EAT THE BUDDHA Life and Death in a Tibetan Town

This audiobook is a riveting and unforgettable listening experience. Barbara Demick recounts the invasion of Mao's army into Tibet, the resistance, the brutal oppression, the exile of the Dalai Lama, and the self-immolations of Tibetan monks. She deepens that history with a focus on the townspeople of Ngaba, in particular a former princess, an activist, an entrepreneur, and a nomad. Cassandra Campbell further enriches Demick's prose with a clear and engrossing narration suffused with sensitivity and expressiveness. Campbell rolls through the Chinese and Tibetan names and places without hesitation, and she employs pacing and tone that capture the gravity of the Tibetan situation, the horror of the self-immolations, and the grief of family members left behind. A.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2020]