Seven Years in Tibet : Book

Seven Years in Tibet is a true adventure story written by Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer based on his real life experiences in Tibet between 1944 and 1951 during the Second World War, the interim period, and the Chinese People's Liberation Army invasion in 1950.

Seven Years in Tibet tells the story of how Austrians Heinrich Harrer and Peter Aufschnaiter were imprisoned by the British while mountaineering in the north of India at the beginning of World War II in 1939. They eventually escaped across the border into Tibet in 1944 and crossed the treacherous high plateau. Shortly after arriving in Tibet, they were ordered to return to India. They were able to disguise themselves, and make their way to Lhasa, where they were warmly received. Harrer was introduced to the Dalai Lama, who was still a boy, and became a tutor and then close friend to the young spiritual leader. Harrer and Aufschnaiter remained in the country until the Communist Chinese invasion in 1950.

Two films have been made of the book. The first film was a 1956, 76-minute documentary directed by Hans Nieter. The documentary includes film taken by Harrer during his stay in Tibet, and Harrer himself reconstructed various scenes from his adventures. The second, Seven Years in Tibet, released in 1997, was directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud and starred Brad Pitt and David Thewlis. The film is seen by many as anti-Chinese. There is also a David Bowie song entitled "Seven Years In Tibet," from his album Earthling.