Today history is being reinterpreted if not rewritten—mainly by those who would prefer India to melt into a single religious identity. But historical events and historical figures cannot be understood, let alone judged, in isolation. This can happen only.
It could be argued that recent discourse in the Indian socio-political milieu suggests a movement towards narratives that favour a particular interpretation of history at the expense of others, in order to further a specific ideological agenda.
This is a remarkable book, a sweeping political history of technology written by a scholar who is also adept at dispensing insights for those working in public policy. In Midnight’s Machines, we have ample evidence that its author Arun Mohan Sukumar has an impressive capacity to read documents.
The Hippie Trail: A History by Gemie and Ireland charts the experiences of travellers as well as the socio-cultural contexts of destinations that became a part of the hippie trail between the 1950s and 1970s, through themes that throw light on the socio-cultural as well as ‘inner’ experiences of the travellers.
India and China are two of the four ancient world civilizations. Historically, Indian cultural and trade linkages have significantly influenced Chinese history. Since Indian Independence and Chinese ‘liberation’ in the middle of the twentieth century, both nations have failed to build on this legacy.
Does India Negotiate? Most in India and especially those with interest in Indian foreign policy will question the validity of the question and wonder why the author is pushing at an open door. The book is however not so much directed at an Indian as it is at a western and affiliated.