Far from the Rooftop of the World: Travels Among Tibetan Refugees on Four Continents

In 2008, the Chinese government cracked down on protests throughout Tibet, and journalist Amy Yee found herself covering a press conference with the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, his exile home in India. She never imagined a personal encounter with the spiritual leader would spark a global, fourteen-year journey to spotlight the stories of Tibetans in exile. As she documents how Tibetans live between worlds, Yee comes to know ordinary but extraordinary people like Topden, a monk and unlikely veterinary assistant; Norbu, a chef and political refugee; and Deckyi and Dhondup, a couple forced to leave their middle-class lives in Lhasa. Yee follows them to other parts of India and across oceans and four continents where they forge new lives while sustaining Tibetan identity and culture.

Weaving a sweeping travel narrative with intimate on-the-ground reportage, Far from the Rooftop of the World tells these stories and others against the backdrop of milestones and events in Tibet's recent history - many memorable, too many tragic. The resulting portrait illuminates the humanity, strength, and perseverance of a people whose homeland is in crisis.

Author: Amy Yee
Publisher: University of North Carolina Press
Published: 10/17/2023
Pages: 280
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.90lbs
Size: 9.13h x 6.06w x 0.87d
ISBN13: 9781469675510
ISBN10: 146967551X
BISAC Categories:
- Travel | Special Interest | Literary
- Social Science | Emigration & Immigration
- Religion | Buddhism | Tibetan