Journey of the North Star

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By Douglas Penick ’67

Published Jan. 21, 2016

(Publerati) This meticulously researched historical novel is set 700 years ago. Narrated by the eunuch slave Ma Yun, it tells the story of Yong Le, the emperor who helped return China to world power after years of decay. The novel also is a tale of two men in different positions in life who come to share a single goal. Penick has taught on Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese, and Indian religion, history, and culture and has written opera libretti, short fiction, essays, poetry, and three books deriving from the epic cycle on the life of the central Asian hero King Gesar of Ling.

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PAW's October 2026 cover, featuring a photo of a loaf of challah bread and the headline "The Braids That Bind."
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