The Heart of the World: A Journey to the Last Secret Place

How does a writer condense fifteen years of a journey to seek the sacred places of Tibet? Enter the covers of this fascinating if overly long book, release your sense of time, absorb the tenants of Buddhism, and discover how an obsession controlled the life and vision of one Ian Baker. Much has been written about this physically demanding and spiritually enlightening journey Baker made from 1982 to 1997, but though the facts... Read Full Review

An incredible book for anyone intrigued by the mysteries of Asia. The tale begins in 1982 when Baker overhears a conversation about a Tibetan sage who found a hidden paradise between vaulting cliffs in a little-explored corner of Tibet. Baker was curious. He had heard about Tibet's `hidden lands,' secret places that - Tibetans believe - can only be found by a devout pilgrim who can endure physical challenge, and spiritual... Read Full Review

I found myself capitavated by this story. It is an adventure on many levels. I appreciate the depth of Ian Baker's writing and after reading the book feel that in some way I have gotten to journey along with Ian to the hidden realms of Tibet that exist in the both the ordinary and non-ordinary world. I found myself traveling with him in my dreams and meeting the spirits of the places he visited. I couldn't put the book down... Read Full Review

The Heart of the World is a book that is hard to put down. Outwardly, it may appear as an adventure travel book but it is so much more. It is really about the journey within. As such, it is inspiring and fascinating. I award it five stars and have ordered it for all of my in-laws for Christmas!

This is an amazing story. Amazing. I give it 5 stars. This is wilderness exploration at its best, going far beyond the adage "because it was there" and describing a concurrent spiritual journey as intense, earnest and daring as the raw physical adventure itself. All of us who wander in the wild remote know about this inner world; few if any of us can describe it well. Ian Baker must be the most articulate nonfiction writer... Read Full Review