This is one of the best books I have so far read on Pre-post Indian independence times. The major focus being Lord Mountbatten, Lady Mountbatten & Jawaharlal Nehru; and their complicated relationships and its effect on Indian policies, and political scenario. The lucid picture provided by Tunzelmann on Gandhi, Jinnah and Patel's ideology and repercussions on what we see today as India & Pakistan. Author manages to narrate the ongoing circumstances parallelly in India & England and makes it sound relevant. Also the quotes put in place to make the read more interesting; to quote a few; Noël Coward's diary shows just how far Dickie and Edwina had shifted from the sybaritic world of their old London friends: 'Gandhi has been assassinated. In my humble opinion, a bloody good thing but far too late.'
The most persistent, more colorful threads of individual character than with the broader tapestry of history and retrospective judgment. Woven through it is the poignant love affair between Edwina Mountbatten and Nehru. Whether that relationship was ever consummated is unknown, and unimportant. What is certain is that it was intense.
Overall a good read, very interesting perspective for marking the anniversary of independence, different from the flood of books in this genre.
Comments