Lost Horizon (1933) by James Hilton

🗻 Every time I hear the word "Shangri-La", my head always produces the famous luxury hotels in South East Asia. I vaguely know that Shangri-La is a kind of mythical paradise-ish place somewhere near China. But I hardly know that that myth was brought to surface by James Hilton's novel: Lost Horizon. It is, indeed, a remarkable book - half mythical, half adventurous. And this Shangri-La is actually a hidden place in Tibet, near the Himalayan, where time stood still, and peace reigned.

🗻 Four passengers were on board a plane from Afghanistan, to avoid the forthcoming civil war. They were Hugh Conway, a British diplomat; his deputy, Mallinson; an American called Barnard; and a missionary woman, Miss Brinklow. Conway had shown himself as brave, calm, and resourceful, either during WW1, or his service as diplomat, as was endorsed by Mallinson. So, it is not surprising that when the passengers found out that they were probably been kidnapped - the plane flew off course, and the pilot knew no English - they were all relying on Conway's resourcefulness to be in charge.

🗻 The plane finally crashed on top of a high mountain near the Himalayan, and the pilot was dead; but not before whispering that they need to find shelter at a monastery up the valley. When they were about to prepare for the journey to the unknown territory, there came a procession of some Tibetan lamas, who introduced themselves as lamas from the said monastery. Thence they were brought and rescued, and soon Conway and his friends found out the unreality, as well as the reality, of this place called Shangri-La. Shangri-La is a kind of paradise, but at the same time, it could be regarded as prison. For Conway, to whom freedom, peacefulness, and nature have absolute charm, it is paradise. But to Mallinson, who adored the comfort of modern city, it is a prison. The problem is, there's almost no way out from that hidden and protected Shangri-La. So, what is this Shangri-La, with its quality of utopian tranquility and immortality? To say nothing of it being a cross-cultured between East and West.

🗻 I loved how the story was told by Conway's friend's, who, in the end, did not get hold of all the facts. It just added the surreal aspect to the whole story. Is Shangri-La real? Or is it just hallucination from Conway's side? Did this peaceful and beautiful place ever exist? Or is it a mere dream? All in all, it's an entertaining adventure story, with a touch of mystery, and the certain atmosphere you'd particularly find in every story about Tibet.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Seven Years in Tibet (1953) by Heinrich Harrer #NonficNov25

🗻 If you've been following my blog long enough, you might probably know that, besides France, Tibet is a country which I've always been fascinated. And so, for my second read for #NonficNov25, I picked Seven Years in Tibet, which I've been excited to read after three times watching the movie adaptation, starring Brad Pitt. If I have loved the movie, I loved even more the book from which it's been adapted. The book is a far cry from the romanticized version of the movie. Only bits of real facts that actually penetrated into the movie; the rest is Hollywood's doing. Believe me, if you want to know about Tibet and the early life of the Dalai Lama (yes, the current one), just start by reading this book!

🗻 The book expands from Heinrich Harrer's escape from the British war-prison in India, at the outbreak of Second Word War. Then he was an Austrian Nazi SS sergeant and a world renowned mountaineer, who always loved mountains and freedom. After several failed attempts of escape, with several different companions, he at last succeeded to flee towards Tibet. Harrer had read many books about Tibet before, and was fascinated by this mysterious country. But succeeding to flee did not bring automatic safety for these men (he was with several friends when starting the journey). One by one the member collapsed, either from physical or mental weaknesses. In the end, it was only Harrer and Peter Aufschnaiter, an Austrian mountaineer, agricultural scientist, and geographer, who made it across Tibet after grueling hikes in the roughness of Himalayan cold weather and high altitude. But the simplicity and generosity of the people they've got to know along the way, compelled them to take whatever way to reach the Forbidden City of Lhasa.

🗻 Following Harrer and Aufschnaiter's journey for the first half of the book, I was fascinated by the Tibetans' kindness and generosity. They received these two strangers clothed in rags and must looked like tramps, with warmth and sincere. True, there were some who're malice, but mostly they were pure-hearted, merry people, almost childish at heart. Their devotion to their religion was a striking feature of these people. And they smile and laugh a lot; they could even laugh at themselves, and were rarely offended by other's mimicry, for instance.

🗻 Tibetan's respect for all religions is also an admirable feature. The biggest monastery in Tibet is The Tsug Lag Khang, and while inspecting it, Harrer found a bell hanging from the roof with inscription "Te Deum Laudamus". The building had been a Catholic chapel many centuries ago, and only due to their  respect of other religion, that it was preserved. Christianity and Buddhisn have much in common, anyway - this is from Harrer's view. "They are both founded on the belief of happiness in another world and both preach humility in this life".

🗻 One of the most attractive features in Tibetan life is a habit of going to meet, and seeing one's friends. "When anyone goes away, his friends often put up a tent on his road several miles out of the town and wait for him there with a meal to speed him on his way. The departing friend is not allowed to go till he has been loaded with white scarves and good wishes. When he comes back the same ceremony is observed. It sometimes happens that he is welcomed at several places on his way home. In the morning, maybe, he first catches sight of the Potala; but on his way into the town he is held up at tent after tent by his welcoming friends, and it is evening before he arrives in Lhasa, his modest caravan swollen to stately proportions by his friends and their servants. He comes home with the happy feeling that he has not been forgotten."

🗻 The second half and the most interesting part of the book is of course, when Heinrich Harrer has finally got to meet the Dalai Lama, then a fourteen-year-old boy. Here we could see the Dalai Lama not as a God-King, but a mere boy. An exceptional and very intelligent boy, as Harrer shared his observation when the Dalai Lama asked him to build a home theater: "I observed then, for the first time, that he liked to get to the bottom of things instead of taking them for granted." Though the 14th Dalai Lama used to be boyishly excited about new stuffs, his passions are not of the usual things that fascinate boys; but always ones for the improvement of his people. From this we learn from the very beginning that he IS the perfect choice for Dalai Lama. His "appointment" was of another amazing story that Harrer had got to learn. Strange as it was for us, the boy proved to be the perfect Dalai Lama. And how wonderful it is that the 14-year-old boy that we read in this book IS the Dalai Lama we currently see on news or television.

🗻 I have found a 1992 YouTube video of an interview between the Dalai Lama and Heinrich Harrer, many years after their first meeting at Potala. They kept their friendship, and Harrer kept being a Tibet enthusiast until he died in 2006, aged 93. Here's the link to the video.

🗻 Needless to say, this book is going to be my all time favorite nonfiction book. Not only that it is about Tibet, but also due to the profound depiction of the serene and peaceful way of Tibetan by Heinrich Harrer, combined with his concise but beautiful writing style. It is a wholesome book; realistic, but with a magical sense.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Read for:

Nonfiction in November 2025

hosted by Heather, Frances, Liz, Rebekah, and Deb