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Mamang Dai’s book is a fascinatingly nuanced account of the life of the Adi tribe of Aruanchal Pradesh. Here is an upland valley, an immensely varied and difficult terrain, and wedged in by the deep gorges and dense forests. The Adis have lived there for ages nurturing their long history and unique ways of life. Many of the stories in the book contain authentic transcripts of the oral traditions of the Adis, all of which the writer relates with unusual insight and sensitivity. One not only comes across the Adi myths and legends but also sees how these originated in the first place.