Himalayan Hostages
This is a great read for pre-teens (or anyone young at heart) interested in Nepal, wildlife, or simply adventure! From run-ins with poachers and bears in the jungles of Bardiya, to struggling to survive in a mountain cave, to canoeing down the Karnali River, James and Alex (the protagonists) seem to find adventures wherever they go.
As an American journalist who grew up in Nepal myself, I loved the details in this book about wildlife, Nepali cultures, and politics / social problems. The book deals with a terrible time in Nepal's history - the Maoist civil war, when many ordinary people were stuck in the crossfire between rebels and the state security forces - without simplifying complex issues too much. The book's protagonists view the world from a unique vantage point as "Third Culture Kids." Wilson-Howarth, the author, shows her fondness for Nepal and Nepali people, and also demonstrates her lively imagination and story-telling ability!
Peter Gill
Your Child Abroad: a travel health guide
"many parents are nervous about travelling with young children.....this book, written by people who have lived overseas, tells you what you need to know"
Rated No 3 of the 50 Best Books for New Parents by The Independent newspaper
Snowfed Waters
This is a lovely story. The main protagonist, Sonia, is a 34 year old divorced woman with low self esteem and a host of health issues. On a whim, and with her doctor’s encouragement, Sonia leaves her life in Cambridge with all its painful associations, and travels out to Nepal to work for a charity - and with the vague idea of retracing her great-grandfather’s footsteps.
After a rocky start, full of frustrations and misunderstandings, she gradually loses her English reserve and expectations and adapts to – and respects – the rhythm of life on the island of Rajapur, comes to care for the low caste family with whom she is staying and embrace their simple way of life.
The author spent many years in Nepal – and it shows. She writes with an absolute assurance – and passion - about the people, the landscape and the flora and fauna of the country. Indeed, her descriptions are so vivid that the reader can almost smell the food, taste the sweet tea, see the vast yellow butterflies and the wonderfully colourful plants and exotic animals, breathe the mountain air and hear the hustle and bustle of the market.
The story is told from a variety of viewpoints and, in this way, we have insight not only into what Sonia thinks of the people she meets but also what they think of her and how strange they find some of her attitudes and reactions. Because of the author’s in depth knowledge of the country, she is also able to explain the intricacies of the caste system and its implications, - for instance, the shock of her Brahmin (high caste) friends when she insists that young Moti, the daughter of her Tharu (low caste) hosts, is her companion when she goes trekking.
And it is when she and Moti are on their trek that disaster strikes the island. Ironically it is the disaster which is Sonia’s saviour. Working with the wounded, snatching food and sleep when she can, she recognizes how trivial her own worries are when compared to the plight of those she treats. And finally, too, she feels valued and regains her self respect.
When she returns to England and her old life, she is a very different person.
This is a story of a complex, shattered woman and of the healing power of love as of the whole community finally recognize her true worth and no longer see her as an awkward foreigner with strange ideas but as a strong, compassionate woman who is prepared to work tirelessly to help them.
A very readable and uplifting story, set in a beautifully described landscape.
Rosemary Hayes, author