The Spirit of Tibet: Portrait of a Culture in Exile

Ever since I read Heinrich Harrer's "Seven Years in Tibet" six years, then the later "Return to Tibet" by the same author, I was hooked to Tibet, the Tibetan people, the Tibetan land, the Tibetan mountains, the Tibetan monasteries, everything Tibetan. I have cultivated an unspeakable tie to this unique land and its people. I began screening movies such as Kundun and Seven Years in Tibet. I have imagined and pictured Tibet according to Harrer's lively and mindful description during his residence in Lhasa. "The Spirit of Tibet" graciously allows me, for the very first time, to see Tibet unveiling its mysterious yet solemn beauty. A few other readers have complimented on the artistics and aesthetics of this collection. The collection really touches me because it communicates an unfailing passion. After the Chinese invasion in 1950, it is the Tibetan spirit and passion that sustain and unite the country and its people. When you look through the pictures, try to look into the Tibetans' eyes. Behind these eyes you will free yourself from the ordinary and see their life struggles, one and one, rooted deep in their mind and soul.

As a photographer and teacher of the photo arts it is easy to realize the quality of capturing the humanity of the people in this beautiful book. Alison Wright has done an excellent job. Place this in you home so that the tragedy that has been inflicted on the Tibetan people by the brutal and ruthless government of China is not forgotten.Additional reads on the subject should include Tears of Blood / A Cry For Tibet by Mary Craig and for those who like their history in the style of Hollywood check out Kun Dun by Martin Scorcese, 7 years in Tibet, and Little Budda.This book will move you to write your elected officials and ask them to support policies that will get China out of Tibet. You may also want to visit the official website for the Government of Tibet in Exile.

This book is beautifully shot by a truly skilled photographer -- a must have for anyone with an interest in photography or of the people of Tibet.

San Francisco Sunday Examiner and ChronicleBy Linda Watanabee McFerrinFreelance photojournalist Alison Wright's vivid portrait of Tibetan life in exile will kindle the warmth in any heart. In her vibrant visual sojourn with the Tibetan refugees in Dharamsala, India,she reveals lives rich in reflection and celebration, and creates a doorway into a culturethat survives in spite of travail. Nuns, monks, musicians, yak herders, children, the survivors of political prisons and His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, animate the pages. Her compositions are stunning, the color and light with which she adeptly enflames her subjects exuding both strength and intimacy. A short forward by the photographer underscores the spirit of the composition, but truly this is a book that needs few words. Wright, whose work appears frequently in the Examiner, is most articulate in her photography; and that is worth countless lines of text. "Good intent very important. Most important in all that you do. Never forget, " the Dalai Lama advises her in a garden encounter in Dharamsala. In her work, Wright makes it clear that the message is, indeed, unforgettable.

One thing is clear from this beautiful and touching portrait of Tibetans living in exile in Northern India: Alison Wright was devoted to capturing the essence of the Tibetan character, and she did so brilliantly. Not only do her photographs capture the stark color contrasts and subtle shades of light in the tiny mountain village of Dharamsala, but she masterfully captures the almost-inexplicable joy and humor that the Tibetans display despite their ongoing hardships. Her subjects range from small smiling children with rosy cheeks to weathered old monks whose eyes seem to hold a million stories. Central to the work is her unique portraits of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Her picture of the Dalai Lama's hands holding a string of prayer beads is particularly captivating. Another exceptionally good photograph shows a young Tibetan man waiting reverently to see the Dalai Lama, his head turned expectantly, looking excited yet restrained. In sum, there are many collections of Tibetan images available these days, but, in my opinion, Ms. Wright's work should be the first one you buy. Bravo, Ms. Wright! Give us more! -- by S.A. Hunt