Eat the Buddha
Demick, BarbaraSeasoned journalist Barbara Demick brings her considerable experience to this story of Ngaba in the eastern Tibetan Autonomous Region, a significant frontier town, one of the first places where Chinese communists staked their claim on Tibet. Now an ongoing site of resistance, various residents offer up the story of their lives under Chinese rule, for scrutiny.
Detailed but very accessible, this is an eye-opening read that documents historic events and 21st century Tibet through the experiences of individual Tibetans.
Pages
325
325
Year
2020
2020
Reviews
23-05-2024
Provoked much discussion. All found the book highly enlightening and fascinating. A brilliant reporter in difficult situations.
20-07-2023
'Eat The Buddha' is a very well-written account of the struggles that Tibetans have experienced since the Chinese invasion of their region. And Demick has made their struggles and experiences more meaningful and distressing by weaving people's personal stories into each chapter.
12-06-2023
A bit heavy going. A member who has travelled in the area said it was reasonably accurate and enjoyable to read. The group enjoyed being able to follow stories through an extensive period of time. This is a quote from one of our members "... I did not know a lot about Tibet, I found Eat the Buddha very interesting and informative and am surprised that the Communism struggles there have been so intense. It is not the sort of book that you can say you enjoyed, but I would recommend that anyone reads it to get a bit of insight into the country and its struggles..."
17-03-2023
Generated really good discussion.
12-01-2023
Extremely well researched and written.
09-01-2023
Not all of us read this book as it was quite a hard / serious read just before Christmas with everyone being busy. The members who persevered and read it, found it very interesting and learnt a lot about Tibet and the people. Although not everyone read the book, it generated a lot of discussion.
17-10-2022
Some people enjoyed reading it, while others struggled. Most found it easy to read after the first quarter. If they persevered they began to follow the characters. Everyone thought they had learned a lot about Tibet and we had lots of discussion about political issues.
03-10-2022
Only three of us finished reading this - we found it very interesting. The rest never really got into it as they found it very hard - they missed a good history lesson!
29-08-2022
A very hard read, but fulfilling. Beautifully researched. The author's dedication to the task of uncovering the history of Tibet and the brutality of the Chinese invaders is admirable, as is her portrayal of the resistance and resilience of the Tibetan people.
08-08-2022
A well-written book on Tibet, showing us how oppressed Tibetans are, and what the Communist country of China had done to their way of life over many generations.
01-08-2022
A very interesting and informative read.
18-07-2022
Interesting but very difficult to read - not all the group finished it.
11-04-2022
Not an easy read but a compelling topic. A significant narrative considering the current situation in the Ukraine.
30-11-2021
Complex, disturbing and informative read. Those who read it were very appreciative of being given the opportunity, as it wasn't a book they would have read on a voluntary basis.