Illustrated Atlas of the Himalaya (Book)

(Zurich/Pacheco, University Press of Kentucky, 2006)

Book description…

“A sweeping overview of the geography, economics, politics, and culture of this spectacular region, the Illustrated Atlas of the Himalaya is the first full-color, comprehensive atlas of contemporary land and life in the Earth’s highest mountains. Drawing from the authors’ twenty-five years of scholarship and personal experience in the region, the volume contains a stunning and unique collection of informative maps based on state-of-the-art cartography, exquisite photography, and compelling text to give accurate coverage of the Himalaya. The entire 2,700-kilometer length of the range is covered, from the Indus Valley in northern Pakistan and India, across Nepal and Bhutan, to the hidden realms of northeast India. With over 300 artfully produced four-color maps and photographs, the Illustrated Atlas of the Himalaya is an indispensable reference and a superb collector’s volume for anyone interested in the vast mountain panorama that is the Himalaya.”

My thoughts…

Yeah: what they said, up there.

I’ve been climbing into the detailed and beautiful photos and just walking around in them. The maps are equally pretty, though the layout makes it hard to tell which maps relate to which text. The narrative provides a useful overview of geographical facets of Nepal: Part 1, Regional Setting; Part 2, Natural Environment; Part 3, Society; Part 4, Resources & Conservation; Part 5, Exploration & Travel. Compare this with the geography of Nepal published in 1960.