We Measure the Earth With Our Bodies Summary
Tsering Yangzom Lama

We Measure the Earth With Our Bodies Overview

In Tsering Yangzom Lama's novel We Measure the Earth with Our Bodies, sisters Lhamo and Tenkyi are ripped from their Tibetan homeland in 1960 following the People's Liberation Army invasion. Over the course of the years that follow, the orphaned sisters perpetually seek a sense of home and belonging. When a young boy named Samphel comes to their camp in Pokhara, Nepal, Lhamo thinks her life is about to change. However, Lhamo is learning that only she can exact the fate she wants. Decades later, Tenkyi is living in Toronto, Canada with Lhamo's daughter Dolma. When the aunt and niece rediscover an ancient artifact from their family's past, the characters are thrust back into connection with one another. Straddling a range of temporal eras and geographical settings, the novel explores themes including belonging, freedom, and autonomy.