The Path to Buddha: A Tibetan Pilgrimage

by Steve McCurry

The Path to Buddha looks at the religious and lay Buddhists on their pilgrimages to holy sites. In the two main chapters of the book, we see the monks in animated discussion, meditation and prayer, and follow the devout believers on their arduous journeys to prayer. These two chapters are interspersed with sections of portraits of this proud and dignified people who have their own innate sense of style and fashion demonstrated in the way they dress and adorn themselves.

Genres: Photography

144 pages, Hardcover

First published November 18, 2003

About the author

Steve McCurry is an American photographer, freelancer, and photojournalist. His photo Afghan Girl, of a girl with piercing green eyes, has appeared on the cover of National Geographic several times. McCurry has photographed many assignments for National Geographic and has been a member of Magnum Photos since 1986.
McCurry is the recipient of numerous awards, including Magazine Photographer of the Year, awarded by the National Press Photographers Association; the Royal Photographic Society's Centenary Medal; and two first-place prizes in the World Press Photo contest (1985 and 1992).

Reviews

[Oz.]

Photos of Tibetians are striking

[Tiago]

Steve McCurry's photos are top-notch, 5* really, but Phaidon's printing quality is just weak (you can clearly see some vertical lines in some of the photos; this is not the first I've disappointed with Phaidon's printing quality), hence 3 stars.

[Karl H]

Amazing pictures.

[Laura]

If you are tired of reality television shows about heiresses, this book is the perfect foil to the American consumerist lifestyle. Gorgeous colors, interesting faces, and some incredible photos of pilgrims prostrating themselves all the way to Lhasa (which takes 2 years!). This is not just a pretty picture book though. There is fear in the eyes of most of the subjects of the street portraits, which I am not sure is indicative of life in Tibet, or the photographer's intrusion in sacred acts.

[Terri R]

Beautiful haunting pictures. The photographer is a genius.