Answering a critical need for an accurate, in-depth history of Tibet, this single-volume resource reproduces essential, hard-to-find essays from the past fifty years of Tibetan studies. Covering the social, cultural, and political development of Tibet from the seventh century to the modern period, the volume is organized chronologically and regionally to complement courses in Asian and religious studies and world civilizations. Beginning with Tibet's emergence as a regional power and concluding with its profound contemporary transformations, this anthology offers both a general and specific history, connecting the actions of individuals, communities, and institutions to broader historical trends that shaped Asia and the world. With contributions from American, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, and Tibetan scholars, the collection reflects the international character of Tibetan studies and its multiple, interdisciplinary perspectives.
Contributors address many aspects of Tibetan culture frequently neglected in popular accounts, and the editors render Tibetan person and place names in an easy-to-pronounce phonetic system -- a key component increasing the volume's accessibility. They also standardize complex and sometimes cryptic references to cited works, clearing the path for additional research in directly related and peripheral fields. By far the most concise scholarly anthology on Tibetan civilization in any Western language, this reader clarifies the history of Tibet, its relation to its neighbors, and its role in world affairs.
Industry Reviews
Schaeffer and Tuttle are among the best scholars in the field, and they provide an exemplary selection of expert articles in one convenient, well-integrated, and phonetically readable volume. -- Bryan J. Cuevas, Florida State University This single volume offers a thorough education in Tibetan history from the founding of the Tibetan empire in the seventh century through 1951. In thirty-three topical and absorbing essays, leading historians of Asia, Europe, and North America explain exactly what the original documents say and why historians of Tibet interpret them in such dramatically different ways. Anyone who wants to learn more about Tibetan history should begin here. -- Valerie Hansen, Yale University There has long been an interest in the Tibetan civilization and, in particular, Tibetan Buddhism. Yet general readers are less familiar with the history and the development of both secular and religious institutions in the Tibetan world. Tuttle and Schaeffer have gathered some of the most current and definitive writings by leading international scholars in the field that demonstrate high-level research on all aspects of Tibetan history over the past decades. These works deal with the earliest period to more recent developments, providing a comprehensive and authoritative survey. The Tibetan History Reader will be an indispensable resource for students and anybody with an interest in Tibet. -- Tsering Shakya, Institute of Asian Research, University of British Columbia This book brings together the very best scholarship of the last half century. Supplemented with a useful timeline and an extensive bibliography, The Tibetan History Reader will remain the standard scholarly reference for a long time to come. A real tour de force. -- Jose Ignacio Cabezon, University of California Santa Barbara superb collection...give[s] an extraordinary sense of perspective. -- Kerry Brown Asian Review of Books The material is specialized but animated by a sense of fresh discovery. Foreign Affairs A very satisfying reading experience, where Tibetan history forms a matrix of interconnected events rather than a mere litany of dates and uncontextualized data... A superb resource in undergraduate surveys. Bulletin of SOAS Students and other readers wishing to obtain an overview of the contemporary field of Tibetan Studies could not do better than to get [The Tibetan History Reader and Sources of Tibetan Tradition]. -- Sam van Schaik Journal of the American Oriental Society
