 The Secret Lives of Alexandra David-Neel: A Biography of the Explorer of Tibet and Its Forbidden Practices Books In Print, Audio Books. |
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The Secret Lives of Alexandra David-Neel: A Biography of the Explorer of Tibet and Its Forbidden Practices
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The Secret Lives of Alexandra David-Neel: A Biography of the Explorer of Tibet and Its Forbidden Practices Customer Reviews
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A woman explorer
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Alexandra David-Neel is reputed to be the first Western woman to reach the forbidden city of Lhasa, Tibet. She did so in 1924, a small woman in her mid-50s, disguised as a beggar and accompanied only by her adopted Tibetan son. This was the highlight of a life that lasted until 1969 when she died at age 100.
As the authors point out, however, practically nothing can be said with surety about Mme. David-Neel. One biographer has even claimed that she fabricated the whole story of visiting Lhasa. Probably not -- although she fabricated a lot and was hardly of unimpeachable character. As a matter of fact, although the authors are very respectful of her, she seems a thoroughly selfish, self-centered and repellent person.
David-Neel was a serious student of Buddhism and wrote many books on the subject. One of the juiciest parts of the book concerns the question of whether she participated in group Tantric sex rituals. The authors conclude she probably did.
David-Neel's religion had nothing to do with morality, and it seems unlikely that she ever found inner peace from her Buddhist rituals as she suffered from an endless variety of mental and physical ills. Still, living to be 100 is quite an accomplishment...
Alexandra David-Neel was an opera singer, a hardy and determined traveler, a student of religion, a writer, and a public figure of some note. Some of her papers are still unreleased so the final word about her character and achievements is still to be said. In the meantime this is an entertaining and well-researched biography.
Smallchief
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