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 Not perfect, but I'm glad I bought it. Jul 02, 2010
Before I received this book, I was concerned that it would just be another book of icy Himalayan peaks. I wanted a book on the culture, villages and valleys of this majestic mountain range. In this case, I was not disappointed: this book delivers!!!
I did find it annoying, however, that the author appears posing in a large percentage of the photographs. I thought that was kind of odd. But what do you expect from someone with a last name of "Palin"?
Bottom line, this book is not perfect (few are), but I'm glad I bought it. I would have given it 4 and 1/2 stars if I could.
9 of 10 found the following review helpful:
 Beautiful and interesting book about a fantastic trip Apr 17, 2006
"Himalaya" is a book written by Michael Palin as an alternative account of a trip that was filmed and first shown as a TV program on BBC TV. (This program has also been shown on many other TV stations, and is now available on DVD.) In addition to the text in the book there are many beautiful pictures by Basil Pao, the stills photographer who accompanied the BBC team on the trip.
This was a very interesting trip in beautiful and exciting places. Many countries around the Himalayan Mountains were visited, some of them well off the tourist track and some of them with security problems such that the team needed armed guards. Specifically, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Tibet, China, Nagaland, Assam, Bhutan and Bangladesh were visited. A total of 3000 miles was traveled during 125 days (6 months), and many beautiful and exciting images, encounters and interviews resulted.
High points (ha, ha) of the trip include several treks on foot up into the mountains, visiting the Dalai Lama, milking a yak, talking to a retired headhunter, buying booze in Pakistan, having an almost-encounter with Maoists in Nepal, watching bull racing and no-rules polo, and giving an elephant a rub-down. There are also many interesting encounters and interviews with local people who are special in one way or another.
In my review of the DVD version of "Himalaya" I complained that the program wasn't really about Michael Palin's trip, as such, but was simply a string of encounters and events that made "good TV". The program ignored the travel aspect almost completely, and jumped from place to place in search of the images and people that the TV viewers would find exciting.
The book version of "Himalaya" is a more complete account of the trip, including a lot of material that was skipped in the TV program, and some experiences not even included in the extra material on the DVDs.
But still, the book account of the trip is not really a day-by-day account of the trip either. For example, I'd like to know what happened on "day 6" and "day 11", etc. These days are simply not mentioned in the book.
One nice thing about the book, as compared to the TV program on DVD, is that Michael Palin's personal opinions are more evident, as is his enjoyment of traveling and experiencing new people and places. There is more of a "personal touch" to the book, and his wit and charm make it very readable and enjoyable. Michael also writes candidly about the health problems he experienced and the reservations he had about travel in the places where there were security problems. All of which makes the book better than the DVD version in my opinion.
Finally, a note about the audio versions of this book. There are both abridged (6 hour) and unabridged (11 1/2 hour) versions in existence, and some resellers are selling the abridged version as unabridged, so beware. Michael Palin himself reads both versions, and he does a great job.
Highly recommended.
Rennie Petersen
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
A Lively Travelogue Mar 04, 2006
This book accompanying the TV series DVD is a beautiful account which I enjoyed thoroughly.
The author's journey along the crest of the Himalaya, eastward starting from Khyber Pass on the Afghan-Pak border, through India and Nepal, into the Tibetan plateau, then onto India's Northeast Frontier and finally down into the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta in Bangladesh definitely calls for a look at this interesting part of the globe.
The book is embellished with amazing photographs which capture not only the grand landscape but also the life and spirit of the land. Palin and his team have done well in connecting with the people, which to me was one of the highlights of the book.
And if you like a sprinkling of British humour, Michael Palin will surely add more than a smile to your countenance.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
A captivating experience, and "must-read" for anyone planning to climb dangerous or potentially fatal peaks Dec 08, 2005
Compiled from the diaries of Michael Palin's extraordinary journey, and read by the author, Himalaya is the unabridged audiobook chronicle of Palin's personal determination to climb the full length of the Himalaya including the Khyber Pass, the valleys of the Hindu Kush, the ancient cities Peshawar and Lahore, and the peaks including K2, Annapurna and Everest. Altitudes as high as 17,500 feet, some of the world's deepest gorges, and the background threat of strife in political hotspots such as terrorism-plagued Kashmir were among the many hardships and risks Palin confronted in his expedition. His story tells of natural wonders and daily life, civilizations in the shadow of a global landmark, joy and suffering in a casual, easygoing manner that will nonetheless enthrall the listener. A captivating experience, and "must-read" for anyone planning to climb dangerous or potentially fatal peaks, Himalaya is surely the next best thing to personally being there. Consisting of 9 CDs with a total running time of 11 hours 32 min, Himalayan is especially recommended for library collections.
2 of 4 found the following review helpful:
a MUST for armchair mountaineers (and Palin lovers) Sep 20, 2005
this is a beautiful book that provides background information and MORE for Palin's Himalaya TV series (also wonderful) :)
I usually buy used, but couldn't wait for this book (or the DVDs of the series).
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