Tibet has a mysterious aura, as remote to Western thought and culture as its location. Orville Schell, dean of journalism at the University of California, Berkeley, and author of 14 previous books and numerous magazine articles, writes about the mystery of Tibet, interweaving an account of the filming of Seven Years in Tibet (which starred Brad Pitt and was based on Heinrich Harrer's book of the same title). Consequently, Schell's focus is dual: he simultaneously discusses Tibetan culture, religion, history, and geography and the filming of the movie, including casting and the building of the set for the holy city of Lhasa. (Ironically, the movie was filmed in the Argentine Andes and Hollywood, not Tibet.) Schell's account is, much like his previous books and articles, well written, well researched, and engaging. He has visited Tibet on many occasions and has served as an advisor on Asian affairs to President Clinton. A thorough bibliography accompanies the text. Highly recommended.