The Snow Leopard

Written by Peter Matthiessen and Pico Iyer

Narrated by Peter Matthiessen

An unforgettable spiritual journey through the Himalayas...

IN 1973, Peter Matthiessen and field biologist George Schaller traveled high into the remote mountains of Nepal to study the Himalayan blue sheep and possibly glimpse the rare and beautiful snow leopard. Matthiessen, a student of Zen Buddhism, was also on a spiritual quest to find the Lama of Shey at the ancient shrine on Crystal Mountain. As the climb proceeds, Matthiessen charts his inner path as well as his outer one, with a deepening Buddhist understanding of reality, suffering, impermanence, and beauty.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Audio
• Release date: Apr 8, 2014
• ISBN: 9780698180758

Peter Matthiessen

Peter Matthiessen (1927–2014) was the author of more than thirty books, including the New York Times bestseller The Snow Leopard. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1974. He was cofounder of the Paris Review and won two National Book Awards, the 2000 Heinz Award in the Arts and Humanities, and the 2010 Spiros Vergos Prize for Freedom of Expression.

Reviews for The Snow Leopard

[JuanFlores2206 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Let it be known that we are not dealing with a novel. It is more of a diary; the author tells us how, together with the zoologist George Schaller, he embarks on an expedition to the Tibetan plateau. The purpose is to study the habits of a little-known ram, "the baral or blue sheep." With that excuse, what they really aim to see is "the snow leopard," which is almost a myth, like the Yeti. This expedition will end up being an almost mystical encounter with nature; it will reveal the interior of a person, their purest feelings, free from the ties of civilization and its side effects. The protagonist will delve into his own nature...his longings, he will discover his true love, his most hidden passions. It may seem very dull...if so, I apologize...as the fault is all mine...not the author's. The author...the book is impressive...it will unveil the quest for the meaning of being and "to be." I’m not going to give you spoilers and tell you if he manages to see the leopard...but I assure you that "the leopard" was captured by Matthiessen with his words...his prose. Emotions...feelings dulled by self-deception...to flow and live the true nature. I will end with one of my phrases, "Perhaps you do not find what you are looking for...but you can find what you really want." If you have guessed it...ladies and gentlemen, come in and read. (Translated from Spanish)

[diegogt0 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Peter is talented at narrating in detail every scenario presented to him, and you are there with him. This adventure takes him and his friend through quite inhospitable and remote places to spot the blue sheep and, above all, the snow leopard. (Translated from Spanish)

[Jose Mouriño · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had this book parked for years. I read quite a bit about the snow leopard, and this year two major works on the subject were published. It is a difficult book for those who are not very familiar with Buddhism, and you can often get lost in the geography of such a special place. That said, the book has wonderful passages where it describes the feelings and the process of change the author experiences, his unity with the whole, and his eagerness to be present. (Translated from Spanish)

[Guayo Guara · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When you finish a book like this, you want to abandon everything to lead a wandering, mystical life, in inner retreat surrounded by the purest and most unknown landscapes of the planet. It's like being shipwrecked on a deserted island and surviving; it's diving into the Dolpo region with Matthiessen and Schaller.

Written with mastery, this travel novel or diary of an adventure in search of little-known animals is a piece of inner journey to a magical and captivating place. Don’t miss it; it’s among the best I’ve read by the author. Very entertaining yet at the same time very profound. It allows you to be carried away outside of the time measured by the passage of the sun and do so through the time measured by the heart. You delve into the least known part of the Himalayas and if you want an image... cold, snow, white, living Buddhas in absolute humility, and the search for the last snow leopards. A piece of wonderfully written book. (Translated from Spanish)