In Inside Nepal, Jeevnathan, head of the Eastern Service Bureau (ESB) of India's external intelligence agency, has been charged by the Agency's headquarters with overseeing the closure of the Bureau. In the shadowy world of intelligence operations, the line between right and wrong, good and bad can often become blurred. Presented with the opportunity to redeem the Bureau, Jeevnathan launches a series of audacious operations aimed at securing India's interests vis-a-vis Nepal. In The Walk-In, Jeevnathan, head of the Dhaka unit of India's external intelligence agency, is taken completely by surprise when a young man walks boldly into his office and declares his intention of serving as a source for Jeevnathan. Espionage is a risky business and sources are recruited with great care to minimize the risk of exposure. Is he a mole? Yet he never pushs Jeevnathan for sensitive information. Is he in it for the money? Yet he has never demanded any. So who and what is he, and why was he so keen on helping Jeevnathan? Soon to be a major motion picture by Vishal Bhardwaj, this double-bill of pacey thrillers highlighting the exploits of India's intelligence agency will have your pulse racing.

What does it mean to bring progress—schools, electricity, roads, running water—to paradise? Can our consumer culture and desire to “do good” really be good for a community that has survived contentedly for centuries without us? In October 2008, climbing expedition leader and attorney, Jeffrey Rasley, led a trek to a village in a remote valley in the Solu region of Nepal named Basa. His group of three adventurers was only the third group of white people ever seen in this village of subsistence farmers. What he found was a people thoroughly unaffected by Western consumer-culture values. They had no running water, electricity, or anything that moves on wheels. Each family lived in a beautiful, hand-chiseled stone house with a flower garden. Beyond what they already had, it seemed all they wanted was education for the children. He helped them finish a school building already in progress, and then they asked for help getting electricity to their village. Bringing Progress to Paradise describes Rasley’s transformation from adventurer to committed philanthropist. We are attracted to the simpler way of life in these communities, and we are changed by our experience of it. They are attracted to us, because we bring economic benefits. Bringing Progress to Paradise offers Rasley’s critical reflection on the tangled relationship between tourists and locals in “exotic” locales and the effect of Western values on some of the most remote locations on earth.

Includes Simon & Schuster reading group guide.

Rory Stewart recounts the experiences he had walking across Afghanistan in 2002, describing how the country and its people have been impacted by the Taliban and the American military's involvement in the region.

Welcome to Chitwan National Park! As big as 1,78,000 football fields, Nepal's first protected national park is home to over 550 species of birds; awe-inspiring animals, such as greater one-horned rhinoceroses, Bengal tigers, clouded leopards; and a confident, brave girl called Sita. Sita dreams of being a nature guide like her baba. With a spring in her step and a group of eager tourists, she unravels the secrets of the forest. But when she wanders astray and comes face to face with a mamma rhino, will this eight-year-old be able to listen to the stillness of the jungle? Join this young Nepali as she takes you on a tour of the magnificent UNESCO World Heritage Site. THERE'S MORE! 1. An exclusive interview with Doma Paudel, the first female nature guide in Nepal 2. In-depth information on Chitwan's flora and fauna 3. The low-down on Nepal's remarkable wildlife conservation efforts 4. A fascinating list of forest-related career options

A Peace Corps volunteer’s inspirational story about the power of small change In 2001, Peace Corps volunteer Rajeev Goyal was sent to Namje, a remote village in the eastern hills of Nepal. Brimming with idealism, he expected to find people living in conditions of misery and suffering; instead, he discovered a village full of happy, compassionate people. After organizing the villagers to build a water-pumping system in the midst of the dangerous Maoist war that had gripped the country, Goyal learned how complex rural development truly is. He also witnessed how the seemingly lowliest villager can hold profound power to influence not only his or her own village but also the highest rungs of government. Years after this experience, Goyal applied the lessons he learned in Namje to his work on Capitol Hill. Approaching Congress as if it were a Nepalese caste system, Goyal led a grassroots campaign to double the size of the Peace Corps. His unique approach to advocacy included strategically positioning himself outside the men’s room of the capitol building waiting for lawmakers to walk out. As a result of his determined bird-dogging, Goyal managed to make allies of more than a hundred members of Congress and in the process, he ruffled the feathers of some of the most powerful figures in Washington. But due to his efforts, the Peace Corps was granted a $60-million increase in funding, the largest dollar-amount increase in the organizations history. On this path to victory Goyal endured a number of missteps along the way, and, as he reveals, his idealism at times faded into fear, anger, and frustration. In this honest and inspirational account of his life as an activist, Goyal offers daring ideas for how the Peace Corps and other organizations can be even more relevant to our rapidly changing world. He urges environmentalists, educators, farmers, artists, and designers to come together and contribute their talents. Filled with history, international politics, personal anecdotes, and colorful characters, The Springs of Namje is a unique and inspiring book about the power of small change.

In The Zero-Cost Mission, India's relations with Bangladesh are undermined by the activities of the Jamaat-e-Islami, whose camps and facilities are being used to help Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, which sends its agents to carry out acts of terror in India. Vijay Shukla, in charge of Bangladesh operations at India's external intelligence agency, has a plan - a daring one, and one that requires utmost secrecy, lest word gets out that India is interfering in Bangladesh's internal affairs. Only a certain type of operative can be entrusted with its execution. One with remarkable operational abilities, a taste for challenges and a certain disregard for authority. Vijay Shukla assigns Sujal Rath to orchestrate the destruction of several Jamaat facilities deep within Bangladesh, pulling off a mission that not only seems impossible but which runs the risk of being derailed by the agency itself.Soon to be a major motion picture by Vishal Bhardwaj, this double-bill of pacey thrillers highlighting the exploits of India's intelligence agency will have your pulse racing.The Wily Agent details the pitfalls of gathering intelligence in a foreign country, a delicate and complex business. A good source, however, can make the risks worthwhile. So, when Jeevnathan, head of the Dhaka unit of India's external intelligence agency, is introduced to 'Rehman', he decides to test him to determine if he has the potential to become a valuable long-term asset. As an employee of the Bangladesh Foreign Office, Rehman is well placed to gather sensitive information that would be of great interest to India. Rehman proves to be a hard nut to crack, taking his handlers on a rollercoaster ride through the murky world of intelligence gathering, keeping them on edge, testing their operational skill and nerves as they all play the high-stakes game of espionage.Soon to be a major motion picture by Vishal Bhardwaj, this double-bill of pacey thrillers highlighting the exploits of India's intelligence agency will have your pulse racing.