I have never been to Bhutan, in fact I am not exactly sure where that country even is, all I know is that it is somewhere near the Nepal area (I hope I am right). Bhutan is one of those countries that sound so exotic that it becomes very interesting to learn about, my knowledge of the country is limited by its maybe 10 minute long cameo appearance in Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins". Other than that, Bhutan remains a mystery to me except that time I decided to (finally) buy Dawa: The Story of a Stray Dog in Bhutan by Kunzang Choden in Mt. Cloud.
The reason why I bought the book was its setting, because Bhutan seemed such a far away place to me maybe Dawa and his travels in the capital city of Thimphu would perhaps enlighten me. True enough it did, the blurb already spoke volumes about life in the city, the rolling hills and cloud-covered passes and mountains were a sure hook for any budding traveler.
Kunzang Choden certainly makes Dawa's life very interesting, his life is a meeting of dogs who share their own trials, anecdotes and philosophies in life. These characters make Dawa's story more human than dog-like. Dawa's journeys in Bhutan are also exciting, Kunzang describes Bhutan's towns like run-down sleepy mountain escape with wandering and reflective Buddhist monks to complete the aura of spirituality and a deep sense of philosophical vacillation.
Buying the book was a very good decision, it may not have that feeling of being a deep book but it is a book perfect for chill nights and maybe some deep thought and reflection. The plot is simple and children or beginning readers would definitely love to read about the life of a dog. For readers looking for an alternative or looking for another country to read about, Dawa's journey in Bhutan will certainly open literary eyes and crave for a new journey.
Dawa can be bought online at Amazon.com