The author Edward Duyker was attached to Griffith University at Brisbane and to the University of Sydney. Presently he is a full time writer. The book deals with one of the most politically turbulent periods of recent Indian history with particular reference to West Bengal. While one knows Naxalism as a movement, I am not aware of any particular research having been done to ascertain the contribution of the Santhals and their participation in the Naxalite movement generally and in West Bengal in particular. To that extent the effort emerging from this book is indeed a novel and welcome addition to the literature available on the Naxalite Movement in India.
The Santhals are one of the largest Scheduled Tribes of India whose population is around 45 lakhs. They are concentrated in the south-eastern districts of Bihar, and the bordering districts of West Bengal and Orissa. According to the scholars who have studied the way of life of the Santhals and their cultural traditions the Santhals are a remarkably homogeneous group even though they are dispersed over different geographical locations.