MAD COUNTRY

Exploring themes of trauma, identity, and globalization, this collection presents eight interwoven stories set against the backdrop of modern-day anxieties. Characters grapple with personal crises, such as a journalist dealing with a colleague's disappearance and a friend facing suicidal thoughts. An American hippie in 1980s Kathmandu undergoes a painful transformation, while a wealthy Nepali boy pretends to be a beggar to confront his past. Upadhyay masterfully captures the complexities of exile and the human condition, inviting readers to confront their fears and yearnings.