India
Book Review
John Keay's India: A History is much like his book on China: compact while still being rich. I found India's history, like China's to be very specialized from 3200BC until about 600 or 700 AD. More so than China, though, is that India didn't record their early history nearly as much. So, there needs to be a lot of reconstruction. Also, to be fair, I started this book over six months ago, and I have only read it with fits and starts - with the exception of the last 250 pages. I didn't understand the concept of the three successor states (Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh) of British Colonialism until I read this book. I wish I had understood this years ago. There are some powerful lessons there. There are some similarities with Iran (Persia) and what happened with these successor states in regards to the big Western interests, western buffer state ideologies, and flat out western manipulation. I look forward to a second pass with India's history with another book in future years.
I am nuts about books. I read on all kinds of topics. I attempt to review each book I read for the sake of my own enrichment as well as conversation starters with others.
You never know what you will find in an attic! Usually there is a hodgepodge of things buried under dust.
Most of what is included here are notes to myself. The majority of folks will not find interest in these posts.