The Story of India - Softcover

Wood, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1846074606 ISBN 13: 9781846074608

Publisher: BBC Books, 2008

Synopsis

In The Story of India, Michael Wood weaves a spellbinding narrative out of the 10,000-year history of the subcontinent. Home today to more than a fifth of the world's population, India gave birth to the oldest and most influential civilization on Earth, to four world religions, and to the world's largest democracy.

Now, as India bids to become a global economic giant, Michael sets out on an epic journey across this vibrant country to trace the roots of India's present in the incredible riches of her past. The Story of India is a magical mixture of history and travelogue, and an unforgettable portrait of India - past, present and future.

About this title

Review:

Michael Wood’s approachable (but highly informed) manner is a gift for TV presentation of a diverse selection of subjects, ranging from archaeology to foreign countries to Shakespeare, and as the book to accompany the epic BBC history series The Story of India comprehensively proves, those attributes transfer smoothly to the printed page. In this sumptuously illustrated volume, Wood tells a fascinating, turbulent story -- nothing less than the 10,000 year history of India. Over a fifth of the world's population is crammed into a subcontinent which was the initial progenitor of one of the most significant civilisations on the planet. And in a period when India becomes a global economic force to be reckoned with, it is the perfect time for Wood to show us how this massively achieving country relates to the demands of the modern world, while celebrating the awe-inspiring riches of the country's past. Taking us from the Himalayas to the sultry jungles of India's deep South, Michael Wood presents every aspect of the country, from its cultures, regions, religions and major historical figures (such as Gandhi and Nehru). The influence of Indian ideas on the rest of the world has long been a potent force, and Wood takes that on in a clear-sighted way; some might wish he tackle more rigorously the more controversial aspects of Indian society and religion, but this is not that kind of book. And the remarkable colour photographs perfect complement this ambitious and enlightening history and travelogue of one of the world's great countries. --Barry Forshaw

Review:

"An entertaining history of one of the world's most fascinating places" (Daily Telegraph on the hardback edition)

"A marvellously vivid portrait of India's 10,000-year-old cultural and religious history...Gorgeously illustrated and intelligently written, this is both an erudite and entertaining history" (Sunday Telegraph on the hardback edition)

"This is a beautifully illustrated cultural history, a traveller's tale and a compelling and readable guide to the rise and rise of a civilization" (The Good Book Guide on the hardback edition)

"Michael Wood is the maker of some of the best television documentaries ever made on history and archaeology." (Times Literary Supplement)

About this edition

• Publisher: BBC Books
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1846074606
• ISBN 13: 9781846074608
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 336