India Books

Some of my favorite books of all time. I can't recommend them highly enough. This series follows a number of indian and english characters living in India in the years leading up to India's independence. Scott uses a mix of third-person narrative, journalistic descriptions and first-person accounts to create a story that is both broadly historical and intensely personal. His writing style is direct, precise and graceful. His characters are extraordinarily memorable and lifelike. He captures the evils of colonialism without moralizing or generalizing about people. Engaging on every level.

In the four books that make up "The Raj Quartet", Paul Scott recounts the final years of British India, the "jewel" in the crown of the Empire. As he simply states in the first book, "This is the story of a rape, of the events that led up to it and followed it and the place in which it happened." Through the gang-rape of a young English girl by Indian thugs, Scott takes us on a brilliantly exhaustive journey which brings together the time, the place and the people, and shows through the eyes of one family how the sun finally set on the British Empire.

The story starts out with a love affair between Daphne Manners, an English girl and a young English-educated Hindu man, Hari Kumar; a relationship forbidden by the mores of the times and the ingrained British sense of their own superiority. Complicating the situation is a young British officer named Ronald Merrick, whose attentions towards Daphne are rejected out of hand. Merrick is at once contemptuous and resentful of Hari; despising his dark skin, he hates Hari for attracting the girl he wants for himself, for being better educated, and for being the product of a prosperous Indian family better than his own. Merrick is the product and the victim of the British class system; coming from the lower classes, the only way he can better himself is through military service, where he will have the opportunity to treat dark-skinned British subjects like dirt. When Daphne is raped at the Bibighar Gardens, Merrick has no problem believing Hari is to blame and has him arrested for the crime.

Merrick is a swine, but through brown-nosing the proper people, he manages to rise through the army ranks and ingratiates himself into the Layton family, who belong to the class he has secretly aspired to join. He takes advantage of the tenuous emotional health of the younger sister to get her to marry him. He is thus secure in his new caste -- or so he thinks. But his fundamental, underlying sense of insecurity causes him to bully everybody under him -- his men, the natives he hates, and occasionally his wife. Meanwhile, Hari has been released from jail and simply bides his time.

The end of the second world war finds Merrick a wounded war hero, but his prospects are far from certain. His life is bound up with British India, and British India is on its last legs. The Laytons can return to England, where they will live a comfortable upper-middle-class existence; Merrick's wife is dead, her death has disconnected him from her family who want nothing to do with him, and in England he will once again be the nobody he was before he joined the military. As despicable as he is, he's a tragic figure with nowhere to go; he'll almost certainly be persona non grata in an independent India whose citizens have long memories concerning British soldiers who mistreated the natives. But before Merrick can decide whether or not to offer himself as a soldier of fortune to Pakistan, the question is decided for him; his lifeless body is found in the middle of a ransacked room with "Bibighar", the site of Daphne Manner's rape, scrawled in blood all over the walls. Did Hari Kumar engineer this ultimate revenge for being falsely arrested and brutally questioned years before? Nobody in the book knows for sure, and neither do we. All we know for certain is that fortune is a wheel and what goes around comes around.

In four exquisitely written and totally compelling novels, Paul Scott has written the intimate history of two young lovers, a British family, and a malevolent army officer in 1940's India, and through them, the larger story of the turbulent decade that saw the beginning of the end of the British Empire. It's history up close and personal. The excellent plot development and writing is sustained through all four books. "The Raj Quartet" is a towering achievement and make up a collection of some of the best contemporary historical novels ever written.

The late Trevor Leggett may be more familiar to many readers as an engaging, insightful commentator on Japanese Zen and martial arts traditions. He was also a serious student of Vedanta, studying with the famous pundit and yogi, Dr. Hari Prasad Shastri, for 18 years. The current book reflects that training, approaching the Bhagavad Gita not as a revelatory scripture, but as a practical manual of yoga for people engaged with the world - reminiscent of Sri Krishna Prem's classic THE YOGA OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA, but focusing more directly on the Gita's methodological aspect.

It's telling that Arjuna's talk with God (as Krishna) takes place on a battlefield just moments before all heck breaks loose. Krishna's advice to the troubled warrior is nothing if not practicable, offering a concrete approach to keeping the mind centered in the consciousness of the supreme Self, even in the face of life's most horrific realities. The Gita is thus a book for warriors and for the rest of us - spiritual counsel for anyone enmeshed in ups, downs, and contradictions of daily life.

Trevor Leggett's background is impressive. Head of the BBC Japanese Service for twenty years, he has lived in both India and Japan, has a string of publications on various Eastern topics to his credit, and his knowledge of the languages and thought of the East is both extensive and deep. In addition, he underwent, under the personal guidance of the late Dr Hari Prasad Shastri, formal training for eighteen years in the meditative practices he describes, and one is gratified to find him applying his considerable expertise to elucidating the Bhagavad Gita.

The Gita, though enormously popular, is a difficult text. It contains many seeming contradictions and inconsistencies, and it has generated a wide range of conflicting interpretations. The great Shankara Acarya himself (+ 788-820), one of the acutest minds India has ever produced, states in the Introduction to his 'bhasya' or commentary on the Gita, that "this scripture called the Gita ... is the collection of the quintessence of all the teachings of the Vedas, and its meaning is difficult to understand" (Gambhirananda tr. page 5).

Unfortunately for the modern reader, the ancient Indian commentaries such as those of Shankara can, for a variety of reasons, be often more difficult to understand than the text on which they comment.

This is where Leggett Sensei steps in, for what he has done is to extract the essential core of the Gita, particularly as it applies to "the main points of Gita practice presented by Shankara, the earliest and greatest commentator" (page 9), and to present this in a clear, simple, and readable English, and in a way suited to the non-specialist modern reader.

As soon as I started reading this book I found that it immediately began to clear up problems I'd been having, particularly the vexing problem of whether the Gita is to be understood as primarily Monistic or Theistic.

Most commentators tend to explain the Gita as being primarily about a single yoga, the yoga of action or the yoga of devotion or the yoga of knowledge. What Leggett points out, however, is that the technique of the Gita is more subtle. It contains, as we saw Shankara affirm, not merely one but "all the teachings of the Vedas," and hence all yoga-s, and the method it employs is one of "Teaching Down" (Leggett, pages 18-20).

For a full description of this method you will, of course, have to read Leggett. Basically it consists in starting with the highest and most difficult yoga in the hope that the student is already highly advanced and will immediately understand (as is the case with King Janaka in the 'Ashtavakra Gita'). But if, as happens with Arjuna, the student is not particularly advanced and fails to understand, one then gradually steps down the degree of difficulty in stages until one discovers the student's true level.

The Gita, in other words, although it contains much metaphysics, is not primarily to be thought of as a metaphysical treatise but as a book of practical instruction. As Leggett points out: "In the end, the system has to be confirmed by practice; it is not a dogma. There has to be enough faith in it to carry out the outer and inner training" (page 7). He adds that: "To study the holy texts is a sacred duty.... But if it is done without meditation, it leads to a kind of frustration" (pages 30-31). In short, for true understanding practice is essential.

Leggett's book is divided into five main parts: Part 1 - Introductory; Part 2 - Yoga-s of the Gita (which takes us chapter-by-chapter through the whole Gita, using selected verses to point up the features of the various yogas); Part 3 - Shankara on Gita Practice (Worship for Sceptics, Line of Light, Karma-Yoga Action, Samadhi, etc.); Part 4 - Pointers for Practice (The Experimental Basis, Mistakes, The Four Vocations, Rebirth, etc.); and Part 5 - Technical Appendixes.

There are many theoretical studies of the Gita, studies, for example, like those of George Feuerstein which argue that the Gita is to be understood as a purely theistic and devotional work. It is the great merit of Leggett's book that he has risen above all such sectarian narrowness, and has redirected our attention to the real nature of the Gita as a practical manual of training in 'all' yoga-s.

In addition to Leggett's intensely practical orientation, another striking feature of his book is the very high quality of his translations from the Gita. Here is an example:

"Here, O son of Kuru, thought is one-pointed and decisive: Endlessly branching out are the thoughts of the indecisive." (II.41)

I have compared this with about ten other translations and nowhere did I find the meaning of this verse expressed so clearly and crisply, and Leggett has many other similarly impressive verses. It would be wonderful to see a complete translation of the Gita from him some day. 'Realization of The Supreme Self' is a unique and invaluable book. It is also very well-produced, being cloth-bound, Smyth-sewn, and well-printed in a good-sized font on strong heavy paper. My only criticism of the book is its very high price. One hopes that at some point the publishers will see fit to issue it in a less expensive paperbound version, for it is a book that will be of real value to anyone with a serious interest in the Gita.

Two other books that the interested reader might care to consult, both again with a practical bent and written by clear-headed Englishmen who had lived in India, are Douglas Harding's 'On Having No Head' and Sri Krishna Prem's 'Initiation into Yoga.' Both serve to complement Leggett Sensei's book beautifully. Their collective aim might be said not so much to help us understand Self as to become it.

Wow! This author has gone all out in his study of herpetology. He goes into depth with this book, including taxon counts of the different groups. The taxonomy information is a little outdated, but his research on the biology and habits of the reptiles is beyond compare! A must have for anyone interested in herpetology!

This was the first adult book on this subject I owned. I was given a a copy by my parents in the late 1950s. I still have the book and actually still use it, tattered and worn though it may be. Much has changed in the study and science of these amazing creatures and yes there is information out there that is more current. You have to realize that Ditmars was more or less the Grand Daddy of our modern day collectors and from a historical point of view, this was and is quite an important work. I can highly recommend this one.

A great Writer of all times, Mr. Akbar is an intelligent, witty and a very genius Personality, His focus on the crisis fronts of India, esp. Punjab and Kashmir portrays the real background and emotions behind the crisis. He challenges the Nation's Unity and concerned thoughful analyzing of Mr. Akbar shows a human Brain who is a true Indian. India, The seige within 'Challenge to a Nation's Unity' and 'Nehru the Making of India' are two books which are worth a Buy and Read. Mr. Akbar portrays a cool, calm, tactful approach and his 'Bylines' are a strong concerned relection in Journalism Field too.

This is literally one of the best books I have ever read. Without any sensationalism or any hidden injecting of opinion, MJ Akbar takes a person from scratch on the tensions in Tamil Nadu, Kashmir, and Punjab, and goes right to the essential facts and background and emotions and motives behind these crises. He is a wonderful story-teller, but does not become so enamored as to just be for the sake of it. Every word is important. He includes his analysis and his take on it, but is always explicit and frank about it. A most highly objective and intelligent presentation of the crises.

The story begins with Nilambar Gautam, a forest university student who travels the country at the time when Buddhist ideas were sweeping through India, he mets Hari Shanker a Buddhist and falls in love with Champa, the time passes and the next Gautam, Hari Shanker and Champa surface in new era- this time it is Moghul era and the arrival of Islam in India. Abul Mansoor Kamaluddin arrives from Baghdad and meets Champa, Hari and Gautam. The characters depict the civilisational conflicts, the mingling of the two great religions and the shaping of the new nation. The third era begins with the Europian advent in Asia and with Cyril Ashley, an English, the fourth character arrives in the book. The four characters return in successive periods in different roles until the bloody partition changes the geographical boundaries of the country. The magnificent description, the vast continuum of time and the canvas of the novel places it at par with Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude, if not above. Had the book translated when it had been written, the author would have been ranked above Kundera and Marquez today.

This is one of the finest pieces of literature I have read. There is history, philosophy, psychology and above all human relationship. I like the engaging style, the weaving of the events and the passion that can be seen through the pages.

The second book of author John Master's autobiography, The Road Past Mandalay covers Master's service with the old Indian Army during World War 2.
The book begins with Masters as a young adjutant in a Gurkha regiment and ends with him a much-promoted divisional chief of staff. In between, Masters serves in Persia, attends staff college, falls in love ,has a child, gets married, operates behind enemy lines in Burma,and participates in the liberation of Burma from the Japanese.
All of the book is well written and insightful. Some of the book is extremely grim , (as when Masters orders his most severely wounded men to be shot rather than left for the Japanese). This is not a valentine to India and to his beloved Gurkhas, as is Master's prior "Bugles and a Tiger". Instead , it is a superb war memoir of an articulate mid-level officer who saw his share of triumph and suffering. A first-class work.

This book arrived quickly and in time for Xmas all in excellent shape. Great book, responsive merchant who sold it.

I think Shahid Ali is the only person in the world whose book jacket features quotes by Anthony Hecht and Michael Palmer. It's a tribute to the kind of poet he became.

And we miss him already.

His language is so eerie and unbelievable because he really did bring the cadences, literariness (and penchant for grief and drama) of Urdu into English. In this sense, every one of his poems is an expert translation--across continents, physical and otherwise.

The book is dominated by two intense long sequences, one in which the poet accompanies his mother's body to back to Kashmir, and the closing sequence--dynamic!--in which, paralyzed by grief over his mother's death (and his own illness) Shahid communes with the departed spirit of James Merrill.

Shahid was a magnificent poet, and a magnificent man. Often reviews focus on his romance with bringing the Ghazal into English, or assign him a role as a "new formalist,"--which (I understand) he hated to be called--however, his true (and secret) gift is only the "multiply exiled" (to borrow Shahid's phrase) could have: a deep understanding of the "words behind the words."

We miss you, Shahid.

From his last book: "Dear Shahid...we are waiting for the almond blossoms. And, if God wills, O! those days of peace when we all were in love and the rain was in our hands whenever we met."

the lines are drawn on the page so vividly, each word tells a story. i wish to god that he would have had more time. another book will follow this in 2003 (poets & writers magazine), and then...silence. grab the chance to get to know this amazing writer.

The research here is remarkable. The scholarship is first-rate, the information exhaustive (although never definitive since world music grows with leaps and bounds moment by moment).

I love dipping into this attractively illustrated, logically organized, and utterly helpful guide to find whole realms of sound which I not only didn't know existed but also could not even have imagined existed without the help of these fine fans of the music about which they write so clearly and well.

The world today is a depressing place. Sorrow is everywhere one turns. But this celebration of music continually energizes and revivifies. Buy it; enjoy it; and expand your CD collection.

... this one is for Latin & North American, Caribbean, Indian, Asian/Pacific idioms. I picked up the original '94 edition to explore World Beat rhythms in improvisatory settings, and was excited to hear the new edition would cover two volumes. I am NOT displeased !!

This is a lovely book! It really seems like a genuine account of the travels of these 2 guys through "Mother India," which seems a little too, um, rough for my likes in travel. Yet it is just a great book!

I was especially Ajahn Sucitto's words, which contained many wonderful pearls of wisdom, especially when he speculates about mental processes, meditation, what the Buddha really did under the Bodhi tree, and so forth.

This is a must-read for people who love "travel Buddhism," as I do!!

This is one of my favourite books of all time. You will laugh, you will cry and then you will be glad that you read this book. The authors write from their hearts and you almost feel like you are on the journey with them. They talk about their journey in India and also this journey called life. Buy it. Read it. Lend it to your family and friends. This book deserves a place in your home and heart.

Stephen Alter's marvelous book is reminiscent of fine nineteenth century travel writing in which the writer, in lucid, and sometimes poetic, style brings the reader with him to see and experience things most people never would otherwise. His credentials are impeccable: the son of missionaries who was raised in northern India, fluent in Hindi and conversant in other Indian languages and possessed of an encyclopedic knowledge of the flora and fauna of the region. A non believer, he traces the steps of an ancient pilgrimage, feeling the spiritual attraction of the place while wryly commenting on the religious hypocrisy he encounters along the way. For all of its gifts it is the writing that commends this fine book. For the author's wise and seasoned view of the world and understatement of the rigors of his journey I would compare it to Bruce Chatwin's, In Patagonia.

Surprisingly, there exist very few good books on the rich myths, and natural history of the hill districts of Garhwal and Kumaon. Till date probably the best known figure from the region is Jim Corbett of the "Man Eaters of Kumaon" fame.

Stephen Alter's latest book titled, "Sacred Waters," is a beautifully written narrative of his journey to the sources of River Ganga (or Ganges) in the Garhwal Himalayas. For the Hindus, the Ganga is a sacred river.

Alter's book is a welcome addition to the few goods books that exist about this region. The book is a wonderful introduction to understanding the history of the region, and the central place the River Ganga occupies for many Indians.

The book is an interesting mix of natural history, myths and Alter's own personal experience of River Ganga, whose source is hidden in the beautiful and rugged mountains of Garhwal, often called as "Dev Bhoomi," - the land of the gods. Alter paints a fascinating picture of the changing moods and nature of the river as it bursts from the mountains and courses down to the dusty Gangetic plains, and into the ocean.

Alter is a second generation Pahari-American, who was born and brought up in the hills of Uttaranchal. Pahari means someone from the mountain in Hindi.