Human Nature

‘An easy, pleasing read, a meandering magic realist travelogue taking us through a changed and changing Himalaya. The narrative winds like the paths the author follows, it flows like the rivers, catching us now and then in an eddy of local myth, a whorl of ancient fable. Yet, deviate as it might, it has a tightness, a to-the-pointness, as Thomas speaks time and again to humanity’s self-reflective view of nature. His message? That we are the reflection, and it imperils us to forget it.’
Daniel Light

‘Equal parts travelogue, nature writing, historical exposé and modern fable, Thomas Bell’s Human Nature is a kaleidoscopic and wonderfully rich exploration of the nature, culture, and sacred and human geographies of the Himalaya in all their complexity.’
Lachlan Fleetwood

‘Walking through Nepal, Thomas Bell takes the natural and human history of the Himalaya in his stride, while braiding together geography, folklore, poetry and personal experiences. In this book we can join him on a meditative and insightful journey. Inspiring!’
Stephen Alter

‘This is a travel book like no other. Four different treks through Nepal’s highly diverse landscape lead to diverse human encounters and provoke deeply informed reflections on the environment and on Nepalese history. Nepal’s mountains, hills, and rivers manage to be magnificent, cruel, rapidly changing, and deeply shaped by human hands, all at the same time. Human Nature is highly recommended for any trekker who wants a deeper understanding of the landscapes they are walking through and of the people they encounter. It will be enjoyed by the armchair traveller as well.’
David N. Gellner

In Human Nature, Thomas Bell embarks on four walks through the Himalaya, each in a different season, to explore the interplay between the land and the people who call it home. This evocative history entwines travelogue with folklore, literature, art and anthropology, offering a nuanced portrait of life over the centuries in one of the world’s most enigmatic regions.

Bell’s decades in Nepal give him an unusual perspective that bridges the gap between insider and outsider. The stories he recounts touch on themes from religion to ecology and political economy, and span from pre-history to the present day. He also deftly examines the impact of British imperialism and the growing external pressures on the environment.

Accompanied by Bell’s striking photographs and maps, Human Nature is a magnificently written account that spans big ideas and real lives. Erudite, intimate and evocative, this is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the relationship between communities and their environments.

Thomas Bell moved to Nepal to cover the civil war there for the Daily Telegraph, The Economist and other publications. He was the Southeast Asia correspondent of the Daily Telegraph before returning to Kathmandu, where he was a political officer for the United Nations during the peace process. His earlier book, Kathmandu, is an acclaimed history of Nepal’s capital.