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nickharrison's review against another edition
5.0
This book is complex, yet wonderfully easy to read. It is equal parts inspiring and honest. It tells the story of one family’s journey while simultaneously telling the stories of countless countries, villages and individuals around the world. Kirkby provides fascinating snippets of history that give ample context without launching into a textbook narrative. The story isn’t lost but rather is heightened among these educational interludes. Blue Sky Kingdom is an enlightening study in Asian history, Buddhism, globalization, family dynamics and Autism Spectrum Disorder. The ways in which Kirkby ties all of these strands together with one cohesive, compelling narrative is beyond impressive.
Kirkby’s no-bullshit narration of time spent as a foreign traveler in an ancient world is refreshingly humble. Captivating and dynamic without being overly romantic, this book is a reflection on privilege and progress – and one that thoroughly illustrates the benefits and drawbacks to both.
The dialogue between Kirkby’s kids, Taj and Bodi, is incredible. Hilarious and disarmingly insightful, it is a pleasure to read the unfiltered musings of young children on a journey that would break most of us. Blue Sky Kingdom provides and honest take on modern relationships, distraction, marriage and parenting. It also makes you want to do great things. To see the world – not so you can boast about it, but to try and glimpse the beauty that remains embedded in diverse cultures and ways of life so different from our own.
Perhaps most importantly, after putting this book down I wanted nothing more than to focus on being exactly where I was: I put my phone away, enjoyed a beer with my dad, went on a walk with my girlfriend, played frisbee with my brother in the front yard. Said hi to the neighbours. While the book takes place on the other side of the world in a remote Himalayan valley, it does not spark a maddening wanderlust or cultivate discontent with the mundane-ness of day-to-day life. Instead it inspires us to be present and grateful for where we are and what we have. For that reason alone, I believe everyone will benefit immensely from reading this book.
Kirkby’s no-bullshit narration of time spent as a foreign traveler in an ancient world is refreshingly humble. Captivating and dynamic without being overly romantic, this book is a reflection on privilege and progress – and one that thoroughly illustrates the benefits and drawbacks to both.
The dialogue between Kirkby’s kids, Taj and Bodi, is incredible. Hilarious and disarmingly insightful, it is a pleasure to read the unfiltered musings of young children on a journey that would break most of us. Blue Sky Kingdom provides and honest take on modern relationships, distraction, marriage and parenting. It also makes you want to do great things. To see the world – not so you can boast about it, but to try and glimpse the beauty that remains embedded in diverse cultures and ways of life so different from our own.
Perhaps most importantly, after putting this book down I wanted nothing more than to focus on being exactly where I was: I put my phone away, enjoyed a beer with my dad, went on a walk with my girlfriend, played frisbee with my brother in the front yard. Said hi to the neighbours. While the book takes place on the other side of the world in a remote Himalayan valley, it does not spark a maddening wanderlust or cultivate discontent with the mundane-ness of day-to-day life. Instead it inspires us to be present and grateful for where we are and what we have. For that reason alone, I believe everyone will benefit immensely from reading this book.
junglezee's review
4.0
I took a lot longer to read this book than I'd planned. It is very light, easy, and enjoyable. It's an engaging journey that is pensive, peaceful, unique, and interesting. I actually think I might pick this book up whenever I'm feeling anxious, it's a very sweet and lighthearted adventure to dig into and has lots of interesting little mini-tales to think about. I recommend this book to anyone that'd be interested in hearing about a man's adventure bringing his family for a touring trip to a Tibetan monastery in the Himalayas.
Great read, would recommend to others!
Great read, would recommend to others!
kteasley's review
5.0
Well written book documenting story of a family travelling and spending time in the Himalayas. Very interesting journey and I liked his writing style. Would be interested in reading his other books to see if its written in the same way.
ellie_bell's review
4.0
https://book-bucket.com/2021/02/28/blue-sky-kingdom-an-epic-family-journey-to-the-heart-of-the-himalaya/
Rounded up to 4.5
I love any story, fiction or non fiction, which involves people disconnecting from social media and turning to a simpler lifestyle, so picking this book up was a no-brainer.
It turned out to be a hugely interesting read. Bruce not only packed himself up, but he also packed his wife, Christine, and their two young sons and took them halfway around the world by boat, train and bus, to a remote and completely unplugged monastery in Tibet. Once there they share a small and basic home with the head Lama. The facilities are so basic as to be almost non-existent and I really admired the family for the way that they adapted to fit in and become as much a part of the community as possible. Some of their experiences are funny or heartwarming, and others are very poignant. What shone through was how beautiful the spirit of the Tibetans is, something I've read time and time again.
Another facet to the adventure is how it impacted on their eldest son, Bodi, who is on the autism spectrum. Bruce and his wife were brave to take him out of his routine and honest about their fears over how it would affect him and how he would react. Bodi seemed to flourish in the austere and regimented setting of the monastery and was absorbing small practises, in the natural way that children do, which were good coping mechanisms. I'd love to know how he is doing back in Canada.
I highly recommend this book. It was a fascinating and satisfying read.
Rounded up to 4.5
I love any story, fiction or non fiction, which involves people disconnecting from social media and turning to a simpler lifestyle, so picking this book up was a no-brainer.
It turned out to be a hugely interesting read. Bruce not only packed himself up, but he also packed his wife, Christine, and their two young sons and took them halfway around the world by boat, train and bus, to a remote and completely unplugged monastery in Tibet. Once there they share a small and basic home with the head Lama. The facilities are so basic as to be almost non-existent and I really admired the family for the way that they adapted to fit in and become as much a part of the community as possible. Some of their experiences are funny or heartwarming, and others are very poignant. What shone through was how beautiful the spirit of the Tibetans is, something I've read time and time again.
Another facet to the adventure is how it impacted on their eldest son, Bodi, who is on the autism spectrum. Bruce and his wife were brave to take him out of his routine and honest about their fears over how it would affect him and how he would react. Bodi seemed to flourish in the austere and regimented setting of the monastery and was absorbing small practises, in the natural way that children do, which were good coping mechanisms. I'd love to know how he is doing back in Canada.
I highly recommend this book. It was a fascinating and satisfying read.
canadianbookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.5
https://cdnbookworm.blogspot.com/2020/10/blue-sky-kingdom.html
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