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An enthralling travel book on the Himalayas as
Jonathan Gregson goes in search of the region's often elusive leaders - and
meets with surprising results. Of the numerous Himalayan kingdoms and princely
states that survived until the British left India, only two - Nepal and Bhutan -
are now fully-fledged sovereign states. The others have been annexed or
otherwise 'integrated' into their larger neighbors. Yet in many cases, the royal
family survives and remains the focus of local traditions and loyalties.
Jonathan Gregson has traveled widely throughout the Himalayan region, to Bhutan,
Nepal, Sikkim, Mustang and Dharamsala, in search of their kingly rulers.
Kingdoms Beyond the Clouds is the story of these journeys and of his
conversations with these often elusive leaders - some of whom scarcely ever
grant interviews to outsiders.
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