The Heart of the World

The Heart of the World by Ian Baker

The myth of Shangri-la originates in Tibetan Buddhist beliefs in beyul, or hidden lands, sacred sanctuaries that reveal themselves to devout pilgrims and in times of crisis. The more remote and inaccessible the beyul, the vaster its reputed qualities. Ancient Tibetan prophecies declare that the greatest of all hidden lands lies at the heart of the forbidding Tsangpo Gorge, deep in the Himalayas and veiled by a colossal waterfall. Nineteenth-century accounts of this fabled waterfall inspired a series of ill-fated European expeditions that ended prematurely in 1925 when the intrepid British plant collector Frank Kingdon-Ward penetrated all but a five-mile section of the Tsangpo's innermost gorge and declared that the falls were no more than a religious myth and a romance of geography.

The heart of the Tsangpo Gorge remained a blank spot on the map of world exploration until world-class climber and Buddhist scholar Ian Baker delved into the legends. Whatever cryptic Tibetan scrolls or past explorers had said about the Tsangpo's innermost gorge, Baker determined, could be verified only by exploring the uncharted five-mile gap. After several years of encountering sheer cliffs, maelstroms of impassable white water, and dense leech-infested jungles, on the last of a series of extraordinary expeditions, Baker and his National Geographic-sponsored team reached the depths of the Tsangpo Gorge. They made news worldwide by finding there a 108-foot-high waterfall, the legendary grail of Western explorers and Tibetan seekers alike.

The Heart of the World is one of the most captivating stories of exploration and discovery in recent memory--an extraordinary journey to one of the wildest and most inaccessible places on earth and a pilgrimage to the heart of the Tibetan Buddhist faith.

Spence, Jay: - J.E.H. Spence, MD, FRCS(C) received his medical degree from the University of Western Ontario, Canada. After two years of internship, travel, and general practice, he specialized in obstetrics and gynecology. Having developed a particular interest in the medical issues of young females, he moved to London, England and studied under Professor Sir John Dewhurst at the Chelsea Hospital for Women and Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. After returning to Canada, Dr. Spence headed up the Division of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. He became Chief of the Division of Reproductive Medicine, Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Ottawa Civic Hospital, and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Ottawa. He has lectured throughout North America and abroad and has published numerous articles on his areas of interest. Dr. Spence is now retired and dedicates his time to volunteer work. He and his wife of fifty years now live on beautiful Vancouver Island, British Columbia....

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781594200274
ISBN 10	1594200270
Title	The Heart of the World
Author	Ian Baker
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Penguin Putnam Inc
Year published	2004-11-04
Number of pages	511
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable