The free book released this month under SearchKashmir Free Book project is not just about Kashmir, it is about experiences of a World War Two era British soldier whose travels took him to the hills and the seas. It is about places you could easily visit before the modern world grappling with aftermath of a war, altered and redefined concept of places.
Blurb for Tom Ashley Lakeman ‘Of Hills’ (1944) explains this beautiful book of verses and its purpose quite well:
‘Of Sea and land, of Hills, of Loving Times’
To those who make the journey —
The photographs, verse and descriptions are to bring places near or to take readers far – at thought speed.
To the man from the hills by the Afghan border— on the cover – then glimpse of Kashmir; to Battlesbury on the steep western edge of Salisbury Plain. To Kashmir again — from Srinagar to Haramukh — then homeward to the cliffs of Devon.
To the Deosai Plains, not far from the Roof of the World, to India in England, to children, to the Indian forest, by Delhi, through the Red Sea to Malta, ending with Pir Guhl and the man from the hills.The book was formed when a holiday was needed and it is hoped that others too will find holiday in these pages. May this book help, in some small way, the National Trust. After the war, what profit there is from the book will go gladly to help the Trust ; during the war it will be sent to the Royal Tank Regiment Prisoners of War Fund — for those who cannot yet see our shores.
In 1945, the books had a sequel. To be uploaded next month…
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Thank you. Dinesh