In Secret Tibet

by T. Illion

A reprint of a 1930s travel book. Illion was a German traveller who not only spoke fluent Tibetan, but travelled in disguise through forbidden Tibet when it was off-limits to outsiders. His incredible adventures make this one of the most exciting travel books. Includes illustrations of Tibetan monks levitating stones by acoustics.

Genres: Nonfiction

168 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1983

About the author

Theodore Illion or Theodor Illion (born 1898 in Canada?) was a writer of travel books who claimed to have visited Tibet in the 1930s and discovered an underground city there. He published his Tibetan adventures under that name but later resorted to the pseudonyms Theodore Burang or Theodor Burang and more rarely Theodor Nolling to write various books and articles on Tibetan medicine.

According to Professor Herbert Novak, a longtime friend of Theodore Illion, the latter was born in Canada in a wealthy family descended from a branch of the British royalty, the Plantagenets. He is supposed to have left home at a very young age.

Reviews

[Mitch Bush · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was strange. Not sure how I feel about it. Weird guy goes to Tibet and experiences a lot of odd stuff.

[Danna · Rating 3 out of 5]

if you're going into this one expecting an ethnographic journey in Tibet thorough earpy 20th century western eyes, you got it right. 20% of the book corresponds with this expectation. The rest is spiritual bubble if you're into it, and anecdotes about the hypocrisy of most Tibetan hermits and Lamas. At least it's short. :)

[Ian Fitzpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, a great read

[Stephen Martino · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most fascinating fictional books I've even read. It tells of one man's journey alone, disguised and by foot into Tibet. What makes it even more interesting is that it is a first person account written in the mid 1930's by a German, just prior to the war.