Footloose in the Himalaya

Harding, a British entertainer, is a traveler in the old tradition, drawn to peoples and their cultures, intensely interested in the environment. In this splendid travel-adventure he takes us first to the ancient kingdoms of Zanskar and Ladakh, well off the tourist track in northwest India, an area of fertile valleys and harsh high desert. His second journey, to Nepal, was on assignment to make a film about the effects of deforestation. He found rich material there, as the influx of trekkers is causing destruction: forests are being cleared to provide fuel for heating water for tourists' showers. The book gives us a memorable portrait of the awesome beauty of the countries visited, of environmentally threatened Nepal and of the native populations. Photos. (July)