Tinderbox - by M J Akbar (Paperback)

About the Book

Among many recent books on Pakistan, Mr. Akbar s stands out .A fine and detailed history of Indian Muslim anger and insecurity. The Economist

In Tinderbox, India s leading journalist delivers a fascinating narrative history of Pakistan, chronicling the conflict between Muslim and Hindu cultures in South Asia and describing the role that their relationship has played in defining both the country and the region. Editorial director of India Today and editor of the Sunday Guardian, M. J. Akbar gives readers an unprecedented look at Pakistan past and present. Panoramic in scope but specific in detail, with rich portraits of the central figures and events that have defined the nation s history, Ackbar s Tinderbox tells the Pakistanian story from the Middle Ages to the present, puts the Taliban and its place within modern Islam into a meaningful context, and diagnoses where the country is headed in the 21st century."

Book Synopsis

"Among many recent books on Pakistan, Mr. Akbar's stands out....A fine and detailed history of Indian Muslim anger and insecurity."

In Tinderbox, India's leading journalist delivers a fascinating narrative history of Pakistan, chronicling the conflict between Muslim and Hindu cultures in South Asia and describing the role that their relationship has played in defining both the country and the region. Editorial director of India Today and editor of the Sunday Guardian, M. J. Akbar gives readers an unprecedented look at Pakistan past and present. Panoramic in scope but specific in detail, with rich portraits of the central figures and events that have defined the nation's history, Ackbar's Tinderbox tells the Pakistanian story from the Middle Ages to the present, puts the Taliban and its place within modern Islam into a meaningful context, and diagnoses where the country is headed in the 21st century.

What forces shaped a nation defined by faith, and where do they lead it now?

• A Theory of Distance: Discover how the search for a separate 'Muslim space' began not in the 1940s, but with the decline of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century, planting the seeds of insecurity and separation.
• British Rule in India: Analyze the complex role of the British Raj, from the Battle of Plassey to the final partition, and how colonial policies exacerbated the divide between Hindus and Muslims.
• Jinnah vs. Gandhi: Explore the dramatic ideological clash between the two fathers of their nations, chronicling the journey that turned an ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity into the champion of a separate state.
• The Siege Within: Understand the roots of modern challenges, from the rise of the Taliban to the ongoing struggle between secularism and theocracy, as Pakistan confronts its turbulent identity.

From the Back Cover

In Tinderbox: The Past and Future of Pakistan, acclaimed author and journalist M. J. Akbar traces the search for a "Muslim space" that began in the eighteenth century, and the events, people, circumstances, and mind-set that culminated in a fractured India in 1947. But why is Pakistan in danger of becoming a "jelly state," a country that constantly quivers on the edge of instability? Akbar investigates contradictions in the nation's modern leadership, from Jinnah's secular ideals to the theocrats' clear stance on creating a "sanctuary of Islam." He also offers an intimate appraisal of the young nation's future--including the global implications of nuclear armament and the harboring of terrorists like Osama bin Laden.

Tinderbox, a riveting and expansive biography of a nation, fills a crucial void in our understanding--even as the region's conflicts grow to affect the entire world.

Review Quotes

"An acclaimed journalist gives us the one thing he can: an illuminating history." - Daily Beast

"Historically grounded, informative." - Publishers Weekly

"A lively read. . . . Among many recent books on Pakistan, Mr. Akbar's stands out . . . it is a fine and detailed history of Indian Muslim anger and insecurity, spawned by the 18th-century decline of the Mughals, and the way this played out in the freedom struggle." - The Economist

"Akbar's elegant, probing work exhibits a sympathetic insider's understanding of the complex, evolving relationship between Muslims and Hindus in the area. . . . Presents a thoughtful historical perspective, rich in detail, research and gloom." - Kirkus Reviews

"Among many recent books on Pakistan, Mr Akbar's stands out. Above all, it is a fine and detailed history of Indian Muslim anger and insecurity. . . . It is a lively read; Mr Akbar is a stylish writer [and] . . . his book is fair and balanced." - The Economist