Overview

The riveting story behind the murder of the Nepalese royal family, Love and Death in Kathmandu is also a stunningly evocative travel book On 1 June 2001, the heir to the Nepalese throne, Crown Prince Dipendra, donned military fatigues, armed himself with four guns and walked in on a quiet family gathering. Without speaking, he mowed his family down before turning a pistol on himself. While Nepal has been a mecca for trekkers and tourists for fifty years, very few discover what is really going on in this beautiful kingdom tucked into the shadows of Himalayas. In fact it's one of the poorest countries in the world, with a very conservative royal family, and a serious Maoist revolution being fought throughout the countryside in the last few years. Two award-winning journalists have conducted exhaustive interviews with everyone from Maoist guerrillas to members of the royal family, gaining insights into the events behind the massacre. At the heart of the story is the love affair between Crown Prince Dipendra and the beautiful aristocrat, Devyani Rani, that he was forbidden to marry. This fascinating book not only gives a remarkable portrait of modern Nepal but also investigates an extraordinary, colourful crime that took place in a city that looks more in keeping with the fourteenth, than the twenty-first, century.

Full Product Details

9781844135585

Table of Contents

Reviews

a fascinating portrayal * Good Book Guide * a riverting account of an incredible crime in an incredible country * Traveller *

On 1 June 2001, the heir to the Nepalese throne, Crown Prince Dipendra, opened fire with an automatic rifle inside the royal palace, killing most of his family. The prince then fatally shot himself. Out of the massacre emerged the story of a tragic love affair between Dipendra and the beautiful aristocrat, Devyani Rana, who he was forbidden to marry. Sharing the world's fascination with the crime, award-winning Australian journalists, Amy Willesee and Mark Whittaker, travelled to Nepal to try to understand what sort of society could give rise to such a situation. While Nepal has been a mecca for travellers for fifty years, very few gain a deep understanding of this beautiful kingdom tucked into the shadows of Himalayas. Willesee and Whittaker manage to get beneath the surface and produce a fascinating portrayal of a society caught between the traditions of the 14th century and efforts to modernise; where astrologers predict the future and Maoists wage class war; and where spiritual satisfaction is no longer enough for a poverty struck population. (Kirkus UK)

a riverting account of an incredible crime in an incredible country Traveller 20040507 a fascinating portrayal Good Book Guide 20040723

Author Information

Amy Willesee and Mark Whittaker are the authors of The Road to Mount Buggery, winner of the 2002 Asia-Pacific Travel Writing Award. Mark is also the co-author of the acclaimed Sins of the Brother- the Definitive Story of Ivan Milat and the Backpacker Murders. They live in Sydney.

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