Well known as a writer of ''passion and conviction'' (
New York Times), bestselling author Jamaica Kincaid offers her many readers a new and dramatic travel memoir of her journey into the Himalaya.
Among Flowers begins with Kincaid's laborious preparations for the trek, with a small group of botanists intent on collecting ''beautiful plants native to the Himalaya that will grow happily in Vermont or somewhere like that.'' While the group does not expect an easy journey, little do they know the adventures that await them. As they alight from the plane in the Annapurna Valley, they are met by Maoist guerrillas in camouflage fatigues—an occurrence that is repeated with alarming regularity during the course of the three-week trip. The group sets off into the mountains with Sherpas and bearers, crossing spectacular landscapes, Nepalese villages, and herds of yaks. In cool and elegant prose, Kincaid intertwines the harrowing Maoist encounters with botanical discoveries, fascinating daily details of the trip, and lyrical musings on gardens, nature, home, and family.
Combining beautiful introspective prose with closely observed, down-to-earth description, Among Flowers: A Walk in the Himalaya is a rich and entertaining travel memoir from one of the most distinctive and striking voices writing today.
