The Snow Leopard, by Peter Matthiessen
In the pages of The Snow Leopard, Peter Matthiessen takes readers on an unforgettable journey through the Himalayas. This isn't just any travelogue - it's a soul-stirring account of a two-month trek across the rugged Dolpo region. While the official reason for the expedition was to study Himalayan blue sheep with naturalist George Schaller, there was an underlying hope of spotting the elusive snow leopard.
Matthiessen's love for words shines through in his vivid descriptions of the untouched landscape and the local people he encounters. But this book goes beyond being a simple travel diary. For Matthiessen, the Tibetan adventure became a deeply personal quest, an inward journey sparked by the outer world around him.
As he traverses the challenging terrain, Matthiessen grapples with profound Buddhist concepts of beauty, suffering, fulfillment, and death. These reflections are interwoven with poignant memories of his wife Deborah, who had passed away from cancer just a year before the trip.
The Snow Leopard is more than just a recap of an expedition - it's a raw and honest exploration of grief, spirituality, and the human experience. It's no wonder this powerful narrative clinched the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 1980.
“We walk on in mud and gloom and cold. At the mountain of Sibang, to the beat of tom-toms, a buffalo is slowly killed for Durga Puja and its fresh blood drunk, while children stand in a circle in the rain. These mountain children have the big bellies of malnutrition and though they seem no less malcontent than the children of the valley, they are quiet, and do not sing out to us; one of the blood-drinkers has the loveliest face of any child that I have ever seen.”
Interesting Facts & Links:
Peter Matthiessen (1927–2014) was an American author and naturalist, famous as the only writer to win the National Book Award in both fiction and non-fiction. His language is praised for being lyrical and poignant, often incorporating nature and spirituality into his work. He is best known for The Snow Leopard, but he did win The National Book Award for Fiction at age 81 for Shadow Country, a set of three novels that took place in frontier Florida. He also co-founded the literary magazine, The Paris Review.
Read "Walking the Himalayas", the New York Times review of The Snow Leopard, written in 1978 by Edward Hoagland.
Mark Adams, the author of Turn Right at Machu Picchu, wrote an excellent story on Peter Matthiessen for Men's Journal.
Learn more about the snow leopard and perhaps donate to help protect them by visiting the World Wildlife Foundation. See more here.
The Snow Leopard is a classic in travel writing and one of our top recommendations. Discover all of our recommendations by clicking through to our list of the best of the best in travel books.
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