Beyond the Next Village

2023 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Winner in Travel/Travel Guide2022 Foreword INDIES Finalist in Travel (Adult Nonfiction) “Mercer’s memoir of her months as a volunteer nurse in Nepal is moving, uplifting, and timely. Written with insight and humility, it illustrates the dilemmas of being a stranger in a strange land—even if you’re a stranger with the best intentions and the tools to truly be of service. Mercer’s eye for detail, humor, and frank self-reflections make Beyond the Next Village enjoyable as both memoir and travelogue. It’s also a sobering reminder, during these pandemic years, of how wealth determines the standard of medical care—not just across international borders, but within developing countries.”—Jeff Greenwald, author of Shopping for Buddhas and Snake Lake “‘Was I ready to change my life?’ a young American nurse asks as she ventures into Nepalese villages at a time when the Himalayas were mostly unknown. Mary Anne Mercer treks between worlds in this mesmerizing memoir of adventure and initiation into another culture, another way of healing, of understanding home.” —Brenda Peterson, author of Wolf Nation and I Want to Be Left Behind“With deep compassion and sharp critical insight, Mercer chronicles the challenges of delivering healthcare in rural Nepal while also recounting a more personal story of a woman working through her own uncertainties and vulnerabilities to embrace her calling. This is a must-read for any traveler who hopes to ‘help’ in Nepal.”—Elizabeth Enslin, author of While the Gods Were Sleeping: A Journey through Love and Rebellion in Nepal“You can only go to Nepal for the first time in your life once. The author came do meaningful work and has never really left Nepal. This candid, compelling memoir gives a glimpse why.”—Stephen Bezruchka, author of Trekking in Nepal“This is a vivid and compelling story of a young nurse’s challenging trek through rural Nepal to deliver health care to families in remote villages. With compassion and honesty, Mercer grapples with uncertainty and frustration as she adapts to local cultural beliefs and scant resources. In the process, she comes to better understand herself as a health-giver and to embrace the deeper mysteries of healing.”—Margaret Combs, author of Hazard: A Sister’s Flight from Family and a Broken Boy“Mercer’s account of her year in Nepal takes us back to a formative time in the country, when modern medical care was making an inroads into rural communities in the 1970s. She examines local life with honesty, as an informed and engaged outsider, questioning local customs while also accepting her own limitations to change them. Beyond the Next Village will interest everyone who loves Nepal, with a portrait of times past that is vivid, tender, and deeply moving.”—Manjushree Thapa, author of Forget Kathmandu“Mercer has written a vivid account of a volunteer American nurse in Nepal – honest, open, and thoughtful about health care and the bigger picture of international aid and volunteerism.”—Naomi Bishop, author of Himalayan Herders “This is a personal story that takes the Western-world reader into the lives of Nepali women. Though the years described are four decades ago, the beliefs still hold today. Welcome to a glimpse of another culture among splendid mountains and people.” —Daniel C. Taylor, President, Future Generations University and author of Cairns: A Novel of Tibet“There is a real pattern to culture-shock …yet Mercer does not turn away from any season of this cycle of transformation. She also comes to question the wisdom, ethics, and effectiveness of “helicoptering in” healthcare, without attending to the immediate needs of these communities, and without being part of the effort to extend a sustainable public health care system into the poorest and most isolated parts of the world. This tale of humility found should be shared with all global health practitioners and scholars.” —Rachel Chapman, author of Family Secrets: Risking Reproduction in Central Mozambique

Mary Anne Mercer grew up on a Montana ranch and has spent most of her career working in public health in countries around the globe. A writer and activist, she coedited Sickness and Wealth: The Corporate Assault on Global Health and has published extensively in the Huffington Post on issues of social justice and health. Excerpts from her book have appeared in Tikkun magazine, the Communion Arts Journal, and the book Secret Histories: Stories of Courage, Risk, and Revelation. She received a 2012 Silver Solas Award from Travelers’ Tales for “Best Travel Writing” and the 2015 inaugural award for “Communicating Public Health to the Public” from the University of Washington. She lives in Seattle, Washington.

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