The Autobiography of a Tibetan Monk

Rating:
Summary: heart-breaking, moving and triumphant
Review: i couldn't put this book down. palden gyatso's story of human suffering and strength affected me like so few stories have. someday i hope to be in the audience when this courageous men speaks. i feel as if i know him after reading this book. i recently visited a beastie boys site (perhaps a milarepa fund site) and found a statement by palden gyatso there. it gave me great happiness to know that he is educating the public on the plight of the tibetans.also, i recently read in the new york times of the communist movement to enforce the practice of athiesm amongst the tibetan people (a privelage once reserved for the members of the communist party alone) in hopes that the tibetans will completely abandon their beliefs in the "old ways". it is such a relief to know that by telling their stories, people like palden gyatso are fighting to keep the level of awareness of the suffering of the tibetans high and that their people will never forget their "old ways" and will someday enjoy the freedom they once had.

Rating:
Summary: A truly compassionate soul
Review: I had the honor of meeting Venerable Palden Gyatso after having read his story. The most amazing thing to me about him was his compassion. Given the horrific experience he had in Chinese prisons over 33 years it was amazing to me how warm, honest and loving he is. Even more amazing is that his compassion is not limited to Tibetans, in fact he has no ill will against the Chinese. This book is a story about the triumph of the human spirit. Palden Gyatso's story must be heard.

Rating:
Summary: Tibet's Agony
Review: I read this book shortly before travelling to Tibet and was profoundly moved by Palden Gyatso's incredible story of suffering and faith. Once in Tibet, I found his story to be of immeasurable help in my understanding of the Tibetans' ongoing struggle to retain their heritage and to not be swallowed up by a cruel and destructive regime.

Rating:
Summary: Informative, interesting, inspiring
Review: This is a great book. I am an activist for Tibetan independence and knew much about the atrocities taking place in Tibet since 1949, but this book put a face to the facts. I highly recommend this book if you're interested in Tibet, Buddhism, or in learning about a remarkable man who went through horrible oppression and has emerged gracefully.

Rating:
Summary: Stirring,compassionate memoir
Review: Ven. Palden Gyatso was the longest held prisoner in Chinese camps since the occupation of Tibet. This memoir,told in clean,plain prose{a kudo to the translator]is horrifying in its matter-of-fact detailing of the horrors of Tibetan prisons.The graphic descriptions of the tortures that Ven. Gyataso endured left me queasy,and yet a thread of hope continue throughout the book. From group re-education to starvation to penal camp labor and extreme torture[one of which lest him,unconscious for an indeterminate time,in a pool of blood,urine,feces and 20 of his teeth],Ven. Palden Gyatso somehow emerged from this,then escaped to Dharmasala,India the home of the Dalai lama{the story of his meeting the Dalai lama and the frontpiece poem are lovely].I was left with the feeling of awe, actual awe at this man,and how he emerged WITHOUT BITTERNESS.Astonishing. Read this book.Give it to another.It, like its author, is extraordinary