Cradled among the world’s highest mountains—and sheltering one of its most devout religious communities—Tibet is; for many of us; an ultimate destination; a place that touches the heavens; a place only barely in our world; at its very end. In recent decades Western fascination with Tibet has soared; from the rise of Tibetan studies in academia to the rock concerts aimed at supporting its independence to the simple fact that most of us—far from any base camp—know exactly what a sherpa is. And yet any sustained look into Tibet as a place; any attempt to find one’s way around its high plateaus and through its deep history; will yield this surprising fact: we have barely mapped it. With this atlas; Karl E. Ryavec rights that wrong; sweeping aside the image of Tibet as Shangri-La and putting in its place a comprehensive vision of the region as it really is; a civilization in its own right. And the results are absolutely stunning. The product of twelve years of research and eight more of mapmaking; A Historical Atlas of Tibet documents cultural and religious sites across the Tibetan Plateau and its bordering regions from the Paleolithic and Neolithic times all the way up to today. It ranges through the five main periods in Tibetan history; offering introductory maps of each followed by details of western; central; and eastern regions. It beautifully visualizes the history of Tibetan Buddhism; tracing its spread throughout Asia; with thousands of temples mapped; both within Tibet and across North China and Mongolia; all the way to Beijing. There are maps of major polities and their territorial administrations; as well as of the kingdoms of Guge and Purang in western Tibet; and of Derge and Nangchen in Kham. There are town plans of Lhasa and maps that focus on history and language; on population; natural resources; and contemporary politics. Extraordinarily comprehensive and absolutely gorgeous; this overdue volume will be a cornerstone in cartography; Asian studies; Buddhist studies; and in the libraries or on the coffee tables of anyone who has ever felt the draw of the landscapes; people; and cultures of the highest place on Earth.
#383731 in Books 1993-02-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x .70 x 5.25l; .48 #File Name: 0226537579224 pages
Review
25 of 27 people found the following review helpful. 5 Stars; But Don't Buy It!By BucherwurmDon't buy it if you have the 1992 third edition of this book. Word for word the text is the same as the 3rd edition. Well; what's new then? A 3 and 1/2 page introduction by Joseph Ellis; and at the end a brief essay on the scholarship of the American Revolution by Rosemarie Zagarri. Not even the bibliography has been updated for this "edition". It even states in the book that the text hasn't been changed.I won't write a review of the text. There are many fine reviews that you can read for the 3rd edition; and I mostly agree with the four and five star reviews. It's a great; although brief book on the political aspects of the history of the period. My only qualification is that if you are truly interested in the Revolutionary era you need more books than just this one. Unfortunately the 20 year old bibliography isn't an awful lot of help...although there are some still in print classics listed by authors such as Bailyn (Ideological Origins of the American Revolution); Fischer (Albion's Seed); Wood (Radicalism of the American Revolution); Middlekauff (The Glorious Cause); and others.I am really concerned about the ethics of a growing trend among publishers who have become too enamored of words like "new"; "revised" and "anniversary" placed in front of "edition" when there really has been no modification of the text.If you don't own any edition of this book; then by all means buy it. If you have the 3rd edition my recommendation is to save some money; and don't buy it.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Brevity is the Soul of WitBy C. Wayne SwensonProfessor Morgan; in The Birth of the Republic (1763-1789); provides a wonderfully brief; yet remarkably informative; primer describing the founding events of United States history. Beginning with the armed confrontation on Lexington Green between British regulars and American militia; Professor Morgan eloquently traces the pivotal events of United States history up to the ratification of the United States' Constitution. Included are discussions on the Stamp Act crisis; the Townsend Act; the Quartering Act; the Boston Massacre; and the Boston Tea Party. Also included are discussions on the Colonists' political philosophies ("equal rights and equal men"); their experiences with government after the Revolutionary War; and the impetus for and events surrounding the creation of a Federal Constitution.This book is; by far; the most concise and informative survey of this critical period in American history. I most highly recommend it as the point to begin an understanding of this remarkable historical period! Balanced; well-written; and a delight to read; it is unquestionably a classic study!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Well worth the read.By CustomerExcellent book on the period. It's not about the Revolutionary War; but rather the cause and effects of people and events that led up to the war; and all that followed including the Constitutional Convention. Morgan neither deifies nor demonizes the players of the period; contrary to the popular trend today. If you want the undistorted; unbiased history surrounding the American Revolution; this is a great book. Easy to read; no flowery or emphatic declarations of good or bad; right or wrong; nor does it gloss over the facts. Well worth the read.
