Explorers of the Western Himalayas, 1820-1895 [Paperback]

John Keay (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1998

This text examines explorers of the Western Himalayas, from 1820 to 1895.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This omnibus volume combines When Men and Mountains Meet (1977) and its sequel, The Gilgit Game (LJ 3/1/79). The Western Himalayas provide a natural frontier to five nations; as far back as the 19th century, this region was considered strategically important. Keay's (The Honorable Company, Macmillan, 1994) book is a well-written, often humorous account of the 19th-century European (mainly British) explorers and adventurers lured by this inaccessible and lawless region. The book spans 75 years, beginning with the ill-fated William Moorcraft, a veterinarian in the service of the East India Company who arrived in the Himalayas in 1820, and ends with the men who were responsible for bringing the region of Chitral under British control in 1895. The biographical sketches are well researched, the list of sources covering several pages. Embellished with maps and period photographs, this book deserves a place in specialized collections and academic and large public libraries.?Ravi Shenoy, Hinsdale P.L., Ill.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

In a long and distinguished writing career, John Keay's most recent works have been on south and south-east Asia, most notably 'Last Post: The End of Empire', 'India, A History' and the bestselling "The Great Arc'. He is married to the author Julia Keay and together they complied the "awesome" Collins Encyclopaedia of Scotland. They have four children and live in the Highlands.

Product Details

• Paperback: 571 pages
• Publisher: Trafalgar Square Publishing (January 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0719555760
• ISBN-13: 978-0719555763
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #793,994 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing terrain & amazing people, April 14, 2000

By 

Hayley H. (Nimbin, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Explorers of the Western Himalayas, 1820-1895 (Paperback)

A facinating read of a little known history. The original explorers of these remote mountains were a motely collection of eccentrics. The author brings these characters to life with a dry sense of humour & an eye for detail as well as thouroughly researched history. It is however the description of this amazing landscape that steals the show. The description of Mt.Nangar Parbat "the true horror of the Himalays" with its 26,000 foot sheer cliff face is mind boggling. This is a must read for anyone interested in mountaineering & its history.