Description
- A clear and comprehensive overview of Tibet, its culture and history.
- Responds to current interest in Tibet due to continuing publicity about Chinese rule and growing interest in Tibetan Buddhism.
- Explains recent events within the context of Tibetan history.
- Situates Tibet in relation to other Asian civilizations through the ages.
- Draws on the most recent scholarly and archaeological research.
- Introduces Tibetan culture - particularly social institutions, religious and political traditions, the arts and medical lore.
- An epilogue considers the fragile position of Tibetan civilization in the modern world.
About the Author
Matthew T. Kapstein is Numata Professor of Buddhist Studies in the Divinity School at the University of Chicago and Director of Tibetan Studies at the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes in Paris. His recent publications include The Presence of Light (2004), Reason's Traces (2001), The Tibetan Assimilation of Buddhism (2000) and Buddhism in Contemporary Tibet (1998).
Reviews
"The Tibetans improves and expands upon its predecessors, and we have Matthew Kapstein to thank for his efforts." (Moran Review, October 2010)
"Kapstein's work provides a highly accessible and comprehensive account of scholarship on the subject, ensuring that his book will feature prominently on reading lists for students at all levels, especially undergraduates." (Religious Studies Review, September 2010)"The Tibetans offers the best single overview of Tibetan cultural history currently available, and it is highly recommended reading for students and professional scholars alike. It is surely destined to be the standard work of its type well into the foreseeable future." (The Journal of Asian Studies, December 2009)
"Kapstein has produced a finely textured work that can correct prevailing misconceptions and introduce the reader to the amazing complexity of what he calls the "Tibetan civilizational sphere." The Tibetans helps us better understand the historical and cultural forces that have shaped Tibet's destiny." (Traditional Yoga Studies)
"It has been a long time since Tibet scholars have had a text so comprehensive, well informed, beautifully written and majestically sensitive. This book is a 'must read' for junior scholars of Tibet and for lay persons with a general interest in the region; even those already expert in the field will find here much that is both entertaining and edifying." (The China Journal)
"Recommended." (CHOICE)
"An excellent book and it adds greatly to our knowledge of this fascinating people ... I recommend this book strongly." (Educational Review)
"An authoritative but accessible work of erudition, well-designed for the undergraduate market." (Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute)
"It is a book that all scholars of Tibet and Central Asia, regardless of disciplinary focus, should read and control." (Asian Ethnology)
"This accessible book makes the latest research on Tibetan history and culture widely available and can be recommended as a standard introduction to the field." (Atlas Serials)
Book Information
ISBN 9780631225744
Author Matthew T. Kapstein
Format Hardback
Page Count 384
Imprint Wiley-Blackwell
Publisher John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Weight(grams) 703g
Dimensions(mm) 238mm * 160mm * 26mm
