Tibet

FROM THE PUBLISHER

With 250 accompanying photographs, Michael Peissel tells the history of the early Tibetans and the subsequent golden age of Tibetan Buddhism under the monk Richen Zampo. He examines the spiritual aspects that are so important in Tibetan life and the modern international success of Lamanism. Chronicling the paths of early explorers, Peissel relates Tibet's plunder and destruction, from its dismembering in colonial times to the Chinese takeover. He looks at the uniqueness of the Himalayas, where flora and fauna have evolved to suit the high altitude and resulted in such extraordinary species of animals as the yak and the Takin, a huge goat.

Through his writing and photography, Michael Peissel brings to life the geographical, spiritual, and intellectual heart of Tibet.

SYNOPSIS

Peissel is an anthropologist as well as an adventurer, traveler, author, and photographer, and is far removed from an armchair. He has made numerous expeditions to Greater Tibet, beginning in 1959, studying the culture, land, and fauna, and learning the language. Aimed at a readership interested in an introduction to the country or visitors who want a rich souvenir, this attractive, oversize book (9.5x11.25") contains Peissel's personal, informed narrative accompanied by his beautiful color photos, given generous display. A substantial bibliography and detailed index complete the book, which was originally published in the UK in 2002 and is making its debut in 2004 in its first American edition. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Who better to take readers on a journey through Tibet than someone who has led 26 expeditions into its vast expanses and even dreams in Tibetan? Peissel is an experienced explorer with a passion for Tibet and the Himalayas, and this book is the culmination of four decades of enthrallment. A land divvied up by India, China, Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan, Tibet holds the interest of many but the understanding of few; it's truly a "world within a world," Peissel writes. In its text, the book shifts easily from mythology, to flora and fauna, to Peissel's own adventure tales, to regional geopolitics, without breaking stride. But it's the photos (also courtesy of the author) that truly bring the land alive, capturing its cliffside cave cities, its vibrant ceremonies and its countless unforgettable faces. The only portion of the book that isn't exhaustive is its cursory discussion of Tibet's brutal treatment under Chinese rule. For Peissel, whose love for Tibet is palpable, it's probably too depressing a subject to broach. 250 color photos. (Feb. 27) CHANGE YOUR LOOKS, CHANGE YOUR LIFE: Quick Fixes and Cosmetic Surgery Solutions for Looking Younger, Feeling Healthier, and Living Better Michelle Copeland, D.M.D., M.D. with Alexandra S. Postman. HarperResource, $27.95 (288p) ISBN 0066213738 Copeland is assistant professor of clinical surgery at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and attending surgeon in plastic and reconstructive surgery at the Mount Sinai Hospital-as well as a "diplomat" of the National Board of Plastic Surgery; Postman is a senior features editor at Elle, who has also written for Glamour and Mademoiselle. The diction they cook up for this advice book meshes medical and fashion expertise in a manner that is somewhat unnerving; at one point, their first person text notes that "Helping people to imagine how their looks-and, by extension, their lives-can improve is the most challenging and rewarding" aspect of what Copeland does for a living. "Fixes" and procedures include endoscopic forehead lifts, "[c]ollagen or fat injections in the face [to] strategically plump it up," neck lipectomy (whereby "gobble neck" is "sucked away") and many others, carefully explained and illustrated by before and after pictures. The authors raise the potential "red flags" that should prevent one from undergoing surgery (including depression and pregnancy), but they also define various "light-bulb moments"-a dopey catch-phrase to refer to the things that bring people to seek surgery or other interventions. The book takes readers from making the cosmetic surgery decision through finding a doctor, to "Skin Savers and Quick Fixes" that don't involves surgery, and separate chapters on the face, breasts (the word "perky" is used repeatedly), body contouring, and healing that do. Copeland is an enthusiastic advocate of surgical procedures, and tries to back that enthusiasm with anecdotal and scientific evidence regarding surgery's effects, for some, on self-esteem and health. The pack is thick with similar books, but the Sinai name carries a lot of clout (at least in New York) as does that of Elle, and the book's upbeat, go-go encouragement is infectious. Some readers, however, may find themselves admiring the "before" pictures more than the "afters," and wondering about those light-bulb moments. (Jan. 1) Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.

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