This work investigates the historical competition between Western powers and individuals to penetrate the isolated, forbidden city of Lhasa during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Peter Hopkirk, a journalist and historian specializing in Central Asian history, utilizes archival records, personal accounts, and diplomatic correspondence to document the geopolitical and personal motivations behind these incursions. The narrative framework presents a chronological account of the various explorers, spies, and missionaries who sought to breach Tibet's borders, culminating in the political shifts of the mid-twentieth century.

Historians and general readers frequently cite this work for its accessible narrative style and meticulous research into the Great Game era. Experts highlight the book as a standard reference for understanding the historical isolation of Tibet and the external pressures that led to its eventual integration into the Chinese state.