A More Extensive Book List Of Indian Reading?

livinhimalayas

Great cartoon - reminds me of my husband .

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Paleface

Alas Nehru's ability to act and manage did not equal his verbal capabilities, surrounded by idealogues Nehru shot down many proposals (i.e. US suggestions in the 1950's to pay greater attention to agriculture) seeing in them an evil plot to keep India poor and underdeveloped - despite the fact that US foreign aid programme to India, over 600$ million was at the time the largest in the world. Nehru through inaction did as much as anyone to keep India underdeveloped. The green revolution and dwarf wheat changed all that and the Marxist radicals never got their peasant uprising.

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machadinha

Sure, it's the illuminati all over again (except in this case they're not some sinister right-wing cabal, but leftist radicals instead. Hey, any way the wind blows, right.) Do you really believe there are any "they" to plot whatever in terms of centuries ahead? Most of us don't even seem to remember what happened yesterday -- in fact history might look very differently if human memory had any sort of time span.

Ah, yes, Elst. Haven't we been here before? I left my thoughts on it here and onwards before, remember: Books about Indian History, as well as in the other thread I linked to there and onwards, namely this one: Becoming Hindu.

(You should really write to Chomsky about your use of him as something of a defense of, or parallel to, the Hindutva stance btw. I'm sure he would be amused.)

nb

Well-said; that is exactly my feeling, yes.

You were, btw and in fact, correct in assuming that Basham is today heavily contested by some, of course; guess by whom.

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machadinha

nb On a far lighter note & what this thread appears to be all about in the first place, it struck me I left my latest India book buys on the other book thread, here, for those whom it may please.

machadinha

btw Gobbledegeek, if anything I should commend you for taking the time to voice your thoughts as carefully and eloquently as you did. I'm serious. I just don't agree with the outcome.

Something that really disturbs me, and you see it time and again with this discussion, is the misappropriation of this postmodernist notion that all theories shall henceforth be subjective, entirely personal even.

Sure modern philosophy, and finally postmodernism, has taught us that (to a degree); but it doesn't follow that therefore all ideas shall now be valid, or equally valid. That is (or I find) really an easy way out, by shall we say lazy thinkers.

It doesn't stop ideas from being subject to critical analysis; and having to conform to certain established methods, in order to prove their validity.

Well, and that is that from me. (But as a case in point perhaps, just reading Chomsky et al. doesn't mean that henceforth anything goes. That is really a dire mistake. It is also, I firmly believe, not what they are or were trying to convey.)

gobbledegeek

Therefore you will never read "hindu nationalist" views or agree there are multiple perspectives and truths? Makes me wonder who is practicing lazy convenience...

Looks like you have decided what the truth is and you know it all hence certain viewpoints are not even worthy of consideration? Are you implying that "Hindu Nationalist" or any interpretation you are not comfortable with should never find a platform to express their point and be considered by the masses? To me thats a first step towards censorship of freedom of speech. Using scorn and being dismissive in rejecting viewpoints without spending years to study them and historical background in depth is very alas very common.

All I can reiterate to anyone reading this is - take another 5 years and a dozen books on this subject before you put forth your opinions as informed judgements.

Cheers

gobbledegeek

I believe your comments make you feel groovy and in with the times - makes you look cool for sure. Answer this - how do religious beliefs and cultural views become dominant in a civilization? Without a sustained effort by some to propagate inculcate values and beliefs over generations? Have you heard of distributed autonomous self correcting systems (within their defined logic) that can create an illusion of a concerted effort when viewed at the macro level? Edit: The family is a good example - one that sustains religious beliefs down the generations. Will you call it a conspiracy and say that families are being controlled by an evil entity?

Or I guess the whole world can be explained away by your poor memory....

Your older post was sensible in making the point that one should read "inspite" of the author being a suspect right wing Hindu fundamentalist sympathizer. Exactly what I meant when I quoted Chomsky's example. Where did you see a defense of Hindutva stance? I see nothing to defend from but a potential readers prejdice and bias against "Hindu Nationalism" that will prevent the reader from expanding his or her perspectives.

Or was it polite token gesture towards the culture of freedom of thought?


My post was only an appeal to stop this culture of having an opinion about everything and filtering ones intellectual landscape - the same self censorship practiced by the media that Chomsky talks about. But it seems a lot of people are scared of encountering new thoughts and perspectives that "Hindu Nationalism" might bring. Even more afraid others might read them - hence over-eager to brand it as trash and not worthy of a consideration.

Lastly I must say - the tone of your posts reeks of adversarial mentality typical of western thought culture. Maybe you think too highly of western "rationalism" and believe an idea that is held as a "truth" by others can be defeated and driven out by another - a superior one that qualifies itself with seemingly logical premises... Very typical of proselytizing thought cultures.

Cheers

gobbledegeek

I put my comments below. But regarding the above post I must say - by insisting on this methodology one is likely trying to prove that which cannot be proven. The conclusions and premises based on such approaches are equally suspect not just the counter-points. Hence why believe one set of ideas with a sense of absolutism and reject the notions espoused by the other? Hence I say read as much as one can and try and balance ones views - it is very much a intellectual see-saw tilted by the weight of ones emotions and past prejudices.

If you are implying that you can see the absolute cold truth with modern western "scientific" approach - then I wont waste my time further.

Regards

karolina

...so much to read, what a great thread...

Shantaram!

brishti

India Exposed – The Subcontinent A – Z ... photoessays by clive limpkin


jorge reverter: methinks you must publish a coffee table book as well - sincerely.
:brishti

gobbledegeek

This one according to me is a must read category for anyone interested in understanding Hinduism better including Hindus themselves:

http://www.amazon.com/Gita-As-Was-Re...r_dp_orig_subj
http://www.amazon.com/Gita-As-Was-Re.../dp/0812690257

Ignore the Amazon price - it is only Rupees 95/- by Rupa publications.

It may change the way most people think about Hinduism and India's thought culture.

As one amazon reviewer put it - orthodox Hindu's are simply not going to be able to digest it.

Fortunately I have it and it looks out of print. If you find a copy consider yourself lucky.

Regards

ashish2010

I very much enjoyed Ruskin Bond's stories (mostly about Himalayan hills). They have been a part of me since the school text books. The writing always simple and endearing. I'm afraid I don't remember the title of the book, but it might well be his complete collection, or similarly named.

Also, will recommend Jim Corbett's stories in 'Man Eaters of Kumaon'. An exciting & knowledgable read. Another hunter-writer in the same mould was Kenneth Anderson. His one title I remember was "Jungles Long Ago". It was not about Tigers/Leopards, but the Indian jungles, and the customs of people inhabiting it. This one too was a great read.

Andy Bent

Good to see some people on here praising Maximum City - a fantastic book. Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra is a fabulous companion piece to it - covering some of the same ground in a work of fiction.

My favourite character in an Indian Novel is Meenakshi Mehra in A Suitable Boy. She absolutely steals any scene she's in.

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KABAARY

Yes indeed. Totally over the top but not unusualy so as far as Indian moms (worrying about the marriage of their daughters) go.

I personally prefer Agastya Sen's character in English August...simply can't get over his favourite expression : Hazaar F***ed".

deej

I enjoyed Michael Wood's 'A South Indian Journey' (previously published as 'The Smile of Murugan'). It's a travelogue of Wood's several visits to a Tamil family in Chidambaram with whome he has a longstanding friendship. The book combines an interesting insight into everyday life in a temple town with an account of Wood's involvement in a 'video bus' tour around the pilgrimage sites of Tamil Nadu, where he meets some fascinating charaters and explains the mythology attached to each site.