The Ghost of the Mountains- Unraveling the Secrets of the Snow Leopard .jpg
The Ghost of the Mountains- Unraveling the Secrets of the Snow Leopard .jpg

The Ghost of the Mountains: Unraveling the Secrets of the Snow Leopard by Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi

from $12.80
Hardcover:

“Thrilling and intrepid. A beautiful tale of dramatic, wild landscapes and the entangled lives of snow leopards, their prey, and the humans who share their terrain.” —Andrea Wulf, bestselling author of The Invention of Nature

“By turns beautiful, terrible, and encouraging.” —Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Sixth Extinction

The vivid account of a leading conservationist’s efforts to find, study, and protect snow leopards

Snow leopards have a special grip on the human imagination, a symbol of the mysteries that still exist on our planet. These elusive predators live solitary lives in the highest reaches of the Himalaya, moving along rock faces like smoke. They are also the flagship species of Himalayan conservation, key to preserving this austere, delicate ecosystem.

Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi is one of the world’s leading snow leopard scientists. In The Ghost of the Mountains, he offers an evocative and personal account of his decades of work in this field, from his exhilarating adventures on the high peaks to his efforts to build a community-based, collaborative model for protecting the snow leopards and their remaining habitat. That habitat is increasingly under threat as encroaching development, ongoing armed conflict, and rapidly intensifying climate change transform this region.

Thrilling, illuminating, and filled with transportive storytelling, The Ghost of the Mountains reveals the challenges facing a beautiful, fragile ecosystem in the midst of a major transition. As Suryawanshi describes his crucial work as a conservationist in a rapidly changing world, he also conveys an infectious sense of wonder. For him, every snow leopard encounter is still a transcendent experience, offering a renewed sense of meaning and purpose.

“Thrilling and intrepid. A beautiful tale of dramatic, wild landscapes and the entangled lives of snow leopards, their prey, and the humans who share their terrain.” —Andrea Wulf, bestselling author of The Invention of Nature

“By turns beautiful, terrible, and encouraging.” —Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Sixth Extinction

The vivid account of a leading conservationist’s efforts to find, study, and protect snow leopards

Snow leopards have a special grip on the human imagination, a symbol of the mysteries that still exist on our planet. These elusive predators live solitary lives in the highest reaches of the Himalaya, moving along rock faces like smoke. They are also the flagship species of Himalayan conservation, key to preserving this austere, delicate ecosystem.

Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi is one of the world’s leading snow leopard scientists. In The Ghost of the Mountains, he offers an evocative and personal account of his decades of work in this field, from his exhilarating adventures on the high peaks to his efforts to build a community-based, collaborative model for protecting the snow leopards and their remaining habitat. That habitat is increasingly under threat as encroaching development, ongoing armed conflict, and rapidly intensifying climate change transform this region.

Thrilling, illuminating, and filled with transportive storytelling, The Ghost of the Mountains reveals the challenges facing a beautiful, fragile ecosystem in the midst of a major transition. As Suryawanshi describes his crucial work as a conservationist in a rapidly changing world, he also conveys an infectious sense of wonder. For him, every snow leopard encounter is still a transcendent experience, offering a renewed sense of meaning and purpose.

  • Publisher: Riverhead Books

    Title: The Ghost of the Mountains

    Author: Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi

    On Sale Date: August 25, 2026

    ISBN 13: 9798217043736

    Format: Hardcover

    Retail Price: $32.00

    Page Count: 336 pages

    Dimensions: 6.2 x 1.1 x 9.3 inches

  • Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi has spent nearly two decades studying snow leopards across the high-altitude landscapes of Central Asia, working at the intersection of wildlife research and community-based conservation. The Ghost of the Mountains is his debut book, drawn from his years in some of the most remote terrain on the planet.

  • Critics and fellow bestselling authors are calling it thrilling, intrepid, and affecting:

    • “Thrilling and intrepid.” —Andrea Wulf, bestselling author of The Invention of Nature

    • “By turns beautiful, terrible, and encouraging.” —Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Sixth Extinction

    • “Reads like a classic of conservation—measured and thorough but imbued with a profound sense of discovery.” —Financial Times

    • “One of the few people who truly understands these ghostly cats. . . . An affecting book.” —Kirkus Reviews

This book is for you if

  • You’re drawn to true stories of scientists who’ve spent decades in the field, not the lab.

  • You want to understand what it actually takes to protect an endangered species most people will never see.

  • You’re fascinated by remote, unforgiving landscapes and the animals that call them home.

  • You appreciate conservation writing that’s honest about the tradeoffs between wildlife and the people living alongside it.

  • You’re looking for a debut that combines adventure, science, and genuine wonder.

“★★★★★ You’re renting a brand-new hardcover for $12 instead of paying $30+. Even if you keep it, you come in under what you’d pay elsewhere.”
— Andrew B., Google review

Reviews from Trove customers

“★★★★★ With Trove the ordering and delivery process is quick and easy! Definitely recommend!”
— Caroline J., Google review

Trove is different.

We rent new books.

How renting works

Step 1

Rent this Book

Rent this book for ~60% off retail.

Keep it for 30 days and return it easily with the return kit provided!

No box, no label — just show the QR code at a USPS location.

Step 2

Receive it

Trove makes shipping simple and hassle-free.

Arrives in about a week or less, straight to your door.

Free shipping is offered from Trove Plus.

Step 3

Read and Decide

If you want to return it — great!

We’ll send you a free return label and QR code with instructions for an easy return.

Simply ship it back using the return kit at your local USPS. 

Step 4

Return it

Love it? Keep it — we’ll charge the difference between your rental and the cover price, as if you bought it new (plus tax).

And we'll always email you before your billing date, so there are no surprises.

Learn more about renting

Frequently asked questions

  • We believe hardcover books are too expensive, especially new releases. Trove gives you a better option to read new books immediately. Rent a book, then return it for free — or keep it if you love it!

  • Choose Rent New, read the book, then return it using the book return kit. If you end up keeping the book, then the remaining balance applies as if you bought it at retail plus tax.

  • Renting a book is kept for 30 days, two books for 60 days, and three or more books for 90 days. Trove provides a return kit with every book rental — simply pack and return the book(s) at your local USPS, and they will scan the QR code label Trove provides.

  • Keeping the book past your billing date automatically charges the payment method we have on file.

    Trove Bookstore complies with all local and federal laws. Should you have any questions, please reach out to hello@trovebookstore.com.

  • Running a few days late? No worries — just let us know by emailing Trove at hello@trovebookstore.com and we will work with you. Trove will send several email reminders before the billing date, so just let us know if you need any extensions!

  • The book(s) should be returned in very good condition so another reader can enjoy it! However, if a rental book is lost or returned with major damage, the remaining purchase balance may still apply.

    If something happens to your rental, please contact Trove at hello@trovebookstore.com as soon as possible so we can work with you to resolve the issue.

  • It’s yours! If you rent a book and decide you want to keep it, the remaining balance will apply. No action is needed. Trove gives readers the option to try out a book for a discounted rental price and only pay the rest if you feel the book belongs on your shelf.

Have more questions?

Reach out to us and someone will get back to you shortly.

More FAQs
Contact us