Married to Bhutan: How One Woman Got Lost, Said I Do, and Found Bliss

Married to Bhutan is the best book I've read this year so far. And I stumbled upon it by accident. I was looking at Eric Raff's "No Sense of Direction" and this was one of the "customers also read" choices. Since Leaming's memoir is about following your intuition and about choices, I like the fact that it fell into my lap.When I was about 13, my English teacher at my school in Ireland left and went to Bhutan. She came back and did a slideshow for the whole school. I just remember how happy and relaxed she seemed. There was one picture of her sitting in an outdoor bath, smiling, with a grinning young Asian man pouring water over her. All the girls laughed nervously. I never forgot how she had "followed her bliss." I can't remember if she came back to teach, or returned to Bhutan. But it was a rare glimpse of someone daring to make an unconventional choice.To get back to Leaming's memoir. It's beautifully written. A tongue in cheek humor comes through in the first part, where Leaming describes her experiences teaching English at a school in Bhutan. Her efforts to learn Dzongkha, the Bhutanese language, are truly hilarious. I guess I wondered why she was so desperate to fit in in this foreign country. The funny thing about the book for me is that as it progressed, I really didn't take to Bhutan! I realized that I would be quite unhappy there, what with the isolation, the crazy roads, the religious conformity, not having water on a regular basis, and so on. But I never for a moment doubted Leaming's love of the country. And I found her description of her relationship with her now husband, a thanka painter at the school, quite touching. There is a picture of them together at the end that melted my heart. They look right together.The book is not so much introverted and psychological as it is a meditation on happiness and making choices. Leaming says, "In the West it is possible to live and be asleep. In Bhutan one is compelled to wake up." She has certainly made what many people would think of as a crazy leap, to leave behind all that she knows and fully adopt a foreign country and its ways--and yet it makes perfect sense. In the end Leaming suggests that we can all find our own version of Bhutan, off the beaten path.

Married to Bhutan reads like a series of letters from a beloved yet batty aunt who left all the conveniences of America to live in a peaceful, unconquered Shangri-La halfway around the globe. Erratic, funny, with prose that sprawls all over the place like the landscape she loves, it's a thoroughly transporting read.The book overflows with details about daily life in this tiny Buddhist nation. Leaming's efforts to wear, clean and flirt in the traditional garments form a charming sub-theme that runs through several chapters. Her courtship and marriage to a traditional painter (who works while chanting!) provides a unique window into Butanese family life. She struggles with completely alien social norms: rather than chatting up houseguests, for example, she learns that one should treat them to a solitary (contemplative?) meal while hiding quietly in the kitchen.Leaming dresses up her chapters with cute titles ("From this Day Forward," "Engaged," etc.) and opening quotes from mostly English authors (e.g. Winston Churchill). These devices seemed contrived and not well connected with the contents of each chapter. She's also a little preachy, especially for the need to escape America's addiction to comfort.Chapter 9 ("A Perfect Union") indulges yet redeems all of these minor flaws. With unhurried, simple prose, Leaming packs the very heart of her diary, an inspiring folk tale, and a rousing sermon into 22 short pages. This chapter provides a good portrait not only of the Bhutan, but the kind of American who would choose to live there. As a Bhutanese host tells her in a hilarious vignette, "you are the arrow that hit its mark."So is her book.

This memoir describes American Linda Leaming's adjustment to a very different culture and a much simpler life. How she came to love Bhutan would be an interesting story in itself. But this book goes beyond explaining Leaming's adjustment. It also describes the beautiful and severe natural environment and the beauty of the people and customs of this agrarian Buddhist society. The contrast with American materialism is striking, both in terms of the day-to-day hardships of life in Bhutan and the shallowness of American priorities in the grand scheme of things. The author describes her learning process and mistakes with humor, making the book very pleasant reading. Rather than trying to be exhaustive, she details particular experiences; some readers might disagree with her choice of what it is important to describe. And perhaps learning about Bhutan is less interesting to readers who never expect to be there. I'll be visiting Bhutan in the near future, and i found her perspective and information very valuable.

The story of how a woman comes to a foreign land to work, falls in love with the country and a man. I loved the descriptions of the Bhutanese people and traditions. Good story. I enjoyed it.

I have to confess that I bought this book because I have a six-degree separation from Linda Leaming, and I felt like it would be the nice thing to do. My so-called good deed turned into a learning experience, a spiritual journey, and a book that I just couldn't put down.Leaming writes:We get our death simulated, or pumped with embalming fluid, dressed up, and laid out for viewing. It's on television or YouTube. As a result, we're not on very good terms with death. This is understandable--it's about our fear of the unknown--but the experience of death is exactly the opposite in Bhutan. It is embraced as a natural function, a positive step, a way to move on to the next life, a chance to spin the big karmic wheel. (p. 187)The magic that Leaming sees in every moment in Bhutan, whether in death or in daily events is contagious. I'm not so sure I want to go to Bhutan (mostly because of their lack of creature comforts), but I want to share in that magic.Read this book!

This is a fascinating well written book that reveals what it is like to live in Bhutan. It really makes you think about your life here in the West and how we can make changes if we want to.The disappointing thing about this book is that there is very little said about the marriage in the title - Linda's relationship with her husband. It appears to be very platonic with no passion and no details about their relationship are forthcoming, or even any physical description of Namgay apart from one sentance. Also I would have liked to know what her family thought of Namgay when they got to know him. Nothing is mentioned about her family or previous relationships either. This left quite a big hole in the book - so much left unsaid.I wonder if they are still married or whether she has returned to America, we are only told about the first few years of her living there and the rest is missing.

I've always wanted to go to Bhutan and unfortunately I haven't yet made it there.This book however really helped me to imagine what day to day life there is really like.It was vivid and exciting and excellently written. I was furiously turning pages, hoping that it would never come to an end.I could picture myself following the author along, as she settled into her new life and made peace with such an amazing country.As for Bhutan? Well this book has only fuelled my desire to go there...Hopefully one day I'll make it, and get the opportunity to experience such a wonderful and magical place.I hope the author continues to write novels like this, about the place that she now calls home.If Bhutan is of interest to you, or if you are looking for a new book to dive into and lose yourself, then this is it!!

I chose this book because I plan to go to Bhutan in the next couple of years and there's very little known about everyday life there. This book is a very personal experience giving insight into relationships, domestic life, cultural differences and life in general in everyday Bhutan. It's well written in an engaging way, and draws you into the author's story immediately so you want to keep turning the page. Made me want to experience the country first-hand even more.

I really enjoyed this honest account of life in Bhutan from and outsider perspective, it's always interesting to see a slice of someone else's life and this author is certainly having a wonderful adventure in a fascinating country

I read this book having travelled to Bhutan twice in the past few years. What a fabulous book this is!I am jealous that I didn't find Bhutan earlier in my life. Linda Leaming must have extremely good Karma to havebeen so totally absorbed, refreshed & inspired by Bhutan, its people, land & spirituality. Linda's remarkable life adventureis beautifully described with humour, respect & compassion. Linda gently peels away & reveals the many layers that are Bhutan.She has helped me to understand Bhutan more & she has made me even more determined to return for a third visit.