Much of world history is Indian history. Home today to one in four people, the subcontinent has long been densely populated and deeply connected to Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas through migration and trade. In this magisterial history, Audrey Truschke tells the fascinating story of the region historically known as India鈥攚hich includes today鈥檚 India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and parts of Afghanistan鈥攁nd the people who have lived there.
A sweeping account of five millennia, from the dawn of the Indus Valley Civilization to the twenty-first century, this engaging and richly textured narrative chronicles the most important political, social, religious, intellectual, and cultural events. And throughout, it describes how the region has been continuously reshaped by its astonishing diversity, religious and political innovations, and social stratification.
Here, readers will learn about Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, and Sikhism; the Vedas and Mahabharata; Ashoka and the Mauryan Empire; the Silk Road; the Cholas; Indo-Persian rule; the Mughal Empire; European colonialism; national independence movements; the 1947 Partition of India; the recent rise of Hindu nationalism; the challenges of climate change; and much more. Emphasizing the diversity of human experiences on the subcontinent, the book presents a wide range of voices, including those of women, religious minorities, lower classes, and other marginalized groups.
You cannot understand India today without appreciating its deeply contested history, which continues to drive current events and controversies. A comprehensive and innovative book, India is essential reading for anyone who is interested in the past, present, or future of the subcontinent.
Audrey Truschke is professor of South Asian history at Rutgers University, Newark. She is the bestselling author of Aurangzeb: The Life and Legacy of India’s Most Controversial King and other books.
“Audrey Truschke’s India is the first scholarly one-volume history of the subcontinent to be published in a quarter century—and it was worth the wait. A book informed by a remarkable command of languages and primary texts and a historical range that few scholars possess, it offers a rich, up-to-date resource for students, teachers, and general readers alike.”—Sheldon Pollock, author of The Language of the Gods in the World of Men
“Informed throughout by the most recent scholarship, this masterful survey offers an engaging and accessible entry into the entire span of South Asian history. Coverage of politics—rulers, battles, systems of governance—is insightful and concise, leaving plenty of room for discussion of India’s past culture and society, with a particular focus on caste, gender, and the great diversity of India’s peoples. An excellent introduction to Indian history.”—Cynthia Talbot, coauthor of India before Europe
“This book is a tour de force. There is no other way to describe what Audrey Truschke has accomplished. Without simplifying the complexities of the history and traditions of the Indian subcontinent, she presents a layered analytical narrative that captures their plurality and many facets with remarkable and enviable lucidity. This valuable book will be cherished by all who are interested in India.”—Rudrangshu Mukherjee, coauthor of A New History of India
“An eminently readable synthesis of current scholarship, Audrey Truschke’s sweeping survey neatly captures the richness and diversity of the Indian subcontinent’s history and culture. It will be the go-to history of the Indian subcontinent for a long time to come.”—Richard M. Eaton, author of India in the Persianate Age
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