Headwind, Laxmi’s Story

About the novel

Headwind, Laxmi’s Story is a novel written by Alice Anna Verheij during her stay in Nepal in 2011. She was inspired by the stories of youngsters who were and are being resettled by the United Nations to one of the resettling countries in the west. The book is a literary novel about growing up, love and the life of a refugee. Topics like camp life and threats, the effects of cast, culture shock after resettlement and integration issues in Dutch society are set in a compelling story with many details based on the writers personal experiences in the camps and contacts with the Bhutanese refugees.

The Story

Laxmi is a young refugee girl who was born in a refugee camp in Nepal after her parents were exiled from Bhutan in the early ninetees of the past century. She grew up in the camp never having touched Bhutanese ground. In 2008 Laxmi and her family were resettled to the Netherlands giving them a new chance in life. Lasmi’x low caste boyfriend however was resettled to the United States and so their strong love is tested to the limits. Laxmi’s new life is complicated and the relationship with her family deteriorates as she becomes more and more influenced by the modern western society which is so different from what she was used to in Nepal.

About the author

Alice Anna Verheij is a writer, filmmaker and photographer who is dedicating her work to human rights advocacy and unveiling unknown human rights situations. Her prime area of interest is South Asia. Her debuting novel was a Dutch language thriller about the fight against women trafficking from Nepal, through the Gulf States to Europe. Currently she is working on her next Dutch language novel and the sequel to her first published book. In the end of 2012 she will release her documentary Headwind, the forgotten exiles from Bhutan which she made in 2010 – 2012 together with her companion Eveline van de Putte. They have also recently published the photobook UNFORGOTTEN that can be ordered here and there photos are being exhibited in a number locations in the Netherlands.

Book details

Language English
Price € 14,50 incl. VAT and excl. postage and packaging
Author Alice Anna Verheij
Photos by Alice Anna Verheij and Eveline van de Putte
Pages 304 pages
Size 14 x 21 cm
Cover soft cover laminated
ISBN 9789462031166
Nur 301 – Literary Novel
Publisher – WoordenStorm Publications / Boekenbent

All earnings of the work are kindly donated by the author to the Empowerment Foundation’s Headwind Project.