Tibetan Foothold

After her epic journey from Ireland to India in 1963, Dervla Murphy immersed herself in the life of the subcontinent, working for six months in an orphanage for Tibetan children in Northern India. She fell in love with the ‘Tiblets’ – the cheerful, uncomplaining, independent and affectionate children of the new Tibet-in-exile – but she also managed to explore India’s Tibetan frontier, leaving the reader panting in her wake. Tibetan Foothold not only confirmed Dervla’s status as a traveller, but also revealed her to be a truly independent voice and an acute observer of politics and society.

‘Humour and sturdiness are only the half of it: Dervla Murphy is that rare traveller who can make the world seem both wider and more intimate.’ – Observer

‘This is a moving – at times even harrowing – story. But it is leavened by the writer’s irrepressible zest for life, her warm humanity, her courage and good humour.’ – Irish Independent