Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Giveaway - While the Gods Were Sleeping - Elizabeth Enslin

I've got a wonderful giveaway today - Elizabeth Enslin's memoir - WhileThe Gods Were Sleeping: A Journey Through Love and Rebellion in Nepal.

From the publisher, Seal Press:

"Love and marriage brought American anthropologist Elizabeth Enslin to a world she never planned to make her own: a life among Brahman in-laws in a remote village in the plains of Nepal. As she faced the challenges of married life, birth, and childrearing in a foreign culture, she discovered as much about human resilience, and the capacity for courage, as she did about herself.

While the Gods Were Sleeping: A Journey Through Love and Rebellion in Nepal tells a compelling story of a woman transformed in intimate and unexpected ways. Set against the backdrop of increasing political turmoil in Nepal, Enslin’s story takes us deep into the lives of local women as they claim their rightful place in society—and make their voices heard."

Elizabeth Enslin with son in Chitwan, Nepal, 1987
"Elizabeth Enslin grew up in Seattle and went on to earn her PhD in cultural anthropology from Stanford University in 1990. While a graduate student, she married into a Brahman family in the plains of Nepal. Inspired by local women, especially her mother-in-law, she researched women’s organizing, poetics, politics, and agroecology. Her academic essay, “Beyond Writing: Feminist Practice and the Limits of Ethnography,” still inspires conversations about feminism and the ethics of research and activism.

Enslin returned to the Pacific Northwest in 1995 and earned her living as a high school and college teacher, a grant writer, and an independent consultant. She has published creative nonfiction and poetry in The Gettysburg Review, Crab Orchard Review, The High Desert Journal, The Raven Chronicles, Opium Magazine, and In Posse Review and received an Individual Artist Fellowship Award from the Oregon Arts Commission and an honorable mention for the Pushcart Prize.

She currently lives in a strawbale house in the canyon country of northeastern Oregon, where she raises garlic, pigs, and yaks. While the Gods Were Sleeping is her first book. Learn more at elizabethenslin.com. You can find Elizabeth Enslin on Facebook and on Twitter.

While the Gods Were Sleeping is newly released - A portion of the proceeds from this book will be donated to the Rural Health Educations Service Trust (RHEST) for projects dedicated to improving women's reproductive health in Rural Nepal Read an excerpt of While the Gods Were Sleeping.

If you'd like to read this fascinating memoir, I have a copy to giveaway to one lucky reader. Simply leave a comment (and a contact method) to be entered. US only, no PO boxes please. Ends Oct 12/14.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

This sounds really interesting ;) How cool that the author lives in a straw bale house! Thanks for sharing!!

Katelynn
www.literarychameleon.blogspot.com

petite said...

Thanks for this fascinating giveaway. Wonderful story. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

KAS said...

This book inspires my curiosity as well as commands my immediate respect. I'd love to own a copy and engage with the author's story! Thank you for this great opportunity and for a unique and outstanding new title to feature in your book blog.
Cheers, Kara

To contact, try shamy at post dot harvard dot edu

Carl Scott said...

Hi Luannae, This sounds like a wonderful memoir. I've never visited Nepal but it does sound so completely strange that I'd probably enjoy it. Thanks for the chance to win a copy of this new book. Have a great day. carlscott(at)prodigy(dot)net(dot)mx

Margie said...

I always enjoy books set in other cultures.Thanks for the giveaway.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

reeca said...

Wow! Looks like a fabulous read!!

Fredreeca2001@yahoo.com

wallowa salsera said...

Saw Elizabeth tonight talking about her book with her son sitting in the back of the room - proud, of his mom. Her story spoke to me...I was glad to know she is living in a neighboring town and we had a friendship before I knew of her journey.

My birthday is on the 11th of this month and her book (she said she would sign it) will be cherished.

bn100 said...

Interesting background

bn100candg at hotmail dot com

Anita Yancey said...

This book sounds interesting and fascinating, and something that I would enjoy reading. Thanks for having the giveaway.

ayancey1974(at)gmail(dot)com