H. G. Rawlinson (1880–1957)

There are more modern and up-to-date books on this general subject available, but I have not been able to find anything that matches this work. It covers the full sweep of Indian (the entire Indian subcontinent) history, both in terms of historical events and cultural developments. This includes the developments of the Vedic culture, Jainism, Buddhism, and other movements. Rawlinson writes lucidly and clearly and is able to establish a narrative continuity over an extraordinary range of regional cultures and events.

Of course, for a subject of such magnitude, shortcuts have been made, and there are some dated references. Overall, though, Rawlinson is a sensitive and informed commentator. I was not really prepared to like the book as much as I did. If you would like to get a basic feeling for Indian culture and history in about 420 pages, then read this book.… (lisätietoja)