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The Snow Leopard
The Snow Leopard
Author: Peter Matthiessen
One September, the writer and explorer Peter Matthiessen set out with field biologist George Schaller to journey 250 miles through the Himalayas to the Crystal Mountain on the Tibetan plateau. They wanted to study the wild blue sheep, the bharal, but also hoped to see the snow leopard, a creature so rarely spotted as to be nearly mythical. "...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780140102666
ISBN-10: 0140102663
Publication Date: 8/4/1987
Pages: 352
Rating:
  • Currently 4.3/5 Stars.
 14

4.3 stars, based on 14 ratings
Publisher: Penguin
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio Cassette
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed The Snow Leopard on + 14 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
One of my all time favorites. Beautiful nature writing, magical setting in the Himalayas, and an amazing adventure both internally and out in the world.
briebrown avatar reviewed The Snow Leopard on + 12 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Lovely. I acquired this book thinking it was going to be your standard adventure novel with a bit of Buddhist philosophy about not getting attached to the result and enjoying the journey. It was that and much more. Matthiessen has an acute knowledge of the area and culture and was eloquent about the dangers of spiritual materialism as well as the knowledgeable about the different religions of the region. He quotes from Sanskrit text and throws in some lovely poetry from various sages across the world. This is a book that one could use as a study guide. Love the fact that he includes end notes, just in case the reader wants a more thorough understanding of some of the old visionaries.
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reviewed The Snow Leopard on + 495 more book reviews
Book that won National book Award by author of "At Play in the Fields of the Lord". A near mythic journey of self discovery.
pindari avatar reviewed The Snow Leopard on + 38 more book reviews
I loved the beautifully written tale of adventure and exploration, I could see the sherpa's smiles, and feel the snow... it was wonderful. I didn't enjoy trying to track the expedition on the hopeless map inside the front cover - what could have been wonderful was frustrating and disappointing. I also didn't care for the extent of the authors spiritual journey. Of course one couldn't complete such a journey without much introspection, but I found the details of the various religions too extensive to follow, and my heart wasn't in it. I probably won't read this book again, but parts of it will stay with me.
reviewed The Snow Leopard on + 175 more book reviews
If you can get past the religion stuff he tosses in, the descriptors of the trip will create a picture and make you feel part of the journey. Remember when books could create the places in your mind without seeing it in a movie? This is one of those books. Of other interest is his consistent mention of the fauna and wildlife; many of which will have you scrambling for google or a dictionary. This was my interest in reading the journal. Read the one two and three star reviews over at Amazon before picking up this book. It may not be for you.
reviewed The Snow Leopard on + 10 more book reviews
The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen is a spiritual and physical journey about a nature author tagging along with a famous wildlife researcher, George Schaller, far past the forgotten outposts of the Himalayan mountains. Matthiessen's descriptive language made his journey so vivid and real. This book makes me want to do yoga again and give meditation a try. I skimmed over nearly all of the religious references because I had little interest in them. I think his overall theme was that life can get ridiculously complicated, but if you pare it down to its bare essentials, you find beauty, pure beauty in yourself and in the people and world around you. Live simply to find your greatest happiness.
reviewed The Snow Leopard on + 4 more book reviews
I've read this book twice and I must say, I hated it each time. But I seem to be one of the few people I know who didn't love it, so it must be me!
reviewed The Snow Leopard on + 54 more book reviews
When Matthiessen went to Nepal to study the Himalayan blue sheep and, possibly, to glimpse the rare and beautiful snow leopard, he undertook his five-week trek as winter snows were sweeping into the high passes. This is a radiant and deeply moving account of a "true pilgrimage, a journey of the heart."


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