Far Beyond the Garden Gate: Alexandra David-Neels journey to Lhasa
Far Beyond the Garden Gate: Alexandra David-Neels journey to Lhasa
$31.95
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ISBN / SKU
9780618083640
Format
Hardback
Pages
32
Dimensions
265 x 258
Category/ies
Description
Reading level: Ages 4-8
In her time, Alexandra David-Neel was the most famous woman in France. She had traveled extensively in China and Tibet and, in 1924, was the first Western woman ever to enter Tibets forbidden capital, Lhasa. Alexandra was a self-taught Buddhist scholar and spoke Tibetan flawlessly. And she did it all as a mature woman—she was in her mid-fifties when she arrived in Lhasa. Not only is Alexandra David-Neel's story one of high adventure, of trekking through snow-choked mountain passes and wild encounters on the Tibetan tablelands, but it is also about a prolific writer and passionate advocate of Tibetan culture. Far Beyond the Garden Gate reveals an unforgettable life's journey with vibrant, graceful prose and stunning illustrations.
Describes the life and travels of Alexandra David-Neel, who became a scholar of Buddhism and Tibet in the early twentieth century and trekked thousands of miles to reach Llasa, the Tibetan capital.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Don Brown is a professional illustrator. His first children's book, RUTH LAW THRILLS A NATION, was a Reading Rainbow feature selection and an NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies. His second book, ALICE RAMSEY'S GRAND ADVENTURE, received starred reviews in THE BULLETIN, KIRKUS REVIEWS, and SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL. School Library Journal has called him "a current pacesetter who has put the finishing touches on the standards for storyographies." His most recent book, RARE TREASURE, was selected as a NCSS-CBC Notable Children"s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies.
PRAISE
Like his Alice Ramsey's Grand Adventure and Ruth Law Thrills a Nation, Don Brown's Far Beyond the Garden Gate: Alexandra David-Neel's Journey to Lhasa charts another innovative woman in a concise picture-book biography. Here, the focus is Parisian-born Alexandra David-Neel's determination to enter the Tibetan capital. A spread of David-Neel crossing a gorge by cable illustrates the lengths to which she goes to become the first Western woman to enter Lhasa, in 1924. Ages 4-8.
—From Publishers Weekly
Grade 3-5-David-Neel was one of a small group of intrepid women who defied convention to become bold travelers in remote areas of the world. In fact, even as a child, she looked for adventure beyond the confines of her Victorian household. As an opera singer, she traveled to many far-off places, but she eventually married and settled down in Tunis. Her true adventures began in 1911 when, with her husband's blessings, she set out for Asia and was gone for 14 years. Those journeys are the focus of this picture book, which describes her wanderings and her eventual trek to Lhasa, a city never before visited by a European woman. Though the book starts abruptly, it tells a fascinating tale of a person willing to leave her comfortable world behind to pursue her interest in Buddhism, much of the time accompanied by a young servant whom she eventually adopted. David-Neel's vivid quotes are interspersed throughout the story. Although the author's note does not provide sources for them, the bibliography does list two of her books. The beiges, grays, and whites of Brown's palette capture the feeling of the unfamiliar world into which the woman and her companion ventured, but the rag-doll figures are less appealing. Little has been written about this intriguing woman for this audience, so this book will be a welcome addition to most collections.
—Barbara Scotto, Michael Driscoll School, Brookline, MA; From School Library Journal
Far beyond the Garden Gate expands the pilgrim's story in a fascinating picture-book biography of adventurer and Buddhist scholar Alexandra David-Neel—the first Western woman, in 1924, to enter Lhasa. As in his previous biographies, such as Uncommon Traveler (2000), Brown combines succinct language, dramatic storytelling, and beautiful, spare watercolor art to describe his subject's remarkable life. Quotes from David-Neel's own writings are woven into the text, which follows David-Neel from childhood to her death at the age of 101. But the book focuses mostly on her Buddhist studies and on her perilous, groundbreaking journey to Lhasa. Neither the story nor the concluding author's note mentions how the intensely private monks received David-Neel in their sacred city, which would have added an interesting angle, but Brown perfectly balances his atmospheric words and pictures in an exciting account.
—Gillian Engberg, Booklist
In her time, Alexandra David-Neel was the most famous woman in France. She had traveled extensively in China and Tibet and, in 1924, was the first Western woman ever to enter Tibets forbidden capital, Lhasa. Alexandra was a self-taught Buddhist scholar and spoke Tibetan flawlessly. And she did it all as a mature woman—she was in her mid-fifties when she arrived in Lhasa. Not only is Alexandra David-Neel's story one of high adventure, of trekking through snow-choked mountain passes and wild encounters on the Tibetan tablelands, but it is also about a prolific writer and passionate advocate of Tibetan culture. Far Beyond the Garden Gate reveals an unforgettable life's journey with vibrant, graceful prose and stunning illustrations.
Describes the life and travels of Alexandra David-Neel, who became a scholar of Buddhism and Tibet in the early twentieth century and trekked thousands of miles to reach Llasa, the Tibetan capital.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Don Brown is a professional illustrator. His first children's book, RUTH LAW THRILLS A NATION, was a Reading Rainbow feature selection and an NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies. His second book, ALICE RAMSEY'S GRAND ADVENTURE, received starred reviews in THE BULLETIN, KIRKUS REVIEWS, and SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL. School Library Journal has called him "a current pacesetter who has put the finishing touches on the standards for storyographies." His most recent book, RARE TREASURE, was selected as a NCSS-CBC Notable Children"s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies.
PRAISE
Like his Alice Ramsey's Grand Adventure and Ruth Law Thrills a Nation, Don Brown's Far Beyond the Garden Gate: Alexandra David-Neel's Journey to Lhasa charts another innovative woman in a concise picture-book biography. Here, the focus is Parisian-born Alexandra David-Neel's determination to enter the Tibetan capital. A spread of David-Neel crossing a gorge by cable illustrates the lengths to which she goes to become the first Western woman to enter Lhasa, in 1924. Ages 4-8.
—From Publishers Weekly
Grade 3-5-David-Neel was one of a small group of intrepid women who defied convention to become bold travelers in remote areas of the world. In fact, even as a child, she looked for adventure beyond the confines of her Victorian household. As an opera singer, she traveled to many far-off places, but she eventually married and settled down in Tunis. Her true adventures began in 1911 when, with her husband's blessings, she set out for Asia and was gone for 14 years. Those journeys are the focus of this picture book, which describes her wanderings and her eventual trek to Lhasa, a city never before visited by a European woman. Though the book starts abruptly, it tells a fascinating tale of a person willing to leave her comfortable world behind to pursue her interest in Buddhism, much of the time accompanied by a young servant whom she eventually adopted. David-Neel's vivid quotes are interspersed throughout the story. Although the author's note does not provide sources for them, the bibliography does list two of her books. The beiges, grays, and whites of Brown's palette capture the feeling of the unfamiliar world into which the woman and her companion ventured, but the rag-doll figures are less appealing. Little has been written about this intriguing woman for this audience, so this book will be a welcome addition to most collections.
—Barbara Scotto, Michael Driscoll School, Brookline, MA; From School Library Journal
Far beyond the Garden Gate expands the pilgrim's story in a fascinating picture-book biography of adventurer and Buddhist scholar Alexandra David-Neel—the first Western woman, in 1924, to enter Lhasa. As in his previous biographies, such as Uncommon Traveler (2000), Brown combines succinct language, dramatic storytelling, and beautiful, spare watercolor art to describe his subject's remarkable life. Quotes from David-Neel's own writings are woven into the text, which follows David-Neel from childhood to her death at the age of 101. But the book focuses mostly on her Buddhist studies and on her perilous, groundbreaking journey to Lhasa. Neither the story nor the concluding author's note mentions how the intensely private monks received David-Neel in their sacred city, which would have added an interesting angle, but Brown perfectly balances his atmospheric words and pictures in an exciting account.
—Gillian Engberg, Booklist
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