Liberty Or Death: India’s Journey to Independence and Division - Softcover

French, Patrick

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0006550452 ISBN 13: 9780006550457

Publisher: Flamingo, 1998

Synopsis

‘A remarkable achievement’ Philip Ziegler, Daily Telegraph ‘Brilliant...There can be no doubt that Patrick French is the most impressive Western historian of modern India currently at work’ Frank McLynn, Glasgow Herald

At midnight on 14 August 1947, Britain’s 350-year-old Indian Empire cracked into three pieces. The greatest mass migration in history began, as Muslims fled north and Hindus fled south, over a million being massacred on the way. Britain’s role as world power came to an end, and the course of Asia’s future was irrevocably set. Using a compelling mixture of scholarship, travel and personal narrative, Patrick French offers a radical reinterpretation of the events surrounding India’s independence and partition, including the disastrous mistakes made by politicians, and the bizarre reasoning behind many of their decisions. Exploring the interplay between characters such as Churchill, Mountbatten and Gandhi, it reveals a fascinating tale of idealism and manipulation, hope and tragedy. With sources ranging from newly declassified secret documents to the memories of refugees, Patrick French gives a riveting account of an epic debacle, the impact of which reverberates across Asia to this day.

About this title

Review:

From the reviews of Liberty or Death:

‘A huge, crowded and kaleidoscopic canvas, which the author handles with remarkable authority. It is also enormous fun to read’
Philip Ziegler, Daily Telegraph

‘Well-researched, beautifully written and immensely scholarly’
Andrew Roberts, Sunday Times

‘Delightful... quite hilarious’
Swapan Dasgupta, India Today

From the Back Cover:

At midnight on 14 August 1947, Britain’s 350-year- old Indian Empire was cracked into three pieces. The greatest mass migration in history began, as Muslims fled north and Hindus fled south, nearly a million being massacred on the other way. Britain’s role as a world power came to an end, and the course of Asia’s future was irrevocably set.

'Liberty or Death' offers a controversial reinterpretation of the last years of British rule in India, including the disastrous mistakes made by politicians, and the bizarre reasoning behind many of their decisions. Exploring the interplay between opposing characters such as Churchill, Wavell, Nehru, Patel, Jinnah, Mountbatten and Gandhi, it reveals a fascinating tale of idealism and manipulation, hope and tragedy. With sources extending from newly declassified intelligence documents to the memories of Bihari refugees, Patrick French gives a riveting account of an epic debacle, the impact of which reverberates across South Asia to this day.

“ Extraordinarily able and nuanced...This is a brilliant book on an important subject... There can surely now be no serious doubt French is the most impressive Western historian of modern India currently at work”
FRANK MCLYNN,' Glasgow Herald'

”French tackles a subject of extreme complexity, calling for scholarship, sobriety and considerable analytical powers. He has achieved almost complete success... It is a huge, crowded and kaleidescopic canvas, which the author handles with remarkable authority... It is also enormous fun to read”
PHILIP ZIEGLER, 'Daily Telegraph'

“Well-researched, beautifully written and immensly scholarly”
ANDREW ROBERTS, 'Sunday Times'

”French is a natural storyteller... a delightful tale of intrigue, ham-handedness and just plain blundering...quite hilarious”
SWAPAN DASGUPTA, 'India Today'

About this edition

• Publisher: Flamingo
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0006550452
• ISBN 13: 9780006550457
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 352