From the Holy Mountain

William Dalrymple’s first book, ‘In Xanadu’, won the Yorkshire Post Best First Work Award. His second, ‘City of Djinns’, won the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award and the Sunday Times Young British Writer of the Year Award. His third, ‘From the Holy Mountain’, was awarded the Scottish Arts Council Autumn Book Award and shortlisted for the Duff Cooper Prize and the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award. He has also published a collection of his pieces about India, ‘The Age of Kali’, and three history books: ‘White Mughals’, which won the Wolfson Prize, ‘The Last Mughal’, which won the Duff Cooper Prize, and ‘Nine Lives’, which won the Asia House Literary Award.

‘Compulsively readable.’ John Julius Norwich, Observer‘Everything a really good travel book should be: witty, learned and also very funny.’ Eric Newby‘Any travel writer who is so good at his job as to be brilliant, applauded, loved and needed has to have an unusual list of qualities, and William Dalrymple has them all in aces. Dalrymple’s ear for conversation is as good as Alan Bennett’s. The best and most unexpected book I have read since I forget when.’ Peter Levi‘A rich stew of history and travel narrative spiced with anecdote, opinion and bon mots…The future of travel literature lies in the hands of gifted authors like Dalrymple who shine their torches into the shadowy hinterland of the human story – the most foreign territory of all.’ Independent‘Dalrymple stands out as one of our most talented travel writers. Energetic, thoughtful, curious and courageous.’ Sunday Times‘William Dalrymple has effortlessly assumed the mantle of Robert Byron and Patrick Leigh Fermor.’ Guardian‘A splendid, effective and impressive book.’ Financial Times