Bit of a long shot this, but we have a wide range of interests here.
I'm interested to find a readable book about the British in India, ideally covering everything from "arrival to departure", so a long old time.
I don't know if such a book exists. Obviously I can poke about on Amazon or whatever but just wondered if anyone had read such a thing or near enough, and could recommend a title?
Last edited by: Crankcase on Mon 10 Jun 19 at 19:47
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Hmm. Thanks, but that rather looks as if it's just cashing in on oh so fashionable post-Colonial guilt. I'll try to find something a bit more objective.
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"History of Modern India" by Bipan Chandra will give you the facts and "The Men Who Ruled India " by Philip Mason will help you understand the people.
But you are starting on a huge subject and it'll take more than two books to get you through it.
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Many thanks. I'll explore those.
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You can try with school text history books taught in India or history books read by Indian Civil Service exam applicants.
I can't recommend any specific book because I have not read any modern publication and books I read in my history lessons are no longer available or not having English translation.
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If you do look at Amazon's offerings, by keying in "Raj" you will see Paul Scott's "Raj Quartet", in readable novel and watchable DVD forms, albeit fictional. There are various promising titles here and under "India".
For a start, although not confined to India, you could try FutureLearn's free 6-week (less if you are a fast worker) course "Empire: the Controversies of British Imperialism". You don't need preliminary qualifications and there are no exams or essay. This particular course is run by Exeter University and, once enrolled, you can pose any queries you like and get answers from staff or fellow students.
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I see the course starts in four days' time but you can join late. I have decided to do it myself.
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Thanks Ambo. There's rarely a week when we aren't doing one of those courses, Futurelearn or elsewhere. But I hadn't seen that one somehow. I won't be starting it this time around but will look for the next time. Good shout.
Incidentally, thanks to Movi too for the schoolbook suggestion.
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India book? - R.P.
