The Royal Ghosts

by Samrat Upadhyay | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0618517499 Global Overview for this book
Registered by ealasaidmae of New Orleans, Louisiana USA on 4/13/2009
Buy from one of these Booksellers:
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14 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by ealasaidmae from New Orleans, Louisiana USA on Monday, April 13, 2009
from the back:

"With emotional precision and narrative subtlety, The Royal Ghosts features characters trying to reconcile their true desires with the forces at work in Nepali society. Against the backdrop of the violent Maoist insurgencies that have claimed thousands of lives, these characters struggle with their duties to their aging parents, an oppressive caste system, and the complexities of arranged marriage. In the end, they manage to find peace and connection, often where they least expect it - with the people directly in front of them. These stories brilliantly examine not only Kathmandu during a time of political crisis and cultural transformation but also the effects of that city on the individual consciousness."

Journal Entry 2 by ealasaidmae from New Orleans, Louisiana USA on Sunday, June 14, 2009
I'm really glad I stumbled on this book. These are good stories, strong characters, good diversity although there's definitely a common theme of family that runs through all of them. They are stories told simply, even though many of them deal with complex situations. I highly recommend this.

Journal Entry 3 by ealasaidmae from New Orleans, Louisiana USA on Sunday, June 14, 2009
IT'S A BOOKRAY


The usual rules apply:

*Journal when you receive the book
*Please try to read the book within a month. If you need more time let me know.
*Journal again when you mail the book.
*Any comments you'd like to leave are happily welcomed!

I will try to accommodate everyone's shipping preferences as much as possible. If you have any concerns or questions about the way the list is going, feel free to contact me and we'll sort it. Please keep in mind that this list is still under construction so I'll be adding people and moving things around for a while yet.

aunt-sophie (Can/US or Can)
NMReader (US/US only)
debnance (US/US only)
bookpatch (US/Int'l)
ApoloniaX (Ger/Int'l)
okyrhoe (Gr/Int'l)
London-Shade (UK/UK only)
turnpages (UK/UK or EU)
chich (Fr/Int'l)
Haugtussa (Nor/Eur only)
Tubereader (Lux/Int'l) <--book is here
Annimanni (Fin/Int'l)

Journal Entry 4 by ealasaidmae at St. Albans, West Virginia USA on Friday, June 26, 2009

Released 14 yrs ago (6/26/2009 UTC) at St. Albans, West Virginia USA

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on its way to aunt-sophie in Canada

Journal Entry 5 by rem_VSP-560485 on Tuesday, July 7, 2009
I received this today! I should start it soon, probably once I'm done with the Haruki Murakami book I am reading... It means that I am visiting Asia from East to West, gradually - Japan, then Nepal... You gotta love reading! ;-)

Journal Entry 6 by rem_VSP-560485 on Sunday, August 9, 2009
These are very simple stories about ordinary people who try to balance their desires and duties within the changing Nepali society, and are about themes such as arranged marriage, ageing parents, homosexuality and the caste system, among other things. These stories examine life in Kathmandu in a time of political crisis and cultural change through episodes from some of its inhabitants’ lives. Very interesting, and the author knows how to make you care about what happens to his characters. I'll definitely look for his novels!

I mailed the book to NMReader last week while I was on holidays in the States.

Journal Entry 7 by NMReader from Herndon, Virginia USA on Saturday, August 22, 2009
Arrived with a whole mountain of other books. Will read ASAP and get on its way to the next participant.

Journal Entry 8 by NMReader from Herndon, Virginia USA on Saturday, September 26, 2009
I thought an update on the status of the book might be appreciated.

The book has moved up to the top of mount tbr. I hope to read as part of the readathon.

Journal Entry 9 by NMReader from Herndon, Virginia USA on Sunday, September 27, 2009
The stories were interesting and well written. I enjoyed them all but wasn't quite what I wanted to read this weekend.

I read the book as part of my readathon.

Journal Entry 10 by NMReader at Albuquerque, New Mexico USA on Sunday, September 27, 2009

Released 14 yrs ago (9/27/2009 UTC) at Albuquerque, New Mexico USA

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Mailed today at my local PO.

Delivery Confirmation # 0308 2690 0000 5977 5799

Journal Entry 11 by debnance from Alvin, Texas USA on Friday, October 2, 2009
The book arrived yesterday. I'm on the last fifty pages of a book so this book is headed for the chute. More later!

Journal Entry 12 by debnance from Alvin, Texas USA on Sunday, October 11, 2009
Two things intrigued me when I saw this book posted at BookCrossing: the Nepal setting and how much the reader loved the book.

Story one left me regretting my decision to join the ring for this book. What? I thought. But then I got into the way the author writes and I liked it. Each story felt like the author had written an entire novel about the characters and then randomly deleted the first fifty and the last hundred and fifty pages.

Abrupt starts and stops. Unfinished narratives. Events, conversations that sounded like they could have been taking place in my small Texas town and then, suddenly, the author throws in a Nepalese festival or food or riot and I realize, Hey, wait, this is not Kansas.

But it turns out that I liked the book a lot. Yes, I’d recommend it.

Journal Entry 13 by wingApoloniaXwing from Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin Germany on Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Received this in the mail just now.
Thanks a lot for shipping international, debnance, and thanks for offering this ray, ealasaidmae!
Will start reading today....

Journal Entry 14 by wingApoloniaXwing from Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin Germany on Monday, November 2, 2009
Basically the stories describe how people – family members and friends – relate to each other.
They are set around the year 2000 and often deal with the political situation, i.e. the Maoist insurgency, human rights, corruption, the death of kind Birendra – or with more “domestic” topics, such as marriage and divorce, homosexuality, adolescence, caste. At first I was a bit disappointed, because the stories kind of simply petered out, no surprising twists or turns or so. But then I enjoyed the glimpses into Nepali life they give. During the 90s I spent some two years in the Kathmandu valley, so when all those familiar place names turned up, the stories really came to life for me.

Journal Entry 15 by wingApoloniaXwing at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada on Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Released 14 yrs ago (11/5/2009 UTC) at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada

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On its way to okyrhoe in Athens!
Enjoy!

Journal Entry 16 by okyrhoe from Athens - Αθήνα, Attica Greece on Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Arrived in Athens! Thanks ealasaidmae for including me in the ray, and ApoloniaX for posting the book to me :-))

Journal Entry 17 by London-Shade on Saturday, December 19, 2009
Many thank Okyrhoe for sending the card and book, looking forward to reading it.

Journal Entry 18 by London-Shade on Tuesday, January 5, 2010
I signed up for this bookray when I was thinking of doing a challenge of reading something from every country, a plan which I since decided was not a wise idea.
I am not a big fan of short stories. I read the first two. The second seemed a bit better than the first, but I found they were too sparse to really keep my attention.I agree with debnance in thinking you were just reading about a small town in Kansas then suddenly Nepal turns up. I don't have ApoloniaX's experience of Nepal to help me conjure up a better sense of the place. Hope future readers enjoy it better.
On its way to you, turnpages, to continue its adventure!

Journal Entry 19 by turnpages from Faversham, Kent United Kingdom on Monday, January 11, 2010
Thank you! The book arrived safely today...

Journal Entry 20 by turnpages from Faversham, Kent United Kingdom on Saturday, January 16, 2010
So. I've now given up.
I've read through approx. 2/3 of the book and I was really trying to get into the stories, but like other readers I'm finding it really hard.
I was keen on this book as I thought it would help me learn about writing short stories and about Asian culture at the same time. However, the Asian culture doesn't seem to be developed enough and the short stories don't seem to have any dramatic development. So, I'm sorry, but this book will move on....
Thank you for having organised this RAY and for having sent it on to me though!

Journal Entry 21 by turnpages at on Thursday, January 21, 2010

Released 14 yrs ago (1/20/2010 UTC) at

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Travelling to the next reader!

Journal Entry 22 by chich from Ibiza - Sant Antoni de Portmany, Illes Balears/Islas Baleares Spain on Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Book received today, thanks for passing it on turnpages & thanks for hosting the ray ealasaidmae:)

I'll finish the book I'm reading right now and will get right on to this one!

Journal Entry 23 by chich from Ibiza - Sant Antoni de Portmany, Illes Balears/Islas Baleares Spain on Monday, February 8, 2010
When I signed up for this ray I thought this was a novel and not a collection of short stories. It was probably mentioned in the book description but I guess I didn't pay enough attention;) I've never liked short stories and even though I did enjoy Samrat Upadhyay's writing style, this book just wasn't for me.

Thanks for sharing ealasaidmae!

I'll send the book to Haugtussa as soon as she gives me her address.


Journal Entry 24 by chich at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada on Monday, February 8, 2010

Released 14 yrs ago (2/8/2010 UTC) at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada

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Sent to Haugtussa today, enjoy:)

Journal Entry 25 by wingHaugtussawing from Stavanger, Rogaland fylke Norway on Thursday, February 11, 2010
The book arrived today, together with two other rays! Why do this always happen?

Journal Entry 26 by wingHaugtussawing from Stavanger, Rogaland fylke Norway on Thursday, March 11, 2010
I like the book & I like short stories (as long as I remember not to devour them, but to have some time/days between each one).
I liked the small glimpses the stories gave me of life in Nepal, a country that is quite high on my list over places I want to go!

So thank you for including me, and I'll let the book move on as soon as possible.

Journal Entry 27 by Tubereader from Lenningen / Lenneng, Kanton Remich Luxembourg on Friday, March 26, 2010
I received the book last Tuesday (thanks Haugtussa for sending it through!) when I was heading for a business trip, so I took it with me and, by today (Friday) I have finished it!

Short stories are usually not my cup of tea, but I have enjoyed this book very much. I've liked Upadhyay's writting (guess I will be trying to find his novel...) and I found interesting to learn a bit more about Nepal. I am surprised at some of the earlier readers comments saying that they do not see much of Asia in the book or that it looks like the US to them... for me, there is a lot of Asia in it (arranged marriages, the relation with the family, etc)... but perhaps it is just my perception...

I've ticked off another country in the list of the Olympic challenge so than you ealasaidmae for sharing this beautiful book!

I already have Annimanni's address and need to post another ring to them, so will send shortly.

Journal Entry 28 by Tubereader at Luxembourg / Lëtzebuerg, Kanton Luxemburg Luxembourg on Monday, March 29, 2010

Released 14 yrs ago (3/27/2010 UTC) at Luxembourg / Lëtzebuerg, Kanton Luxemburg Luxembourg

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The book was posted to Annimanni on Saturday along with another ray that was heading her way too.

Happy reading!

Journal Entry 29 by Annimanni from Espoo, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Received with thanks :) This book is #3 in my tbr pile.

Journal Entry 30 by Annimanni from Espoo, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Friday, May 7, 2010
First of all, my apologies for taking over a month to read the book. I'm a bit behind in my reading, thanks mainly to my one-year-old son... :)

That said, thank you very much for sharing this book, ealasaidmae! I enjoyed it very much, even more so than I thought beforehand. I even think I'm beginning to like short stories, thanks to quite a few collections I've read through Bookcrossing and enjoyed.

With this collection, I had my doubts in the beginning, as the first story felt a bit clumsy and awkward - but then the writer's style grabbed me and I got sucked in, enjoying having a chance to peek into the changing Nepalese society. I think Upadhyay managed to bring his characters to life even though he had to develop each story in only a couple of dozen pages. I now might want to read his other books too.

As I was the last in the ray, I'm going to take this book to the next regular BC meeting in Helsinki next week. Hopefully it finds a new reader there!

Journal Entry 31 by CandyDarling from Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Tuesday, May 11, 2010
I picked up this book from our bookcrossing meeting today. I'm glad I found a book from Nepal for my "read a book from every country" challenge.

Journal Entry 32 by CandyDarling at Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Sunday, July 8, 2012

Released 11 yrs ago (7/10/2012 UTC) at Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland

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Giving this book to a fellow bookcrosser. Hope you enjoy it!

Journal Entry 33 by LaPitchoune at Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Pre-orderd from CandyDarling. I want to read this as part of a cultural BC challenge. Thanks!

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