My Land and My People: The Original Autobiography of His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet

[Full Title] My Land and My People: The Original Autobiography of His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet

If one must read books about Tibet, this is one of the best places to start.

The Dalai Lama manages throughout to convey a calm wisdom. Unlike works by academics on the same subject, this one explains historical facts, events, realties, goals and their context, with an unobtrusive air which causes them all to smoothly enter the mind and feelings. Unlike works by the most passionate radicals on the same issue, this one avoids vitriolic language--nonetheless imparting a vivid picture of a situation no less dramatic and painful. And all this while talking about his life--a manifestation of how much of it is dedicated to Tibet.

A must-read.

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日本人はチベットのことを知らなければならない
「セブン・イヤーズ・イン・チベット」という映画を見るまでチベットのことはほとんど知りませんでした。この映画はチベットを訪れた外国人の視点で書かれていました。そしてこの本はダライ・ラマご本人が書かれたものです。この本をもとに「クンドゥン」という映画が作られました。この二冊の本を読むだけでずいぶんとチベットのことが分かります。