Rating: 
Summary: The Ugly American, Part II
Review: This has to be one of the most arrogant and self-centered pieces of travel writing I have ever encountered. Brackenbury travels to Tibet and to the remote and forbidden Drung Valley, but if you're hoping that this book might provide some insight into these fascinating cultures, forget it. Not only does Brackenbry know next to nothing about the people he encounters, he is not even curious about them. Mostly he's concerned with eating up their food, sleeping in their beds, and ruining the careers of petty officials. One might not agree with the repressive policies of the Chinese government, but Brackenbury is only concerned wth how these policies interfere with his adventure, and Brackenbury's frequent temper tantrums nearly cost one naive young police officer his livelihood. People like Brackenbury should realize that when they indulge in their narcissistic pursuit of being the "first" or the "only" their actions often do nothing but make life more difficult for the common people who live in these areas, or whose jobs depend on enforcing the law of the land, however distasteful. It's a terrible shame that the first westerner the Drung encouter is Wade Brackenbury. For those of us who dedicate our careers trying to work compassionately with other cultures, people like Brackenbury do immeasureable damage.
Rating: 
Summary: Yak Butter was FUN to READ!
Review: Wade Brackenbury may not be a great writer, but he is a GOOD story-teller. He seems like an honest, decent guy who just happens to like adventure. I liked the way he tried to help everyone he met in Tibet by using his chiropractic or medical skills whenever he could. He realized that his presence caused some of the local folks problems, and he tried to minimize them as much as possible. Pascal, who had studied the Drung Valley for years and was the instigator of this trip, seemed to be less concerned about the trouble he was causing, although he too appeared to have a love for the Tibetans, in his own way. I wish Brackenbury had known more of the language and could have learned more about the people in the Drung Valley to share with his readers, but if Pascal had not "wimped out" of the expedition, this might have been the case. The most valuable part of this book, to me, was realizing how these people have been unfairly taken over by the Chinese, who have no right to Tibet. Since reading this book, I have joined with other concerned students who are interested in helping the Tibetan cause. As far as the book was concerned, I finished it in one night and would definitely call it a "fun read" for anyone who is interested in adventure!
Rating: 
Summary: Not really worth your time
Review: Wade Brackenbury probably has a fascinating story, and I felt cheated that he didn't tell it. Those of us who travel, or read travel books, to meet people, to learn about other cultures (and respect them), or to understand how others live and cope, will feel frustrated by all the opportunities Brackenbury missed to learn or make a difference. He seems to have been mostly oblivious to the culture around him, or the personal growth he could have been experiencing. For the most part, he seems to have removed himself from the people or viewed them as an obstacle to avoid or overcome, instead of embracing the opportunities to get beyond his narrow view of the world. There are hints that lessons were learned along the way but they are thrown in such an indifferent and insubstantial manner, that finishing what seemed to be a promising book was a task. Brackenbury is not a traveler, or a writer with great talent, but he is obvioulsy an outdoorsman, a hiker, and a person with a great determination and ability to finish his goals. There are too many other books out there for me to recommend this one with any enthusiasm.
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