The Hotel on the Roof of the World
Five Years in Tibet
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The Hotel on the Roof of the World
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Narrated by:
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Steven Kynman
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By:
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Alec Le Sueur
About this listen
The very aptly named Mr Pong had the kind of breath that could stun at over ten feet… This wasn’t just bad – there was something rotten down there. Something had crawled in and died. Gunter howled with laughter as he saw the look of horror on my face. It was the best entertainment he had seen since he had watched Chef chasing yaks through the kitchens.
Few foreigners are lucky enough to set foot on Tibetan soil, but Alec Le Sueur spent five extraordinary years there, working in the unlikeliest Holiday Inn in the world. Against the breath taking beauty of the Himalayas unfolds a highly amusing and enlightening account of his experiences. Fly infestations at state banquets, unexpected deliveries of live snakes, a predominance of yaks and everything yak-related, the unbelievable Miss Tibet competition, insurmountable communication problems and a dead guest are just some of the entertainments to be found at the ‘Fawlty Towers’ of Lhasa.
Le Sueur, the only Westerner since the days of Heinrich Harrer to spend so long in Tibet, examines the country’s intriguing cultural background, providing a fascinating insight into a country that was only just opening up to the outside world.
©2003 Alec Le Sueur (P)2013 Audible LtdCritic reviews
good book, questionable narration
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From a Westerner's point of view, it describes less of how the locals traditionally live than in The Noodlemaker of Kalimpong by Gyalo Thondup, more details about the present-day (late 1980s, early 1990s) culture than the high almighty Seven Years in Tibet by Heinrich Harrer, and very sarcastic about the current Chinese rule over Tibet. The cruel true events are covered, as well as ironic politics and corruption that is so true in every part of modern-day China. I enjoyed this book much more than Harrer's.
Hilarious nonstop laughter
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If you could sum up The Hotel on the Roof of the World in three words, what would they be?
FunnyPoignant
True
Who was your favorite character and why?
Tashi, his explanation that he is Tashi. Tashi Delek.Which scene was your favorite?
The funeral. Having been China this is something I could see a guide doing.Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
The entire book is very funny. I laughed out load at several points.Any additional comments?
I have been to China on several occasions’ both as a tourist (with China Spree), and while on business. China is a very unique place with an amazing culture. But, to our western way of life a lot of this culture is truly bizarre. This book demonstrates some of this culture, while still showing that we are all one tribe. We all generally want the same things out of life.This is one of the best fish out of water stories that I have ever read… or been read. If you like humor like the Hitchhiker Guide or Monty Python you will love this book.
Very funny and very insightful
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only wish it was longer
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Tone deaf
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