This is the brilliantly told story of one of the wonders of the modern world - how in less than a hundred years the British made themselves masters of India. They ruled it for another hundred, departing in 1947, leaving behind the independent states of India and Pakistan. British rule taught Indians to see themselves as Indians and its benefits included railways, hospitals, law and a universal language. But the Raj, outwardly so monolithic and magnificent, was always precarious. Its masters knew that it rested ultimately on the goodwill of Indians. This is a new look at a subject rich in incident and character; the India of the Raj was that of Clive, Kipling, Curzon and Gandhi and a host of lesser known others. RAJ will provoke debate, for it sheds new light on Mountbatten and the events of 1946-47 which ended an exercise in benign autocracy and an experiment in altruism.
Raj
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Learn more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Product Description
Review
The range, sweep and sheer verve of theb ook are prodigious....A masterpiece. (A N WILSON )
His feeling for historical detail cannot be faulted and is made more engaging by his scholarship and infectious enthusiasm for the subject. (SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY )
With this superb history of the mammoth subject (James') writing career has reached its apogee. (THE TIMES )
James never loses sight of his grand design, yet he still finds room for the telling detail which illuminates and enriches the narrative. (DAILY TELEGRAPH )
His feeling for historical detail cannot be faulted and is made more engaging by his scholarship and infectious enthusiasm for the subject. (SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY )
With this superb history of the mammoth subject (James') writing career has reached its apogee. (THE TIMES )
James never loses sight of his grand design, yet he still finds room for the telling detail which illuminates and enriches the narrative. (DAILY TELEGRAPH )
Book Description
* A book that is narrative-driven, but full of outstanding scholarship and insight.
* Subtitled 'The Making and Unmaking of British India' - how the British Raj shaped the Indian sub-continent as it is today.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
79 of 81 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
This book takes a wide perspective on a key component of both British and Indian history. He deals impressively with matters as diverse as racial attitudes, the part played by the Raj in Britain's position in the ninteenth century world, and the rise of Indian nationalism. All of this is done in a readable and engaging manner which must mark it down as one of the best surveys of this immense subject that have been written in recent years.
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful
By K. Abraham
Format:Paperback
This is a very good piece of work by Lawrence James. I like his style of writing which is simple, effective and oftentimes humorous. I don't hesitate in reccomending it. I picked this little gem up from a discount book store at a store in West London when I was studying as an undergraduate. Great book - do buy it.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By E. Love
Format:Paperback
Raj offers a very good account of the 'making and unmaking' of the British in India in an informative style. This is supported by less heavy reading in the form of comparison to the 'film and fiction' of the time, mainly adventure films of young men making their fortune in India.
This allows the reader to separate fact from fiction in their own mind and the conclusion of the book allows the reader to appreciate the achievements of the Raj but understand why it had to end.
A very good book, do buy it!
This allows the reader to separate fact from fiction in their own mind and the conclusion of the book allows the reader to appreciate the achievements of the Raj but understand why it had to end.
A very good book, do buy it!
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see the review
4.0 out of 5 stars
Was this review helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Raj by Lawrence James
The Making and Unmaking of British India interesting background to the story of the British in India.
Written in an engaging and informative style.
Written in an engaging and informative style.
Published 4 months ago by BarbarafrancesLow
5.0 out of 5 stars
Highly Recommended.
Bought as a gift for a friend, I was pleased with the punctual delivery. After enquiry, my friend is enjoying the reading very much. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Malcolm Gillett
2.0 out of 5 stars
Glorification of Empire
This book is a scholarly and well-researched effort. Nevertheless, it's frustratingly orthodox and does not develop a critical perspective. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Mark Stokle
5.0 out of 5 stars
Raj
Just fantastic well researched balanced and a really good read for such a massive subject. Anyone interested in British India should start with this book
Published 20 months ago by mike smith
3.0 out of 5 stars
Long, Very Long.
James is a good historian and an OK writer and this comes of in Raj. It is popular history and does skirt over the feeling of colonialism, it never becomes atmospheric and does get... Read more
Published 22 months ago by D. J. Andrews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Personal Raj
In making a family genealogy I had basic details of one of my great grandfathers who had joined the 54th Regiment of Foot and was sent to India in mid nineteenth century. Read more
Published 23 months ago by O. McGonagle
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Empire in a tea cup
As a history teacher I am currently teaching the History of British India and the partition, broght this book to help with my factual knowledge, an excellent book really well... Read more
Published 24 months ago by Mr. L. A. Okeefe
3.0 out of 5 stars
Lots of information, but a simplistic and juvenile analysis.
Just looking at the bilbliography Mr. James seems to have done a great deal of research for this book and attempts to cover a very broad subject. Read more
Published on 15 Dec 2002
5.0 out of 5 stars
A realistic view in a world of political correctness
James has produced a definitive account of the British Empire's greatest achievement without succumbing to the political correctness that clouds our ability to analyse and conclude... Read more
Published on 4 Dec 2002 by Neil
4.0 out of 5 stars
Still an anglocentric view
... this is a truly excellent factual account of the period studied,...[but] my reaction on finishing the book was disappointment. Read more
Published on 13 Sep 2002 by "edwardround"
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192198663_.gif){kind=small}
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
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.
|
