Bhutan: A Visual Odyssey Across the Last Himalayan Kingdom
Encyclopedia
Bhutan: A Visual Odyssey Across the Last Himalayan Kingdom is a gigantic 2003 book composed of photographs taken on four trips through Bhutan
. The book was created by scientist Michael Hawley
along with photographers Carolyn Bess, Sandy Choi, Dorji Drukpa, Becky Hurwitz, Choki Lhamo Kaka, Gyelsey Loday, Christopher Newell, David Salesin, and Ming Zhang. It was edited by Christopher Newell and published by Friendly Planet in December 2003.
The book is certified by Guinness World Records
as the largest book in the world. The 118 page tome weighs approximately 133 pounds (60.3 kg) and measures five feet by seven feet (2.13 × 1.53 m) when opened. Each image is nearly two gigabyte
s in size, and each copy of the book requires more than 1 gallons (3.8 l) of ink and 24 hours to be printed It costs $2000 to produce and sells for $10,000, which is donated to Friendly Planet, a charity that builds schools in Cambodia
and Bhutan..
The University of Washington
, University of Texas at El Paso
and Miami University
of Ohio all have copies in their Special Collections. As part of the Dalai Lama
's visit to Miami University, Geshe Kalsang Damdul and Geshe Jampel Kakpa, of Dharamsala, India, turned two pages of the book as honorary guests.
A smaller edition of the book was published in November 2004. The miniature version of 216 pages is 17.2 x 12.5 inches (317.5 mm). When opened, the book spans over 2 ft (0.6096 m). This edition weighs 6.8 pounds and sells for $100.
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
. The book was created by scientist Michael Hawley
Michael Hawley
Michael Hawley is an educator, artist and researcher working in the field of digital media. Previously at MIT’s Media Laboratory where he was a professor and held the Alexander W. Dreyfoos, Jr...
along with photographers Carolyn Bess, Sandy Choi, Dorji Drukpa, Becky Hurwitz, Choki Lhamo Kaka, Gyelsey Loday, Christopher Newell, David Salesin, and Ming Zhang. It was edited by Christopher Newell and published by Friendly Planet in December 2003.
The book is certified by Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
as the largest book in the world. The 118 page tome weighs approximately 133 pounds (60.3 kg) and measures five feet by seven feet (2.13 × 1.53 m) when opened. Each image is nearly two gigabyte
Gigabyte
The gigabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage. The prefix giga means 109 in the International System of Units , therefore 1 gigabyte is...
s in size, and each copy of the book requires more than 1 gallons (3.8 l) of ink and 24 hours to be printed It costs $2000 to produce and sells for $10,000, which is donated to Friendly Planet, a charity that builds schools in Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
and Bhutan..
The University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, University of Texas at El Paso
University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Texas System. Its campus is located on the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The school was founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy,...
and Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
of Ohio all have copies in their Special Collections. As part of the Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
's visit to Miami University, Geshe Kalsang Damdul and Geshe Jampel Kakpa, of Dharamsala, India, turned two pages of the book as honorary guests.
A smaller edition of the book was published in November 2004. The miniature version of 216 pages is 17.2 x 12.5 inches (317.5 mm). When opened, the book spans over 2 ft (0.6096 m). This edition weighs 6.8 pounds and sells for $100.