So Close to Heaven: The Vanishing Buddhist Kingdoms of the Himalayas

by Barbara Crossette

Book Overview

Profiling the exotic kingdoms of the Himalayas, a history of the Buddhist world describes its early exploration, harmonious existence, and threat of extinction by forbidden outside influences. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0679743634
• ISBN13: 9780679743637
• Release Date: June 1996
• Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

A highly readable introduction to Bhutan

The title indicates the book is about Himalayan Buddhism. While small portions are devoted to the Buddhists of Kashmir, Nepal, and Sikkim, the majority of the book is about Bhutan, because it's the last remaining Buddhist monarchy of the Himalayan region. This is not a travel narrative; instead, the material is arranged by topic. It's comprehensive and pleasant to read. It's shortcoming is the author's unabashed bias in favor of the Bhutanese monarchy, despite its dubious record of human rights toward the Hindu minority. Crossette admits she received favored treatment from the king, and it shows. Likewise, she sides with the (now deposed) monarchy of Sikkim. The bias is so transparently obvious, I didn't feel I had been conned, but one expects greater balance from a correspondent of The New York Times.

a clear and thoughtful look at the Himalayan kingdoms

So Close to Heaven is a clear and thoughtful look at Bhutan and other (now vanished) Himalayan kingdoms. Crossette is an excellent traveling companion, blending research, analysis and personal observation in a very readable and informative text.