Virtual Tibet

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The Dalai Lama meets The Player—from the Himalayas to Hollywood—explores the West's enduring fascination with Tibet and its spiritual leader. This remote region has captured Western imagination since Marco Polo’s portrayal of it as a mystical land and James Hilton’s Shangri-la in *Lost Horizon*. Orville Schell, a leading expert on modern China and Tibet, embarks on an intriguing journey into these Tibetan fantasies. He narrates the captivating stories of Western adventurers, explorers, and spiritual seekers who have long sought to reach the forbidden land of Tibet and its sacred city, Lhasa. Simultaneously, Schell takes readers on a contemporary exploration that includes Hollywood dharma groups, "Free Tibet" concerts by the Beastie Boys, and the extravagant recreation of Lhasa in the Argentine Andes for the film *Seven Years in Tibet*, featuring Brad Pitt. As he intertwines past and present, traditional customs and celebrity culture, Schell highlights the risks of confusing virtual experiences with reality. Featuring a colorful cast of characters, including celebrity Buddhists and Tibetan monks, this elegantly written work offers profound charm, power, and insight into the complex relationship between the West and Tibet.