John Keay’s Himālaya: Exploring the Roof of the World is work of extensive and serious research. I have always been fascinated by the Himalayas – partly because of their proximity to my native place, and partly because of their relatively recent origin, what Keay describes in terms of their being “an orogenous zone.” In my initial views on this book, I described it as having “something for the mountain lovers, as well as history geeks, and geography and geology buffs.” To the extent that evolutionary history interests me as a reader, I found the initial parts of this book quite immersive.
I had the impression that the book is primarily about Himalayas – the mountain range. But as I dived into the book, I realized that it is centered around Tibet: the roof of the world. This was a surprise, but not a deterring factor. However, as I read on, I found the narrative too convoluted and crowded by numerous characters, whose lives despite being of interest, impeded the flow of the narrative. While this book forms an important study – comprehensive and exhaustive by all means – its target audience is not general readers interested to learn something or the other about the Himalayas or Tibet. This book amounts to something more than a beginner’s guide to Himālaya, and therefore, it is meant primarily for readers who are seriousness in this subject far exceeds the interest of a general reader.
Having said that I do feel that the book suffers from a lack of continuity in terms of its narrative. Keay does not follow a chronology, nor does he move region-wise. In his view, he has structured the book on the basis of different themes/issues – what may be termed as important aspects of the Himālaya. To name a few, these include flora and fauna, religion and mythology, folklore, trade and war, and mountain ranges of course. While Keay tries to maintain a sense of coherence by continuously referring to characters and events mentioned in the other chapters, the final result adds up to leaving the reader confused. I had to stop reading mid-way. I returned to this book after a period of about 4-5 months.
In the final analysis, despite my not-so pleasant experience with this book, I still feel that Keay has done a commendable job. His work is valuable, and I can imagine myself returning back to it, as a reference book, sometime in future.
My Rating: *** (2.5/5)
Have you read any book on the Himalayas or Tibet? What are your favourite books or movies on this subject? I watched Seven Years in Tibet, while reading this book. What are your thoughts on that? Do share your views. Thanks.
*I received a copy by the publisher in exchange fore an honest review. Views expressed are entirely personal and unbiased.*
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