Dragon Bones: Two Years Beneath the Skin of a Himalayan Kingdom

by Murray Gunn

Wedged deep in the Himalaya between India and China, the secretive kingdom of Bhutan guards its independence while its neighbors have been swallowed by the giants. Bhutan markets itself as the last Shangri-La, but a closer look shows crime, discrimination and religious manipulation. Murray Gunn and his French wife came to understand Bhutan better while living there for two years - but risked their marriage in the process. A travel memoir of discovery and change.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Asia

228 pages, Paperback

First published February 16, 2011

About the author

I was born and raised in Sydney, Australia, by parents who loved meeting people from different cultures. With an endless stream of international guests invited to stay in my home, each with their own story, it was inevitable that I would develop a passion for travel and experiencing different ways of life. I am a qualified anthropologist, but I prefer to write for passion than science. After a decade of living and doing IT work overseas, I am currently back in Sydney planning my next adventure.

Reviews

[Dennis Boccippio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this short but thoughtful vignette. The author gives a frank and unvarnished view of life in Bhutan, steering away from breathless romanticism around the country, but nonetheless preserving an edge of the exotic and interesting. As a travel book, my only critique is that the narrative is a little shy on visual imagery, making it harder to for the reader to fully "connect up" and picture themselves immersed in the story. What it lacks in visual description though is more than made up for in the attention and capture of people, personalities and relationships.

[Mag · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5
I thoroughly enjoyed Murray Gunn's vignettes from his two-year stay in Bhutan as a house husband, and an occasional IT teacher.
Frequently mildly humorous, each little chapter finishes with an epiphany inching towards understanding of this old and remote culture.
I have also discovered Gunn’s pics from Bhutan that go with the book, and enjoyed them too:
http://murraygunn.id.au/gallery/galle...

[George Mallory · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a travel book you'll want to read when you don't want to read a "travel" book.

For some two years Murray has immersed himself into the Bhutanese society, as an expat, a teacher/consultant and a househusband. This multifaceted book reveals the "hidden" treasures as well as some fault lines of the country which remains a mystery to many, including those that had travelled there but missed the essence of that society.

We see the country through the personal lens of a sensitive person who has taken care to understand what makes Bhutan and the Bhutanese tick. A charming country, fascinating people and lovely if sometimes unusual customs and food.

The collateral benefit is that the book reads like a novel and therefore draws us into the subject matter subtly and unobtrusively. We find out about the life of a real live person who experiences Bhutan while confronting some personal issues.

A good read but a must read for people wanting to broaden their knowledge on the geography, people, government, economy, communications, transportation, religion and history of this intriguing "shangri-la".

[NoBeatenPath · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, which is a first person account of two years living in Bhutan. It was written in short episodes, some little more than snippets, but they all added up to give a rounded portrait of what life is really like for an expat in this supposed 'Shangri-La'. Gunn pulls no punches, outlining the crime and social problems he encounters, and how he finds his time living in the 'peaceful kingdom' often anything but peaceful.

Within this story is also the personal tale of Gunn's life during these two years (he comes to Bhutan because his wife is offered a job there) and while this is also interesting, it is not nearly as interesting as his take on Bhutan. Luckily the personal story is kept to a relative minimum.

This book reminded me very much of another book written by an Australian who lived in Bhutan - 'A Baby in a Backpack to Bhutan' by Bunty Avieson

[Chris Thrall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beneath the Skin of Shangri-la . . .


'Dragon Bones' by Murray Gunn is a delightful read. A great escape to a faraway land. Dressed in a traditional ‘gho’, Murray blends descriptions of local characters, their culture, cuisine and etiquette, globalisation and politics with Bhutan’s breathtaking scenery to transport you right in the heart of this secretive Himalayan kingdom.

Murray possesses a keen eye for the quirky aspects and contradictions in Bhutan life – some hilarious, others a traveller’s nightmare.


His candid narrative as he struggles to appease a somewhat dismissive wife, together with a plethora of shockingly un-Buddhist experiences, gives powerful insight into this believed-to-be Shangri-la. Thank you, Murray. I loved your book.

[Kathy Hiester · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really took pleasure in reading this book. I think that it was a very sincere depiction of what it was like for the author to live in a culture poles apart than how he was raised. My only complaint with the book was the lack of connection between the chapters. By the end of the book, I felt contented that everything had eventually been covered. A great book for someone who is going to be traveling somewhere new.

4 Stars

[Tanya · Rating 2 out of 5]

An okay book that could have been a lot better. I found the disjointed style in which the book had been strung together made it extremely different to immerse myself in the story. It was nice to see Bhutan from the perspective of a long-term visitor.