India - by Audrey Truschke (Paperback)

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

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

"A Library Journal Best Book of the Year"

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

"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

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

"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"

"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

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.