Sigourney's Quest

by Gordon Snider

Tibet is an enigmatic place filled with the promise of quixotic adventures that can stir the heart and inspire the soul. Sigourney Phillips is about to begin such an adventure. You are invited to join her on a harrowing journey, a quest that will take her deep into Tibet, where she must return a 7th century Buddhist manuscript to the Samye Monastery from which it was taken one hundred years ago. Sigourney's journey is filled with physical, emotional and spiritual trials as she evades Chinese officials and spies who are trying to prevent the manuscript from being returned, faces the political intrigues of Tibetan monks, and undertakes extraordinary hardships in order to return the manuscript and fulfill her quest. She follows in the footsteps of Anne Hopkins, an Englishwoman who secretly entered Tibet and reached Lhasa in 1899 by posing as a pilgrim. It was Anne who took the 7th century manuscript out of Tibet, and her diary provides insight and inspiration to Sigourney during her quest. The two women's spirits become joined across the span of a hundred years as Sigourney's ordeals intertwine with those described by Anne. Sigourney's Quest is more than an adventure. It is a story about lost hope and personal rebirth. Sigourney has watched her own life unravel, and returning the ancient manuscript becomes her quest to find the self-confidence and inner peace needed to build a new one. She must strive to achieve her own Nirvana, just as the Tibetan Buddhists have done for centuries. Her future and the future of Tibetan Buddhism will depend on her success.

316 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2006

About the author

Gordon Snider missed becoming a native Californian by 5 months, which may explain his wanderlust. He has traveled extensively throughout the world, including such exotic destinations as Uzbekistan, Patagonia, Amazon, Borneo, Burma and the Himalayan countries of Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal.

Prior to becoming a full-time author, Gordon spent thirty years as an independent marketing consultant and taught at four universities, most recently at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Ever popular with his students, Gordon has received two Faculty of the Year awards, one from University of Phoenix in the MBA program, and one from Cal Poly.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in business from UCLA and his masters in marketing from California State University Los Angeles, where he was named the Outstanding Marketing Student of the Year. He has also been active in professional associations, including President of both the Southern California American Marketing Association and the Northern California Decorating Products Association.

Gordon has published numerous magazine articles, many on travel destinations, and two business books. His second business book, How to Become a Killer, was published in 1999 and was the basis for a popular seminar that he presented at trade shows and conventions throughout the U.S. and Canada. The magazine articles often included his photography.

One thing led to another, and he eventually found himself photographing for tour operators. One of his assignments took him to Tibet. The country so mesmerized him that he wrote his first novel about it, entitled Sigourney’s Quest. Since then, he has published three more novels, The Separatist, The Hypnotist, and Venice Lost. His latest book, a humorous look at travel entitled I’m Traveling as Fast as I Can, is scheduled to be released later this year.

Currently, Gordon and his wife, Fe, enjoy walking the beaches and observing the migrating whales from their home in Pismo Beach, California. It is, he says, the perfect setting for his creative writing.

Current Releases:

Sigourney's Quest - by Gordon Snider

The Hypnotist - by Gordon Snider

The Separatist - by Gordon Snider

Venice Lost - by Gordon Snider