The Discovery of India
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Excellent read for all Indians who live abroad
  • The ONLY real Intro to India Available! A Master piece of work!
  • Amazing and Uplifting
  • Insightful
  • A Father's Gift
The Discovery of India
Jawaharlal Nehru
Manufacturer: Penguin Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0143031031

Product Description

Written over five months when Jawaharlal Nehru was imprisoned in the Ahmadnagar Fort, The Discovery of India has acquired the status of a classic since it was first published in 1946. In this work of prodigious scope and scholarship, one of the greatest figures of Indian history unfolds the panorama of the country's rich and complex past, from prehistory to the last years of British colonial rule. Analysing texts like the Vedas and the Arthashastra, and personalities like the Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru brings alive an ancient culture that has seen the flowering of the world's great traditions of philosophy, science and art, and almost all its major religions. Nehru's brilliant intellect, deep humanity and lucid style make The Discovery of India essential reading for anyone interested in India, both its past and its present.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Excellent read for all Indians who live abroad.......2006-10-08

This book is compiled from Nehru's letters to his teen-age daughter from a British prison. Reading Discovery of India gives a glimpse of the intellectual level of politicians who contetsted British rule in 40's. India owes it's recent "Hi-Tech" growth to Nehru and his vision of sustainable freedom through knowledge and education.

5 out of 5 stars The ONLY real Intro to India Available! A Master piece of work!.......2006-05-30

There is nothing to say other than 'to understand India'- this is where you need to start. A book like this only comes along once in a lifetime and I'm glad I've benefited from its wonders.

5 out of 5 stars Amazing and Uplifting .......2005-02-21

Written by Jawaharlal Nehru for his daughter Indira, this book is an introduction to the history of India as well as an insight into Nehru's political vision during the fight for Independance.

The narrative framework is that of Nehru's stay in prison, which gives him time to write and look back on the history of the sub-continent, and on the Nationalist movement.
I find this work simply amazing. Nehru doesn't just tackle a few centuries of "Indian" (he actually speaks about a lot more than the present days India) history, he tries to offer a panorama through the ages, from the Indus Civilization (just discovered a decade or so ago at the time) to his entry in history. This history of India is eminently political, as the title proves it, since Nehru invites us to discover India, an entity that did not formaly exist yet. His presentation of the sub-continent's history aims at : doing justice to the incredible richness of the indian past and culture that was overlooked by the British (see MacCauley for instance), creating a history of the subcontinent as a "unified whole" (from Asoka to the Mughals and the British), and finally, summing up the nationalist movement's history.

However biased Nehru's view may be, his presentation of the facts is incredibly compelling and classifies this text as an uplifting testimony of his political views. No matter how much one knows about the more objective history of India, it is impossible to resist partaking in his dream of a unified country. This view might be criticized as imperialistic or just unrealistic since he thought of India as India + Pakistan + Bangladesh, nevertheless when reading this book it is possible to forget everything about history and share a bit of the fiever that animated Indian Nationalists of the Congress.

I find this book extremely informative as much in terms of Nehru's views as in terms of history. However you will need another source on the history to balance Nehru's unifying enthusiasm, for instance India a History by Keay is a very good read as well as an information packed volume (with nice photos).
As a final word I'd say that Nehru's take on the history of Islam in India is very intelligent in its attempts to minimize and expalin the gap that was starting to increase dramatically between the Congress and the Muslim League and is useful when trying to understand the origins of the Muslim/Hindu clash (here again, other sources are needed, but it's still worth taking in consideration).

4 out of 5 stars Insightful.......2005-01-07

I read Nehru's treatise once when I was in 10th grade and appreciated little of it. I chanced upon the book again recently and decided to hash out the book from the first page to last. I was very impressed with his deep and insightful interpretation of various historical events in the 5 millenia long history of my country, and of his objective portrayal of the same. He was not overtly parochial as I suspected he would be, but was critical of my countrymen and of our culture and their actions when necessary, and lauded their actions when they were justified. Particularly interesting to me were his writings on the social evolution of our caste system, which is said to be a great problem, and is constantly criticized (particularly by the you-know-who's of the western world). However, Nehru showed that, the system in it's ancient and present forms are dogma-induced perversions of it's intended goal, which was to provide checks and balances to racial and class-based divisions that plagued other "more civilized" Hellenic and Saxonic/Nordic societies in Europe (he also pointed out that the caste system enabled ancient Indians to avoid the sick barbarity of the mass slavery of other human beings with minds and thoughts like our own, something which all civilizations other than India and those in the Far East have practiced on a nauseatingly copious scale). Also, I was impressed by his organized portrayal of the British Raj which, by all accounts other than those of the Europeans, was a savage massacre and rape of our land and people to satisfy the Anglo-Saxon bloodlust (while it did have a small number of benefits, it did not justify the claim of "Pax Brittanica"). If I were to paraphrase the British occupation based on his writings, I would have to say that his contention was that, while the British enslaved our people in order to "civilize" us, we wound up civilizing them, as, in the final analysis, they were amenable to reason and dialogue and consequently we were able to sue for our freedon through civil disobedience rather than wage bloody wars for it like other countries like the United States were forced to do.

However, one criticism for this work is that Nehru has often been a tad shaky on his facts. One might argue, of course, that his main intention was not to provide a litany of names and dates, but explanations and interpretations. But one must remember that history is a science as much as it is an art, and the scientific method entails detailed records of all the facts before providing an interpretation of them. Nehru is a little deficient on this. For example, he summarizes the spectacular rise of the Mauryan Empire in just 1 paragraph, without describing the palace intrigues that lead Kautilya to engineer the rather dramatic fall of the Nanda Dynasty and crown Sandracottus/Chandragupta Maurya as the Emperor after driving out the Celucid Greeks. He only touches the interesting bits about the invasions of Demetrius and the Scythians and Huns (though he does mention Mihiragula the Horrible), the mistreatment of the Buddhist monks by the Sunga Kings, and the grand achievements of the Gupta Empire that entail all that is finest about our people even to this day. Also, his portrayal of Muslim rule in India is somewhat biased, and he only describes the bad bits, such as the jizya and the pagan tyranny of Aurangzeb while glossing over the good bits during the reigns Emperors Akbar, Jehangir and all those chaps who tried to build bridges between Hindus and Muslims. He did not write about the reletavily progressive outlook of Indian Muslims (relative to the Persians and Afghans of that time) that laid to the establishment of the Ghulami (Slave) Dynasty in the Sultanate, when Iltutmish, a poor slave, rose in the ranks to become an Emperor, or of our first Empress, Razia al-Din (although the incompetence of the Tughlaq dynasty negated much of that later).

All in all, though, I'm glad I read this book as I know more about my roots than I did before.

5 out of 5 stars A Father's Gift.......2004-08-25

A number of reviewers have noted that Discovery of India and Glimpses of World History were written during the years Nehru languished in British custody for sedition and civil disobedience. What none of them, nor the publisher, have pointed out is that these books were culled from hundreds of letters that Nehru wrote to his daughter, Indira (Gandhi), then in her teens and early twenties. As a forcibly absentee father, Nehru wanted both to explain his absences and play a role in her life and upbringing. The letters were his gift to her - an indication of his love and caring and a way to educate her in his world view. If the books seem romanticized, that is why. If they seem personal, that is why. And if they seem subjective, that is also why. They were not intended for publication. These were love letters from a father to his daughter to explain the world to her and her place in it, as he saw it. They imparted to the future Prime Minister of India a sense of nationalism, love for country and a belief in democracy, as well as an intimate understanding of politics and working the levers of power. These books are far more than an intellectual exploration of Indian and world history; they were the seeds from which modern Indian history grew. A precious gift, indeed.
Glimpses of World History
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • panoramic history ....a must for students.
  • A truly extraordinary book....
  • One of the greatest books
  • An excellent guide to understanding world history as a struggle for existence with dignity...
Glimpses of World History
Jawaharlal Nehru
Manufacturer: Penguin Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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  1. The Discovery of India The Discovery of India

ASIN: 0143031058

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars panoramic history ....a must for students........2007-06-07

I read this book when i was a student.I was amazed to find that Nehru wrote it largely while he was in prison,with restrictions on access to historic materials and other works of reference.Yet he has done a brilliant job.His prose is effortlessly flowing.The contents are carefully and objectively chosen.However, the book reflects his bias and preferences when he deals with contemporary history.His admiration for soviet union and their economic model inspires even history writing.While fully understanding his anti-imperialistic stand,i am inclined to say that later part of the book needs to be read with caution as he, perhaps unconsciously,allows the politician within him to dilute the objectivity needed, or expected of a historian.Having said that,still i recommend this book to every youngster.

5 out of 5 stars A truly extraordinary book...........2006-12-12

Without question one of my all time favorite books. Nehru wrote the book while in prison with the idea that it is what he would have imparted to his daughter Indira (Ghandi)were he at home with her. Despite some very minor factual errors (precise dates, etc.), the fact that the book was written under prison conditions, without any available reference material available to him, speaks to Nehru's incredible mind and grasp of history, as well as to the depth of his love for his young daughter. I find it to be one of the most remarkable works ever written and have given it as a gift more times than I can count. How many current world "leaders" do you think could produce something even close?

5 out of 5 stars One of the greatest books.......2006-06-07

I read this book a decade ago and can never forget the greatness of this book that now I am ordering another copy.

I cannot agree less with the New York Times review: `It is one of the most remarkable books ever written...Nehru makes even H.G.Wells seem singularly insular...One is awed by the breadth of Nehru's culture'

The information is so rich (the history of empires from Greece, Rome and China to name a few), the style is flawless and the English language was written in a most beautiful way that you will forget Nehru was not born next to Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon.

I look forward to reading it again and again.

5 out of 5 stars An excellent guide to understanding world history as a struggle for existence with dignity..........2006-05-11

"....an exciting story of human civilisation....the saga of human struggle for existence with dignity and respect has never been told better.....if you are looking for a book that provides a deep insight into world history in a language that is pristine and pure, your search has ended...this is the book for you...."

Harsh Vivek
The Nehru dynasty: Astro-political portraits of Nehru, Indira, Sanjay & Rajiv
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Corelation of Astro & Political Aspects of Nehru dynasty
The Nehru dynasty: Astro-political portraits of Nehru, Indira, Sanjay & Rajiv
K. N Rao
Manufacturer: Windows Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Corelation of Astro & Political Aspects of Nehru dynasty.......2000-05-31

The Book is very interesting and more informative.The Author has tried his best to compare the horoscopes of Nehru, Indira, Rajiv & Sanjay's and correlate them for the events happened in their life. The Author has been succesful in drawing the common line in the astrological predications related to the four important personslities of India. The author has attempted in many a ways to comprehend the rise and fall of this dynasty. The Author has explained the common political features of the great four personalities from nehru 's family based on their horoscopes. At times, the author has convinced the readers that he had a great relation and acquaintance with that family. The Book is very interesting to read and understand and it is undoutbtedly another feather to the cap of our book shelf.
Glimpses of World History
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • History by a history maker.
  • the reader from japan doen not know the facts
  • The other side of history
  • Oh boy...
  • History was never so interesting
Glimpses of World History
Jawaharlal Nehru
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195623606

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars History by a history maker........2004-03-15

Nehru himself calls the book as "Ramblings", given the background that book is a compilation of a whole bunch(196) of lengthy letters to his daughter, Indira Priyadarshini, during his stay in various goals across British Raj (which made him rely on memory than references). His main aim was to introduce his lovely daughter to the world but NOT to be a historian. He starts from the pre-Indus Valley civilization days and ends just before the dawn of WW II in this 971-page book. The book, apart from being journal of events in history, talks about opinions of Nehru on various events with more weightage to his favorite ones.

The book with Nehru's democratic spirit, his scietific and rational approach, his masterly narration with a poetic temper and his control over the language make the book immensely readable.

4 out of 5 stars the reader from japan doen not know the facts.......2002-12-05

nehro or ghandi were not muslims. If you want to assign a religion to them you MUST know your facts. I believe they susbcribe to the "truth" and "faith in goodness" from hinduism, islam and christianity.

4 out of 5 stars The other side of history.......2002-03-04

A brilliant intellectual pursuit that gives a glimpse of Nehru's intellect, comprehension and culture. In the myriad of Western opinions of human progress, 'discoveries' and colonialism, Nehru's Glimpses stand out for its bold 'other view' of history as well as generous and magnanimous acknowledgement of the merits of every civilisation. To have the 'Glimpses' lost on one, as a mere rambling collection of letters would be tragic. To appreciate the 'Glimpses' one must understand the context in which it was written. It was not meant as an exercise to outline history for the world with the global audience in mind. It was merely a father's restricted dialogue with a daughter outside the prison walls with the intention of instilling pride in her culture and history. And maybe, as an inspiration to India's freedom fighters to stand up against the might of a hegemonic empire and its propaganda on history and civilisation. While the bleakness of his and the Colonial India's circumstances colour his opinions slightly, it does not blind him to historical realities.
That a book with such a narrow, domestic agenda subsequently appealed to the wider audience internationally is probably the finest testament of Nehru's brilliance.

1 out of 5 stars Oh boy..........2002-01-03

At best this book is the ramblings of a misinformed fanatic who looks at the world through a very small prison cell window. How can guys like this get published? Casually referring to John Wilkes Booth as "the crank who shot Lincoln", downplaying the very real, and very powerful role of the Japanese emperor three hundred years ago, and freely interjecting his own religious convictions whenever the chance appears (this is usually backed up with quotes from Marx or comments that reflect the books underlying theme - if "history" books are supposed to have a theme - which is loosely, "Why can't everyone be Muslim like me and Gandhi?")

The best thing you can do is ignore any book that tries to summarize over 2000 years of global history in less than 400 pages of someone's personal self justification.

5 out of 5 stars History was never so interesting.......2002-01-03

The perfect book to answer your questions on World history. Nehru's knowledge of history is awe inspiring. His first letter to Indira Gandhi is very touching. His political achivements may be questionable but his intellect is not.
Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Second Series: Volume 32: 1 February-30 April 1956 (Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Second Series: Volume 32: 1 February-30 April 1956 (Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru)
    Jawaharlal Nehru
    Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

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    ASIN: 0195667891

    Book Description

    This volume of the Selected Works covers the period between 1 February to 30th April 1956. Part of a prestigious series that is cited as an indispensable reference for research into modern India, this volume deals with a relatively tranquil period in the history of a newly independent
    nation.
    Indira: The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Was the author denied an interview with Maneka Gandhi?
    • A "tragic" life
    • Great Read
    • Indira and India
    • Indira is no more
    Indira: The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi
    Katherine Frank
    Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

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    ASIN: 039573097X

    Amazon.com

    The veteran author of critically praised books about Emily Brontë and Lucie Duff Gordon has written an exemplary popular biography of the powerful, controversial prime minister who indelibly shaped the world's largest democracy. Katherine Frank's solidly researched narrative is particularly good on the early years of Indira Gandhi (1917-84), cogently delineating her complex relationship with her father, nationalist hero Jawaharlal Nehru, which was intimate when they were pouring out their feelings in letters, but strained when they were actually together. We see an intelligent, strong-minded woman coming of age in a turbulent time marked by her relatives' frequent stays in prison as India struggled for freedom from Great Britain. After independence, when Nehru became prime minister, Gandhi was politically active but for many years resisted seeking power in her own right. Following the deaths of her husband (Feroze Gandhi, no relation to the Mahatma) in 1960 and Nehru in 1964, she moved into the top spot, aided by the Congress Party bosses' mistaken impression that she would be a figurehead they could manipulate. On the contrary, Frank shows Prime Minister Gandhi prompted by her deep fear of disorder toward increasingly authoritarian acts, most notoriously the state of emergency declared in 1975, when she authorized the arrest of many opposition leaders. Frank depicts Gandhi as having more faith in her personal bond with the Indian people than in the messy workings of democracy. But the religious and political divisions inflamed by her policies came home to roost in 1984, when she was assassinated by her own bodyguard, a Sikh enraged by the massacre of militant Sikhs in the Golden Temple. This sympathetic but unsparing portrait makes it clear that Gandhi was a flawed leader but evinces compassion for a woman striving with a difficult personal and political legacy. --Wendy Smith

    Book Description

    On the morning of October 31, 1984, as she walked through her garden, smiling, with hands raised and palms pressed together in the traditional Indian namaste greeting, Indira Nehru Gandhi was assassinated by her own bodyguards. She died as she had lived, surrounded by men, yet isolated. It was a violent end to a life of epic drama.
    Here is the first popular biography of one of the world's most influential leaders, India's third prime minister. Brought up during an era that saw the rise of Indian nationalism, Indira was raised to be what her father, Jawaharlal Nehru, called "a child of revolution" - destined to play a political role in the creation and governing of an independent India. Despite her early reluctance to embrace this role, Indira eventually presided over a huge, complex, religiously riven, and male-dominated country. She was born to a wealthy, westernized family, but she had a gift for connecting with the poor of the countryside and the urban slums, the illiterate, the dispossessed - so much so that "Indira is India" became a familiar slogan. Throughout childhood, love, marriage, imprisonment, motherhood, and a sequence of personal and family tragedies, her personal hopes and desires were continually subsumed by the historical and political imperatives of her country.
    In this beautifully written book, the acclaimed biographer Katherine Frank draws on unpublished sources and more than a hundred interviews to create a rich, balanced portrait. INDIRA captures in full color the personal and political fate of the leader of the world's largest democracy - the woman who played a dominant role in the history of the twentieth century and who, when it ended, was voted Woman of the Millennium by the BBC.

    Customer Reviews:

    3 out of 5 stars Was the author denied an interview with Maneka Gandhi?.......2007-06-23

    It may very well be that Sonia cared for Maneka's child during the day, and Indira slept with him by night, but before painting this uncaring picture of Maneka, did Katherine attempt to get the other side of the story?

    Even if she had been refused an interview, perhaps she should have attempted to give her readers a third-party (her own?) view of what was probably transpiring in the Nehru-Gandhi household (as she does in numerous other places), rather than passing along what is probably Sonia Gandhi's view of the situation.

    Or perhaps Katherine didn't really care whether she maligned Maneka, the not-so-powerful politician?

    5 out of 5 stars A "tragic" life.......2006-08-26

    This is a very good account of Indira Gandhi's life. I felt very sad after reading it. I knew already about her life and politics as being an Indian. But this book gave me a very comprehensive account of her life, except her last couple of years, which I think were
    hurried. I think that spicy tidbits of alleged affairs about her, Nehru and her husband should have been avoided as they distract from the larger point and have given her worshippers an excuse to discount the book. Description of India's early life before she became the Prime Minister is very engaging. You can see how the seeds of her later-day paranoia and siege mentality were sown during her unhappy childhood and her estrangement with her husband. You feel sad that in the end that privileged upbringing, lots of potential, education at the best schools and colleges and tutoring by her father in democratic traditions did not amount to much. She achieved little and destroyed much.

    It is amazing that in a vibrant democracy, she was able to undermine every political institution, which is essential for a democracy. How she instigated conflicts in Assam, Kashmir and Punjab. How she shamelessly went around dismissing democratically elected state govts and playing one group against another. How she let loose her son, Sanjay as an extra-constitutional authority to subvert judiciary and beaurocracy. She surrounded herself with sycophants and boot-lickers. In her own words, she herself admits, "men who may not be very bright but on whom I can rely"? Only bright spot in her career was the liberation Bangladesh. She used every weapon available to stay in the power. In the end, the forces she helped unleashed consumed her. Even her son Rajiv who became Prime Minister after her violent death was killed Srilankan Tamil Tigers whom she nourished. It might seem like a poetic justice in the end but India was/is the big loser having lost so much and still fighting those forces.

    History will not be kind to her and I hope that Indian people would not let another Indira immerge on the political scene.


    4 out of 5 stars Great Read.......2005-04-05

    This is one of the best biographies on Indira Gandhi. Most of the other books on indira authored by Indian journalists tend to focus primarily on her political activities with a brief summary of her childhood and adult years. This is by far the most comprehensive attempt at combining the various threads and presenting the story of a normal human being. Katherine's description of Indira's years at Anand Bhawan, Europe, marriage to Feroze read like a best seller fiction. Meticulous research, analysis and an objective attempt to understand the influences in Indira's life prior to her prime ministership is the hallmark.

    Missing is the analysis in understanding why a shy, reserved person longing for anonymity suddenly craves for power, and seeks power with scant regard for the institutions set-up by her father, leaders she grew up with. Going by Indira's example,I am disappointed that despite having the best role models (Gandhi, Nehru), best education ( shantiniketan, finishing schools, oxford), global exposure, immense wealth, Indira in her latter years behaved very much like an average middle class Mother, the book unfortunately fails to provide a rationale for this abnormal behavior.

    Still a great attempt from a non-indian to understand and piece together the life of the most charismatic and powerful Indian leader in the last 30 years.

    4 out of 5 stars Indira and India.......2004-08-28

    This is a thorough and critical account of the life of Indira Gandhi, concentrating on her early life and her relationship with her father Jawaharlal Nehru, then on to her time a Prime Minister, the Emergency of 1975-77, the influence of her son Sanjay, and finally her violent death.

    The author gives great detail of Indira's childhood and privileged upbringing: it seemed a lonely childhood and adolescence. The close bonds with her father seemed to make her marriage with Feroze Gandhi next to impossible. Franks is highly critical of the baleful influence of Sanjay Gandhi and of Indira for being blind to his faults.

    It was interesting that the author quickly dismisses any notion of Indira Gandhi as a conviction politician: the exercise of power seemed a sufficient driving force for her, to the extent that democratic values were dispensible.

    I thought that this book is as important an account of post-1947 Indian politics as it is a biography of Indira Gandhi (the two seemed to be closely linked). A good read for all that.

    G Rodgers

    4 out of 5 stars Indira is no more.......2003-08-17

    Result of an obviously (too) meticulous study, the book reveals a very objective account of one of the leading female figures of the world... The emphasis is not limited to her political life and therefore you understand almost all underlying motives in her most absurd decisions. Throughout the book, you both love and hate Indira Nehru Gandhi but most of the time, you pity her for the life she, afterall, did not really wanted to have but couldn't refuse either... There is struggle, war, peace, politics, Byzantine games, democracy, dictatorship but happiness in this life....
    The Nehrus and the Gandhis: An Indian Dynasty
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      The Nehrus and the Gandhis: An Indian Dynasty
      Tariq Ali
      Manufacturer: Picador USA
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

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      ASIN: 0330438395
      India from Curzon to Nehru & after
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        India from Curzon to Nehru & after
        Durga Das
        Manufacturer: Rupa and Co
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Unknown Binding

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        ASIN: B0007C3JY0
        Nehru: The Invention of India
        Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
        • Nehru: The Invention of India
        • Nehru and the World
        • Wonderful Reading Experience
        • Thin.
        Nehru: The Invention of India
        Shashi Tharoor
        Manufacturer: Arcade Publishing
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

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        ASIN: 1559707372

        Customer Reviews:

        5 out of 5 stars Nehru: The Invention of India .......2006-08-25

        This book, written by Shashi Tharoor, an official candidate to succeed Kofi Annan as Secretary General of the United Nations, focuses on one of India's leaders and its fight for independence, Jawaharlal Nehru. While in India over the summer, I picked up this book because I wanted to learn more about my native country's First Prime Minister, his ideals, and how he came to become such a great man revered by so many today. An extraordinary individual he was no doubt. Someone who refused to remain complacent despite his high social class and who worked hard for everything he achieved despite great loss and adversity. Yet after reading this book, I discovered a leader who was more than just that. Nehru, despite his immortal legacy, was always human, with idealistic and inevitably contradicting political and religious philosophies, with strong love and compassion for all, and with amazing contributions to what India is today.
        Shashi Tharoor does not only approach Nehru as the subject of his biography, but almost as a character in a novel with heroic qualities and noticeable flaws. Anecdotes all the way from Nehru's childhood to his protests of British rule end up driving this work. One that stood out showed one of Nehru's defining qualities as a man and leader: taking responsibility for his actions. One day thinking that father Motilial Nehru would not be using a second pen lying on his desk, Jawaharlal took it for one of his lessons. When Motilal found out that the pen was missing and that his eldest son had taken it, Jawaharlal receives a beating he would never forget. Tharoor writes "He learned much from this experience:...not to lay claim to what was not his, not to conceal evidence of his own wrong doing, if ever he were to do wrong--and never to assume he could simply `get away with it'"(7). Not surprisingly, Nehru was jailed at total of seven years during India's fight for independence from Britain all because of his courage and responsibility, engraved by his father.
        Nehru's father Motilal also instills into his son many secular, democratic ideals which become the very core of Jawaharlal's beliefs for a new, independent India and still stand in part today. Once India finally gained independence in 1947, it was still much divided across religious lines. Jawaharlal opposed a partition and instead pushed for a secular, united India which thrived on democratic ideals. His ironically God-like presence had the power of suspending Hindu mobs of millions against Muslims.
        Tharoor brings both Nehru's successes and failures to the fore and intertwines them nicely. His love for his family and for his India, his desire to educate the poor and idolizing Indian masses in democracy are all highly admirable qualities. Yet Nehru's failures especially his socialist economics platforms which brought only economic stagnation, poverty, and corruption are also analyzed.
        Nevertheless, Nehru is a big reason why India is what it is today: the world's largest democracy and growing economic superpower. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to have a glimpse into this man's life, his ideals, and his India.

        5 out of 5 stars Nehru and the World.......2006-08-18

        An excellent and much needed book. The major works on Nehru were written several decades ago. I will use this in my graduate
        course. It is written in a clear and straight forward style
        that makes it easy to read. I particularly appreciate Tharoor's
        picture of the power of Nehru in India and internationally.
        Nehru's tremendous influence on the decolonial movement is
        often forgotten today. If there is any weakness, I would have
        liked Tharoor to have explored more Gandhi's influence on Nehru.

        5 out of 5 stars Wonderful Reading Experience.......2005-09-20

        Shashi Tharoor's latest book is a most enjoyable interpretive history of Nehru's amazing life. I felt as if Tharoor was travelling with me as I read in trains and planes, talking directly to me. He brought me to tears when Nehru died -- very hard to do using non-fiction. A delightful book -- warm, generous and globally aware, it's a wonderful reading experience. Tharoor gives us a better context for understanding a contradictory statesman, and made me wonder what Nehru and the freedom fighters would think of India and the world today. My only criticism: it's too short!

        2 out of 5 stars Thin........2005-04-13

        Hits all the high points. Tharoor's occasional protestations of objectivity about Nehru ring hollow; this book is objective only in tone. Nehru's contradictions are glossed over as if merely a source of amusement, but Jinna is treated as a pathological cynic, and the British are alternately inept and reactionary. Tharoor's treatment of Churchill is as harsh as it is shallow. This book reads very quickly, and is good for people who want a quick bio of Nehru. For people who want a real examination of the man, look elsewhere.
        Nice Guys Finish Second, Memoirs
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Nice Guys Finish Second, Memoirs
          B. K. Nehru , and B.K. Nehru
          Manufacturer: Viking Books
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover

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          ASIN: 0670875015

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