Status
Available
Collection
Publication
Knopf, (2011)
Description
Second only to China in the magnitude of its economic miracle and second to none in its potential to shape the new century, India is fast undergoing one of the most momentous transformations the world has ever seen. In this panoramic book, Patrick French chronicles that epic change, telling human stories to explain a larger national narrative. Melding on-the-ground reports with a deep knowledge of history, French exposes the cultural foundations of India's political, economic and social complexities. He reveals how a nation identified with some of the most wretched poverty on earth has simultaneously developed an envied culture of entrepreneurship. Even more remarkably, he shows how, despite the ancient and persistent traditions of caste, as well as a mind-boggling number of ethnicities and languages, India has nevertheless managed to cohere, evolving into the world's largest democracy, largely fulfilling Jawaharlal Nehru's dream of a secular liberal order.--From publisher description.… (more)
Media reviews
User reviews
LibraryThing member Oberon
India: A Portrait by Patrick French
This has sat on my shelf for a couple of years for reasons that I can't entirely explain. Having now completed it (in audiobook form from the library) it should not have sat as long as it did. I acquired the book based on French's excellent biography of
India: A Portrait is a deep dive into modern India. The book was published in 2011 and traces India from partition forward to the most recent elections. The political diversity of India is staggering. French does an excellent job of tracking down and interviewing Indians from wildly divergent lives and locales. For example, French interviews some of the leaders of India's Maoist party that has been fighting a guerrilla war against the Indian state for decades. Prior to reading this book I had no idea about this insurgency much less about the obscure connection to Maoism and how the Indian insurgents persist in their veneration of Mao's principals even though they have been long discarded by the Chinese.
French does an excellent job of connecting modern political thought in India with the experience of the country. Whether it the impact of partition on various refugee groups, the rise of puritan Islam in Pakistan at the expense of traditional Sufism, or the impact of caste post constitution attempts to abolish the caste system, French provides the history, the evolution and the modern expression of these influences. In doing so, he gives the reader a broad but detailed overview of present day India.
Most books that I have read about India have dealt more with historical India than modern India. I think it is useful to have a solid understanding of historical India, particularly the Raj as it had an outsized impact on modern India, and you get only glimpses of that history from this book. This is not a criticism per se - had French included that information it would have made for a massive tome that distracted from its primary goal of examining modern India. As written India: A Portrait is the best book about modern day India that I have read. Well worth the read if you have an interest in where India is today and where it is likely to go in the future.
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This has sat on my shelf for a couple of years for reasons that I can't entirely explain. Having now completed it (in audiobook form from the library) it should not have sat as long as it did. I acquired the book based on French's excellent biography of
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Younghusband, one of those classic British Imperial explorers who filled in the dark corners of the map and risked life and limb to do so.India: A Portrait is a deep dive into modern India. The book was published in 2011 and traces India from partition forward to the most recent elections. The political diversity of India is staggering. French does an excellent job of tracking down and interviewing Indians from wildly divergent lives and locales. For example, French interviews some of the leaders of India's Maoist party that has been fighting a guerrilla war against the Indian state for decades. Prior to reading this book I had no idea about this insurgency much less about the obscure connection to Maoism and how the Indian insurgents persist in their veneration of Mao's principals even though they have been long discarded by the Chinese.
French does an excellent job of connecting modern political thought in India with the experience of the country. Whether it the impact of partition on various refugee groups, the rise of puritan Islam in Pakistan at the expense of traditional Sufism, or the impact of caste post constitution attempts to abolish the caste system, French provides the history, the evolution and the modern expression of these influences. In doing so, he gives the reader a broad but detailed overview of present day India.
Most books that I have read about India have dealt more with historical India than modern India. I think it is useful to have a solid understanding of historical India, particularly the Raj as it had an outsized impact on modern India, and you get only glimpses of that history from this book. This is not a criticism per se - had French included that information it would have made for a massive tome that distracted from its primary goal of examining modern India. As written India: A Portrait is the best book about modern day India that I have read. Well worth the read if you have an interest in where India is today and where it is likely to go in the future.
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LibraryThing member andratozo
Three things hit me from this book (and I don't know much about India so I'm starting from a fairly basic level). 1. Since independence there has been a massive growth in dynastic political families. While older MPs in the Indian parliament tend to be 'self made', the younger generation are
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overwhelmingly what Patrick French calls HMPs - hereditary MPs. They are the sons and daughters of already-established political leaders. 2. Capitalism - or 'something' about the way the Indian economy has been evolving in the last 30 years has begun to significantly reduce the proportion of the population living in poverty, although the sheer number of poor people remains high (due to population growth). Since the the 1950s Indian government household expenditure surveys monitored living standards and defined a 'poverty line' in terms of the the income necessary for a basic calory intake. In 1973/4 54.9% of the population was below the poverty line, falling to 44.5% in 1984/4 and 36% in 1993/4. A further fall to 22.9% was projected by 2010. World Bank figures show a similar trend. French argues that a key factor in this has been the ending of the 'permit raj' (or centrally-managed economy) and the aggressive development of exports which is attributed largely to Manmohan Singh. 3) Caste is still a major factor, although the Dalits and 'scheduled castes' are now much more assertive as a political force than before. It is a very readable book, gives plenty of examples and anecdotes, and goes some way to describing the bewildering complexity and diversity of the country. It is also ultimately an optimistic vision of the world's largest functioning democracy. Show Less
LibraryThing member HadriantheBlind
A brief history of modern India, how unique and influential it is, and how it got that way. Astonishing depth of detail and research. It is a multitude and a contradiction.
LibraryThing member danoomistmatiste
Yet another british author trying to capture the essence of today's India. The breadth and scope of his interrogations is staggering, ranging from Mukesh Ambani to the humblest Dalit living from day to day.
LibraryThing member NaggedMan
Readable, but if only plan to read one such book on India I'd go for Michael Wood's "The Story of India"
Language
Original language
English