The Himalayas exert a pull on Western imagination
Few places in the world remain as wrapped in mystery as the Himalayas, a region of high plateaus and soaring mountain ranges at the heart of Asia.
In “Himālaya: Exploring the Roof of the World,” Scottish historian John Keay introduces us to the European explorers who flocked to the region during the colonial era and beyond. They were lured by a romantic idea of summiting peaks, charting rivers, and encountering novel religious and spiritual practices.
These Westerners ventured into one of the most spectacular landscapes on earth, inhabited by an enticing array of cultures. Over a hundred languages are spoken in the region, which is home to Buddhists and Hindus, as well as Islamic sects and
