If you want to know about India..this is a must read
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Being an Indian and having read numerous books before and during independence struggle, I always wanted to read a book which could tell me what has been happening since Independence..Author is impartial to any particular party, caste or religion. Book has been an eye opener on many of the events that I knew had happened but did not know much about them. Very nicely written..I am finished the book in record time and I am sure you would not want to put it down once you start reading it...
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Well written, deeply researched and engaging
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'India after Gandhi' is a well written book about India's history after independence from Britain. This is a period which is not usually covered in book written for the general public and Mr. Guha has done a great job in covering this long-neglected but vitally important period in the growth of our fascinating country.
The book has been deeply researched but is written with a light touch which manages to keep it engaging even for the general reading public. It is utterly fascinating to read about the manner in which the constitution was adopted, various state institutions were established and started functioning, the transition of India from a handful of huge ungovernable states in a dizzying mosaic of states 'partitioned' on a linguistic basis and the manner in which the country faced the various internal and external challenges in 4 decades after independence.
This book is of universal interest since it tells the story of how a group of incredibly diverse people have managed to remain united on the basis of a common idea of Indian-ness even while cherishing and celebrating the diversity of its people.
After reading this book, I cannot wait to read Mr. Guha's next offering.
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A stunning political history
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At over two inches thick, this book is, at first sight, more than a little daunting. Open it up, though and you will find the work of true master of historical and political analysis. Mr Guha is also an excellent writer, and the book is a joy to read. It is a history of India over the last six decades, and what a history! it's all here, the origins of the Kashmir dispute, the war with China, the rise and assassination of Indira Gandhi, Indian cinema, and, of course the recent rise of outsourcing and the Indian software industry.
This is the way history should be written!
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amazingly...
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authorative book that covers 60 years of intricate history and political/social change remarkably well. A wealth of information and written in a very objective fashion.
A worthwhile read for anyone interested in recent Indian history.
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clear, well researched narrative
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Ramachandra Guha's study presents Indian political and social history.
Much of the material covered within this text is difficult to find in a comparably accessible form elsewhere.
Guha pays detailed attention to metropolitan politics in Delhi, yet provides discussion of regions such as Keralan and Tamil political history. There is an emphasis on political history within Guha's study; however this interest is developed in the broadest sense. The struggles of indigenous peoples in Central India and in the North East of the subcontinent are accessibly presented. The Naga peoples of the North Eastern frontier feature prominently.
A further strength of Guha's book is his discussion of foreign affairs. As might be expected a great deal of attention is given to India/ Pakistan relations (specifically through the Kashmir question) and this is handled well. Guha is attentive too India's situation between superpowers during the Cold War. Washington-Delhi relations are amply covered, as are both Soviet and Sino- Indian affairs.
Guha closes his historical narrative with the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi and covers the very recent past in a series of thematic essays. These essays read rather differently to the synthesis performed so well throughout the earlier stages of this book yet contain much information about topics as diverse as communal conflict, economic liberalization and public health. Guha places these contemporary thematic discussions in a long term perspective. For those who wish to pursue these themes in greater depth a detailed bibliography is provided.
Overall, this book offers an extremely useful and readable account of post-1947 Indian history.
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