- Hardcover: 376 pages
- Publisher: Random House Inc (T) (Jun 1962)
- Language German
- ISBN-10: 9997410440
- ISBN-13: 978-9997410443
- Product Dimensions: 21.3 x 14.5 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,639,122 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Written by prominent Indian historian this book tells of the last nine hours of Gandhi. Wolpert's historical background allows this to be more that a hagiographical account of Gandhi, instead it shows a man who though principled was not without his flaws. Towards the end he was out of touch with the politics of India, and though ultimately killed by Hindu fundamentalists he was starting to become somewhat of an annoyance to the Congress party. Whilst seen as a saint by most Gandhi's legacy wasn't that simple, it's undeniable that many of his ideas were laudable but he too had an agenda and ultimately it was one the Indian people didn't accept and the partition resulted. The merits and problems of partition could fill volumes and feature little in this novel. Here we see the lives of the main protagonists on that fateful day, the assassin and his lover, the policeman trying to stop him and of course Bapu. Whilst the conclusion is of course known, the path to it, though a pure fiction is still captivating
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4 reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
A fine novelization of a tragic day
30 Mar 2000
This is the 1962 novel upon which the film "Nine hours to Rama" was based. The "Nine Hours" are those leading up to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi on January 30, 1948.
Unlike the movie, the book does not open with the assassination itself, but with the assassin, Natu Godse (a fictional name) boarding the train that will take him to the prayer meeting where, nine hours later, he will shoot the Mahatma and brings sorrow to the whole of India. From the beginning of the book, the reader already knows what the tragic outcome of the story will be. And yet, I found myself getting so caught up in the lives of the different characters, that I could hardly put the book down. It's really too bad this is now out of print, and I hope somebody does a reprint, because this is a really great novel!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Was Neglect the Reason for Gandhi's Death?
18 Dec 2003
In a 1997 interview with Rajeev Srinivasan of Rediff.com, Stanley Wolpert said, "I have never been given any reasons for the ban [in India] on Nine Hours to Rama."
"I might have come uncomfortably close to the truth when I talked about the criminal neglect of the Mahatma's security."
"A number of groups opposed him - some even called him Mohammed Gandhi because his prayer meetings included the Quran."
"A bomb exploded in Birla House grounds behind where he was staying some two weeks before the assassination."
"The police did interrogate a number of goondas [crooks], but did nothing to prevent further incidents."
"I think I came close to the truth. The head of the C.I.D. in Bombay - I had dinner in London with him years later - said, 'If I hadn't sealed the documents myself, not to be opened in 50 years, I could have sworn you had read them.'"
Vendor review
19 Jan 2011
Amazon Verified Purchase
I ordered a used book - it was mailed promptly and was in the condition indicated so I was fully satisfied with my order
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
