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Source Material for the Study of Tibet

Suggested Sources for Grades 9-12 (annotated)

Suggested Sources for Educators (annotated)

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The below have been compiled by Tibet Education Network at Global Source as recommended as suggested source material for grades 9-12 and useful introductory and background source material for teacher education. It is not an exhaustive resource but does cover the broad landscape of available resources for the study of Tibet.

Some of these titles are available through The Global Source Catalog.

Suggested Sources for Grades 9-12

Ama Adhe: The Voice That Remembers
By Adhe Tapontsang The autobiography of an extraordinary Tibetan woman who survived 27 years in Chinese labor camps for resisting the occupation of her homeland with remarkable courage and strength. Since leaving Tibet in 1987, she has become an international spokeswoman for the Tibetan struggle and champion for human rights everywhere. Paper. 258 Pages. Wisdom, 1998.

The Anguish of Tibet
Edited by Petra Kelly, Gert Bastian, and Pat Aiello An important collection of 24 essays, articles, and speeches, on the current Tibetan situation, with a blend of Tibetan and non-Tibetan scholars, political leaders and activists speaking about Tibetan history, the Chinese occupation, the issue of independence, human rights, environmental issues and political initiatives. Includes appendices of primary source documents from Treaties to UN Resolutions. Paper. 382 Pages. Parallax Press, 1991.

The Art of Exile: Paintings by Tibetan Children in India
Remarkable, powerful paintings by Tibetan refugee children, tell of their lives in Tibet, escaping into exile, life in India and their hope for a future Tibet. Includes interviews, photographs and essays. Visit their website to find out more about the origins and current status of this art project. Educators can seek permission through the website to reprint certain paintings for classroom use. Paper. 135 Pages. Museum of New Mexico Press, 1998

The Autobiography of a Tibetan Monk
By Palden Gyatso. The remarkable story of a Tibetan monk who spent 25 years in a Chinese prison enduring incredible hardship and suffering for the strength of his beliefs. He leaves prison in 1992 with the tools of torture used to interrogate him, which he smuggles out of Tibet to help tell the world his story. A compelling biography of the resilience of the human spirit. Paper. 232 Pages. Grove Press, 1997.

The Buddhist Handbook
By John Snelling. A comprehensive survey of Buddhist teachings, history, schools, practice and resources. Recommended as preparation reading for educators and as course material for students. Paper. 337 Pages. Inner Traditions, 1991.

Buddhist Symbols in Tibetan Culture
By Dagyab Rinpoche. An authoritative investigation, with brief commentaries, on the nine best-known groups of symbols in Tibetan culture. An excellent reference source for studying Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan religious art. Paper. 147 Pages. Wisdom, 1995.

Demystifying Tibet: Unlocking the Secrets of the Land of Snows
By Lee Feigon. An authoritative overview of Tibetan civilization and history, examining the global perspectives which have shaped our image of Tibet. Written by a professor of East Asian Studies, with detailed footnotes. Recommended as a text for high school and college courses. Paper. 241 Pages. Ivan Dee, 1996.

Feminine Ground: Essays on Women & Tibet
Edited by Janice Willis. A collection of essays by scholars that explore women issues and female role models in ancient and contemporary Tibet. Paper. 164 Pages. Snow Lion, 1989.

In Exile from the Land of Snows
By John Avedon. Considered a primer on the current Tibetan situation, recounting the modern history of Tibet from 1933 through the Chinese invasion, the exile of The Dalai Lama and the evolution of the contemporary Tibetan Diaspora. With chapters on the Tibetan resistance movement, Tibetan medicine, and Tibet's Chief Oracle. This updated edition contains a useful timeline and an in-depth interview with The Dalai Lama. Recommended as a text for high school students. Paper. 456 Pages. HarperCollins, 1997.

In The Footsteps of Gandhi: Conversations with Spiritual Social Activists
By Catherine Ingram. Twelve interviews with a variety of inspirational leaders, including The Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Cesar Chavez, Joanna Macy, Ram Dass, Joan Baez and Gary Snyder. A great source of wisdom to help examine issues of social justice and social responsibility. Paper. 284 Pages. Parallax Press, 1990.

My Land and My People
By Tenzin Gyatso, The Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet. This initial autobiography of The Dalai Lama written a few years after his escape into exile in 1959, describing the loss of his country and the struggle maintain an ancient culture in an emerging Diaspora. Written during his mid-20's, this book is an excellent source for teaching young adults about responsibility and leadership. Recently republished with new introduction and forward. Paper. 231 Pages. Warner Books, 1998 (1962).

The Mystical Arts of Tibet
By Glenn Mullin & Andy Weber. A survey and exhibition of Tibetan arts. Part One introduces the reader to Tibet, Buddhism, and themes in Tibet art, followed by chapters on creating sacred images, sand painting, and sacred music and dance. Part Two features exhibits the personal objects of The Dalai Lama and sacred objects from the Drepung Loseling Monastery, with a closing chapter on maintaining the traditional Tibet art forms in exile communities of India and Nepal. A recommended source for introducing a study of Tibetan art and connecting this function of culture with the larger study of Tibet. Paper. 165 Pages. Longstreet Press, 1996

Open Heart, Clear Mind
By Thubten Chodron. An introduction to Buddhist philosophy and practice written for a western audience. The author, an American Tibetan Buddhist Nun, offers a Buddhist approach to daily life in clear and engaging language. Written for those new to Buddhism and for people who have studied and practiced for years. Includes an insightful and thought-provoking section on working with anger. Paper. 216 Pages. Snow Lion, 1990.

Orphans of the Cold War: America and The Tibetan Struggle for Survival
By John Kenneth Knaus. The history of the Tibetan Resistance against Communist Chinese occupation and America's involvement in the conflict from the 1950's through the 1970's. Knaus is a former CIA Officer who was one of the core team for Tibet Mission, now an associate at the Fairbanks Center for East Asian Research at Harvard. This books makes a valuable contribution to documenting and revealing a little known, but essential part of modern Tibetan history. A valuable source for for the study of American foreign policy during the Cold War years. Paper. 395 Pages. Public Affair, 1999.

A Portrait of Lost Tibet
Written by Rosemary Jones Tung, Photographs by Ilya Tolstoy and Brooke Dolan. A thematic view of traditional Tibetan society and culture prior to 1949, with 131 black and white photographs from Americans on an official visit to Tibet during the early 1940's. Recommended for those studying Tibetan civilization. You can read the story of the Tolsoy-Dolan expedition in "Across Tibet from India to China", National Geographic, August 1946. Paper. 224 Pages. U. California Press, 1980.

Seven Years in Tibet
By Heinrich Harrer. The autobiographical story of an Austrian mountain climber who escapes a British internment camp in India during WWII to Tibet, and becomes a personal tutor of the young Dalai Lama. A classic travel tale which offers an intimate outsider's view of Lhasan society prior to the Chinese occupation. A good book for an English Lit. or Humanities class. The 1998 Hollywood film of the same name makes a good visual companion for discussing the book. See the section on Heinrich Harrer for additional support material. Paper. 329 Pages. Tarcher, 1998 (1954).

The Snow Lion's Turquoise Mane: Wisdom Tales from Tibet
By Surya Das. A large collection of traditional Tibetan tales and spiritual parables, translated and edited by a western Tibetan Buddhist teacher. Paper. 255 pages. Harper Collins, 1993.

Tibet: Enduring Spirit/Exploited Land
By Robert Apte and Andres Edwards.
A comprehensive case study of traditional Tibetan land use and ecological wisdom, contrasted with the current, endangered natural environment resulting from Communist Chinese rule. Recommended as a text for high school or college. Cloth. 175 Pages. Heartsfire, 1998.

The Tibet Guide
By Stephen Batchelor. An updated edition of the best guide for travel in Central, Southern and Western Tibet, offering rich detail and context for visiting monasteries, nunneries, and other traditional Tibetan institutions. One of the few to deal openly with contemporary issues in Tibet. Written by a leading scholar of Tibetan Buddhism, the introductory chapters on land and people, the history of Tibet, and Tibetan Buddhism are thorough and informative. The appendices contain useful information on preparing for a trip, getting to Tibet, iconography, Tibetan language, and glossary of key terms. Paper. 350 Pages. Wisdom, 1997.

Tibet Outside the TAR: Control , Exploitation and Assimilation, Development with Chinese Characteristics
By Steven Marshall and Susette Ternent Cooke. This is a thoroughly researched, detailed educational tool for examining the demographics and development of Tibetan areas absorbed into Chinese provinces outside the Tibet Autonomous Region. CD ROM. Alliance for Research in Tibet, 1997.

Tibet: The Issue is Independence
Edited by Edward Lazar. Eight personal essays by Tibetans-in-exile address the Tibetan issue that the world avoids. A great source for Tibetan voices. Paper. 92 Pages. Parallax Press, 1994.

When the Iron Bird Flies: A Handbook on Tibetan Cultural Survival
Edited by Jon Garfunkel and the Milarepa Fund. An excellent resource or starter library for educators and students. This comprehensive handbook features valuable primary, secondary and reference source material selected to introduce teachers and students to the wealth of educationally friendly source material reading on Tibetan civilization, Tibet under Chinese occupation, and the future of Tibet. Binder. 261 Pages. The Milarepa Fund, 1996.

The Wisdom Teachings of The Dalai Lama
Edited by Matthew Bunson. Collected wisdom excerpted from teachings, speeches, and writings of The Dalai Lama, organized into sections on Buddhism, religion, human rights, non-violence, universal responsibility, and the occupation of Tibet. Recommended as a curricular resource. Paper. 257 Pages.

The World's Religions / The Illustrated World's Religions
By Huston Smith. A thoroughly detailed and insightful view of the world's religions from one of the leading scholar's of Comparative Religious Studies. Widely used as a high college and college text. Paper. 391 Pages/255 Pages.

Special Tibet Issue of Faces, October 1999
Faces: Peoples Places and Cultures, the well-known children's magazine, dedicated their October 1999 issue to learning about Tibet. It features ten articles and stories, three activities, and other resources covering a broad scope of Tibetan issues, including The 14th Dalai Lama, Singer Yungchen Lhamo, Dharamsala, traditional Tibetan celebrations, a Tibetan Cultural Center in the US. TEN Director Jon Garfunkel, was a consulting editor, and contributed an article about The 11th Panchen Lama. Recommended as a student reader the study of Tibet for grades 4-9. Paper. 46 pages. Cobblestone Publishing, 1999.

Special Tibet Issue of New Internationalist, December 1995
New Internationalist magazine (based in the UK) dedicated their December 1995 issue to Tibet, providing the reader with a series of engaging stories which cover a wide scope of Tibet issues. This still-timely feature includes nine articles, a map, two-page fact sheet, a visual history of Tibet, and photographs. New Internationalist gives complimentary copyright permission for educational use. Recommended as a student reader the study of Tibet for grades 5 and up. Paper. 23 pages. New Internationalist, 1995.

Suggested Sources for Educators

Ama Adhe: The Voice That Remembers
By Adhe Tapontsang The autobiography of an extraordinary Tibetan woman who survived 27 years in Chinese labor camps for resisting the occupation of her homeland with remarkable courage and strength. Since leaving Tibet in 1987, she has become an international spokeswoman for the Tibetan struggle and champion for human rights everywhere. Paper. 258 Pages. Wisdom, 1998.

Approaching Tibetan Studies: A Resource Handbook for Educators
By Jon Garfunkel and Tibet Education Network. An extensive collection of curricular and resource materials produced for teaching in K-12 and adult education. Included in the packet: why teach & learn about Tibet, curricular ideas for Tibetan studies, essential questions, maps, facts, historical timeline, suggested bibliographies, videography, resource information, on-line resources, and ideas for broadening one¹s Tibetan experience. Paper. 53 Pages. Tibet Education Network at Global Source, 1999.

Bearing Witness: A Zen Master¹s Lessons in Making Peace
By Bernie Glassman. A powerful story about the experience of bearing witness and making peace one moment at a time. The author, who founded the Zen Peacemaker Order, describes leading retreats at Auschwitz and on the streets of New York City. He explains the practice of engaged spirituality and lessons learned that we all can apply to our lives. Paper. 213 Pages. Bell Tower, 1998.

A Cultural History of Tibet
By David Snellgrove & Hugh Richardson. Widely considered an authoritative, thorough overview of Tibetan civilization, commonly used as a college text. Hugh Richardson, one of the authors, was a British diplomat in Tibet between 1936-50. With maps, charts, and b & w photos. This book is out of print. Cloth.. 279 Pages. Praeger, 1968.

Cultural Survival: The Home-School Connection for Tibetan Youth in North America:
A Case Study on Education, Cultural Identity and Community
By Jon Garfunkel and the North American Tibetan Community Cultural Needs Assessment Project. Tibet Education Network at Global Source partnered with the Conservancy for Tibetan Art and Culture (CTAC) on a first of its kind research project. You will find the report on CTAC's website: www.TibetanCulture.org

The Dragon in the Land of Snows : A History of Modern Tibet Since 1947
By Tsering Shakya This thoroughly researched history, based entirely on unpublished primary sources, examines Tibet from the beginning of the Chinese occupation through the present. It offers many first accounts of political details on all sides of the Tibet-China conflict, and helps the reader examines the realities of the Tibetan situation. This scholarly work adds an important contemporary Tibetan voice to the current English version histories of Modern Tibet. The author was born in Tibet and attended the School of Oriental and African Studies where he is currently a research fellow in Tibetan Studies. Cloth. 574 Pages. Columbia U. Press, 1999

Ethics for the New Millenium
By His Holiness The Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama discusses a Buddhist view of ethics with a universal lens for addressing global issues in the next century and beyond. This book is a great pathway to engage a dialogue in any classroom or educational circle about the human condition and what it takes to cultivate humanity in a global society, from one who is felt by many to be one of our greatest models. Its no accident this book was a NY Times Bestseller for months. Cloth. 237 Pages.

Freedom in Exile: The Autobiography of The Dalai Lama
By Tenzin Gyatso, The Fourteenth Dalai Lama. The later autobiography of The Dalai Lama documenting his remarkable life from childhood through the 1980¹s. Full of engaging personal reflections, historical accounts, meetings with world leaders, and the spiritual strength that has kept him focused on his responsibilities as a religious and political leader campaigning to regain his homeland. Paper. 271 Pages. HarperCollins, 1990.

Inner Revolution: Life Liberty, and the Pursuit of Real Happiness
By Robert Thurman. One of the leading scholars of Tibetan Buddhism examines the how the social movement of Buddhism and establishment of monastic institutions, or "enlightenment factories", transformed ancient India, and then Tibet, from warrior to wisdom societies. Through this exploration of the history of civilization, Thurman presents a model for transforming contemporary society. Paper. 322 Pages. Riverhead Books, 1998.

The Life of Milarepa
Translated by Lobsang Lhalungpa. The classic biography of a revered Buddhist yogi who lived in Tibet during the 11th century. This tale of spiritual life has served model for contemplative life. Translated by a well-respected Tibetan scholar into a simple modern English that reflects the power of the original text. Paper. 220 Pages. Penguin Arkana, 1992.

Orphans of the Cold War: America and The Tibetan Struggle for Survival
By John Kenneth Knaus. The history of the Tibetan Resistance against Communist Chinese occupation and America¹s involvement in the conflict from the 1950's through the 1970's. Knaus is a former CIA Officer who was one of the core team for Tibet Mission, now an associate at the Fairbanks Center for East Asian Research at Harvard. This books makes a valuable contribution to documenting and revealing a little known, but essential part of modern Tibetan history. A valuable source for for the study of American foreign policy during the Cold War years. Paper. 395 Pages. Public Affair, 1999.

Prisoners of Shangri-la: Tibetan Buddhism and the West
By Donald Lopez. A cultural history of the encounter between Tibetan Buddhism and the West, exploring the western imagination which has been captured by the ancient culture, wisdom, and exotic nature of Tibet. This well-respected Tibetan Buddhist scholar argues that our romantic with Tibet ultimately imprisons those who seek the goal of Tibetan independence from Chinese occupation. Paper. 275 Pages. U. Chicago Press, 1998.

The Snow Lion & The Dragon: China, Tibet and The Dalai Lama
By Melvyn Goldstein. An analysis by a leading western Tibetan scholar, of the Tibet-China relationship examining the historical and current positions of The Dalai Lama, the Chinese government, and western powers with a look to the future of Tibet. Paper. 145 Pages. U. California Press, 1997.

Tibet: My Story
By Jetsun Pema. The autobiography of The Fourteenth Dalai Lama¹s younger sister. She tells of her life in Tibet before the Chinese occupation and describes the formation of the Tibetan exile community in Dharamsala, India. During the early years of the Diaspora in she was given the responsibility of starting the Tibetan Children¹s Village and later became the first woman minister in the Tibetan Government in Exile. An excellent look at the value of education in the struggle for cultural survival. Paper. 245 Pages. Element, 1997.

The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying
By Sogyal Rinpoche From one of the great Tibetan masters teaching in the west, a commentary on the Tibetan view of death and dying based on teaching s from The Tibetan Book of the Dead. This book is a treasure of wisdom that transcends Buddhist thought to help one come to terms with death in order to live a more spiritually meaningful life. A New York Times Bestseller. Paper. 425 Pages. Harper San Francisco, 1992.

Tibetan Nation: A History of Tibetan Nationalism and Sino-Tibetan Relations
By Warren W. Smith, Jr. A detailed history of Tibet which offers one of the most comprehensive accounts of Tibetan nationalism, Sino-Tibetan relations, and the issue of Tibetan self-determination. The author explores Tibet¹s ethnic and national origins, the birth of the Tibetan state, the Buddhist state and its relations with China, Tibet¹s quest for independence, and the Chinese takeover of Tibet after 1950. The author is a well-known independent scholar, currently working for the Tibet Service of Radio Free Asia. Paper. 732 Pages. Westview Press, 1996.

The World¹s Religions / The Illustrated World¹s Religions
By Huston Smith. A thoroughly detailed and insightful view of the world's religions from one of the leading scholar's of Comparative Religious Studies. Widely used as a high college and college text. Paper. 391 Pages/255 Pages.

More Tibet Sources by Topic
* = suggested sources for texts in grades 9-12
(op) = title is out of print

Traditional Tibetan Culture and Civilization
Goldstein, Melvyn & Beall, Cynthia, Nomads of Western Tibet, University of California Press, Berkeley, 1990

Hubbell Maiden, A. & Farwell, E., The Tibetan Art of Parenting, Wisdom, Boston, 1997

Henry, Gray (Ed.), Islam in Tibet & The Illustrated Narrative Tibetan Caravans, Fons Vitae, 1997

Johnson, Russell & Moran, Kerry, Tibet's Sacred Mountain: The Extraordinary Pilgramage to Mount Kailas, Park Street Press, Rochester, VT, 1989 *

Redwood-French, Rebecca, The Golden Yoke: The Legal Cosmology of Buddhist Tibet, Cornell U., 1995

Stein, R.A., Tibetan Civilization, Stanford University. Press, Stanford, 1972

Tucci, Giuseppe, Tibet: Land of Snows, Stein and Day, NY, 1967 (OP)

Tibetan Geography & Ecology
Hunt Badiner, Alan (Ed.),Dharma Gaia: A Harvest of Essays in Buddhism and Ecology, Parallax Press, 1990

Norberg-Hodge, Helena, Ancient Futures, Sierra Club Books, 1991 *

Rockefeller, Steven, and Elder, John (Ed.), Spirit and Nature: Why the Environment is a Religious Issue- An Interfaith Dialogue, Beacon Press, Boston, 1992

Tibetan History
Beckwith, C., The Tibetan Empirein Central Asia, Princeton U., 1987

Feigon, Lee, Demystifying Tibet: Unlocking the Secrets of the Land of Snows, Ivan R. Dee, Chicago, 1996 *

Goldstein, Melvyn, A History of Modern Tibet, 1913-51, U. of California Press, Berkeley, 1989

Grunfeld, A. Tom, The Making of Modern Tibet, M.E. Sharpe, 1996

Richardson, H.E., A Short History of Tibet, EP Dutton, NY, 1962 (OP)

Shakabpa, W.D., Tibet: A Political History, Potala Publications, New York, 1984 (1967) (op)

Modern Tibet and the Current Tibetan Situation
Bass, Catriona, Education in Tibet: Policy and Practice since 1950, Zed & Tibet Information Network, 1998

Barber, Noel, From the Land of Lost Content: The Dalai Lama's Fight for Tibet, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1970 (op)

Barnett, Robert (Ed.), Resistance and Reform in Tibet, Indiana U. Press, Bloomington, 1994

Donnet, Pierre-Antoine, Tibet: Survival in Question, Zed Books Ltd., New Jersey, 1994

Goldstein, M., The Snow Lion & The Dragon: China, Tibet and The Dalai Lama, U. California Press, Berkeley, 1997

Goldstein, Melvyn, A History of Modern Tibet, 1913-51, U. of California Press, Berkeley, 1989

Grunfeld, A. Tom, The Making of Modern Tibet, M.E. Sharpe, 1996

Kelly, Petra, Bastian, Gert, and Aiello, Pat (Ed.), The Anguish of Tibet, Parallax Press, Berkeley, 1991 *

Kerr, Blake, Sky Burial, The Noble Press, Chicago, 1993

Lazar, Edward (Ed.), Tibet: The Issue is Independence, Parallax Press, Berkeley, 1994 *

Margolis, Eric, War at the Top of the World: The Struggle for Afganistan, Kashmir and Tibet, Routledge, 2001

Norbu, Dawa, Tibet: The Road Ahead, Rider, London, 1997

Chinese View of Tibet
Bernstein, Richard & Munro, Ross, The Coming Conflict with China, Vintage Books, New York, 1998

Changching Cao & Seymour, James (Eds.), Tibet Through Dissident Chinese Eyes: Essays on Self Determination, M.E. Sharpe, Armonk, NY, 1997

Dai Yannian, Tibet: Myth vs. Reality, Beijing Review Press, Beijing, 1988

Donnet, Pierre-Antoine, Tibet: Survival in Question, Zed Books Ltd., New Jersey, 1994

Epstein, Israel, Tibet Transformed, New World Press, Beijing, 1983

Feigon, Lee, Demystifying Tibet: Unlocking the Secrets of the Land of Snows, Ivan R. Dee, Chicago, 1996 *

Goldstein, Melvyn, The Snow Lion and The Dragon: China, Tibet and The Dalai Lama, U. California Press, Berkeley, 1997

Goldstein, Siebenschuh, & Tsering, The Struggle for Modern Tibet: The Autobiography of Tashi Tsering, M.E. Sharpe, Armonk, NY, 1997

Han Suyin, Lhasa, The Open City: A Journey to Tibet, G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1977 (op)

Information Office of the State Council of The People's Republic of China, Tibet - Its Ownership and Human Rights Situation, Beijing, 1992 (available through the Chinese Embassy in Washington D.C.)

Jing Wei (Ed.), 100 Questions about Tibet, Beijing Review Press, Beijing, 1989

Kristof, Nicholas D. & WuDunn, Sheryl, China Wakes: The Struggle for the Soul of a Rising Power, Random House, New York, 1994

Strong, Anna Louise, Tibetan Interviews, New World Press, Beijing, 1959 (op)

Strong, Anna Louise, When Serfs Stood Up in Tibet, New World Press, Beijing, 1965 (op)

Wang Furen and Suo Wenqing, Highlights of Tibetan History, New World Press, Beijing, 1984

Tibetan Resistance Movement
Andrugtsang, Gompo Tashi, Four Rivers, Six Ranges, DIIR, Dharamsala, 1973

Conboy, K. and Morrison, J., The CIA's Secret War in Tibet, U. Kansas, 2002

Knauss, John Kenneth, Orhpans of the Cold War: America and The Tibetan Struggle for Survival, Public Affairs, New York, 1999

Norbu, Jamyang, Warriors of Tibet, Wisdom, London, 1986 *

Peissel, Michel, The Secret War In Tibet, Little, Brown & Co., Boston, 1972 (op)

Tibetan Diaspora
Crossette, Barbara, So Close to Heaven: The Vanishing Buddhist Kingdoms of the Himalayas, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1995

Furer-Haimendorf, Christoph von, The Renaissance of Tibetan Civilization, Synergetic Press, Arizona, 1990

Harvey, Andrew, Journey in Ladakh, Houghton-Mifflin, 1984

Kamenetz, Rodger, The Jew in the Lotus: A Poet's Rediscovery of Jewish Identity in Buddhist India, HarperSanFrancisco, 1994 *

Lopez, Donald, Prisoners of Shangri-la: Tibetan Buddhism and the West, U. Chicago Press, 1998

Norberg-Hodge, Helena, Ancient Futures, Sierra Club Books, 1991 *

Tibetan Biography
Craig, Mary, Kundun: The Biography of the Family of The Dalai Lama, Counterpoint, 1997

Evans-Wentz, W.Y., Tibet's Great Yogi Milarepa, Oxford Univ. Press, London, 1973

Goldstein, Siebenschuh, & Tsering, The Struggle for Modern Tibet: The Autobiography of Tashi Tsering, M.E. Sharpe, Armonk, NY, 1997

Johnson, Sandy, The Book of Tibetan Elders, Riverhead Books, New York, 1996

Norbu, Thubten J., Tibet is My Country, Wisdom, Boston, 1986

Panchen, Ani & Donnelley, Adelaide, Sorrow Mountain: The Journey of a Tibetan Warrior Nun, Kodansha International, New York, 2000

Pema, Jetsun, Tibet: My Story, Element Books, Rockport, MA, 1997

Sakya, Jamyang & Emery, Julie, Princess In The Land Of Snows, Shambhala, Boston, 1990 (op)

Yuthok, Dorje Yudon, House of The Turquoise Roof, Snow Lion, New York, 1990

Tibetan Buddhism
Chodron, Thubten, Open Heart, Clear Mind, Snow Lion, Ithaca, 1990 *

Dagyab Rinpoche, Buddhist Symbols in Tibetan Culture, Wisdom, Boston, 1995

Lopez, Jr., Donald (Ed.), Religions of Tibet in Practice, Princeton U. Press, 1997

Powers, John, An Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, Snow Lion, 1995

Santideva, Bodhicaraytara, Oxford University Press, 1996

Snelling, John, The Buddhist Handbook, Inner Traditions, Rochester, VT, 1991

Sogyal Rinpoche, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, HarperSan Francisco, 1992

Tenzin Gyatso, Dalai Lama XIV, The Way to Freedom, HarperSan Francisco, 1994

Tenzin Gyatso, Dalai Lama XIV, Kindness, Clarity and Insight, Snow Lion, Ithaca, 1987

Tibetan Book of the Dead, there are three major translations available

Thurman, Robert, Essential Tibetan Buddhism, HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

Thurman, Robert, Inside Tibetan Buddhism: Rituals & Symbols Revealed, Collins, 1995

Tucci, Giuseppe, The Religions of Tibet, U. of California Press, Berkeley, 1988 (1970)

Tibetan Arts
Brauen, Martin, The Mandala: Sacred Circle in Tibetan Buddhism, Shambhala, Boston, 1997

Cozort, Daniel & Monks of Namgyal, The Sand Mandala of Vajrabhairava, Snow Lion, Ithaca, 1994

Dagyab Rinpoche, Buddhist Symbols In Tibetan Culture, Wisdom, Boston, 1995

Leidy, D. & Thurman, R., Mandala: The Architecture of Enlightenment, Shambhala, Boston, 1997

Mullin, G. & Weber, A., The Mystical Arts of Tibet, Longstreet Press, Atlanta, 1996 *

Rhie, M. & Thurman, R., Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet, Harry Abrams, New York, 1991

Weber, A., Wellings, N. & Landaw, J., Tara's Coloring Book, Wisdom, Boston, 1979 *

Photography of Tibet
Borges, Phil, Tibetan Portrait: The Power of Compassion, Rizzoli, New York, 1996 *

Harrer, Heinrich, Lost Lhasa: Heinrich Harrer's Tibet, Harry N. Abrams Inc., New York, 1992

Johnson, Russell & Moran, Kerry, Tibet's Sacred Mountain: The Extraordinary Pilgramage to Mount Kailas, Park Street Press, Rochester, VT, 1989

Mele, Pietro, Tibet, Snow Lion, Ithaca, 1988

Rowell, Galen & The Dalai Lama, My Tibet, Mountain Light Press, Berkeley, 1990

Tibet: The Sacred Realm, Photographs 1880-1950, Aperture Inc., 1983

Tibetan Folk Tales
Das, Surya, The Snow Lion's Turquoise Mane: Wisdom Tales From Tibet, HarperSanFrancisco, 1992

Dorje, Rinjing, Tales of Uncle Tompa, Station HillsArts/Barrytown Ltd., New York, 1997

Hyde-Chambers, Fredrick & Audrey, Tibetan Folk Tales, Shambhala, Boston, 1981 (op)

Tibetan Medicine
Donden, Dr. Yeshi, Health Through Balance: An Introduction to Tibetan Medicine, Snow Lion, Ithaca, 1986

Tibetan Interfaith and Cross-Cultural Connections
Gold, Peter, Navajo & Tibetan Sacred Wisdom: The Circle of Spirit, Inner Traditions, Rochester, VT, 1994

Gyatso, Tenzin, The Good Heart: A Buddhist Perspective on The Teachings of Jesus, Wisdom, Boston, 1996

Kamenetz, Rodger, The Jew in the Lotus: A Poet's Rediscovery of Jewish Identity in Buddhist India, HarperSanFrancisco, 1994 *

Tibet and Western Imagination
Bishop. Peter, Dreams of Power: Tibetan Buddhism and the Western Imagination, Fairleigh Dickinson, 1993

Lopez, Donald, Prisoners of Shangri-la: Tibetan Buddhism and the West, U. Chicago Press, 1998

Schell, Orville, Virtual Tibet: Searching for Shangri-la from the Himalayas to Hollywood, Henry Holt, 2000

Travel in Tibet
Batchelor, Stephen, The Tibet Guide, Wisdom, Boston, 1998 *

Bishop, Peter, The Myth of Shangri-la: Tibet , Travel Writing and the Western Creation of Sacred Landscape, U. California Press, 1989

Dorje, Gyurme, Tibet Handbook with Bhutan, Footprints Handbooks, 1996

McCue, Gary, Trekking In Tibet, Mountaineers, Seattle, 1992

Foreign Visitors In Tibet Before 1959
Berry, Scott, A Stranger in Tibet: The Adventures of a Zen Monk, Harper Collins, 1990

David-Neel, Alexandra, My Journey to Lhasa, Beacon Press, Boston, 1986 (1927) *

Ekvall, Robert, Tibetan Skylines, Farrar, Straus & Young, New York, 1952 (op)

Fleming, Peter, Bayonets to Lhasa, Oxford University Press, New York, 1984 (1961)

Ford, Robert, Wind between the Worlds, Snow Lion Graphics, Berkeley, 1987 (1957)

Govinda, Lama Anagarika, The Way of the White Clouds: A Buddhist Pilgrim in Tibet, Shambhala, Berkeley, 1970 (1966) (op)

Harrer, Heinrich, Seven Years in Tibet, Penquin, New York, 1954

Hopkirk, Peter, Trespassers on the Roof of The World, Jeremy P. Tarcher, Inc., Los Angeles, 1982

Maraini, Fosco, Secret Tibet, Hutchinson & Co. Ltd., London, 1952 (op)

McGovern, William Montgomery, To Lhasa in Disguise, Grosset & Dunlap, 1924 (op)

Miller, Luree, On Top of the World: Five Women Explorers in Tibet, The Mountaineers, Seattle, 1984

Thomas, Lowell, Jr., Out of this World, The Greystone Press, New York, 1951 (op)

Tucci, Giuseppe, To Lhasa and Beyond: Diary of the Expedition to Tibet in the Year 1948, Snow Lion, Ithaca, 1987 (1956)

Foreign Visitors in Tibet After 1959
Abbots, Adrian, Naked Spirits: A Journey into Occupied Tibet, Canongate Books, Edinburgh, 1997

Brook, Elaine, Land of the Snow Lion: An Adventure in Tibet, Jonathan Cape, London, 1987 (OP)

Gelder, S. & R., The Timely Rain: Travels in new Tibet, Monthly Review Press, New York, 1965 (OP)

Gold, Peter, Altar of the Earth, Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, 1987

Han Suyin, Lhasa. The Open City: A Journey to Tibet, G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1977 (OP)

Harrer, Heinrich, Return to Tibet, Penguin Books, New York, 1987 (1983) (OP)

Iyer, Pico, Video Night in Kathmandu, Vintage Books, New York, 1988

Johnson, Russell & Moran, Kerry, Tibet's Sacred Mountain: The Extraordinary Pilgramage to Mount Kailas, Park Street Press, Rochester, VT, 1989

Kerr, Blake, Sky Burial, Snow Lion, Ithaca, 1997

Patterson, George N., Requiem for Tibet, Aurum Press, London, 1990 (OP)

Schmidt, Jeremy, Himalayan Passage, The Mountaineers, Seattle, 1991

Theroux, Paul, Riding the Red Iron Rooster, G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1988

Wilby, Sorrel, Journey Across Tibet, Contemporary Books, Chicago, 1988

Periodicals
News Tibet, The Office of Tibet, New York, NY, (212) 213-5010

Tibet Brief, International Committee of Lawyers for Tibet, San Francisco, CA, (415) 252-5967

Tibet Press Watch, International Campaign for Tibet, Washington, DC, (202) 785-1515

World Tibet News, an on-line international news clearinghouse featuring Tibet-related articles from international media sources, you can search their website and/or sign onto a list-serve for daily articles on Tibet, this service is based in Canada: www.tibet.ca

Discography

Cho
By Choying Drolma and Steve Tibbetts. A moving, inspiring musical project of east meets west which has received international acclaim. Choying Drolma and the nuns of Nagi Gompa sing Tibetan Buddhist songs accompanied by guitarist Steve Tibbetts and other Western musicians. Recorded at a Tibetan Nunnery in Kathmandu. CD /Cassette. 50 Mintues. Rykodisc. 1997.

Compassion
Produced by Michael Fitzpatrick. The first recording to combine east-west chanting, featuring Tibet's world-renowned Drepung Loseling Monks, the revered Abbey of Gethsemani Monks, and some of the finest instrumental musicians from around the world. Inspired by the historic meeting and friendship between Thomas Merton and His Holiness the Dalai Lama, it also features words by both spiritual leaders. Recorded in The Cathedral of St. John the Divine. CD. 2000.

Compassion in Exile: The Story of the 14th Dalai Lama
A film by Mickey Lemle, music composed by Philip Glass. In this intimate portrait of the Dalai Lama, we also see the moving story of the brutal treatment endured by the Tibetan people at the hands of the Communist Chinese. The Dalai Lama speaks with unprecedented candor about his upbringing and key moments in his life while his countrymen bear witness to their personal ordeals.

The Cup
The year is 1998 and the World Cup has just been kicked into high gear. Bur for four monks living deep in the Himalayas, watching their favorite sport isn't only difficult--it's forbidden. As soccer fever heats up, the young monks break the rules, sneak out of the monastery, and risk their futures in a madcap adventure that's all for the love of the game.

Dhama Suna
By Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts. A rich collection of traditional Tibetan folk music performed by some of the best singers and musicians in the Tibetan Diaspora, along with sacred chants by The Gyuto Monks. 19 selections with liner notes and translations. Some selections were featured in the film, Seven Years in Tibet. CD. 71 Minutes. Warner Music. 1997.

Ethics for a New Millenium
Mystic Fire Video. Filmed at the Royal Albert Hall in London, His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaks of the need for an inner transformation as a prerequisite to a new and transformed outer world in the coming milennium. WIth warmth, directness, and humor, he urges us to link individual happiness to an ethical vision of the world in which we care about others. Adopting an approach that blends realism and optimism, he recommends ways in which each of us can begin to make inner changes that will affectg these problems.

Freedom Chants from the Roof of the World
By The Gyuto Monks, Philip Glass, Mickey Hart, Kitaro. Two meditative, ritual chants by the world famous Tibetan monks of Gyuto Tantric University (India) during their first 1988 American Tour. Both are over 25 minutes. The third track is a composition by Philip Glass, Mickey Hart, and Kitaro peformed during a concert by the Gyuto Monks at Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York. Informative liner notes. CD/Cassette. 68 minutes. Rykodisc. 1989.

Quiet Mind: The Musical Journey of a Tibetan Nomad
By Nawang Khechog. This world musician remembers his Tibetan nomadic roots with nine soothing, meditative instrumentals, playing a Tibetan bamboo flute, didgeridoo, and Incan pan pipes. Great for reflective activities or quieting a classroom. CD/Cassette. 55 Minutes. Sounds True. 1991.

Tibet: Heart of Dharma
This CD and booklet introduce listeners to the Buddha's teachings and the music they inspired through the Tibetan monastic chant and music. Four recordings feature the monks of Drepung Monastery (India) and the fifth selection feature the monks Khampagar Monastery (India). The booklet covers the basics of Buddhism, major figures and deties within the Tibetan tradition, and background of the two featured monasteries. CD & 64 Page Booklet. 62 Minutes. Ellipsis Arts. 1996.

Tibet, Tibet
Yungchen Lhamo Ten devotional and traditional offerings by one of the divas of Tibetan song. Since Yungchen Lhamo escaped Tibet in the 1980's, she has used her beautiful voice to tell the world of her country's plight. Since she signed on with Peter Gabriel's Real World label, she has become an international artist educating people about the Tibetan spirit and struggle for survival. You can find a story on Yungchen Lhamo for young adult readers in Faces magazine, October 1999. CD. 47 minutes. Real World. 1996.

Videography
Videos may be available to rent through your local video store.

Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh
Based on the work of Helena Norberg-Hodge. The ancient Tibetan culture of Ladakh, in the Himalayas of Northern India, struggling between tradition and way of life and modern development. Themes: Ecology, Environment, Sustainability, Patterns of Life Documentary. 60 minutes. IntÕl Society for Ecology & Culture. 1993.

Compassion In Exile: The Story of The 14th Dalai Lama
An award winning film, by Mickey Lemle, about the life of The Fourteenth Dalai Lama and overview of the current situation in Tibet, including many interviews. Themes: Biography, Human Rights, Cultural Survival, History, Exile Experience, Compassion Documentary. 60 minutes. Lemle Pictures. 1992.

Dalai Lama: Soul of Tibet
A historical and contemporary look at the life of The Fourteenth Dalai Lama. Produced by CBS News for the A&E biography series. Themes: Biography, History, Tibet-China Relationship Documentary. 50 minutes. A&E Home Video. 1997.

Dreams of Tibet
Examination of the western imagination and current popular culture surrounding Tibet compared with reality of the current Tibetan situation. Produced for PBS Frontline. Hosted by Orville Schell. Themes: Myth, Media, Foreign Interest in Tibet Documentary. 60 minutes. Frontline/PBS. 1997.

Home to Tibet
A Tibetan exile living in the United States returns to visit his family in Tibet, then leaves with his niece whom he takes to a Tibetan refugee community in India for their formal education. A film by Alan Dater and Lisa Merton. Themes: Exile Experience, Current Tibetan Situation Documentary. 55 minutes. Marlboro Productions. 1995.

Inside Tibet
Rare black and white footage of the 1942 trip to Tibet by United States OSS (former CIA) Officers Brooke Dolan and Ilia Tolstoy, sent on fact finding mission during WWII by President Roosevelt. They receive warm Tibetan hospitality and meet the young Dalai Lama. Themes: Tibet prior to Chinese Occupation, Traditional Culture and Society of Lhasa Documentary. 39 minutes. 1943.

Kundun
The story of The Fourteenth Dalai Lama from his birth in 1935 to his escape into exile in 1959, during the Chinese occupation of Tibet. Authentic recreation of life in Tibet starring an all Tibetan cast. A Martin Scorcese film, written by Melissa Mathison. Themes: Biography, History, Tibet-China Relationship, Non-violence, Compassion, Leadership Feature Film. 135 minutes. Touchtone Pictures. 1998.

Little Buddha
A young boy from Seattle is identified as the incarnation of a Tibetan Lama, interspersed with flashbacks to scenes from the life of the historical Buddha in ancient India. A Bernado Bertalucci Film, shot on location in Seattle, Kathmandu, and Bhutan. Themes: Tibetan Buddhism & Monastic Culture , Historical Buddha, Tibetan Diaspora Feature Film. 123 minutes. Miramax Films. 1994.

Mandala: The Sacred Circle of Vajrabhairava
Follows the construction of a Tibetan Buddhist Sand Mandala, with a detailed introduction of this sacred process and its meaning. Includes segment of a 3-D computer animated mandala. Themes: Tibetan Buddhist Culture, Buddhist Philosophy, Tibetan Religious Art Documentary. 35 minutes. South Mountain Productions. 1997.

Mustang: The Hidden Kingdom
Journey of a high Tibetan Lama from Dharamsala, India sent by the Dalai Lama to the Tibetan Kingdom of Mustang, in Nepal to teach and find two young children to bring back to India for a formal education. Produced for the Discovery Channel, narrated by Harrison Ford. Themes: Tibetan Diaspora, Traditional Tibetan Culture, Tibetan Buddhism, Geography Documentary. 90 minutes. The Discovery Channel. 1994.

Red Flag
Over Tibet Chronicles the Tibetan situation from Chinese invasion through 1992 APEC Conference. Visits to Tibet, Dharamsala, and US. Interviews with political figures connected with Tibetan issues. Themes: History, Current Tibetan Situation, Human Rights, Geo-Politics Documentary. 60 minutes. Frontline/PBS. 1993.

Seven Years in Tibet
The story of Austrian mountain climber Heinrich Harrer who, after escaping from a WWII British Interment Camp, makes his way to Lhasa, Tibet and develops a close relationship with a young Dalai Lama, at the time of the Chinese Communist Revolution and invasion of Tibet. Authentic recreation of traditional Tibetan society. Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud. Themes: History, Traditional Tibet, The Young Dalai lama, Cross-Cultural Relationship Feature Film. 136 minutes. Mandalay Entertainment. 1997.

(The Original) Seven Years in Tibet
A 1950's British documentary of Harrer's journey to Tibet (see above), using original color film of Tibet taken by Harrer in 1949-50. A mix of dramatic re-creation and actual footage. Themes: Rare Footage of Tibet prior to the Chinese Occupation Documentary. 79 minutes. Seven League Production. 1957.

Tashi Jong: A Traditional Tibetan Community in Exile
An award winning documentary, by Barbara Green, about villagers from a community in the Kham Province of Tibet who flee their homeland after the Chinese occupation and resettle as a community in the foothills of Northern India. The lama who arranges this resettlement named their village Tashi Jong or Auspicious Valley, and helped create a self-sustaining Tibetan enclave in exile The film offers a model for the sustainability of traditional culture, once insulated from the outside world, now redefining itself in a modern world. A valuable cross-cultural source for teaching students about elements and patterns of culture and the growing trend of vanishing traditional culture. Grade 5 & up.Themes: Traditional Culture, Exile Experience, Diaspora, Sustainability, Education, Cultural survival. Documentary. 45 minutes. Tibetan Video Project. 1999.

Tibet: The End of Time
Examination of Tibetan Civilization and Current Tibetan Situation. Part of Time Life's "Lost Civilizations" Series. Narrated by Sam Waterson. Themes: Civilization, Traditional Culture, Buddhism, History, The Dalai Lama, Exile Experience Documentary. 48 minutes. Time-Life Video. 1995.

Tibet In Exile
Follows a group of young Tibetan children who have escaped from Tibet and their introduction and socialization into the Tibetan exile community of Dharamsala, India. A film by Barbara Banks and Meg McLagan. Themes: Exile, Migration, Diaspora, Education, Human Rights, Cultural Survival Documentary. 30 minutes. Tibet in Exile Video Project. 1991.

Some of these videos may be available to rent or purchase through your local video store. Some can be purchased through The Global Source Catalog. Others are available through the Snow Lion Catalog (800) 950-0313. Many, and more, can be rented from the Office of Tibet (212) 213-5010. An extensive annotated list of Tibet-related videos can be accessed on-line at: www.tibet.com

Resources on the World Wide Web

Art of Tibet (Tibetan Buddhist Paintings): http://www.TibetArt.com

The Dalai Lama's 1989 Nobel Peace Prize: http://mirror.nobel.ki.se/laureates/peace-1989.html

Escape into Exile (documenting Tibetan refugees fleeing Tibet): http://www.savetibet.org

Free Tibet Campaign (London): http://www.freetibet.org

Human Rights in China (New York): http://www.hrichina.org

People's Republic of China (Embassy, Washington DC): http://www.china-embassy.org

Sakya Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism (Seattle): http://www.sakya.org

Snow Lion Publications (Ithaca, NY): http://www.snowlionpub.com

Students for Free Tibet: http://www.tibet.org/SFT

Tibet Education Network: http://www.GlobalSourceNetwork.org

Tibet Environmental Watch (San Franscisco): http://www.tew.org

Tibet Information Network (London): http://www.tibetinfo.net

Tibet Online Resource Gathering: http://www.tibet.org

Tibet Stamps: http://www.jcrow.com/Tibetstamps.html

Tibetan Government in Exile (Official Site): http://www.tibet.com

Tibetan Rights Campaign (Seattle): http://members.aol.com/Tibetan/index.html

Tibetan Studies Resources (Australia): http://www.ciolek.com/WWWVL-TibetanStudies.html

World Tibet News (Canada): http://www.tibet.ca

Compiled by Tibet Education Network at Global Source.

Suggested Sources for Grades 9-12 (annotated) Suggested Sources for Educators (annotated) More Tibet Sources by Topic Discography Videography Resources on the World Wide Web

Suggested Sources for Grades 9-12 (annotated)

Suggested Sources for Educators (annotated)

More Tibet Sources by Topic

Discography

Videography

Resources on the World Wide Web