#Tesson La panthère des neiges

 

JANUARY

by Sylvain Tesson

Finish date: January 2022
Genre: non-fiction  
Rating: F
Review: La panthère des neiges  (ISBN: 9782072936494)

Challenge: #WorldFromMyArmchair

Good news: Book is very short…164 pg. The best parts of the book were pg 117, 143 and 164 when Tesson finally sighted “la panthère des neiges.” The author created a blah…blah narrative around those three apparitions. #WasteOfMyReadingTime.

 

Good news: By reading this book…I discovered the wonderful movie (to rent on AppleTV): Velvet Queen based on Tesson’s book and winner of César Awards, France 2022 for Best Documentary Film (Meilleur film documentaire). Tesson was invited on an adventure with wildlife photographer Vincent Munier on the Tibetan plateau in search of the snow panther. It is true…a picture says a thousand words and was a delight to watch. Unfortunately I cannot say that about the book!

 

Personal: Writing is dishwater gray. It is a series of short chapters in which quotations, aphorisms, maxims and philosophical reflections largely prevail over the narrative. Part 1 (pg 23-63) was a long list of animals (yaks, wolves, donkey, antelopes, goats, gazelles, foxes, sparrows, vultures crickets and an eagle…) and comments about the landscape/weather. Just an awful start for a book that is supposed to be an adventure! I read 24 pages and need a cup of coffee to stay awake and seriously considered DNF status. Where’s the damned leopard? IMHO the book is too philosophical and not in a good way. Tesson thinks if he refers to Greek myths, Jack London, Eugène Labiche, Jean Baudrillard and many more…. he is going to impress the reader. It just falls flat. BTW…how did Cardinal de Richelieu get in the steppes of Tibet?  #Ridiculous
Conclusion: This was my first and LAST book by Sylvain Tesson!