India
A Portrait
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- $16.99
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
One of this century's greatest surprises has been the economic and social revolution in India. A country long characterized by such adjectives as 'timeless', 'spiritual' and 'backward' is now viewed through a new set of clichés: 'hi-tech', 'materialistic', 'go-getting'. But what is the real nature of this rapid change, and what are its roots?
Patrick French has spent much of his life engaged with India, and his landmark new book is filled with the qualities that have won his writing exceptional praise: his love of narrative, sympathy for the individual's experience, scepticism about official claims, and relish for the mayhem of political life. His account of Indian independence, Liberty or Death, is an acclaimed bestseller. Now he gives us an encompassing social, political and economic history of India from partition to the present day.
Examining the cultural foundations that made India's accelerated transformation from socialist economy to capitalist powerhouse possible, French creates a vivid, surprising picture of what it is like to live at a time when millions have pulled themselves free of poverty - with fortunes made almost overnight - but where violence, corruption and caste prejudice have equally been given new outlets. He delves into Indian society and politics, including the personal story of one of the most powerful women in the world, Sonia Gandhi. And he travels the country's regions to show how Nehru's vision of a democratic, secular India has continued to attempt - in the face of conflict and setbacks - to hold this vast, implacably diverse nation together.
French has spoken to everyone from the nation's political leadership to Maoist revolutionaries and mafia dons, from chained quarry workers to self-made billionaire entrepreneurs and technological innovators. The result is a richly detailed, wide-ranging and hugely rewarding portrait of India.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Written with the flair and intuition one would expect from award-winning author Patrick French, (Younghusband) this objective account of a land of extremes examines India's historical background as the basis for continuing contradictions and plots the changing political, economic, and social landscape amidst competing ideologies and complex relationships. The book is organized into three sections. The first, "Rashtra" (Nation), is a highly engaging study of Indian identity. Mixing personal experiences with historical overviews, it is clear that in India past becomes present, with ancient history woven into daily life. Despite a constitution founded on modern principles of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity, the formation of the nation has witnessed both triumph and disaster, and begs the question: "Is it right to ascribe unity and similarity to so many different people?" The second section, "Lakshmi" (Wealth), opens with an intriguing piece on John Maynard Keynes, whose early obsession and subsequent assessment of the Indian economy spanned two world wars. Hypocrisy is rife in a thriving Indian economy, and French's investigative journalism reveals the downside of new money. The third section, "Samaj" (Society), provides contemporary sketches highlighting cultural trends and the plight of a nation thrust into the twenty-first century spotlight. Though sometimes dense, French's latest book contains some intriguing tales and a dynamic narrative.
