Book excerpt: In the early spring of 1961, Dr. Corneille Jest undertook a three-week circumambulation of the valley in the company of Tibetans visiting temples, shrines, and sacred mountains. His companion Karma, an elderly nomad from Western Tibet and a gifted storyteller, punctuated the journey with traditional tales and his own reflections. Charmingly written, colorful, and engaging, the narrative transports the reader to a world of Tibetan spirit in ways not readily accessible to outsiders.