Customer Reviews

A Balcony in Nepal: Glimpses of a Himalayan Village

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4 star:		(1)
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For any Westerner traveling to Nepal, this is a must read. Ms. Olds has the usual beautiful travelogue descriptions, but she adds the critical insights that can only come from repeated visits to this unusual country. The illustrations by Ms. Roche of the country and the Badel villagers add another layer of beauty for readers of this wonderful book. Be sure to buy this book and read it on the long plane ride over. And if you are not lucky enough to make the trip, read the book and you'll feel like you did.

Sally Olds and Marge Roche in A Balcony in Nepal conjure a small Nepali Rai village with the magic of an open heart and appreciative senses. The warm people for whom a library is planned and built are drawn by Marge and brought to life by Sally. Both travellers are welcomed into the daily lives of the families in Badel and both travellers bring the Nepalese people into our daily lives. We read about this trek into Sally's expanded consciousness with relish and respect, and come to love the simple village people and admire their hard lives.

There's more to Nepal than climbing, trekking or the teeming streets of Kathmandu. Through thoughtful writing and lively drawings, Sally Olds and Marge Roche invite us to share their involvement in the life of a remote Rai village. We learn about joyous festivals, meet fascinating people and become part of the struggle to live daily life without the amenities we consider necessary. The freindships they make stir our imagination. And by recording their thoughts and reactions to what they've seen, they raise interesting questions on the effect tourists are having on the village and Nepal itself.

The author, Sally Wendkos Olds, has brought experience and talent to use in telling of her experiences in a remote village. Marge Roche's illustrations enhance the story and stand alone as beautiful works. I highly recommend this book to any who would like to experience a very different way of life. Beautiful book!

This lovely heart felt book by a writer who reports and analyzes with equal power should be read by anyone interested in the way a society far removed from the West handles the conflicts between the way is was and the way it is becoming.
Ms Olds reflections on the role of women in Nepalese life is insightful and provides hope for the future.

This book is a gem! The writer, Sally Wendkos Olds, takes you on a marvelous adventure through a remote Himalayan Village where the people and sights come to life. The artist, Margaret Roche, does a lovely job of capturing these scenes in her sensitive watercolors. This book makes a great addition to anyone's home library and/or a gift for someone special!

Visitors to Nepal are frequently young trekkers. A Balcony in Nepal gives us a heartwarming, compassionate view of village and homelife through the eyes of two older women. They describe the unique beauty of the mountains and the people with whom they have interacted in repeated visits to the village of Badel in words and sketches that will remain with you. It is a very touching personal account that goes far beyond most travel books.

This book is a gem! The writer, Sally Wendkos Olds, takes you on a marvelous adventure through a remote Himalayan Village where the people and sights come to life. The artist, Margaret Roche, does a lovely job of capturing these scenes in her sensitive watercolors. This book makes a great addition to anyone's home library and/or a gift for someone special!

This book is a gem! The writer, Sally Wendkos Olds, takes you on a marvelous adventure through a remote Himalayan Village where the people and sights come to life. The artist, Margaret Roche, does a lovely job of capturing these scenes in her sensitive watercolors. This book makes a great addition to anyone's home library and/or a gift for someone special!