A Four Part Series from TTBOOK!

Wisconsin Public Radio

SEARCHING FOR SHANGRI-LA

Program 05-11-06-B

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Back in 1933 novelist James Hilton wrote of an earthly paradise hidden in the Himalayas. He called it Shangri-La. But Hilton didn't invent the idea. Myths about Shangri-La go back centuries, and they pop up in a variety of places from Tibet to Kashmir. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, we'll go in search of this earthly paradise. And we'll talk with a documentary film maker who went trekking through the mountains of Tibet in search of the real Shangri-La.

SEGMENT 1:

Michael Wood's latest documentary film for PBS is called "Shangri-La." The companion book is "In Search of Myths and Heroes." Wood tells Jim Fleming about his journey through the Himalayas, and we hear clips from the Hilton novel as realized by Hollywood. Also, Ian Baker is a world-class climber and explorer. He's also a Buddhist scholar. In his book, "The Heart of the World: A Journey to the Last Secret Place" he describes his 8 separate trips to find the hidden waterfall at the end of the Tsangpo Gorge. It's the legendary gateway to Shangri-La. Steve Paulson produced this sound portrait of the journey.

SEGMENT 2:

Novelist Amy Tan takes on the comic misunderstandings that arise when Americans seek enlightenment in China in her new novel. It's called "Saving Fish from Drowning." She tells Steve Paulson the book also touches on serious issues like political repression in Burma. Also, Caitlin Matthews is a Celtic scholar and storyteller. She talks with Anne Strainchamps about the various myths of a lost paradise and how we can find it within ourselves. Matthews' books include "Singing the Soul Back Home," "Celtic Book of the Dead," and "Sophia, Goddess of Wisdom."

SEGMENT 3:

Salman Rushdie has a new novel called "Shalimar the Clown." It's about Kashmir. Rushdie is from there and tells Steve Paulson that until recently, the area was an earthly paradise, combining great physical beauty with a tolerant lifestyle. He says the Islam of his grandfather was nothing like that practiced by today's extremists.

CD copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 05-11-06-B.

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Books:

• Ian Baker, The Heart of the World: A Journey to the Last Secret Place (Penguin)
• Caitlin Matthews, Singing the Soul Back Home (Connections)
• Salman Rushdie, Shalimar the Clown: a novel (Random House)
• Amy Tan, Saving Fish from Drowning: a novel (Putnam)
• Michael Wood, In Search of Myths and Heroes: Exploring Four Epic Legends (California)

Music:

• In Return:
  "Brother Morphine"
  on "Beyond Rangoon" soundtrack
  Castle Rock Entertainment
• In Ian Baker:
  --Buddhist Nuns at Chuchikjall Tibetan Pujas
  Interra Inc.
  --Acama: Tibetan Temple Bells
  Interra Inc.
  --Tibetan and Bhutanese Instrumental and Folk Music
  --Tibetan Folk and Minstrel Music
• After Amy Tan:
  Michio Mamiya w/ Finnish folksong
  on Silk Road Journeys
  SonyClassical
• After Caitlin Matthews:
  Alan Stivell w/ "E Kreiz Hag Endro"
  on Putumayo Presents Celtic Crossroads
• After Salman Rushdie:
  Nataraj XT w/ "Space In...."
  on Putumayo Presents Asian Lounge

Distribution dates:

week of 10/11/2009 - hour 2 week of 01/28/2007 - hour 1 week of 11/06/2005 - hour 2

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Questions and comments can be addressed to: flemingj@wpr.org

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