Nigel Macfarlane worked alongside artisan papermakers in India, Nepal and Bhutan for more than forty years. Paper Road tells the story of that journey and of his engagement not just with the place but with an age-old craft. His account ranges from the contemporary to the distant past, from India’s tropical south to the remotest valleys of the Himalayas. Nigel looks at the influence of such towering figures as Gandhi and Sri Aurobindo on Indian papermaking, but his heart is with the many uncelebrated individuals he comes across on his paper journey.

The book combines a refreshing sense of purpose, humour and real experience, which culminates in his partnership with the brilliant and mercurial Vasudevan, with whom Nigel set up a paper factory in Karnataka. That factory now supplies handmade papers to artists on every continent.

‘Both a labour of love and an extraordinary story, Paper Road is well told, beautifully written and chock full of wit and charm, sharp observation and an ever-present sense of discovery.’ William Dalrymple