Against a Peacock Sky - Two years in the life of a Nepalese village

Monica Connell

Summary

For two years in the early 1980s, Monica Connell lived as a paying guest of Kalchu and Chola in the Nepalese village of Talphi. Gradually she was accepted as a member of the family, sharing its joys and sorrows as well as taking part in its various tasks, from mud plastering the house to rice planting in the terraced fields. The village, in the Jumla region of western Nepal, was ten days' walk from the nearest road, and its only contact with the outside world was through trading expeditions: north to Tibet for salt, and south to the Indian border for cotton and metalware. Connell vividly shares her experience of this remote way of life, and describes the dramas of village life with empathy and a sense of wonder- a boar hunt in winter, the wedding of a young neighbour and the magic of the full moon festival, when the gods descend to dance amongst the villagers.

Available since: 08/15/2014.

Print length: 208 pages.

Other books that might interest you

New York Hörbuch auf Englisch -...

Reinhard Kober

Reisehörbuch über New York auf EnglischEin akustische Stadtporträt auf Englisch; Folgen Sie Ihren Ohren und machen Sie Entdeckungen in der Metropole der Individualisten: Pernell Thomas erzählt Geschichten vom Broadway, ein russischer Taxifahrer erinnert sich an seine erste Morgenschicht, und Vivek beschreibt seinen Lieblingsjazzclub. Der Stadtführer zum Sprachen lernen: Mit vielen Interviews, Musik und den typischen Geräuschen der Stadt! Für Anfänger mit guten Grundkenntnissen und Fortgeschrittene.

Show book

Ancient Greece’s Most Famous...

Charles River Editors

In ancient Greece, “no other practice was so universal than the consultation of oracles.” These holy sites were found in 260 locations around the Greek-speaking world, and they were considered the “most satisfactory means of ascertaining the future.” These sanctuaries were “set apart from the profane, ordinary world” and were in the beginning restricted to natural locations where the divine was thought to be “especially present.” They were set aside for special spiritual functions, and a state of purity was generally required of its participants. A historical tendency toward providing haven for criminals was based on the fear of shedding blood in a holy place, and the “fear that the evil magic would emanate from his curse.” 
The Oracle of Delphi was one of the greatest religious institutions in Greece and one which played a significant role not only in the formation and collective decisions of Hellenic localities and city-states but also in the personal lives of Greeks known and unknown. The site was dedicated to the god Apollo, and the Greeks believed the god spoke his oracles through his prophetess known as the Pythia. The judgments and decisions rendered by the oracle were so important to the Greeks that they often put them above all other interests, even security threats posed by the likes of the Persians, and Delphi was popular even amongst outsiders. Many authors of antiquity mention the oracle for one reason or another, and there even survive epigraphic collections that preserve the god’s words on stone. 
The Oracle of Dodona was the oldest of all, and it was one of the few dedicated to Zeus and his consort goddess Dione. The oracular utterances heard at the oracles are generally referred to as “smokiness” in Greek, but at Dodona, the answers came in natural sounds and other peripheral phenomena.

Show book

Patos Island Lighthouse

Edrie Vinson

Since 1893, a light has been shining from Patos Island, the northernmost island in Puget Sound. Built to guide ships through treacherous waters, the lighthouse was also a happy home for many, including Edward Durgan and his family in the early 1900s. Boundary waters smugglers and rumrunners once visited the island to stash their contraband, and it was a front-line guard for the nation during World War II. Manned for eighty-one years by the U.S. government, the light was automated in 1974 and is now maintained by the Coast Guard. Join authors Edrie Vinson and Terri Vinson, members of the Keepers of the Patos Light, as they explore the history of this unique Washington landmark.

Show book

Clifty Falls State Park -...

Paul Wonning

Clifty Falls Indiana State Park offers visitors excellent hiking, camping, picnicking opportunities as well as serving as a gateway to historic Madison and Jefferson County. 
Hiking 
Hikers will find almost 15 miles of hiking trails ranging from rugged to easy. Hike along the rugged Clifty Creek canyon, enjoy delightful woodland wildflowers and bask in the fragrant woodlands. 
Camping 
Clifty Fallls State Park campgrounds offer visitors several different camping experiences ranging from modern electric campsites, primitive camping and youth campground facilities. 
Waterfalls 
Enjoy the four waterfalls in the park, from majestic Clifty Falls to Little Clifty, Tunnel and Hoffman Falls. 
Madison - Jefferson County 
Madison, in Jefferson County, Indiana is one of Indiana's oldest towns and has oodles of historic sites for visitors to learn the fascinating history of this charming town on the Ohio River. The book Clifty Falls State Park can serve as your tourism guide for Madison and Jefferson County.

Show book

Batty's Bush Bible - How to do...

David Batty

From the director of the wildly popular Bush Mechanics and Black As - a can-do guide for your next outback adventure filled with practical advice, ripper yarns and road-trip tips.

Driving around Australia is one of life's biggest adventures, if you're crazy enough to do it. But as anyone who has broken down on the Nullarbor can attest, it's nerve-wracking to head out into the big red.
David Batty knows how to get out of hairy situations because he's wound up in a bunch himself. From nearly being washed away by flash floods in the Kimberley to being marooned on an island in the Top End eating stingray, Batty's Bush Bible is chock-full of yarns from David's four decades as a film director in the most remote regions of Australia. He has lived in Alice Springs and Broome longer than he has in the Big Smoke, has traversed the Tanami Track between Alice Springs and Darwin hundreds of times and reckons he's done more laps of Australia than a Qantas plane.
This book also contains the wisdom of many of the First Nations people he has worked with throughout his career, including interviews with the original Bush Mechanics and Black As boys. You'll find out how they stuff blown tyres with spinifex, fashion mulga wood into gear sticks and keep cars going long after their used-by date - and learn how to have a whirl yourself.
Batty's Bush Bible is your guide to going bush and living to tell the tale. Filled with practical advice, ripper yarns and road-trip tips, it's designed to be picked up, put down, tossed in the glove box or, if you really need it, used for kindling to cook your tailgate dinner. So whether you're a grey nomad, living your best #vanlife or just looking to do a bit of imaginative armchair tourism, this book is your bible for how to stay out of trouble in the outback - and make your own.
HarperCollins Australia 2024

Show book

1001 Cycling Tips - The...

Hannah Reynolds

1001 Cycling Tips by Hannah Reynolds is a light-hearted and informative guide to all kinds of cycling.
This is no standard instruction manual – it is much more useful than that. This is a huge collection of small tips to make a real difference to your cycling, whether you're into road cycling, mountain biking, have an ebike, gravel bike or commute to work on your bike – this book will take you through everything you need to know.
The vast range of topics covered includes everything from choosing your bike, the essential kit and clothing you'll need and navigation to fitness, nutrition, bike maintenance at home and on the road, and travelling with your bike. Hannah's no-nonsense advice and vast knowledge base will ensure that you have the right tools to enjoy your cycling and achieve your goals, whether you want to race, climb huge mountains or enjoy days out on two wheels with the family.

Show book