City of Djinns by William Dalrymple

New-South-Welshman · May 30th, 2006, 01:01

Has anyone read City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi by William Dalrymple? I hear anything from Dalrymple is great, but I really want to borrow/buy this book because Delhi appeals to me more than any other city in India. Any thoughts or comments on the book welcome.

passingby · May 30th, 2006, 01:08

I start reading the book, but I had a hard time reading it and getting into it. I found it dull. maybe the writing is sophisticated, but the style was a bit boring. the book got good reviews though, so this is only my opinion.

PeakXV · May 30th, 2006, 01:19

Great! Get it - read it - discover some of the less traveled and hidden corners of New/Old Delhi. Funny, well researched and
a very entertaining read. Wish I could say the same for White Mughals but thought he got bogged down in all the characters, relationships and history a bit. Check the links at the bottom of this thread too!

Shiver me Timbers · May 30th, 2006, 01:28

Really excellent book by a very talented author. I read it after I first visited Delhi. When I returned I felt I had got to know the city a lot better.

The book has a great format - i.e. it begins with the Sikh riots of the mid-80's, and works its way backwards through the cities history.

And if you like this, then you can get 'In Xanadu', 'White Mughal' and 'Age of Kali', he just gets better and better.

Travel writing at its best!

Enjoy

Arun · May 30th, 2006, 01:28

One of the best. You do have to be a bit conversant with Indian history - and to be excited by history in general - to appreciate it. One scene did give me the chills...

dzibead · May 30th, 2006, 02:45

Excellent book. I think Arun is correct that it will appeal most to people who are interested in history, and also have an interest in architecture. I read it AFTER my last trip to Delhi but wish I had read it before. I've never spent much time in Delhi but have always rushed off to someplace else. Dalrymple's treatment of the Mughal aspects of Delhi and what is left of that culture, as well as the changes that have taken place since Partition, made me want to spend more time there and to explore with a new perspective. I'll certainly pay more attention to the architecture which is an interest of mine anyway. I have In Xanadu, White Mughals, and The Age of Kali sitting in one of my many large stacks of unread books and will get to them, too, someday soon, I hope!

Shiver me Timbers · May 30th, 2006, 03:14

Incredibly, he wrote 'In Xanadu' at the age of 22.

iwanttogoback · Jun 1st, 2006, 19:35

Quote:

Incredibly, he wrote 'In Xanadu' at the age of 22.

yes, and it shows. i love 'city of djinns' and 'white mughals' but found 'in xanadu' a little tedious. although it was an amazing adventure and i do admire his spirit, it is so obviously the story of a a british oxford/cambridge undergrad in the middle east.

his later works are, imho, much better written and much more mature in their attitude to life outside britain. 'city of djinns' in particular is a marvellous book and i will certainly be rereading it before i visit delhi.

capt_mahajan · Jun 1st, 2006, 19:47

excellent.

his best book and i have read all.

the bbc made a documentary/film on the city of djinns a year or two ago, was worth watching.

sam371 · Jun 2nd, 2006, 02:22

New South Welshman,

City of Djinns was a good book. Not great, but good. It was a bit slow at times - you will enjoy it if you are a patient reader. Some of the stories are fascinating.

LuAnnandJawahar · Jun 2nd, 2006, 04:54

A "must read" if you have a serious interest in history OR architecture. Somebody should base a tour on the book's extraordinary description of locations in and around Delhi. Wait...??...!!

PeakXV · Jun 2nd, 2006, 05:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Namaste India Tours

A "must read" if you have a serious interest in history OR architecture. Somebody should base a tour on the book's extraordinary description of locations in and around Delhi. Wait...??...!!

If you guarantee me a Djinn sighting - count me in!

timdog · Jun 5th, 2006, 07:29

As a serious connosiuer of travel books I have to say Dalrymple is great, and I do think City of Djinns is his best book. The slight problem is that he is heavily influenced by certain greats of English travel writing, most obviously Peter Flemming, and the great god that was Robert Byron. This style - an elegant, but light style, lashings of self-deprecation, and an ear for hilarious conversational vignets is great to my mind. BUT, Flemming and Byron were writing in the mid-20th century; by the 1990s an imitation of that style could sound a little affected. I found it a problem mostly with "In Xanadu". As he's gotten older he's developed his own style a little more, and there's less of the direct imitation. The little bits of dialogue written in script form with himself refered to as "WD" are pure Byron still.
He seems to have moved away from travel-writing altogether now though - he's apparently working on biographies of various Great Mughals at the moment.

lonelyaztec · Jun 5th, 2006, 11:57

it is a good book. i think u must read it.

edwardseco · Jun 5th, 2006, 12:13

Wonderful little vignettes of Delhi. Haven't come across a theme yet in contrast to White Mughals. But, well worth it especially if you have traipsed across Delhi a bit..

May 30th, 2006, 01:01	#1
New-South-Welshman Drunk Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sydney, NSW Posts: 1,401	City of Djinns by William Dalrymple Has anyone read City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi by William Dalrymple? I hear anything from Dalrymple is great, but I really want to borrow/buy this book because Delhi appeals to me more than any other city in India. Any thoughts or comments on the book welcome. __________________ Mr. Burns "Non-violence never solved anything!"

May 30th, 2006, 01:19	#3
PeakXV Naan.tering Nabob Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Abode of Glooscap Posts: 4,511	Great! Get it - read it - discover some of the less traveled and hidden corners of New/Old Delhi. Funny, well researched and a very entertaining read. Wish I could say the same for White Mughals but thought he got bogged down in all the characters, relationships and history a bit. Check the links at the bottom of this thread too! __________________ What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us. ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

May 30th, 2006, 01:28	#4
Shiver me Timbers Colder than a well digger's ass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: North Atlantic Posts: 1,663	Really excellent book by a very talented author. I read it after I first visited Delhi. When I returned I felt I had got to know the city a lot better. The book has a great format - i.e. it begins with the Sikh riots of the mid-80's, and works its way backwards through the cities history. And if you like this, then you can get 'In Xanadu', 'White Mughal' and 'Age of Kali', he just gets better and better. Travel writing at its best! Enjoy __________________ Europe to India Overland / Andaman's Tips / Pakistan Tips / Flickr Photos / IM Photos

May 30th, 2006, 01:28	#5
Arun zindabad! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Israel Posts: 170	One of the best. You do have to be a bit conversant with Indian history - and to be excited by history in general - to appreciate it. One scene did give me the chills... __________________ Jai Hind.

Jun 2nd, 2006, 04:54	#11
LuAnnandJawahar Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Delhi/U.S. Posts: 664	A "must read" if you have a serious interest in history OR architecture. Somebody should base a tour on the book's extraordinary description of locations in and around Delhi. Wait...??...!! __________________ Reject violence.

May 30th, 2006, 01:08	#2
passingby Account Closed Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 436	I start reading the book, but I had a hard time reading it and getting into it. I found it dull. maybe the writing is sophisticated, but the style was a bit boring. the book got good reviews though, so this is only my opinion.

May 30th, 2006, 02:45	#6
dzibead Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern California Posts: 2,207	Excellent book. I think Arun is correct that it will appeal most to people who are interested in history, and also have an interest in architecture. I read it AFTER my last trip to Delhi but wish I had read it before. I've never spent much time in Delhi but have always rushed off to someplace else. Dalrymple's treatment of the Mughal aspects of Delhi and what is left of that culture, as well as the changes that have taken place since Partition, made me want to spend more time there and to explore with a new perspective. I'll certainly pay more attention to the architecture which is an interest of mine anyway. I have In Xanadu, White Mughals, and The Age of Kali sitting in one of my many large stacks of unread books and will get to them, too, someday soon, I hope!

May 30th, 2006, 03:14	#7
Shiver me Timbers Colder than a well digger's ass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: North Atlantic Posts: 1,663	Incredibly, he wrote 'In Xanadu' at the age of 22.

Jun 1st, 2006, 19:47	#9
capt_mahajan Dis member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,867	excellent. his best book and i have read all. the bbc made a documentary/film on the city of djinns a year or two ago, was worth watching.

Jun 2nd, 2006, 02:22	#10
sam371 Dreaming of India... Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: New York Posts: 377	New South Welshman, City of Djinns was a good book. Not great, but good. It was a bit slow at times - you will enjoy it if you are a patient reader. Some of the stories are fascinating.

Jun 5th, 2006, 07:29	#13
timdog Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Cornwall, UK Posts: 10	great book... As a serious connosiuer of travel books I have to say Dalrymple is great, and I do think City of Djinns is his best book. The slight problem is that he is heavily influenced by certain greats of English travel writing, most obviously Peter Flemming, and the great god that was Robert Byron. This style - an elegant, but light style, lashings of self-deprecation, and an ear for hilarious conversational vignets is great to my mind. BUT, Flemming and Byron were writing in the mid-20th century; by the 1990s an imitation of that style could sound a little affected. I found it a problem mostly with "In Xanadu". As he's gotten older he's developed his own style a little more, and there's less of the direct imitation. The little bits of dialogue written in script form with himself refered to as "WD" are pure Byron still. He seems to have moved away from travel-writing altogether now though - he's apparently working on biographies of various Great Mughals at the moment.

Jun 5th, 2006, 11:57	#14
lonelyaztec Maha Guru Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,408	it is a good book. i think u must read it. __________________ Aztec My photoblog

Jun 5th, 2006, 12:13	#15
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 4,428	Wonderful little vignettes of Delhi. Haven't come across a theme yet in contrast to White Mughals. But, well worth it especially if you have traipsed across Delhi a bit..

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
The city of the NO	navinkurian2002	Mumbai (Bombay)	2	Jan 3rd, 2006 14:59
William Dalrymple	Jackson Palak	Books, Music, and Movies	9	Sep 12th, 2004 01:05
William Dalrymple on Goa - The Long Goodbye	Alan D	Chai and Chat	13	Jul 13th, 2004 23:01
dalrymple on threats to sufism	tstan	Chai and Chat	2	Jul 7th, 2004 14:35
City of Joy	indiaguide	Kolkata (Calcutta)	0	Oct 14th, 2001 22:44

User Name		Remember Me?
Password