AT CLOSE RANGE

A reader’s guide to the ‘roof of the world’

HIMALAYA: A Human History by Ed Douglas

BODLEY HEAD `799; 592 pages

There is very little that Ed Douglas leaves out in this comprehensive history of the Himalaya, but by repeatedly zooming in on the Himalayan people, he narrates a story of resilience we only seldom hear.

MOUNTAIN TEMPLES & TEMPLE MOUNTAINS: Architecture, Religion, and Nature in the Central Himalayas by Nachiket Chanchani

NIYOGI BOOKS `1,600; 284 pages

Given the Ganga’s unabating relevance in the Hindu pantheon, the river’s Himalayan source is understandably venerated. Chanchani’s book shows us how faith can even move mountains.

INTO THE HEART OF THE HIMALAYAS by Jono Lineen

SPEAKING TIGER `499; 336 pages

To cope with the tragic loss of his brother, Jono Lineen trekked across 2,700 km of the Himalaya. His encounters with Pakistani army men, Tibetan lamas and Hindu sadhus all make this memoir absorbing.