India - by Audrey Truschke (Hardcover)

About the Book

"This is the first sweeping one-volume overview of Indian history, from the beginning of the Indus Valley Civilization to the twenty-first century. Audrey Truschke weaves together military, social, religious, dynastic, and literary history to give the reader a sense of the many ways of comprehending "India," understood not only as the modern nation-state but also the pre-national connotations that encompassed greater South Asia. Truschke approaches the dizzying array of linguistic communities, religions, and cultures of the subcontinent through different voices, paying attention to those at the top of the political class as well as to female voices, untouchables, and non-dominant religious perspectives. A readable and ambitious history written for general readers and students, India: A History features relatively short, digestible chapters. Source material enlivens the historical storylines, and each chapter has a short list of suggested readings. Throughout the book, religious studies intertwines with archeology and paleography, anthropology mixes with political science, and art and literature meet historiography to paint an expansive portrait of India over four thousand years. Today in India and Pakistan, we are witness to violent impulses to purify the region of syncretism and traditions of conviviality. In turn, Truschke illustrates how imperative it is to view the historical truth about India with critical attention and an open mind to its diversity"--

Book Synopsis

A dazzling new history of the Indian subcontinent and its diverse peoples in global context--from antiquity to today

Much of world history is Indian history. Home today to one in four people, the subcontinent has long been densely populated and deeply connected to Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas through migration and trade. In this magisterial history, Audrey Truschke tells the fascinating story of the region historically known as India--which includes today's India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and parts of Afghanistan--and the people who have lived there.

A sweeping account of five millennia, from the dawn of the Indus Valley Civilization to the twenty-first century, this engaging and richly textured narrative chronicles the most important political, social, religious, intellectual, and cultural events. And throughout, it describes how the region has been continuously reshaped by its astonishing diversity, religious and political innovations, and social stratification.

Here, readers will learn about Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, and Sikhism; the Vedas and Mahabharata; Ashoka and the Mauryan Empire; the Silk Road; the Cholas; Indo-Persian rule; the Mughal Empire; European colonialism; national independence movements; the 1947 Partition of India; the recent rise of Hindu nationalism; the challenges of climate change; and much more. Emphasizing the diversity of human experiences on the subcontinent, the book presents a wide range of voices, including those of women, religious minorities, lower classes, and other marginalized groups.

You cannot understand India today without appreciating its deeply contested history, which continues to drive current events and controversies. A comprehensive and innovative book, India is essential reading for anyone who is interested in the past, present, or future of the subcontinent.

Review Quotes

"A thoughtful and elegant narrative. . . . A must read for one and all. . . . Invaluable."---Lakshmi Subramanian, The Telegraph

"Erudite and witty."---John Reed, Financial Times

"The pre-eminent general history of India."-- "Wall Street Journal"

"A panoramic view of subcontinental history, from early signs of life to the 21st century."---Ziya Us Salam, The Hindu

"A Library Journal Best Book of the Year"

"What distinguishes Truschke's telling of South Asian history is her instinct to foreground the underdog. Whether it is the manual scavengers of the Indus Valley Civilisation, the nuns who shaped early Buddhism, or the labourers who sustained the Mughal empire, she coaxes us to look at the subcontinent's past from the bottom up."---Shreevatsa Nevatia, Frontline

"Truschke treats India's tremendous religious history, languages, and literature substantially. The effort to include a variety of voices, not just those of the elite classes whose lives are often documented in historical sources, sets this work apart from other histories. . . . Essential."-- "Library Journal"

"Readers will appreciate the vast scope of Indian history, while gaining a fuller understanding of what makes modern India appear simultaneously so distinctive and multi-faceted."---David Chaffetz, Asian Review of Books

About the Author

Audrey Truschke is professor of South Asian history at Rutgers University, Newark. She is the bestselling author of Aurangzeb: The Life and Legacy of India's Most Controversial King and other books.