The Bookseller of Kathmandu is set in two different locations and two time-zones and the inspirations behind the story came from many different sources. Cover for The Bookseller of Kathmandu I’ve wanted to write about Kathmandu since I first travelled to Nepal in 1987 when I was on a long trip round India and Southeast Asia. I was enchanted by Kathmandu, especially the narrow old streets of Thamel and the ancient heart of the city, Durbar Square. Thamel was a maze of pedestri