“Beautifully observed, with full-bodied, engaging characters who are never lost in the shadow of Chinese politics. Amy Yee has done a wonderful job of capturing the details, dramas, and dignities of Tibetan life in exile.”
—Peter Hessler, author of River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze; New Yorker writer and finalist for the National Book Award
“Engaging . . . . The Tibetan exiles she follows are resilient, resourceful and proud of their heritage. They are excellent ambassadors for a country that China insists has never existed and the very idea of which is treasonous: a free Tibet . . . . captivating.”
—The Economist
“Readers who seek to understand the plight of our fellow humans in other parts of the world should hang on every word...Books like these are the product of truly personal and professional investment combined....an outstanding example of journalism done right…Yee renders her subjects on the page with energetic prose that focuses foremost on their humanity, not the tragedies that have befallen them, individually and collectively…”
—The Boston Globe
“Questions about home and what it means have been asked for decades by Tibetans...journalist Amy Yee chronicles some of their lives, travels and separations.”
—Scott Tong, host of Here and Now, NPR (National Public Radio)
“While Amy Yee's book is about the lives and political struggle of Tibetans in exile, it also reflects and speaks to the personal challenges and triumphs of 100 million refugees and diasporas around the world.”
—Lobsang Sangay, former prime minister of the Tibetan government in exile
“A wonderful and moving portrait of a people whose predicament needs to be brought into the sunlight. This is a work of passion and insight that deserves to be widely read.”
—Edward Luce, author of In Spite of the Gods: The Strange Rise of Modern India and former Financial Times South Asia bureau chief
“Through a kaleidoscopic portrait, Amy Yee describes displaced Tibetans intimately and truthfully....Their displacement cannot crush their humanity. Instead, their losses have strengthened them.”
—Ha Jin, author of Waiting, winner of the National Book Award
“A marvelous book. Herself a Chinese American, Yee brings her sensitivity to matters of cultural identity to bear on the lives of Tibetan refugees in India and beyond.”
—Paul A. Cohen, Harvard University
“In too many narratives, Tibetans are merely faceless victims. But in this perceptive and empathic work, Amy Yee shows we are people full of life, dreams, nuances, and resilience.”
—Tencho Gyatso, president of the International Campaign for Tibet
“Powerful . . . . Over the course of more than a decade, [Yee's] interactions and correspondences with her Tibetan contacts blossomed into a non-fiction narrative that is among the first of its kind . . . . Yee's focus on authentic lived experiences—stories that could only be written with deep and trusted connections—establishes a model for responsible and effective refugee representation.”
—Joshua Peng, Wilson Center
“This extraordinary, compassionate work takes us into both physical and spiritual worlds. When we finish the book, we are left changed. We can see who we were when we began it and who we are now.”
—Akhil Sharma, author of Family Life, winner of the International Dublin Literary Award
“Through incredible personal narratives, Far from the Rooftop of the World paints a deep, nuanced picture of the Tibetan diaspora and the real human impact of China's policy toward Tibet.”
—Foreword Reviews
“[Yee] takes us with her into the homes, streets, schools, and communities of Tibetan refugees in India, intimately introducing us to unforgettable individuals and showing us their dreams and losses and the ordinary moments of their lives.”
—Lion's Roar
“Most of Yee's initial reporting focused on the community in Dharamsala. But as the years went on, some of Yee's contacts moved to places in other parts of the world — Australia, Belgium, New York. She stayed connected. The result is now a book…a mix of reportage and travelogue.”
—NPR (National Public Radio)
“A new book of narrative nonfiction by award-winning journalist Amy Yee, examines the lives of Tibetan refugees, and their efforts to preserve their culture abroad.”
—The World, PRX Radio
“Compelling . . . . evocative . . . . Yee's style is fresh and accessible, warm with fondness and sympathy for her subjects, and seldom overly indulging in the romanticism that perfumes much prose on Tibet.”
—Nikkei Asia
“[A comprehensive] look at the Tibetan refugee experience . . . . with atmospheric details, historical facts, and scenes from daily life in India, all of which Yee recounts in a [vulnerable and charming] narratorial voice.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“In centering the daily lives of ordinary Tibetans, Amy Yee's work achieves what narratives on Tibetans often fall shy of doing: seeing Tibetans as contemporary people.”
—Tsering Wangmo-Dhompa, author of Coming Home to Tibet and Revolute
“The narrative writing is very strong, and you really do wonder, how did they find themselves having to leave Tibet? And what does happen next?... It’s a really easy book to read, a very engaging one..the travel stories are great..I could feel myself on those buses and trains.”
—James Shaheen, editor-in-chief of Tricycle: The Buddhist Review for Tricycle’s podcast
“This timely and insightful book centers the voices of regular Tibetan people, and issues of Tibetan sovereignty and wellbeing. Yee captures an important decade in the development of the global Tibetan diaspora.”
—Amy Holmes-Tagchungdarpa, Occidental College
“Captivating. In richly poetic prose, Amy Yee champions the perseverance of Tibetan people with refreshing candor in this timely and transcendent work that will make you smile, laugh, and hold your heart at every turn.”
—Shayla Lawson, author of This Is Major; National Book Critics Circle finalist
“In an era of vitriol and division, Yee's compelling work offers truth, hope, and a vital and humane perspective on refugee resettlement.”
—Kimberly Meyer, author of The Book of Wanderings
“A veteran reporter who covered the aftermath of the Chinese crackdown on Tibetan protestors in 2008 melds journalism and personal reflection in narrating the experiences of Tibetans living in exile. His Holiness the Dalai Lama...wrote the foreword, but in a world with millions of people in flight— the “precious and invaluable” stories [Yee] tells...have universal appeal.”
—Harvard Magazine