REVIEW - THE HOTEL ON THE ROOF OF THE WORLD: FIVE YEARS IN TIBET
Travel writing has always struck me as an odd genre. But perhaps that is because of the odd title that the genre has been given. If you think about it, 'Travel Writing' is just reading about someone else's adventures in the world. However, the term 'Travel Writing' has always put me firmly in mind of nineteenth century men and women traversing the world to live amongst 'the savages', or some other such nonsense, and their dreary records of their pompous journeys. For this reason, I have never really read a book that could be classed as travel writing. Thus, I came to read Alec Le Sueur's Five Years in Tibet only because it was gifted to me by a friend - and I must say, I am very glad to have been exposed to this genre.
Five Years in Tibet recounts the formative time spent by Frenchman Alec Le Seuer in Tibet as a hotel manager. His placement in Lhasa (the capital) was the result of youthful (and somewhat naive) enthusiasm for a challenging turn in his hotel management career. As Le Sueur soon discovered following his decision to manage it, the 'Holiday Inn: Lhasa' is the most notorious branch of the chain. Reasons for this reputation are varied, and range from hilarious, to down-right terrifying. From rat and snake infestations, to shortages of every food except Chinese spam and yak meat, the staff of the Holiday Inn, Lhasa have seen it all. Aside from being highly entertaining, Five Years in Tibet is interesting for its insights into Tibetan life at a very sensitive time of Chinese control. Despite seeming the type of gentleman keen to avoid taking sides when it comes to politics, Le Sueur quite overtly states his opinion that the Chinese occupation and attempted control of Tibet is ethically wrong. By pointing out the absurdity of the amount of violence employed against the (comparitively) peaceful Tibetans by the Chinese Red Guard, Le Sueur illuminates the negative aspects of Chinese control in Tibet to the reader, without having to explain directly his feelings.
Politics aside, life at the Holiday Inn is filled with plenty of drama of its own. Apparently there is a delicate arrangement of power within the management structure of companies run by both locals and 'ex-pats' (foreginers) - at least in Chinese derivative cultures. The absurd level of bureaucratic obligation which must be fulfilled before any changes can be made to the hotel are often laughable. 'Party A' (the ex-pats) and 'Party B' (the locals) debate and negotiate at every (daily) morning meeting as to the best way to run the hotel and solve its problems. To further complicate these daily proceedings, as the staff is made up of locals and ex-pats, the meetings constantly need to be translated - a need which often leads to further miscommunication. The opportunity for error stemming from cultural difference is massive, and Le Sueur colourfully communicates just how different working in Lhasa was to any other point in his career.
The tone of the narrative is usually jovial, and often sarcastic, usually to comedic effect. Perhaps it is a cultural difference (Le Sueur being French) but his tone is at times sarcastic to the point of sounding condescending, and although his recounts are always entertaining, there are times when his tone slips into that of an elitist. His stories contain a strange mix of opinions, ranging from those of a cultural relatvist, to that of extreme ethnocentricism (that's the elitism). After reading a few chapters you get the feelings that perhaps the book is composed of many anecdotes, recorded and edited at different times throughout Le Sueur's time in Tibet. This would explain the wide ranging tone.
Far from being a precise, strictly chronological recount, Le Sueur's book is episodic. Each chapter has a kind of self-contained plot, but there are overarching themes and jokes that run through the entire novel. The book is composed of alternating scenes of extreme cultural shock and horror, hilarity and reverence for the beauty of the Libetan landscape. Le Sueur is very observant, insightful and a great storyteller. He is good at weaving relevant, interesting history into his anecdotal recounts. Aside from gaining a snapshot of life in Tibet in the late 1980s, after finishing this book, you gain a basic knowledge of the recent history of Tibet.
The tone of the narrative is usually jovial, and often sarcastic, usually to comedic effect. Perhaps it is a cultural difference (Le Sueur being French) but his tone is at times sarcastic to the point of sounding condescending, and although his recounts are always entertaining, there are times when his tone slips into that of an elitist. His stories contain a strange mix of opinions, ranging from those of a cultural relatvist, to that of extreme ethnocentricism (that's the elitism). After reading a few chapters you get the feelings that perhaps the book is composed of many anecdotes, recorded and edited at different times throughout Le Sueur's time in Tibet. This would explain the wide ranging tone.
Far from being a precise, strictly chronological recount, Le Sueur's book is episodic. Each chapter has a kind of self-contained plot, but there are overarching themes and jokes that run through the entire novel. The book is composed of alternating scenes of extreme cultural shock and horror, hilarity and reverence for the beauty of the Libetan landscape. Le Sueur is very observant, insightful and a great storyteller. He is good at weaving relevant, interesting history into his anecdotal recounts. Aside from gaining a snapshot of life in Tibet in the late 1980s, after finishing this book, you gain a basic knowledge of the recent history of Tibet.
The bulk of the book breezes by at such a fast pace that you barely notice the pages turning. Much like time spent hearing a friend recount amazing anecdotes of their overseas travels, you barely notice the time passing until the meet-up is over. Five Years in Tibet is highly recommended for anyone with an interest in travel, culture shock, or, really, anyone just looking for a really funny, inspiring read.
