The Heart of Helambu

"The Heart of Helambu offers an informed and thoughtful voice in autoethnographic literature. The author has created a significant contribution to anthropological literature by utilizing advanced, state-of-the-art research." -- Robert Desjarlais, Department of Anthropology, Sarah Lawrence College "Tom O'Neill's The Heart of Helambu nicely captures lived experiences of social change, migration and globalization in Nepal." -- Sienna Craig, Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College

TheHeart of Helambu is an evocative and touching account of Tom O’Neill's experiences undertaking ethnographic fieldwork in Kathmandu and the Helambu region of Nepal.

Over the course of the last twenty-five years, Tom O’Neill has traveled frequently to Kathmandu and the Helambu region of Nepal to undertake ethnographic fieldwork with the Yolmo business owners and carpet weavers of the area. TheHeart of Helambu is an evocative and touching account of his experiences working in Nepal during those turbulent times.

In his autoethnographic memoir, O’Neill reflects on the complex relationships he developed with his research participants: the carpet weavers, their families, and others in the communities which he studied. A compelling account of ethnographic fieldwork’s personal dimension and the ethical and emotional challenges that come with maintaining relationships across substantial social distances, The Heart of Helambu illustrates an important aspect of anthropological research through O’Neill’s engaging story.