All Roads Lead North
{{Short description|2021 non-fiction book by Amish Raj Mulmi}}
{{Infobox book
| name = All Roads Lead North: Nepal's Turn to China
| author = Amish Raj Mulmi
| language = English
| country = Nepal, India
| genre = Political, geopolitical
| published = 2021 (Westland Books) (English)
| publisher = Westland Books (India)
Hurst Publishers (USA)
Oxford University Press (UK)
| isbn = 9789390679096
| pages = 320
| media_type = Print
| image = All Roads Lead North.jpg
| caption = Cover page of the 1st edition
| subject = Nepal's relationship with China
| pub_date = 15 March 2021
}}
All Roads Lead North: Nepal's Turn to China is a 2021 non-fiction book by journalist Amish Raj Mulmi. It was published on 15 March 2021 by Context (an imprint of Westland Books), and published by Hurst Publishers and Oxford University Press in the UK and US respectively as All Roads Lead North: China, Nepal and the Contest for the Himalayas.{{Cite web|last=Shakya|first=Sujeev|title=It is about time a clear-eyed book locating Nepal in the context of China and India was written|url=https://scroll.in/article/993150/it-is-about-time-a-clear-eyed-book-locating-nepal-in-the-context-of-china-and-india-was-written|access-date=2021-11-04|website=Scroll.in|date=24 April 2021 |language=en-US}}{{cite web | url=https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/all-roads-lead-north/ | title=All Roads Lead North | Hurst Publishers }}{{cite book | url=https://global-oup-com.eres.qnl.qa/academic/product/all-roads-lead-north-9780197645994?cc=us&lang=en& | isbn=978-0-19-764599-4 | title=All Roads Lead North: China, Nepal and the Contest for the Himalayas | date=May 2022 | publisher=Oxford University Press }} It was chosen among The Guardian's 'Books that explain the world' in 2021.{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/dec/15/books-explain-world-guardian-writers-share-best-nonfiction-reads-2021 | title=Books that explain the world: Guardian writers share their best nonfiction reads of the year | website=TheGuardian.com | date=15 December 2021 }}
The book explores the geopolitical relationship of Nepal with its two neighbors, China and India.{{Cite news|last=Bhattacherjee|first=Kallol|date=2021-05-29|title='All Roads Lead North: Nepal's Turn to China' review: Nepal's links with China|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/all-roads-lead-north-nepals-turn-to-china-review-nepals-links-with-china/article34666501.ece|access-date=2021-11-04|issn=0971-751X}}{{Cite web|last=@therecord|title=The view from halfway down - The Record|url=https://www.recordnepal.com/the-view-from-halfway-down|access-date=2021-12-01|website=www.recordnepal.com|language=English}}
Synopsis
The book studies and analyzes the eroding relationship of Nepal with India and the budding relationship with China. While the Indian media and political figures have blamed and criticized Nepal for increasing closeness with China, the book shows and explains the historical relationship between China and Nepal, and Tibet and Nepal. The book shows how trans-Himalayan trade and Buddhism shaped relations between Tibet and Nepal since the 7th century. It talks about the impact of Chinese development on Himalayan communities, and portrays the complex story of China’s influence in Nepal.{{Cite news|last=Morch|first=Maximillian|date=2021-04-14|title=All Roads Lead North: Nepal's Turn to China" by Amish Raj Mulmi|work=Asian Review of Books|url=https://asianreviewofbooks.com/content/all-roads-lead-north-nepals-turn-to-china-by-amish-raj-mulmi/|access-date=2021-12-01}} The 2015 Nepal blockade was one of the major turning points of the changing equation of the diplomatic ties of Nepal with its neighbors. Also, the Kalapani territory dispute further damaged the Indo-Nepal relationship.{{Cite news|last=Saran|first=Shyam|date=2021-03-22|title=Nepal's uneasy balancing act|work=Business Standard India|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/nepal-s-uneasy-balancing-act-121032201498_1.html|access-date=2021-12-01}}
Reception
Former Indian foreign secretary Shyam Saran called the book "a finely grained narrative".{{Cite news|last=Saran|first=Shyam|date=2021-03-22|title=Nepal's uneasy balancing act|work=Business Standard India|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/nepal-s-uneasy-balancing-act-121032201498_1.html|access-date=2021-12-01|quote=In his book All Roads Lead North, Amish Raj Mulmi presents a finely grained narrative of China’s increasingly insistent imprint on Nepal’s political and economic landscape, placing it within a broader historical and cultural context.}} Former Indian ambassador to Nepal M.S. Puri has written that the book is "strongly grounded his work in the historical and societal dynamics around Nepal’s northern areas".{{cite web | url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/up-front/story/20210329-a-turbulent-triangle-1781497-2021-03-21 | title=A Turbulent Triangle }}The Asian Review of Books said the book is "a concise modern history of the complicated triangle of Nepal, China and India relations and how a focus on one of Nepal’s neighbors always needs to factor in the other."{{Cite news|last=Morch|first=Maximillian|date=2021-04-14|title=All Roads Lead North: Nepal's Turn to China" by Amish Raj Mulmi|work=Asian Review of Books|url=https://asianreviewofbooks.com/content/all-roads-lead-north-nepals-turn-to-china-by-amish-raj-mulmi/|access-date=2021-12-01}} Biswas Baral of The Annapurna Post praised the book and said "the book will be read by generations to come, by scholars and non-scholars alike".{{Cite web|last=Baral|first=Biswas|date=2021-04-16|title=Book Review {{!}} The long view of Nepal-China ties|url=https://theannapurnaexpress.com/news/diplomatic-license-the-long-view-of-nepal-china-ties-3154|access-date=2021-11-04|website=The Annapurna Express|language=en|quote=For its deep scholarship, ease of reading, and a historical perspective of Nepal-China relations, the book will be read by generations to come, by scholars and non-scholars alike.}} Kallol Bhattacherjee of The Hindu called it a "a must-read to understand India-Nepal ties".{{Cite news|last=Bhattacherjee|first=Kallol|date=2021-05-29|title='All Roads Lead North: Nepal's Turn to China' review: Nepal's links with China|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/all-roads-lead-north-nepals-turn-to-china-review-nepals-links-with-china/article34666501.ece|access-date=2021-12-25|issn=0971-751X}} Anand K Sahay described the book as "a well worth a read to better understand Beijing’s ways" in his review for the Deccan Chronicle.{{Cite web|last=Sahay|first=Anand K.|date=2021-06-21|title=Book review {{!}} All Roads Lead North|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/books-and-art/210621/book-review-all-roads-lead-north.html|access-date=2021-12-01|website=Deccan Chronicle|language=en|quote=The author’s first book is well worth a read to better understand Beijing’s ways.}} Maj Gen Ashok K Mehta (Retd.) in his review for The Tribune (Chandigarh) called the book a "must read".{{Cite web|last=Service|first=Tribune News|title=An enamoured Kathmandu looks towards China|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/reviews/story/an-enamoured-kathmandu-looks-towards-china-243795|access-date=2021-12-01|website=Tribuneindia News Service|language=en}}