The Snow Leopard

["Conole, Lawrie" <>]

> That is excellent that "Snow Leopard! What is the full reference?
> 
> >> " ... night still fills the steep ravines where southbound migrants
> >> descend at day to feed and rest.  The golden birds fall from the
> >> morning sun like blowing sparks that drop away and are extinguished
> in
> >> the dark ..."  
> >> Peter Matthiessen (1978, "The Snow Leopard")
> 
One of THE great works of literary non-fiction of the 20th century
(IMHO).  It's a book about natural history, Buddhism, travel and self
discovery in the remote Inner Dolpo (western Nepal) section of the
Tibetan plateau some 20+ years ago.  Littered with lovely little word
pictures like the quote above.  A cracker of a read, if you don't mind
frequent references to Sakyamuni in amongst the natural
history/travelogue.  The full reference is as above; various publishers
over the years.

Lawrie