What readers think of Across Many Mountains, plus links to write your own review.

A good book educates, or takes the reader somewhere they've never been; Across Many Mountains effortlessly accomplishes both. This memoir contains peril, adventure, survival, birth, death, and love. A fascinating look at how the ancient religion of Buddhism and its way of life collides with the modern world in just three generations of remarkable Tibetan women. How they persevere and maintain their traditions within a crumbling culture is excellent reading for anyone.

This is a fascinating story of three generations of strong Tibetan women and how their Buddhist religion and outside forces shaped their lives. It is a remarkable story about triumph over adversities beyond their control. I was particularly fascinated by Tibetan life and the Buddhist religion which dominated everyday activities. Tibet was a country that the twentieth century bypassed. People lived life as in the Middle ages with extreme hardships and none of the modern comforts such as electricity and indoor plumbing. The Buddhist religion both helped and hindered them in their daily lives. For the women in this memoir, Buddhism was of the utmost importance and guided them. When the Chinese invaded Tibet, they brought the twentieth century to Tibet but at the same time they destroyed a beautiful country along with the culture and religion. This memoir relates how these women coped with all the dramatic and terrible changes in their lives. A great story and I believe book clubs will love it.

I was particularly interested in reading this book because although I have heard about the Chinese occupation of Tibet and the oppression of the Tibetan people, I knew nothing about the history of the country. As a school social worker in a school with 300 refugee students from 80 different countries, I try to read books about people of different cultures as often as possible. I also love historical fiction, as well as books about strong women. I found all three women in the book, the grandmother, Kunsan, the mother, Sonam, and Yangzom, the daughter and author, to be amazing, courageous women in their own distinct way. Anyone who loves to learn about culture and history from stories about real people who lived through it will love this story. When I reached the end of the book, I felt tremendous empathy for the current plight of the Tibetan people.

For me this was a bit of a surprise. I expected to read much of the Chinese invasion of Tibet. What I found was a personal journal of three generations of Tibetan refugees, including very interesting details of Tibetan culture and religion. I felt that the latter third of the book was the most richly described, possibly because this portion represented the author's personal experiences. A very interesting read.

This book expanded my knowledge of Tibet and its recent history. I have recently studied the history of China for the last 5000 years. The border of China has expanded and contracted over many centuries. This book prompted me to think about all the groups that were enfolded into China against their will. The most successful of the Chinese expansions occurred when the existing culture and government were left in place. It is interesting that China has not learned that lesson and has treated Tibet harshly. However, many of the atrocities that occurred during the course of this story were products of the Chinese cultural revolution, which affected many people in China, not just in Tibet. This is not the book to read if you want a balanced view of the history in that part of the world. It is told from the viewpoint of Tibetans, who have, in fact, lost many of their religious freedoms. I found this book informative and interesting. It would be a good book club book as the discussion could cover recent Tibetan history from a more objective viewpoint.

I liked this book. You could tell that the writer really knew what she was writing about. Sometimes the descriptions the details were a little to long and for me that made it a slow read for me. But I learned a lot about Tibet and Buddhism. I really admired the grandmother. Her determination is a good lesson for all. Also I really loved the cover.

Three generations of women over a century before and after the Chinese occupation makes for a fascinating account of escape, oppression, religion and family. At times a little long and the writing a bit flat, but highly recommend for those interested in the culture of Tibet.

This memoir is a touching and personal portrait of Tibet and Tibetans through three generations of women, whose story, though long on the periphery of my knowledge, I never really knew. This family history, lovingly told by the granddaughter, Yangzom Brauen, and deftly translated by Katy Derbyshire, paints a vivid picture of life in traditional Tibet, up to and beyond the point where it is disrupted by Chinese incursion. Brauen’s grandmother, a Buddhist nun, is a central figure of archetypal stature who anchors the family for the full extent of the tumultuous 20th Century and beyond, from the homeland bravely onward into exile. History is nothing more than the accumulation of individual narratives, and ACROSS MANY MOUNTAINS is a worthy addition to the grand and tragic historical narrative of Tibet.