Mark Meadows sounds like a handsome Brit wearing a tuxedo. The story is well told and beautifully narrated. As a young man, in great physical condition, educated and quick-thinking, he took charge of circumstances, broke out of POW camp and got himself to Lhasa, Tibet. This is not Great Literature it gets all the stars because it is one man's unique story of what happened when he was away from his native Austria climbing mountains in the Himalayas when World War II broke out. "Free Tibet!" is No Joke - Most Excellent Read! I highly recommend this book, it is a fascinating read. Mark Meadows does a good job narrating the book. I seem to be late on the scene having just discovered this interesting book. This book was first published in 1952 and apparently has sold millions worldwide. I had no idea how badly Tibet has suffered under Chinese rule.
I enjoyed the afterword as it brought events up to the current date.
In the afterword, the author tells of the Dalai Lama coming to his 90th birthday party in Germany. Toward the end he also tells of the 1950 military takeover of Tibet by China and the Dali Lama and his government fleeing to India. He describes Tibetan life including their colorful ceremonies. I enjoyed his marvelous descriptions of his first sights of Tibet. He comes to the attention of the government who consults him on various matters where he contributes tremendously, because of his western school training. He makes friends and lives with a family he becomes fluent in Tibetan. He walks seventy days over rugged mountainous terrain before he reaches Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. Then he has to use all his skills to trick and deceive his way past daunting Tibetan officials. He walks, hides and runs until he crosses the Tibet boarder. At that time Tibet did not allow outsiders into their country.
He is taken to a detention camp in Bombay. In 1939 he is in India when World War II breaks out. Heinrich Harrer was an Austrian mountain climber.
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