Synopses & Reviews
In her time, Alexandra David-Neel was the most famous woman in France. She had traveled extensively in China and Tibet and, in 1924, was the first Western woman ever to enter Tibets forbidden capital, Lhasa. Alexandra was a self-taught Buddhist scholar and spoke Tibetan flawlessly. And she did it all as a mature woman - she was in her mid-fifties when she arrived in Lhasa.
Not only is Alexandra David-Neels story one of high adventure, of trekking through snow-choked mountain passes and wild encounters on the Tibetan tablelands, but it is also about a prolific writer and passionate advocate of Tibetan culture. Far Beyond the Garden Gate reveals an unforgettable lifes journey with vibrant, graceful prose and stunning illustrations.
Review
"The beiges, grays, and whites of Brown's palette capture the feeling of the unfamiliar world into which the woman and her companion ventured, but the rag-doll figures are less appealing. Little has been written about this intriguing woman for this audience, so this book will be a welcome addition to most collections." School Library Journal
Review
"Brown combines succinct language, dramatic storytelling, and beautiful, spare watercolor art to describe his subject's remarkable life." Booklist
About the Author
In her time, Alexandra David-Neel was the most famous woman in France. She had traveled extensively in China and Tibet and, in 1924, was the first Western woman ever to enter Tibetand#8217;s forbidden capital, Lhasa. Alexandra was a self-taught Buddhist scholar and spoke Tibetan flawlessly. And she did it all as a mature womanand#151;she was in her mid-fifties when she arrived in Lhasa.
Not only is Alexandra David-Neeland#8217;s story one of high adventure, of trekking through snow-choked mountain passes and wild encounters on the Tibetan tablelands, but it is also about a prolific writer and passionate advocate of Tibetan culture. Far Beyond the Garden Gate reveals an unforgettable lifeand#8217;s journey with vibrant, graceful prose and stunning illustrations."Brown combines succinct language, dramatic storytelling, and beautiful, spare watercolor art to describe his subjectand#8217;s remarkable lifeand#133; Brown perfectly balances his atmospheric words and pictures in an exciting account." Booklist, ALA, Boxed Review
"Even now, children mostly seem to hear about wild adventure as the purview of men and boys: to have Don Brown's series is a bracing antidote to that misconception. Brown's signature watercolors are impressionistic, almost calligraphic. Heady, powerful stuff." Kirkus Reviews
"Brown's present-tense narrative uses simple but riveting language, and, as in his previous biographies, he interjects the subject's own words to further dramatize the story... What encouragement to readers to find their own way 'beyond the garden gate.'" Horn Book
and#147;[Brownand#8217;s] work appears regularly in the biography section of elementary-school libraries because of his apt choice of subject matter and his eye for telling detailand#133;Open the book to see why Brown is popular in schools.and#8221; The New York Times Book Review
and#147;A welcome edition to most collections.and#8221; School Library JournalDon Brown is the award-winning author and illustrator of many picture book biographies. He has been widely praised for his resonant storytelling and his delicate watercolor paintings that evoke the excitement, humor, pain, and joy of lives lived with passion. School Library Journal has called him and#147;a current pacesetter who has put the finishing touches on the standards for storyographies.and#8221; He lives in New York with his family.