Living a lifetime in the first foothills of the Himalaya, I sometimes feel like an indigenous species. Born in Landour, a twin of the hill station of Mussoorie, I have spent my days a mile high in the sky. The Himalayan Arc: Journeys East of South-east, an anthology of writings, edited by Namita Gokhake, is a collection of over 25 narratives revolving around these mountains by more than 30 writers. Their stories come far and wide—from Afghanistan in the west to Assam in the northeast. The scale of the Himalaya is immense. The mountains are greater than any other ranges anywhere else in the world. Packed between the book covers are tales of life as it is lived in these mountains. There is poetry, folk tale, lifestyle and politics to bring out the many aspects of the Himalayan arc.