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In April 2015, the Dalai Lama's second brother Gyalo Thondup (嘉樂頓珠) and Shi Wen'an (石文安) (i.e., Anne F. Thurston) co-authored the memoir "The Noodle Maker of Kalimpong: the Untold Story of My Struggle for Tibet," which was published by PublicAffairs in the United States. Shi Wen'an, co-author of the book.
2015年4月，達賴喇嘛的二哥嘉樂頓珠與石文安合著回憶錄《The Noodle Maker of Kalimpong: the Untold Story of My Struggle for Tibet》，美國PublicAffairs出版。該書的共同作者石文安
Shortly before midnight on March 17, 1959, the Dalai Lama, without his glasses and dressed as an ordinary Tibetan solider, slipped out of his summer residence with only four aides at his side. At that moment, he became the symbolic head of the Tibetan government in exile, and Gyalo Thondup, the only one of the Dalai Lama's brothers not to don the robes of a Buddhist monk, became the fulcrum for the independence movement.
The Noodle Maker of Kalimpong tells the extraordinary story of the Dalai Lama's family, the exile of the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism from Tibet, and the enduring political crisis that has seen remote and bleakly beautiful Tibet all but disappear as an independent nation-state.
For the last sixty years, Gyalo Thondup has been at the at the heart of the epic struggle to protect and advance Tibet in the face of unreliable allies, overwhelming odds, and devious rivals, playing an utterly determined and unique role in a Cold War high-altitude superpower rivalry. Here, for the first time, he reveals how he found himself whisked between Chiang Kai-shek, Zhou Enlai, Jawaharlal Nehru, and the CIA, as he tried to secure, on behalf of his brother, the future of Tibet.
Editorial Reviews
Review
"...A fascinating and important book...[the book provides] extraordinary insight into Tibet's struggle against China to regain its independence...A crisp and magnetic story."—The Wall Street Journal
“Full of tales of international intrigue.”—Foreign Affairs
“A vital narrative of Tibetans' ongoing effort for independence, and Thondup's bravery is commendable.”—Publishers Weekly
"Anyone seeking a detailed version of the history, life, and struggles of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, and his family will find it here, recounted in an authorial voice that is both conversationally personal and educational."—Booklist
“…heartbreaking, gripping…”—South China Morning Post
“Full of tales of international intrigue.”—Foreign Affairs
“A vital narrative of Tibetans' ongoing effort for independence, and Thondup's bravery is commendable.”—Publishers Weekly
"Anyone seeking a detailed version of the history, life, and struggles of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, and his family will find it here, recounted in an authorial voice that is both conversationally personal and educational."—Booklist
“…heartbreaking, gripping…”—South China Morning Post
About the Author
Gyalo Thondup, the older brother of the Dalai Lama, lives on a hilltop compound in Kalimpong, India, that also houses the noodle factory he set up with his late wife, Diki Dolkar (Zhu Dan).
Anne F. Thurston is a China specialist and senior research professor at the Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. She was the coauthor for the international bestseller, The Private Life of Chairman Mao, and is the author of Enemies of the People and A Chinese Odyssey. She lives in Alexandria, Virginia.
Anne F. Thurston is a China specialist and senior research professor at the Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. She was the coauthor for the international bestseller, The Private Life of Chairman Mao, and is the author of Enemies of the People and A Chinese Odyssey. She lives in Alexandria, Virginia.
Top reviews from the United States
Reviewed in the United States ???????? on October 16, 2015
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This book is important for anyone interested in the modern history of Tibet. Gyalo Thondup describes events as he thinks they took place. This is not different from any memoirs by any US President. Indeed his memoirs look more honest than most I’ve read before. What should be noted is how the events up to 1967 take up about two thirds of this book up to page 227 and anything from then until 2014 is on just 70 pages.
Many stories are told for the first time like how the Soviet Union made contact with him and told him about the upcoming improvement in the relationship between China and the US. This happened in 1967, four years before Nixon went to Beijing. We are left wondering how the KGB was able to make such a prediction.
Anne Thurston did a remarkable job helping to write this book. She points out on some occasions where the story as told by Gyalo Thondup is different from what is written elsewhere. For some reason, and as she writes on page 315, only very few people read the manuscript before publication. This did result in a few mistakes which could and should have been avoided. For example on page 281 it’s claimed Ye Jianying was alive in 1989 while in reality he died in October 1986. On page 304 the Lhasa demonstrations of 1987 are claimed to have occurred in 1981and on page 289, Xi Zhongxun is claimed to be head of the “United Front” in 1990, which he never was.
There are obviously relatives still around who profited from corruption in Tibet and India and when here and now the old “uncle” is criticized such “nephews” write bad reviews on Amazon and elsewhere. Officials who have had four or six wives at the same time also have more relatives than those like Gyalo Thondup, who did stick with one only. This means the more he gets criticized the more facts he probably writes. It would also be remarkable if such reviewers could point out a single factual mistake in this book. But pointing out mistakes requires knowledge and not just emotional stress. Therefore don’t be fooled by people with a financial agenda who write negative reviews.
Many stories are told for the first time like how the Soviet Union made contact with him and told him about the upcoming improvement in the relationship between China and the US. This happened in 1967, four years before Nixon went to Beijing. We are left wondering how the KGB was able to make such a prediction.
Anne Thurston did a remarkable job helping to write this book. She points out on some occasions where the story as told by Gyalo Thondup is different from what is written elsewhere. For some reason, and as she writes on page 315, only very few people read the manuscript before publication. This did result in a few mistakes which could and should have been avoided. For example on page 281 it’s claimed Ye Jianying was alive in 1989 while in reality he died in October 1986. On page 304 the Lhasa demonstrations of 1987 are claimed to have occurred in 1981and on page 289, Xi Zhongxun is claimed to be head of the “United Front” in 1990, which he never was.
There are obviously relatives still around who profited from corruption in Tibet and India and when here and now the old “uncle” is criticized such “nephews” write bad reviews on Amazon and elsewhere. Officials who have had four or six wives at the same time also have more relatives than those like Gyalo Thondup, who did stick with one only. This means the more he gets criticized the more facts he probably writes. It would also be remarkable if such reviewers could point out a single factual mistake in this book. But pointing out mistakes requires knowledge and not just emotional stress. Therefore don’t be fooled by people with a financial agenda who write negative reviews.
10 people found this helpful
Helpful
Reviewed in the United States ???????? on December 30, 2015
I think it's important to understand that what's presented in this book is one man's perceptions of history, which should be taken with a large grain of salt. Fortunately, the co-author, Anne Thurston, makes this clear in her afterword, and offers corrections to some of the inaccuracies.
In order to get a more well-rounded understanding of some of the seminal events and controversies in the story, readers should seek out other sources dealing with the the regency period during the 14th Dalai Lama's childhood and the events leading up to his flight from Tibet. Gyalo Thondup is the only source I'm aware of who was steadfastly pro-Chinese, even after the Chinese had invaded Eastern Tibet (!), and who, likewise, viewed the Reting Regent favorably. He conveniently omits the fact that his brother, the Dalai Lama, publicly denounced the Regent as highly corrupt, not only as a political figure, but as a monk. However, I would say that the book is instructive in understanding the mindset of the people around the Dalai Lama who favored cooperation with the Chinese (these include the DL's father).
Some of the information in the book strains credulity. For example, we're told that the Chinese supported the landowning elite, and appointed members of it to important government posts. Why would a revolutionary army and a Marxist government do such a thing? The author makes no attempt to explain. More discussion and analysis of apparent contradictions like this are needed in order to make sense of such claims, especially in view of testimony from the few Westerners, like Anna Strong, allowed into Tibet after the Chinese invasion, who observed that it was the slaves and peasants who were elevated to government posts. While it's true that some of the estate owners favored reform, the majority did not.
Thondup's criticisms of the CIA's role in Tibet, though well-deserved, also ring a bit hollow, considering his glaring omission of the fact that he, the Dalai Lama (and in turn, his exiled government) and other family members were comfortably supported on the CIA's payroll for a number of years. Books by the DL's family members pack a punch as much for what they neglect to say, as for what they do say.
Insights regarding how the theocracy's inherent conservatism held back not only Tibet's material progress but its political survival in time of crisis, and how diplomatic errors and government myopia deprived Tibet of opportunities to defend itself or achieve a measure of self-governance post-invasion, are the real contributions this book makes to the historical record and debate. Approached as a complimentary volume to other testimony and analysis of Tibet's transition from independent nation to Chinese colony, this book contributes to an understanding of a complex and sometimes murky historical period.
In order to get a more well-rounded understanding of some of the seminal events and controversies in the story, readers should seek out other sources dealing with the the regency period during the 14th Dalai Lama's childhood and the events leading up to his flight from Tibet. Gyalo Thondup is the only source I'm aware of who was steadfastly pro-Chinese, even after the Chinese had invaded Eastern Tibet (!), and who, likewise, viewed the Reting Regent favorably. He conveniently omits the fact that his brother, the Dalai Lama, publicly denounced the Regent as highly corrupt, not only as a political figure, but as a monk. However, I would say that the book is instructive in understanding the mindset of the people around the Dalai Lama who favored cooperation with the Chinese (these include the DL's father).
Some of the information in the book strains credulity. For example, we're told that the Chinese supported the landowning elite, and appointed members of it to important government posts. Why would a revolutionary army and a Marxist government do such a thing? The author makes no attempt to explain. More discussion and analysis of apparent contradictions like this are needed in order to make sense of such claims, especially in view of testimony from the few Westerners, like Anna Strong, allowed into Tibet after the Chinese invasion, who observed that it was the slaves and peasants who were elevated to government posts. While it's true that some of the estate owners favored reform, the majority did not.
Thondup's criticisms of the CIA's role in Tibet, though well-deserved, also ring a bit hollow, considering his glaring omission of the fact that he, the Dalai Lama (and in turn, his exiled government) and other family members were comfortably supported on the CIA's payroll for a number of years. Books by the DL's family members pack a punch as much for what they neglect to say, as for what they do say.
Insights regarding how the theocracy's inherent conservatism held back not only Tibet's material progress but its political survival in time of crisis, and how diplomatic errors and government myopia deprived Tibet of opportunities to defend itself or achieve a measure of self-governance post-invasion, are the real contributions this book makes to the historical record and debate. Approached as a complimentary volume to other testimony and analysis of Tibet's transition from independent nation to Chinese colony, this book contributes to an understanding of a complex and sometimes murky historical period.
Reviewed in the United States ???????? on January 30, 2016
My feelings were mixed while reading this book. It presents memoirs of Gyalo Thondup, the current Dalai Lama's elder brother who has been intimately involved all his life in the struggles of the Tibetan people. It is written in English by journalist Anne Thurston.
On the one hand, I was keen to read about the Tibetan struggle from the perspective of one who is very close to the Dalai Lama, and who has played an important role in the Tibetan struggle. This book provides an excellent opportunity for me to look more closely at the complex background to the international controversies surrounding Tibet. Thondup's memoirs cover family history going back a few generations. He talks about childhood with his siblings, and how recognition of his younger brother as the incarnate Dalai Lama would change their lives forever. He chronicles Tibet's relationship with the Nationalist, and later the Communist, government of China, going into the involvement of India, the American CIA, the Soviet Union, and others. The memoirs take us up to the current decade of the 21st century, now that Thondup operates a noodle factory in Kalimpong, India. It is eye-opening to read about what the Tibetan people have experienced over almost a century.
On the other hand, as I read through the book, I could not help but feel that Thondup has a tendency to rush to hasty conclusions without detailed or careful analysis. This is a point that Thurston raises and elaborates in her Afterword at the end of the book. Thondup also describes his brief encounters with a few well-known historical figures, as a result of which he has formed strong negative views that do not appear to be entirely warranted. As such, I could not be sure that I was reading an account that is entirely accurate, or fair.
In all, an interesting book for anyone who wishes to take a closer look at the Tibetan situation.
On the one hand, I was keen to read about the Tibetan struggle from the perspective of one who is very close to the Dalai Lama, and who has played an important role in the Tibetan struggle. This book provides an excellent opportunity for me to look more closely at the complex background to the international controversies surrounding Tibet. Thondup's memoirs cover family history going back a few generations. He talks about childhood with his siblings, and how recognition of his younger brother as the incarnate Dalai Lama would change their lives forever. He chronicles Tibet's relationship with the Nationalist, and later the Communist, government of China, going into the involvement of India, the American CIA, the Soviet Union, and others. The memoirs take us up to the current decade of the 21st century, now that Thondup operates a noodle factory in Kalimpong, India. It is eye-opening to read about what the Tibetan people have experienced over almost a century.
On the other hand, as I read through the book, I could not help but feel that Thondup has a tendency to rush to hasty conclusions without detailed or careful analysis. This is a point that Thurston raises and elaborates in her Afterword at the end of the book. Thondup also describes his brief encounters with a few well-known historical figures, as a result of which he has formed strong negative views that do not appear to be entirely warranted. As such, I could not be sure that I was reading an account that is entirely accurate, or fair.
In all, an interesting book for anyone who wishes to take a closer look at the Tibetan situation.
Top reviews from other countries
Akshay
4.0 out of 5 stars After reading the book I got the feeling that this ...
Reviewed in India ???????? on December 4, 2016
2 people found this helpful
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HC Del
5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read for anyone interested in Tibet and its Story
Reviewed in India ???????? on December 26, 2015
What a beautifully written book about Tibet. Given that it's written by the brother of His Holiness The Dalai Lama it has a lot of details about their personal family history. It's an incredibly interesting book and tells the story of the Chinese war on Tibet and how their culture is being destroyed. One really feels for the Tibet an people when one reads this book.
5 people found this helpful
Report abusearchana singh
4.0 out of 5 stars Insightful peek into the modern history of Tibet
Reviewed in India ???????? on July 10, 2016
I loved the way the way book is written from beginning to the end. Very detailed very factual. Very heart tugging. The writer has done a brilliant job in sharing the incidents as they would have happened and not justifying them. It takes immense guts to call spade a spade in today's diplomatic corrupt world where unpleasing words can destroy years of hard work. Owning to one's mistakes requires tremendous courage. Gyalo Thondup might have been manipulative and pro-china but he must be congratulated for pouring his heart out. Also, the writer deserves accolades for sharing his POV on events which he didn't agree with.
A must read for anyone interested in knowing about modern Tibet and its problems.
A must read for anyone interested in knowing about modern Tibet and its problems.
3 people found this helpful
Report abuseChoeyjng
5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favs
Reviewed in India ???????? on January 24, 2023
Loved the book. Here you get to read the full history of mid 20th century Tibet and also get to know the struggle the Tibetans had faced during 1960s.
You won’t regret buying the book !!
You won’t regret buying the book !!
Shoumo B.
4.0 out of 5 stars It is the perspective of the brother of the HH ...
Reviewed in India ???????? on May 9, 2016
It is the perspective of the brother of the HH. Many things you will find known if you have read Freedom in Exile or other book on Tibet or the HH. A detail read of the secret societies and the how politics played in Tibet and also as influenced by China, India, US.
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