Aami in America, A Pilgrimage of the Heart  •  Broughton Coburn TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1996 •  PAPER An account of a coast-to-coast tour in the company of an 84-year-old Nepalese woman and his girlfriend, Coburn -- who fell in love with the Himalayas during a stint as a Peace Corps worker in the 1970s -- is a thoughtful, often entertaining guide. You can imagine the tremendous possibility inherent in traipsing across the country with a village elder on her first voyage away from the Himalayas. (USA11, $14.95)
Among Flowers, A Walk in the Himalaya  •  Jamaica Kincaid TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2007 •  PAPER  • 208 PAGES An atmospheric account of celebrated writer and gardener Jamaica Kincaid's journey to Nepal and the Himalayas with a small team of botanists. A volume in the National Geographic Directions series. (HML62, $10.95)
Ancient Futures, Learning from Ladakh  •  Dalai Lama  •  Peter Matthiessen  •  Helena Norberg-Hodge BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1992 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES With introductions by the Dalai Lama and Peter Matthiessen, this book comes with a good pedigree -- and its author has lived and worked in Ladakh since 1975. Norberg-Hodge documents her community work and changes from traditional ways of life. (HML24, $16.95)
Annapurna Map  •  Nelles MAP A map of the Annapurna hiking region at scale of 1:100,000 with major features, color shading and contour lines. (NPL32, $13.95)
Annapurna, A Woman's Place  •  Arlene Blum EXPLORATION •  1998 •  PAPER  • 247 PAGES This account of the historic 1978 climb celebrates the first American ascent of Annapurna by a team of 13 women. The climbers were also, notably, the first women to scale any of the world's 8,000 meter-peaks. Two of the women died in the process. This illustrated 20th anniversary edition, with a preface by Maurice Herzog, includes an afterword. Much of the book takes the form of an illustrated journal. (HML30, $16.00)
Annapurna, The Epic Account of a Himalayan Conquest and its Harrowing Aftermath  •  Maurice Herzog EXPLORATION •  1997 •  PAPER  • 314 PAGES • FAVORITE This classic account of the first ascent of an 8,000-meter peak was dictated by expedition leader Herzog from his hospital bed in Paris. Herzog and his companions originated the now well established practice of using Sherpas and acclimatizing to higher and higher altitudes at a series of base camps. The extraordinary rescue and agonizing return to civilization is all the more powerful for its matter-of-fact tone. The book also includes a glimpse of Ghurka society in Nepal, circa 1950. (HML07, $16.95)
The Ascent of Rum Doodle  •  W. E. Bowman  •  Bill Bryson LITERATURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 160 PAGES Firmly in the school of offhand, bumbling British exploration, this book is hardly handicapped by the fact that its author had never been near the Himalayas. It's a spoof, a hoot -- and called the funniest book he's ever read by Bill Bryson (which may give you some idea of Bowman's brand of scathing humor). Originally published in 1956. The publisher says Bowman was inspired by Tilman's escapades on Nandi Devi. Regardless, you'll be rolling with his send up of the oh-so-British, isn't-suffering-grand, stiff-upper-lip. A comic masterpiece, deliciously deadpan. (HML55, $13.99)
Beyond the Sky and the Earth, A Journey into Bhutan  •  Jamie Zeppa TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 303 PAGES Tales of travel and discovery in a remote Himalayan kingdom, Zeppa's memoir of her two years as a teacher in a remote village details her growing love and commitment to the Bhutanese culture and people. She records her transformation from wide-eyed neophyte to falling in love with a Bhutanese man (with whom she has a child). (BHU08, $16.00)
Bhutan Map  •  ITMB 2008 •  MAP A double-sided traveler's map of Bhutan at an excellent scale of 1:380,000. With insets of Paro and Thimphu, trekking routes, key monasteries and visitor attractions, index and notes. (BHU06, $12.95)
The Book of Indian Birds  •  Salim Ali FIELD GUIDE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 412 PAGES • COMING IN The 12th editon of this classic field guide to the birds of the plains, foothills, wetlands, and seacoast of the Indian subcontinent, published in India and authored by one of its pre-eminent ornithologists. Organized by bird family, each species is illustrated in color. (IDA45, $34.50)
Breaking Trail, A Climbing Life  •  Arlene Blum BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2007 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES Now 60, Blum reveals her transformation from scrawny girl in the flat Midwest to world-class climber in this inspirational memoir of a life in very high places: McKinley, Annapurna, Everest. With photographs and maps. (HML72, $14.00)
The Buddhist Handbook  •  John Snelling RELIGION •  1992 •  PAPER  • 345 PAGES Subtitled, "The Complete Guide to Buddhist Schools, Teaching, Practice and History, " this even-handed book is a concise primer covering the history, philosophical foundation and practice of Buddhism. It gives a basic overview of the teachings and practice of Buddhism, including a who's who of contemporary teachers and list of useful addresses around the world. (ASA08, $16.95)
Buddhist Himalayas  •  Olivier and Danielle Föllmi  •  Mattieu Ricard CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2008 •  PAPER  • 424 PAGES A big, beautiful celebration of the Himalayas, featuring 185 richly colored, often double-page photographs, and accompanying text on religion and culture. The Föllmis, who are the Dalai Lama's official photographers, have lived and worked in the Himalayas for 25 years. Colleague Ricard Matthieu is a monk and French translator for the Dalai Lama. (HML53, $29.95)
Cave in the Snow, A Western Woman's Quest for Enlightenment  •  Vicki MacKenzie TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 210 PAGES The absorbing tale of a young English Buddhist and her experience as a hermit in Lahoul, a Tibetan stronghold in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh. It's a fascinating overview of the allure and practice of Tibetan Buddhism. The book is divided into three sections: the life of Diane Perry until she became a Buddhist nun; her time in seclusion in the 1970s, first in at the Tayul monastery and then on a mountain ledge; and her life back in the England. She was not lonely. (HML61, $15.95)
The Climb, Tragic Ambitions on Everest  •  Anatoli Boukreev EXPLORATION •  1998 •  PAPER  • 297 PAGES An eyewitness account of the 1996 tragedy on Everest by the Russian mountaineer Boukreev, in part a response to criticism by John Krakauer in the best-selling Into Thin Air regarding climbing safety and ambition. Boukreev, an experienced guide, defends his actions on that day. (HML29, $7.99)
The Crystal Horizon  •  Reinhold Messner  •  Jill Neate  •  Audrey Salkeld EXPLORATION •  1998 •  PAPER  • 322 PAGES Messner's account of the first successful solo ascent of Everest, which he accomplished without the aid of supplemental oxygen in 1980. (HML69, $24.95)
The Dragon in the Land of Snows: A History of Modern Tibet Since 1947  •  Tsering Shakya HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 606 PAGES A comprehensive account of the history and political development of Tibet since 1947, which includes eye-opening details of the American, British and Indian players involved in Tibet's struggle for sovereignty. Tibet has had a mighty struggle to maintain its culture and independence since Chinese occupation in 1950, as demonstrated in this richly detailed book. Shakya, a British-educated Tibetan historian, treats heart-breaking events with balance and insight. (TBT32, $18.00)
Epic, Stories of Survival from the World's Highest Peaks  •  Clint Willis ANTHOLOGY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 342 PAGES A greatest-hits collection of mountaineering literature, Willis excerpts 15 stories, including Mathiessen's classic "The Snow Leopard," and harrowing passages from Everest, the West Ridge, K2, The Savage Mountain, Annapurna and others. Not just the Himalayas, he also includes the tale of the first-traverse of South Georgia by Shackleton. Each excerpt is satisfying long, as interesting for the quality of the writing as the adventure depicted. (HML37, $17.95)
Escape from Kathmandu  •  Kim Stanley Robinson LITERATURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES Clueless in Kathmandu. The four interconnected stories in this laugh-out-loud novel include the (mis)adventures of two young Americans with a Yeti, international espionage, mountain climbing of the highest sort and a quest for Shangri-La. Keep this page-turner handy for inevitable travel delays and long plane flights. Originally published in 1989. (NPL41, $16.95)
Everest, A Mountaineering History  •  Walter Unsworth EXPLORATION •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 736 PAGES A classic history of mountaineering, updated through 1998 for this third edition. Unsworth depicts the people, personalities and challenges of Everest expeditions, including an excellent account of the much-ballyhooed expedition by Mallory and Irvine. He covers every major expedition. (NPL38, $45.00)
Everest, A Trekker's Guide  •  Kev Reynolds GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 255 PAGES A brief pocket guide to seven treks in the Everst region (including one in Tibet) with sketch maps, good general information and a few photographs. (NPL45, $22.95)
Everest, Mountain Without Mercy  •  Broughton Coburn NATURAL HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES Spectacularly photographed, this book is an account of the making of the IMAX film on Everest, including an account of the 1996 disaster. (HML20, $24.00)
Everest, the West Ridge  •  Thomas F. Hornbein EXPLORATION •  1980 •  PAPER  • 194 PAGES A vivid account of the 1963 American expedition to Everest, a classic of mountain climbing literature. Long thought out of reach, by Hornbein and Willi Unsoeld make a first ascent on the mountain via the spectacular West Ridge, which involved -- among other things -- an emergency bivouac at 28,000-feet. (HML10, $19.95)
From Heaven Lake, Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet  •  Vikram Seth TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1987 •  PAPER  • 178 PAGES An unconventional, award-winning travelogue of a 1981 trip to India from China via the Himalayas by the marvelous Indian novelist Vikram Seth. (HML19, $13.00)
Ghosts of Everest, The Search for Mallory & Irvine  •  Jochen Hemmleb  •  Eric Simonson  •  Larry Johnson EXPLORATION •  2001 •  PAPER  • 208 PAGES You may have seen the pictures. This is one of several accounts of the 1999 expedition to determine the fate of George Mallory, who disappeared on Mt. Everest in 1924 (and who may or may not have been the first on Everest 29 years before Norgay and Hillary). Hemmleb, Johnson and Simonson, respected climbers all three and participants in the expedition, contribute to this book as told to hired-hand William Nothdurft. Conrad Anker wrote his own book, "The Lost Explorer (Item no. NPL35)," (HML39, $24.95)
The Great Hill Stations of Asia  •  Barbara Crossette TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES A modern tour of the mountain enclaves of colonial Asia -- appreciative, magnificently researched and engaging. Crossette, an Asia correspondent for the "New York Times," criss-crosses the continent visiting Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. (ASA13, $16.00)
Himalaya  •  Eric Valli  •  Anne de Sales CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 432 PAGES A handsome collection of breathtaking photographs of the landscape and people of the Himalayas. (HML64, $50.00)
Himalayan Passage, Seven Months in the High Country of Tibet, Nepal, China, India, & Pakistan  •  Jeremy Schmidt TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES The story of two adventurous young couples who travel by bike, truck and foot across the Himalayas strong on the culture and people of the region. With 32 pages of color photographs. Starting in Lhasa, Tibet, in the spring of 1987, they headed west along the north slope of the mountains into China and Pakistan and returned on the south side through India and Nepal. (HML05, $18.95)
Himalayan Quest, Ed Viesturs on the 8,000-Meter Giants  •  Ed Viesturs EXPLORATION •  2003 •  HARD COVER  • 176 PAGES In 1986, Austrian Reinhold Messner became the first man to scale all 14 peaks which stand above 8,000 meters, all of which are located in the Himalayas. Seventeen years later, Ed Viesturs became the first American to accomplish this daunting feat. This appealing photographic guide chronicles Viestur's journey, complete with breathtaking images of the Himalayan landscape (made more impressive when one imagines how difficult it must have been to take them while climbing!) as well as informative maps of the region. (HML63, $32.00)
Himalayan Voices, An Introduction to Modern Nepali Literature  •  Michael Hutt ANTHOLOGY •  1991 •  PAPER  • 280 PAGES A collection of 20th-century Nepali poetry and short fiction, much of it translated into English for the first time. This anthology offers insight into Nepal's literary traditions, society and culture. (HML35, $26.95)
In Exile from the Land of Snows, The Dalai Lama and Tibet Since the Chinese Occupation  •  John Avedon CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1994 •  PAPER  • 391 PAGES The lives of the Tibetan people at home and in exile since the Chinese takeover in 1950. Avedon (who accompanied the Dalai Lama on his first American tour) interviewed over 100 people in Dharamsala and Tibet for this new classic. After introductory sections on ancient Tibet and the Chinese occupation, Avedon tackles how the nation was thrust into the 20th century by the loss of its sovereignty. It's a masterful, passionate tribute to the people and culture of Tibet. It's also useful in understanding Nepal today. (TBT04, $16.95)
In Search of Myths and Heroes, Exploring Four Epic Legends of the World  •  Michael Wood HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES The companion book to a PBS series. Wood sets out (lucky man) in search of Shangri-La, Jason of the Golden Fleece, Queen of Sheba and King Arthur. With 122 color illustrations and six maps. (EXP39, $18.95)
India Northeast Map  •  Nelles MAP A regional map (1:1,500,000) covering Northeast India in detail, including Arunchal Pradesh, Assam and adjoining Tibet, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Burma. (IDA253, $10.95)
Insight Guide Nepal  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2002 •  PAPER This handsome guide gives a profusely illustrated overview of Nepal, featuring concise essays by well regarded authors on history, nature and culture, hundreds of photos and maps, and some limited practical information. (NPL19, $23.95)
Into Thin Air, A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster  •  Jon Krakauer EXPLORATION •  1999 •  PAPER  • 360 PAGES In this bestseller, climber and journalist Krakauer reconstructs a minute-by-minute account of what went wrong on the great mountain in 1996. He captures the immediacy of those few hours on Everest when disaster struck -- and the psychological complexity of surviving a tragedy. (HML13, $14.95)
Into Thin Air, A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster  •  Jon Krakauer EXPLORATION •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 256 PAGES In this bestseller, climber and journalist Krakauer reconstructs a minute-by-minute account of what went wrong on the great mountain in 1996. He captures the immediacy of those few hours on Everest when disaster struck -- and the psychological complexity of surviving a tragedy. (HML08, $26.95)
A Journey in Ladakh  •  Andrew Harvey TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 236 PAGES A well told account of a 1981 journey by a young English poet in search of ancient Buddhist traditions in remote Ladakh. It's a heartfelt record of a spiritual journey. With a new afterword, twenty years later. (HML15, $18.95)
K2, Triumph and Tragedy  •  Jim Curran EXPLORATION •  1997 •  PAPER This is a tense account of disaster on the world's second highest mountain in 1986. The author was on the mountain when 13 climbers in 9 different expeditions died. (PKN05, $15.00)
Khumbu Himal (Everest) Map  •  Nelles 1999 •  MAP An excellent topographic map of the Mt. Everest hiking region at a scale of 1:50,000 with contour lines, color shading, popular routes and features. (NPL33, $13.95)
Kim  •  Rudyard Kipling LITERATURE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 365 PAGES For the sheer pleasure of its prose, insight into the British in India and its extraordinary sense of place, you can't do better than this classic novel. It's one of the great adventure stories -- the enduring tale of an orphan boy who, through happenstance, travels the Grand Trunk Road. (IDA65, $7.00)
Kinship to Mastery, Biophilia in Human Evolution and Development  •  Stephen R. Kellert NATURAL HISTORY •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 272 PAGES In a series of vignettes, Kellert argues that a bond with our natural environment is an "essential condition for lives of satisfaction and fulfillment." (NAT61, $25.00)
Life and Death on Mt. Everest, Sherpas and Himalayan Mountaineering  •  Sherry B. Ortner CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2001 •  PAPER  • 376 PAGES A vividly written, scholarly study of the relationship between the Sherpas and the mountaineers who come to "conquer" the Himalayas. Anthropologist Ortner dissects the collision of cultures and their perceptions and preconceptions of each other. For those who like a little theory with their history, it's an important look at mountaineering from the sherpa point of view by an academic who has lived and worked among them since the 1960s. (TBT33, $27.95)
Lost Horizon, A Novel  •  James Hilton LITERATURE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 241 PAGES First published in 1933, this novel (and subsequent movie) introduced the world to the Himalayan paradise of Shangri-La, which a group of Americans and Englishmen discover after a plane crash. (HML73, $12.95)
Man-Eaters of Kumaon  •  Jim Corbett BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1993 •  PAPER  • 214 PAGES These are the memoirs of a turn-of-the-century hunter-turned-conservationist who was much loved in India. Corbett has a park named after him and this book will help you to understand why. It is intelligently written, respectful, and great fun -- an excellent portrait of the Indian hill stations of Uttarakhand. (HML12, $19.95)
Mountain Light, In Search of the Dynamic Landscape  •  Galen Rowell NATURAL HISTORY •  1995 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES Originally published in 1985 and updated for a 10th anniversary edition by the Sierra Club, this book is still the single best introduction to landscape photography and, particularly, the challenges of photographing mountains. Rowell presents 80 of his most spectacular images, divided according to visual content. Each chapter illustrates a theme or technique, supplemented by a short personal essay. Like any good workshop, the book will both inspire and instruct fellow photographers. There's no photographer at work more sensitive to the magic of Alpine glow than Galen Rowell. (PHT06, $29.95)
Mountaineering, The Freedom of the Hills  •  The Mountaineers GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 528 PAGES The essential handbook for mountaineers, in a seventh revised edition. With chapters on outdoor fundamentals, rock, snow, ice, and alpine climbing, emergency prevention and response, the mountain environment, and gear. (GEN267, $29.95)
The Mountains of My Life  •  Walter Bonatti BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2001 •  PAPER  • 442 PAGES The candid memoir of the great Italian climber and his adventures in the Alps, the Himalayas, and South America, including Bonatti's account of what happened on the summit of K2 in 1954 (which caused a ruckus in the Italian press, libel suits and other bad behavior). Many would agree Bonatti was treated badly by the press and Italian mountaineering community. Bonatti includes the 1986 report on the K2 affair by Robert Marshall, who also translated the book and provides an introduction. (ALP25, $16.95)
Mountains of the Mind, Adventures in Reaching the Summit  •  Robert Macfarlane TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES MacFarlane weaves anecdote, memoir and cultural history in this meditative account of the meaning of making it to the top. With chapters on glaciers, geology, the allure of fear, the desire to explore and what drives us to reach the summit. (HML65, $14.95)
Mt. Everest  •  National Geographic 1998 •  MAP A gloriously detailed, bird's-eye view of Everest by the cartographers at National Geographic, this 23 1/2 x 38 poster map shows the glaciers, valleys and peaks of the Mt. Everest region in beautiful shaded relief. The price includes shipping in a sturdy tube. (NPL36, $19.99)
My Land and My People, The Original Autobiography of His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet  •  Dalai Lama BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1997 •  PAPER  • 238 PAGES The Dalai Lama recounts his life and struggle for an independent Tibet. It's one of the most remarkable stories of our time, simply and compassionately told by the Lama himself. (TBT22, $13.95)
Himalaya Map  •  Nelles MAP A colorful regional map of the Himalayas at a scale of 1:1,500,000, including Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, and Sikkim. (HML09, $10.95)
The Naked Mountain  •  Reinhold Messner  •  Tim Carruthers EXPLORATION •  2003 •  HARD COVER  • 320 PAGES Legendary mountaineer Reinhold Messner recounts his first expedtion to an 8,000 meter peak (Nanga Parbat) in 1970 in this passionate memoir. Messner speaks out on the events that led to the death of his brother on the mountain and the controversy that followed in its wake. (HML70, $22.95)
Nanda Devi, A Journey to the Last Sanctuary  •  Hugh Thomson EXPLORATION •  2005 •  PAPER  • 126 PAGES An account of the history, allure and exploration of the isolated Himalayan sanctuary on the border of India and Tibet. Thomson (White Rock) interweaves his own adventures on an expedition in 2000 with those of illustrious predecessors like Eric Shipton and Bill Tilman. (HML66, $14.00)
Nanda Devi, Exploration and Ascent  •  Eric Shipton  •  H. W. Tilman EXPLORATION •  2000 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES • COMING IN A single-volume edition of two classics of mountaineering literature: Eric Shipton's "Nanda Devi" and H.W. Tilman's "Ascent of Nanda Devi." Shipton cracked the mystery of how to climb the peak in the early 1930s, and Tilman used Shipton's findings to make the first ascent of Nanda Devi in 1936 (while Shipton was climbing Everest). The two men, friends and frequent climbing partners, wrote a slew of books between them, most available in omnibus editions by the same publisher (EXP13, EXP12). (HML54, $18.95)
Nepal Map  •  Nelles MAP A convenient double-sided map of Nepal at a scale of 1:500,000, with insets of Kathmandu City and Kathmandu Valley. (NPL01, $10.95)
Of Tigers and Men  •  Richard Ives NATURAL HISTORY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE A haunting tale of a man's quest to encounter tigers in the wild, and to understand the meaning of the threat of the tiger's extinction. Ives visits the forests of India, Thailand, and Sumatra, and many of the "tiger-men" who have devoted their lives to saving tigers. His quest entails a growing realization that the tiger may be doomed. It is a beautifully written story, providing not only a sense of the life of tigers and those who care about them, but also describing an unusual and moving personal journey. (IDA30, $12.50)
A Painter's Year in the Forests of Bhutan  •  A.K. Hellum NATURAL HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 148 PAGES An informal account of a year in Bhutan, featuring paintings of 100 mountain plants by a Norwegian-born forestry consultant. Hellum has also written and illustrated a guide to trees in Guyana. "This book is not about the art, science, or business of forestry; it is about a forester and his relationships with people, young and old, in Bhutan...It is a tribute to the natural history, people and religion of this remote and beautiful country," writes U of A professor of forest fire science Dr. Paul Woodard in a review of "A Painter's Year in the Forests of Bhutan." (BHU14, $18.95)
Religions of Tibet in Practice  •  Donald S. Lopez, Jr. RELIGION •  1997 •  PAPER  • 560 PAGES A collection of 36 essays and translated texts by scholars of Tibetan Buddhism, including selections on prayers, pilgrimages, death and ritual. It is a scholarly overview of the culture and religion of Tibet, organized thematically and accessible to the general reader. (TBT16, $37.95)
Sacred Tibet  •  Philip Rawson ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1991 •  PAPER  • 96 PAGES A concise, illustrated survey of the Buddhist art of Tibet in its religious, social and cultural context. With 136 photographs and an excellent short explanation of religious iconography. (TBT18, $15.95)
Savage Summit: The True Stories of the First Five Women Who Climbed K2, the World's Most Feared Mountain  •  Jennifer Jordan EXPLORATION •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 300 PAGES The stories of five women who made it to the top of K2 from 1986 to 1995, told in order of their summits: Wanda Rutkiewicz, Liliane Barrard, Julie Tullis, Chantal Mauduit and Alison Hargreaves. She draws on letters and interviews in building her tale. (HML68, $24.95)
Sherpas, Reflections on Change in Himalayan Nepal  •  James Fisher CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1990 •  PAPER  • 205 PAGES A study of Sherpa society and the change that mountaineering and trekking have brought, which combines the qualities of a memoir and anthropological study. Fisher, who participated in a 1964 expedition to build schools in the region, quotes extensively from interviews, letting the Sherpas speak for themselves. well chosen photographs document change in the region. Fisher concludes it was the airstrip that the team constructed which has had the greatest impact on tourism and, by extension, Sherpa society. (NPL13, $26.95)
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker: Traveller and Plant Collector  •  Raymond Desmond BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1999 •  HARD COVER  • 286 PAGES A marvelously illustrated biography of the Victorian explorer and botanist featuring dozens of color and black-and-white photographs and engravings. In addition to plant collecting in the Himalayas, Hooker accompanied Sir James Clark Ross to the Antarctic (1839-1843), explored the Middle East and traveled to the American West. This handsome book, published in conjunction with an exhibition at Kew Gardens, includes excerpts from his "Himalayan Journals" along with many drawings, engravings and lithographs. (GEN79, $49.50)
The Snow Lion and the Dragon, China, Tibet and the Dalai Lama  •  Melvyn C. Goldstein HISTORY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 130 PAGES A brief history of the relationship of China and Tibet in the 20th century. Goldstein, a professor of history and expert on the region, includes a call for the United States to take an active role in mediating a diplomatic solution to the conflict. (TBT23, $17.95)
Something Hidden Behind the Ranges, A Himalayan Quest  •  Daniel Taylor-Ide TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 298 PAGES Mixing travelogue, personal adventure and excellent writing on the environment and nature of the Himalayas, the author takes us on a journey through the mountain kingdoms. (HML22, $14.95)
South Asia  •  Sumit Ganguly HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES A scholarly history of modern South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Sumit Ganguly is the Rabindranath Tagore Professor of Indian cultures and civilizations and professor of political science at Indiana University. (IDA308, $18.00)
South Asia  •  Sumit Ganguly HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES A scholarly history of modern South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Sumit Ganguly is the Rabindranath Tagore Professor of Indian cultures and civilizations and professor of political science at Indiana University. (IDA308, $18.00)
Tibet Map  •  MapLink 2003 •  MAP A detailed traveler's map of Tibet and surrounding regions at a scale of 1:2,000,000, including Kashgar, Delhi, Katmandu, Thimphu and portions of the Xinjiang. With an index on the reverse. (TBT17, $9.95)
The Tibetan Book of the Dead, Liberation from Understanding the In Between  •  Robert Thurman CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1994 •  PAPER  • 275 PAGES A key text as presented by Robert Thurman for a western audience. This edition of the Tibetan guidebooks to dying or "the between" -- written in the 8th or 9th century by Padma Sambhava -- is introduced and translated by Thurman. It's is a spiritual guide to the afterlife, helpfully augmented by Thurman's commentary as well as an overview of Tibetan history and beliefs. With a chapter on Tibet, its history, Buddhist traditions and present plight. Part Two of the book is a translation of prayers. (TBT06, $18.00)
Tibetan Buddhism from the Ground Up, A Practical Approach for Modern Life  •  B. Alan Wallace RELIGION •  1993 •  PAPER  • 214 PAGES A straightforward primer on the essentials of Buddhism as practiced in Tibet. The book is the result of a lecture series introducing the practice of Buddhism to the general public. (TBT19, $15.95)
Tibetan Buddhist Life  •  Don Farber RELIGION •  2003 •  HARD COVER  • 192 PAGES A beautiful and informative celebration of Tibetan Buddhist culture. An in-depth text complements over 200 photographs, many by Don Farber. Farber has been photographing Buddhist life for two decades and is the special photographer for the Dalai Lama. (TBT70, $30.00)
Travelers' Tales Nepal  •  Rajendra Khadka ANTHOLOGY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES This anthology of travel writing on Nepal features mostly modern stories by Peter Matthiessen, Jan Morris and other great writers, local and foreign. Covering festivals, art, mountain climbing and other diverse topics, it's an excellent introduction to the country. A chapter on travel in Nepal complements the collection. (NPL16, $17.95)
Trekking in Ladakh  •  Charlie Loram GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES • COMING IN DECEMBER A practical guide to trekking in this remote enclave, this book includes 50 maps, route descriptions, an overview of Leh and a section of color photographs. (HML25, $19.95)
Trekking in Nepal, A Traveler's Guide  •  Sir Edmund Hillary  •  Stephen Bezruchka GUIDEBOOK •  1999 •  PAPER  • 383 PAGES A respected guide covering, in detail, route planning for trekkers, national parks, health, where to go and what to do in Nepal. With an overview of the geography, history, religion and culture of the region. Regularly revised, the guide has been around since 1976. Invaluable for its route descriptions, the book also includes good information on cross-cultural understanding. With 16 so-so maps, elevation profiles of major treks and 76 black-and-white photographs. (NPL10, $16.95)
Trekking in the Annapurna Region  •  Bryn Thomas GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES A practical guide to trekking in the region by the intrepid Bryn Thomas (Trans-Siberian Handbook), this book features route maps, village plans and concise information on preparations and what to see and do. He includes an overview of Nepal and the traditional Tibetan trade route through the Kali Gandaki River valley to the Himalayan desert plateau beyond. Excerpts from the book and others in the British series are online at www.trailblazer-guides.com. Aimed at the do-it-yourself market, this handy guide also has much to offer anyone planning to trek in the region. (NPL29, $19.95)
Trekking in the Everest Region  •  Jamie McGuinness GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 303 PAGES • COMING IN JANUARY A compact guide to treks in the Everest region featuring route maps, village plans and concise information on preparations, what to see and do. With an overview of Nepal and the region. Excerpts from the book and others in the British series are online at www.trailblazer-guides.com. Aimed at the do-it-yourself market, this handy guide also has much to offer anyone planning to trek in the region. 4th edition. (NPL31, $22.95)
A Vanished World  •  Wilfred Thesiger BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2002 •  HARD COVER  • 200 PAGES This stunning record of an unusually eventful life takes in Thesiger's travels and adventures in revolutionary Ethiopia and the mountains of the Hindu Kush, his time among the Marsh Arabs of Iraq, his long stint living in Northern Kenya, and, memorably, his long love affair with the Empty Quarter of Oman (memorialized in "Arabian Sands"). Ninety-one-year-old Thesiger selected the black-and-white photographs for this album, which include many of his portraits of people and ways of life long gone. (ARB56, $35.00)
The Violet Shyness of Their Eyes, Notes from Nepal  •  Barbara J. Scot CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2005 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES A heartfelt portrait of the Nepalese people and culture, resulting from the author's year teaching in Nepal. An excellent memoirist, Scot combines personal observation, thoughtful commentary and warmth in this deceptively simple book. With black-and-white photographs, orientation maps and glossary. This revised edition includes an April 2004 epilogue by the author. (HML14, $16.95)
Wild India, The Wildlife of India and Nepal  •  Guy Mountefort  •  Gerald Cubitt NATURAL HISTORY •  2008 •  PAPER  • 208 PAGES A colorful and informative introduction to the natural history of the region in a handsome, oversize volume with photography by Gerald Cubitt. After a long introductory section, it presents hundreds of extraordinary photographs of the wildlife and landscapes of the Himalayas, Indo-Ganges Plain and the Deccan. (IDA02, $29.95)
The Wisdom of the Buddha  •  Jean Boisselier RELIGION •  1994 •  PAPER  • 191 PAGES A pocket-size primer of Buddhism, this book is an illustrated history of the sixth-century Indian prince and his quest for enlightenment. With 207 illustrations, 160 in full color. (IDA55, $12.95)
A Woman's Asia  •  Marybeth Bond ANTHOLOGY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 310 PAGES These thirty-five personal, often hilarious accounts of women's adventures from China to Sri Lanka to Turkey to Bhutan, not only illuminating the everyday, oft-overlooked cultural practices of Asia, but also giving a glimpse into the thoughts and feelings of the female traveller. Featuring selections from Jan Morris, Pamela Logan and Alison Wright. (ASA49, $17.95)
World Religions: Eastern Traditions  •  Willard G. Oxtoby RELIGION •  2002 •  PAPER  • 515 PAGES A clear and insightful introduction to Eastern religions by a team of scholars. It's a handsomely produced concise overview of Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Buddhist, and East Asian traditions, as rewarding for the general reader as the student. This second edition features additional suggested reading, photographs, glossary and thought-provoking review questions. (ASA07, $64.95)