Tiger for Breakfast: The Story of Boris of Kathmandu

by Michel Peissel

An astonishing biographical narrative of Boris for whom the world is his oyster. Few can have lived such a rich and varied whether he was hunting man-eating tigers, taking part in an anthropological expedition to Hollywood with two fabulously wealthy maharajas, or playing an important part in the coronation of a Nepalese king. From a childhood spent with a wealthy family in Tsarist Russia to a career as owner of a first-class hotel in Kathmandu in the shadow of Mount Everest is a long and colorful road. It is the road taken by Boris Lissanevitch, the extraordinary central character of this book, a road that led him as a young boy into hardship and battle in the Russian Revolution, to a career as a famous dancer with Diaghilev's Ballet Russe, to Calcutta in the glittering days of the British Raj, where he helped found and manage the exclusive 300 Club and finally to the beautiful kingdom of Nepal with its ancient civilization virtually untouched by Western life. Rarely does a book come along with a subject of such variety, power and humanity, rarer still is an author capable of doing such ample justice to his subject Michel Peissel captures all the drama of Boris's extraordinary exploits. He recreates the brillance of Diaghilev's circle, the misery and terror of the Revolution, the high noon of British India, amking his story an adventure in time as well as space. Above all he does justice to the personality of Boris himself - a personality which has cast its spell over people of all nations and levels of society who have come into contact with him, from waiters to manarchs and from maharajas to mountaineers. It is a spell that will captivate and enrich the reader himself.

Genres: Travel, Biography, Russia, History, Asia, India, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

Michel Georges Francois Peissel was a French ethnologist, explorer and author. He wrote twenty books mostly on his Himalayan and Tibetan expeditions. Peissel was an emeritus member of the Explorers Club and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Raised in England, Peissel later studied a year at Oxford University and the Harvard Business School and obtained a doctorate in Tibetan Ethnology from the Sorbonne, Paris.

Michel Peissel in the English Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_...

Michel Peissel in the French Wikipedia: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_...

Reviews

[Daren · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the first chapter of this book Peissel is in India, preparing to visit Bhutan - under invitation, to carry out an anthological survey. It is 1959, and in the week before his entry to Bhutan China invade Tibet and all hell breaks loose, ensuring that his connections are not made and his trip to Bhutan is off. Unsure of what to do, he is advised (by more than one person) to head to Nepal - to Kathmandu and to see Boris. Boris will help you, Boris will arrange everything...

And so off to Kathmandu heads Peissel, and meets the larger-than-life Boris Lisanevich - Ukrainian refugee, Restauranteur, hotelier, former ballet dancer, world traveller, friend to all the rich and famous, host of royalty and mountaineering royalty (Sir Ed Hillary), and much more...

Within a few days Peissel is sorted and heads off to carry out his survey (or which we hear nothing). At the end of chapter one, Peissel has determined he would like to spend more time with Boris, and obtains his assent to return with his wife Marie-Claire to spend six months in Boris enormous hotel.

And so that leads to the filling out of the biography of Boris, interspersed with the current events of the moment - the coming and going of guests; Boris's whims and chaotic plans; the day to day struggle for consistency in a country (as Boris puts it) with the operational ability of the 17th Century having only move on from medieval life with his arrival!

There is so much to this book that the brief outline only touches on it. Peissel makes the point that there is so much more he couldn't include due to "politics, diplomacy or simply kindness"!

Published in 1966, Boris was still going strong. He passed away in 1985 at the age of 80, a life more filled with adventures than most can even imagine. The book outlines his generosity, his view of the happiness of others being more important the accruing wealth, and always providing assistance to others.

Highly recommended. Although as is often the case with books of this era, the views on hunting of wild and often endangered or at risk animals are inevitably contrary to todays view. The ridiculous numbers of tigers, the few rhino and other animals killed in hunts may well be disturbing to readers not happy to separate the past with the present.

5 stars. I hope the other books by this author are half as good as this one.

[Анна Довбыш · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend to read it for those, who love Nepal and its history. Ukrainians would be especially interested to find out about Boris Lisanevich - Ukrainian, who, literally, founded Nepalese tourism. His monument stands next to the first Everest climbers monuments in Kathmandu.

[Olga Kark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Когда в Москве мы с Андрюшкой попали наконец в "Библио-Глобус", он совершенно точно знал за чем пришел - М. Писель, "Тигр на завтрак", книга, которую попросил его найти и привезти отец, только недавно вернувшийся из своей поездки в Тибет. Там, в Тибете, каждый второй, узнав, что он русский, тут же вспоминал о Борисе Лисаневиче, главном герое этой самой книги, человеке, открывшем миру Непал. Удивительный, я вам скажу, человек. Такое ощущение, что в его сутках было по крайней мере часов 100. Кадетский корпус, балет Дягелева, Одесса, Лондон, Париж, Монте-Карло, Буйэнос-Айрес, а затем вся Юго-Восточная Азия, слоны и тигры, магараджи и принцы, автопробеги и киносъемки, клубы, гостиницы, дворцовые перевороты, горы... Жизнь вертелесь перед ним красочным каледойдоскопом, а он с жадностью ухватывался за любую возможность что-то изменить, переделать, создать из ничего, преодолеть. Про него говорили, что ему был дан величайший дар - умение жить. Безумно интересная книга, наполненная самыми невероятными фактами, историями и рассказами о реальных людях. Перевод с английского, правда, оставляет желать лучшего, но это уже детали.

[Alla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Невероятная биография невероятного человека. Революция 1917 года, балет, Индия, Непал, слоны, тигры, махараджи, бежавшие из России староверы, организация коронации непальского короля и организация охоты для английской королевы - вот далеко не полный список эпизодов/историй из жизни удивительного Бориса Лисаневича из Одессы. Человека, который открыл Непал для туризма. Книга #1 для чтения перед поездкой в Непал, во время или сразу после поездки.

[Julia Polikarpova · Rating 4 out of 5]

За исключением сцен охоты, довольно занимательная биография человека, прожившего насыщенную и интересную жизнь. Пожалуй стоит читать перед поездкой в Непал, чтобы настроиться на атмосферу страны.

[Marco Santana]

Very interesting book! Kathmandu is a city full of magic, faith and present in the imagination of people from all continents. The capital of Nepal holds a precious cultural, historical and religious treasure. There are temples, sacred images, historic palaces, a very peculiar gastronomy and a diverse population in terms of customs, beliefs and physiognomies.
Kathmandu , the largest city in Nepal, is the country’s political and cultural capital, where Nepalese arrived from all corners of the country and were assimilated.
I would like to recommend this article, about this amazing city:
https://marcozero.blog.br/kathmandu-a...

[Bindesh Dahal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, the book was enjoyable. But I didn't like the hunting parts.

[Eduardo Pirolli · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have traveled through out India and Nepal and would like to feel nostalgic. Read this incredible story.

[AN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laced around the life of Boris Lisanevich, a multifarious personality, the author navigates us through some of the world's most "tragic" to "celebrated" events that occurred between the early 1900s and mid 1960s - whether it be the uncertain terrors caused by Russian revolution, the horrendous episodes of world war I and II, the struggles and success of India's independence movement, the democracy movement in Nepal that triumphantly succeeded in reinstating the true monarchs of Nepal after a century of imprisonment, King Mahendra's coronation, Queen Elizabeth II of England's royal visit to Nepal, or many others.

Michel Peissel is a vivid writer, whose words have added colors to already vibrant life of Boris. The book gives a detailed account of Boris' ventures especially in Nepal and India, with Royal Hotel and 300 Club being at its centre. We've heard of Boris' success stories everywhere but it is Peissel who has brought into light the insufferable behind-the-scenes of his adventures. I highy recommend this biographical narrative of a man who is not just a renowned hotelier, but a ballet dancer, adventurer, collector, big game hunter, and a guardian to travelers from around the globe. One needs to read it to uncover what inspired Peissel to write about Boris, so scrupulously - perhaps his eyes met the ordinary behind Boris' notable personality?

With the entire world covered within the 262 pages of this book, it is natural for readers to feel overwhelmed at times. "Tiger for Breakfast" requires a slow reading with breaks in between to contemplate the myraid of details it offers.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biography of the fantastically exciting and dramatic life of a Russian man, tracing his childhood escaping from the bolsheviks, to his days living it up as part of a famous ballet troupe touring Europe and subsequent tour through Asia, leading to his setting up an exclusive club for socialites in Calcutta and finally becoming party planner and hotel owner extraordinaire in Kathmandu. Boris the extrovert, whimsical and full of creative energy with amazing organisational skills as proven in his key role in the royal hunt of Queen Elisabeth II in Nepal - the likes of which will probably never be seen again in terms of sheer grandeur and scale. Would have been rated even higher if not for the occasional chapter on more tangential subjects like mountaineering or describing his mother in law's eccentricities. Surely one of the most interesting and intense lives of any person of the 20th century!

[Alohatiki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good lord what a life this man read. Just kinda bizarre but interesting.

[BroccoliPie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un vrai plaisir de dépaysement que ce récit construit autour de la rencontre de l'auteur avec Boris Lissanevitch. De la danse à la gestion d'un hôtel, de la Russie au Népal, en passant par Calcutta, on découvre la vie incroyable (et sans doute un peu édulcorée par l'admiration qu'a l'auteur pour cet homme) d'un homme aux passions et projets multiples, parfois casse-gueules, souvent excentriques, toujours ambitieux et dispendieux. À travers ces pages, c'est aussi la découverte de paysages enchanteurs, de coutumes exotiques, de la vie à Calcutta et puis à Katmandou des années 40-60, essentiellement au cœur du petit microcosme des expatriés de l'époque, avec une touche de royauté. Une lecture enthousiasmante !

[Ian Ruohoniemi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boris is certainly an impressive figure, and I appreciated the detailed picture of his extraordinary life! It was nice to hear certain details of Nepal in the 50s and 60s as well, since my family was living in Kathmandu for some of that. However I think the classist (and frankly racist) undertones of the book prevent greater enjoyment.

[Diana Silva Couto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not an adventures novel but a real bibliography of an adventurer.
The facts described in the book are so incredible that they don't seem to have been real.

A very interesting book for anyone have been to Nepal.

[Michael Kraitsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit of a hagiography, but a nice one.
Lots of historical and cultural data for the interested.

[Nastassia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpected connection of a Ukranian and Nepal in one big interesting story.

[Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly a slice of life from another era. The early years of the famous Boris of Kathmandu are interesting, but the last few chapters really are extraordinary. I especially recommend the section on elephant catching and traing I the terai and the back story on Queen Elizabeth's trip to Nepal in the early 60's. Good book for a plane ride.

[Alex Berryman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a good read to get a first-hand account of the turning of history. Such a shame it is out of print now!

Boris sure left a mark on Kathmandu, but you wouldn't know unless you knew him, or read this book.

[Tay · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is full of lies.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting for the history of Kathmandu but you can tell he must have been getting a great deal on his room rate from Boris' hotel. A little reality would've been nice.

[Binod Gautam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A man who kissed Queen Elizabeth II.