“This excellent volume is well researched...Its descriptions of life both in Kansas and in China-Tibet are superb.” —Stone-Campbell Journal

“Pioneer in Tibet is a fascinating and well-written account of pioneer days in that remote land's emergence into Western history. including the violent and chaotic period when European powers first challenged Chinese control in the imperial machinations and blunders of the 'Great Game.'” —Peter Matthiessen, author of National Book Award winner, The Snow Leopard

“A thrilling true adventure story of courage and mystery against the tumultuous backdrop of Tibetan history. One is fascinated and enriched by this beautifully written book that reveals much about the American hero and the mysteries of Tibet. This fascinating tale lingers long after the last chapter is concluded.” —Mabel Cabot, author of Vanished Kingdoms: A Woman Explorer in Tibet, China, and Mongolia 1921-1925

“Beautifully written, Pioneer in Tibet, is a compelling exploration of the gutsy rhythms, the pioneering spirit that is at once particularly American and universal in its ability to awaken the spirit, that longing for exploration and discovery.” —George Crane, author of Bones of the Master: A Journey to Secret Mongolia

“A remarkable story about a remarkable man. Not only did Albert Shelton bring medical care to a bandit-infested area of Tibet and introduce treasures form Tibetan life to Americans, but he also ranks high among that forgotten and misundertood breed of pioneering missionaries, erudite and open to the culture around them, who made inhospitable places home and gave their lives to the people they served.” —Barbara Crosette, author of So Close to Heaven:The Vanishing Buddhists Kingdoms of the Himalayas

“Pioneer in Tibet is not really about a man, but about a fascinating place and era: Kham at the turn of the 20th century. Doug Wissing has combed hundreds of rare sources to assemble this impressively detailed and stringently objective account. Compared to Wissing's book, I know of no Tibetan histories that bring to the reader so much fresh information. It is a must-read for historians, activists, and travelers who want to better understand this embattled and captivating part of the Tibetan plateau.” —Pamela Logan, author of Among Warriors: A Woman Martial Artist in Tibet and president of the Kham Aid Foundation

“Dr. Albert Shelton was the twentieth-century's David Livingston. Douglas Wissing's portrayal of this Disciples of Christ missionary is no hagiography. Shelton is presented in his human complexity as a healer, diplomat, collector and dealer in Tibetan artifacts, interpreter of Tibetan culture to Americans, as well as a courageous servant of God. In Wissing's words, Shelton possessed an "adventurer heart and missionary soul" as his life's journey took him from the frontier border of Kansas to the frontier border of Tibet. Shelton's biographical portrait is well positioned in Wissing's detailed descriptions of the machinations of the China-Tibet conflicts of the early twentieth century.” —Peter M. Morgan President, Disciples of Christ Historical Society, Nashville, Tennessee

“[A]n informative and entertaining read.” —Alexander Gardner