Page 66 - Bhutan: Hidden Kingdom of the Himalayas
P. 66
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts (Fictionalized Memoir). Based directly upon the
experiences of its author, this is the story of a man who escapes from prison in Australia to
L]]TaP TY 8`XMLT bSP]P SP bZ]V^ TY L ʭ]^_ LTO ^_L_TZY LYO ^X`RRWP^ O]`R^ LYO R`Y^
>`T_LMWP -Zd by Vikram Seth (Fiction). The tale of Lata’s (and her mother’s) attempts to
ʭYO L ^`T_LMWP S`^MLYO QZ] 7L_L 4_ T^ ZQ_PY NZX[L]PO _Z L .SL]WP^ /TNVPY^ YZaPW O`P _Z T_^
interwoven cast of characters and sprawling length.
?LU 8LSLW ;L^^TZY LYO 2PYT`^ L_ _SP 3PL]_ ZQ _SP 8ZRS`W 0X[T]P by Diana and Michael Preston
(History/Architecture). A complete, but easy-to-read, telling of the story behind the building
ZQ _SP ?LU 8LSLW 4_ LW^Z ZʬP]^ L `^PQ`W MLNVR]Z`YO ZY _SP 8ZRS`W /dYL^_d
?SP 2ZO ZQ >XLWW ?STYR^ by Arundhati Roy (Fiction). A mystery, family saga and tale of
innocence lost set in Kerala during the tumult of the 1960s. Winner of the 1997 Booker Prize.
?SP 2]PL_ =LTWbLd -LeLL] by Paul Theroux (Travel Narrative). A fun and fabulous recounting of
a 1970s journey across Asia by train. The author starts in London and makes it all the way to
Japan before returning via the Trans-Siberian Express.
?SP 7T__WP -ZZV ZQ 3TYO` /PT_TP^ by Sanjay Patel (Region). The gods and goddesses are explained
in a brief “who’s who” kind of way in this sweet and colorful book. The author was an
animator for Pixar studios, so the book features lots of bold, cartoon-like artwork.
?SP =LU <`L]_P_ by Paul Scott (Fiction). Together, these four novels tell the sweeping, epic tale
of the transition from British-controlled India to independent India. If tackling four books
^PPX^ L MT_ _ZZ X`NS bP ^`RRP^_ ^_TNVTYR _Z _SP ʭ]^_ aZW`XPɨ?SP 5PbPW TY _SP .]ZbY
?SP BST_P ?TRP] , 9ZaPW by Aravind Adiga (Fiction). Adiga explores urban India through the tale
ZQ -LW]LX 3LWbL L aTWWLRP [L`[P] _`]YPO PY_]P[]PYP`] 4_ɪ^ L _]LY^ʭcTYR ^_Z]d MZ_S ^SZNVTYR
and entertaining, of hard-fought success. Winner of the 2008 Booker Prize.
>XL^S LYO 2]LM _SP ,YYPcL_TZY ZQ >TVVTX by Sunanda K. Datta-Ray (History) A vivid and
NZX[WPWWTYR ST^_Z]d _SL_ bL^ ^`[[]P^^PO TY 4YOTL .LY MP SL]O _Z ʭYO TY []TY_ M`_ ^ZXP
e-book editions are available (i.e. Nook, Kindle).
Bhutan
Buddhist Scriptures edited by Edward Conze and Thomas Wyatt (Religion). A collection of
-`OOST^_ _Pc_^ _SL_ ]PʮPN_ _SP 3TYLdLYL LYO _SP 8LSLdLYL _]LOT_TZY^ L^ bPWW L^ Z_SP]
developments in Buddhism. Includes several brief selections from one of the most famous
biographies of the Buddha, the Buddhacharita.
-S`_LY ?SP 7LYO ZQ >P]PYT_d by Matthieu Ricard (Culture). Ricard, a Buddhist monk,
photographer, and interpreter, draws on his time in Bhutan over the last 25 years for this
intimate cultural portrait.
?SP 7TQP LYO =PaPWL_TZY^ ZQ ;PXL 7TYR[L by Sarah Harding (Religion). A translation of the
_PLNSTYR^ ZQ ;PXL 7TYR[L LY TX[Z]_LY_ ʭR`]P TY -S`_LYP^P ]PWTRTZ`^ ST^_Z]d ?SP
book is also full of historical information about Bhutan and the court of King Trisong Detsen.
66

