe. Allowed meetings with religious officials, including the 13 th Dalai Lama, it was only after a decade of exploring the Tibetan culture that David-Neel dared to go yet farther by travelling, incognito, to Lhasa - the capital city, forbidden to all foreigners... A classic memoir, known for inspiring the writers and poets of the Beat Generation, Magic and Mystery in Tibet is both biography and a great tale of adventure.

Alexandra David-Neel was among the first Westerners to extensively explore Tibet. In these memoirs she tells of her encounters there; the people and their culture, and fervently Buddhist society. The author's early years, wherein her enthusiasm for travel and curiosity of faraway cultures grew, are excluded from these pages. Rather we begin with David-Neel's first trip to Tibet, and her initial impressions of the country. The friends she makes, and the various officials and Buddhist priests of varying rank and station, are recounted vividly. As a Western woman, David-Neel did not always encounter friendliness or tranquility in those she met: many were less than welcoming, or even hostile, to her presence. As she was a pioneer in Tibet, it is for these explorations that David-Neel is most remembered. The complex traditions of the Tibetan lamas, and how its people existed upon the high plateau of the Himalayas, fascinated many in Europe. Allowed meetings with religious officials, including the 13 th Dalai Lama, it was only after a decade of exploring the Tibetan culture that David-Neel dared to go yet farther by travelling, incognito, to Lhasa - the capital city, forbidden to all foreigners... A classic memoir, known for inspiring the writers and poets of the Beat Generation, Magic and Mystery in Tibet is both biography and a great tale of adventure.

2014 Reprint of 1932 New York Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. Alexandra David-Neel was a Belgian-French explorer, spiritualist, Buddhist, anarchist and writer, most known for her visit to Lhasa, Tibet, in 1924, when it was still forbidden to foreigners. David-Neel wrote over 30 books about Eastern religion, philosophy, and her travels. Her teachings influenced beat writers Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, philosopher Alan Watts, and esotericist Benjamin Creme. Seeker, adventurer, pilgrim, and scholar, David-Neel (1868-1969) was the first European woman to explore the once-forbidden city of Lhasa. This memoir offers an objective account of the supernatural events she witnessed during the 1920s among the mystics and hermits of Tibet - including levitation, telepathy, and the ability to walk on water. Includes all the photographs from the original edition.

2014 Reprint of 1932 New York Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. Alexandra David-Neel was a Belgian-French explorer, spiritualist, Buddhist, anarchist and writer, most known for her visit to Lhasa, Tibet, in 1924, when it was still forbidden to foreigners. David-Neel wrote over 30 books about Eastern religion, philosophy, and her travels. Her teachings influenced beat writers Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, philosopher Alan Watts, and esotericist Benjamin Creme. Seeker, adventurer, pilgrim, and scholar, David-Neel (1868-1969) was the first European woman to explore the once-forbidden city of Lhasa. This memoir offers an objective account of the supernatural events she witnessed during the 1920s among the mystics and hermits of Tibet - including levitation, telepathy, and the ability to walk on water. Includes all the photographs from the original edition.