India: A Portrait

Description

A fresh, illuminating narrative exploration of one of the most contradictory and dynamic countries on earth One of this century's greatest surprises has been the economic and social revolution in India. What is the real nature of this rapid change, and where are its roots? India takes the reader on an extraordinary journey, geographically from the remote Buddhist north to the tropical far south and socially from the new multi-millionaires to the many Indians still crushed by caste and poverty. This is the book for anyone wanting to get to grips with this extraordinary country - and French, with his in-depth knowledge and understanding of India, is perfectly placed to write it.

Patrick French is the author of Younghusband, Liberty or Death, Tibet, Tibet and The World Is What It Is. His books have won the Somerset Maugham Award, the Royal Society of Literature W.H. Heinemann Prize, the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Hawthornden Prize.

French combines his lifelong passion, India, with his scholarly interest ... a fascinating anaylsis, revealing a deeper truth. -- Salil Tripathi * The Independent * It is a funny, witty book; also dense, gripping, thrilling. What blazes through from each page is French's absolute and uncondescending engagement with India -- Neel Mukherjee * The Times * Wide-ranging, clear-sighted, warm-hearted and immensely readable -- Nirpal Dhaliwal * Evening Standard * French is a fine reporter, with an appealing fascination for all things Indian ... an accomplished portrait of momentous times in a remarkable country * Economist * Admirable ... There are many Indias, and Patrick French sets out, with enthusiasm and empathy, to encounter as many as he can find -- David Gilmour * Spectator * Mr. French compresses 63 years of post-independence history into 450-odd pages fizzing with wit, insight and infectious curiosity ... a riveting read, and one suspects that Mr. French could not pen a boring passage if he tried. -- Sadanand Dhume * Wall Street Journal *