Among Flowers: A Walk in the Himalaya
by Jamaica Kincaid
Overview
From Bookcloseouts.com
Anyone familiar with Jamaica Kincaid's work knows that the natural world and, in particular, plants and gardening are especially close to her heart. Along with such acclaimed novels as Annie John and Lucy, she's also the author of My Garden (Book), a collection of essays. Now, in this travel memoir, she invites us to accompany her on a seed-gathering trek in the Himalayas. For Kincaid and three botanist friends, Nepal is a paradise, a place where a single day's hike can traverse climate zones from subtropical to alpine, encompassing flora suitable for growing in their home grounds from Wales to Vermont. And as she makes clear, there is far more to this foreign world than rhododendrons that grow thirty feet high. Danger too is a constant companion - and the leeches are the least of the worries. For along with the narrow paths that skirt vertiginous drops, these mountains are haunted by Maoist guerillas, and when they appear - as they do more than once - their enigmatic menace lingers long after they have melted away into the landscape. And Kincaid explores the irony of her status as memsahib with Sherpas and bearers - and understands that the liberating, exotic pleasures of travel are inextricably intertwined with the everyday pleasures of home and family.
My thoughts
After the intense safari book I just read, I thought a gentle change-of-pace was in order so I picked up Among the Flowers. Previous to this book, I'd read about guerilla fighters in Burma, then encountered guerilla fighters in the safari book -- I'd had enough of guerillas!
Imagine my surprise when the author encountered Maoist guerillas in this book on the Himalayas! Aaaauuuggghh!
I will say though that the book didn't have the violence of the previous two books, and for the most part it was a gentle, relaxing read. The author writes in a style of prose, very sing-songy, and oddly enough I found myself thinking in that sing-songy style after reading a few chapters!
I don't know that this book will appeal to a wide audience but I think those of you who enjoy gardening or traveling or trekking or just the slower pace of life will enjoy this book. I'm hesitant to give it three stars because I don't think it will have wide appeal, but I am giving it three stars because it was a nice change of pace and I really enjoyed it. The author's different writing style was refreshing, and I enjoyed the way she viewed her travels.
Favorite Passage
Two things happened as I was sitting inside by the fire drinking my beer: A beautiful woman, with naturally glossed, long black hair, saw my own braided-into-cornrow hair and she found it so appealing that she came and sat beside me to touch my hair. She picked up my long plaits and turned them over and over, and using gestures, she asked if I could make her own hair look like mine. I did not know how to tell her that my hairdo, which she liked so much, was made possible by weaving into my own hair the real hair of a women from a part of the world that was quite like her own. And then when the rain came, Dan had gone to make sure that all our things were protected from getting wet. When he returned, I noticed a big, dull maroon-colored spot on his calf. I thought it was a peculiar bruise, but it was a leech enjoying life on Dan's leg. We all shuddered, Napalese and visitors alike, with varying intensity, at the sight of it.
The rain continued through dinner. Our dining tent leaked. We sat at our table, set with knife, fork, spoon and paper napkin, and kept shifting around to avoid the water coming through our tent, eating by candlelight when from outside came the sounds of digging; it was our Sherpas making trenches that would guide the water away from our sleeping tents. It was so kind, so considerate. I had not thought of the possibility of drowning in my sleeping bag while traveling in the Himalaya.
