The Moghul is an overlooked book that offers enough action, sex, violence and shady characters to keep you turning the pages until you sprain your thumb. During the reign of King James I, English Sea Dog, Brian Hawksworth, is sent on a mission by The British East India Company to try to break the Portuguese monopoly on trading with the sub-continent. Needless to say, the Portuguese do not consider this a great idea, and they do everything in their power to sink him at sea and assassinate him on land. As if India wasn't dangerous enough on its own with a drunken Moghul who allows his Persian wife and her brother, the Machiavellian Prime Minister, Nadir Sharif, to run the affairs of the nation.

Hawksworth has a weakness for Indian luxuries, wine, and beautiful women. Don't we all? But, in this nation of myriad plots and sub-plots, he learns that nobody is what they appear to be on the surface. Not even Brian Hawksworth. He sees both sides of the issues as he first becomes a Khan at The Moghul's court and then gets caught up in the rebellion of the charismatic Prince Jadar. The book provides interesting background on Hindu, Sunni, Shiite, and Suffi religious traditions and lifestyles, not to mention a look at how Christian traditions appear to pre-colonial Indians. (One wife? Barbarous.) King James, whom many of us revere for the translation of The Bible he commissioned, does not fare well at the hands of Hoover. However, from what I have read of Stuart history, Hoover is dead on.

In the long run, the book hangs on its characters. We root for the underdog Hawksworth, wonder what trick Nadir Sharif will pull next, admire the brains and beauty of the Queen and the exiled harem woman, Shirin, Hawksworth's only love interest (though hardly his only bedtime companion).

A rousing adventure tale that will satisfy those who loved Shogun.

I enjoyed the historical content, and reading about the evolvement of this style of cuisine. The recipes were different and worked well and it has become a favourite amongst my cookery books

excellent, lovingly written book on Tibet. Full of maps and descriptions to pour over. Although clearly written with a pilgrim reader in mind, this actually helps since Tibet is quite a incredibly religious nation. I could wish for some photographs to back up the lovely descriptions, but nonthaless an excellent introduction to the culture of Tibet and a wonderful read.

Mother Teresa never wanted her life to be written about or paid attention to. Her intent when interviewed, was that the work was featured first and foremost. Writing of the work, however, regardless of the fluidity of the words, the impact of the passage or the transparency of the truth, nothing can ever truly project the work of Mother and the Missionaries of Charity. This picture volume however, comes one step closer. Featuring pictures taken of Mother and the sisters at their work among the poor in Calcutta, it is truly an eye-opening experience. The starkness of the black and white photographs bring out and bring across how lost and desolate the poor would be if not for the unchartered and unparalled love and care given to them. Every image, be it of Mother cradling a child with her intense look and stong hands or be it of Mother with Princess Diana or other celebrities, allows us a little glimpse into the world that has been made better by Mother. As she herself put it "What you can do, I cannot do and what I can do, you cannot do. But let every action of ours be something beautful for God". This is the very essence of the photographs depicted here and brings us this much closer to understanding the work of Mother and the Missionaries of Charity. A volume to be treasured. Indeed, it is something beautiful for God.

Vinoba Bhave (1940-1982) lived a simple life devoted to non-violence, engaged spirituality, and to the power of love. In his Introduction to Bhave's engaging memoirs, Satish Kumar observes that, as one of modern India's great spiritual leaders and social reformers, "Bhave was a man of great purity" (p. 13). Visionary that he was, Bhave recognized that he was a man who belonged "to another world than this, one that may seem very strange. For I claim that I am moved by love, that I feel it all the time" (p. 17).

Bhave's fascinating life may be organized as follows. Broadly speaking, during his first twenty years, Bhave accumulated knowledge. During the next twenty years he accumulated the power to observe his religious vows. He then devoted the final period of his life to "accumulating love" (p. 88). In its 272 pages, MOVED BY LOVE first paints a touching picture of Bhave's parents, and then follows Bhave on his long walks through India, supporting Gandhi by offering non-violent resitance to the British Raj in 1940, and later persuading landlords to give more than four million acres of their land with India's poor. Bhave believed that "land is for everyone, like air, water, and sunlight" (p. 157). "What am I doing in all this?" Bhave asks midway through the book. "What do I want? I want change. First, change of heart, then change in personal life habits, followed by change in the structure of society" (pp. 134-5).

These are the memoirs of a social activist who lived with one foot in his inner world, and the other foot constantly engaged in the outer world. "I have had very sacred experiences," Bhave tells us, "for I have become aware of the great purity of heart to be found among ordinary people, and have realized what a strength this is to our country. It is the foundation upon which, if we will, we may build a strong nation" (p. 121).

G. Merritt

I came across this book "Mughals,Maharajas & the Mahatma" while trying to find a graduation gift for my teen aged NRI nephew. And I was glad that I found this "Fruit Salad of Indian History!"

As youngsters, most of us learn History at the school as a mundane subject, only to be forgotten soon after examinations. When I was turning the pages of Mughals, Maharajas and the Mahatma, by K.R.N.Swamy, I felt if only History teachers told us stories of this kind in the classrooms, how interesting the subject would be.

The 39 chapter on various historical aspects of India, give assorted information. If in one essay you are with the Treasures of the Maharajas, in the next one you are taken to the famous Parthenon in Greece, to be compared with the Taj Mahal. While you are still happily dreaming about the Parthenon and the Taj Mahal, out of the blue appears the Mahatma Gandhi in the next essay. Gandhi had gifted a shawl as his wedding present to Queen Elizabeth II. It was made of double yarn spun by Mahatma himself and knitted by a Punjabi girl. In London, fifteen hundred of the most valuable presents were displayed for public viewing prior to the marriage in 1947, and the shawl was one of them. But as she came to inspect the gifts, the grand mother of the present Queen, Dowager Queen Mary was very angry and exclaimed "What is this loin cloth doing here? What does Gandhi mean by presenting this... this is an insult" . But, the bridegroom Prince Philip- the present Duke of Edinburgh disagreed with her. Few years ago this shawl was listed as one of the most valuable treasures of the British Royal family.

I thought the essays were getting closer to the people involved in the Indian Freedom struggle. Not at all; in the next essay, one is back with the Fabulous Thrones of India. The book is not just assorted information, but a real mix of bitter-sweet-pungent-hot and-what-not episodes of forgotten history, with illustrations that help you capture the past vividly..

The author begins the essay on the English East Company as follows: 'February 13, 1601, is a memorable date in Indo-British relations, for, nearly four centuries ago, on this day, the English East Company's first fleet of four ships started also their epic voyage to the East... 'The author also quotes the Indian philosopher K.M.Munshi: "It is true that the British sapped India of its economic resources. But to achieve that purpose it had to provide an efficient administration. The British also produced the dominant minority of English educated Indians. Hankering for many things, which were inconceivable to older generations, this minority created the modern Indian Renaissance. Among them was the desire to break the age-old isolation of the country, to modernise its static social institutions, to recreate the strength and vigour of its languages, to transform its hide-bound intellectual and religious outlook and above all, to accept the challenge of the West and generate the strength and power to secure the country from political subjugation. Finally, India was won over to the English judicial system, which awakened the urge to vindicate just rights."

The last chapter is titled 'British Ghosts continue to haunt India'. It is all about houses and locations in India supposed to be haunted by British ghosts. Though the British left India in 1947, their ghosts continued to haunt India as late as 1968... Surely, they are still haunting the English speaking/educated Indians even today. One can go on and on, pondering over these essays. Interesting information packed in 265 pages. It is a book worth keeping in our school and college libraries.

P.S. My nephew thanked me for the gift and told me that he had given it to his girl friend for reading and she liked the chapter "The Queen who wanted to be an Empress" most. This episode was as to how a family quarrel between Queen Victoria and her daughter in law- the Duchess Edinburgh ended in the British Queen assuming the title of the Empress of India.

Dr. Von Hinuber's years of experience in translating Pali scriptures are apparent in this Handbook of Pali Literature; it is for both the amature and the professional. Hinuber makes sense of the mass of Pali material available for those interested in a doctrinal foundation in their study and practice of Buddhism. First he starts with the Tipitaka, going through each of the 3 baskets and explaining various points of interest in external and internal structures. He touches upon issues such as how scholars know how certain suttas are older than others, how certain suttas were used in writing other suttas or how they were used in building other Nikayas. In all of this he gives regular and pertinent referrence to the Commentaries, thus sheding light, in short space, on how the Commentaries see various developments in the Tipitaka.

After finishing with the Tipitaka, he then performs the same duty with the Commentaries. This book, with its wide range of referrences and bibliography, is an invaluable tool for the student of Buddhist Studies.

A great book about a subject that not too many people have written about. A thorough research by the author on the status of muslim women of the eighteenth and the nineteenth century British Punjab has shed light on a topic that was never given enough importance by historians.

Mr. Merchant is an excellent story teller. If you are looking for light, entertaining read, this book is a good investment. If you expect this book will introduce you to Ismail Merchant, it will not. It will introduce you to Ismail Merchant the producer and director of off-beat films who, with indefatigable zeal for film making, has earned the right to be included in the list of international film makers. An enterprising individual who is a self-made entrepreneur.

A more accurate title would be: An Indian film maker's passage from India. Because there is little that Merchant discloses about himself or even his trade. Living and interacting in a world of glamor and beauties, Merchant is mum about his emotions. If such a lively individual has a romantic side, the book discloses nothing. Except his childhood "innocent" infatuation with India's popular actress Nimmi in the fifties, Merchant displays or at least discloses no other "infatuation." Apparently, he never married. Despite starting his feature film career with the Householder (1962), Merchant never discloses why he himself did not decide to be a householder himself. There is an underlying shyness or uncomfortableness in revealing himself to the reader. Or being so deft and intelligent Merchant is saving his real autobiography for another time. In this book all we are allowed is a glimpse of Merchant the enterprising film producer and his incredible journey..

Unlike many Merchant-Ivory early art films, Merchant's book is entertaining and written in a vivid, uncomplicated style. If like me you are familiar with the terrain (India) and time (60s the pre-inflation golden age of India), Merchant can transport you back to those giddy times. With a touch of a maestro, he brings vivid recollections of the golden age of Indian cinema of which the West knows very little. He weaves exotic connections between India's art directors (Satyajit Ray and himself), Bombay film world and Hollywood. Surprisingly, except for Bombay Talkie and a documentary, his interactions with Bombay are very limited.. It was Bombay that triggered his love of the cinema.

Do not expect to get philosophical definitions of anything from this versatile man. He sets out to make films on Indian themes. Yet, what is "Indianness" is never commented upon let alone any attempts toward defining. Ironically, Merchant's first feature film (Householder) meets with limited success in New York, not because of any unique "Indianness" but because of universal human qualities and situations it depicts: An intrusive mother-in-law, compliant Son, a stubborn, independent daughter-in-.law and falling in love all over with spouse in her absence. Indians are not that different after all!

Many readers will not pay much attention let alone be bothered. What did bother me was the apolitical nature of Mr. Merchant. With the exception of his boyhood partition memories, no political events on any continent, including those that effect him are mentioned. Maybe art films can be separated from politics. But why is his book so apolitical is beyond me. Ironically, to this day Mr. Merchant is harassed by the corruption that pervades India's governments. Still he has very little to say about politics and its effects on people. When Utpal Dutt (actor with a leading role in his film The Guru) is arrested, Merchant approaches the Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. With some manuevering Dutt is conditionally released by the West Bengal communist government. The film is made. Merchant, however, does not question the arrest. Individual rights, rule of law, abuse of government powers are never mentioned let alone questioned. (No mention of Nehru's death or Indira Gandhi's murder. No mention of the deteriorating conditions in India-- the mismanagement of public resources and the duping of the public, mobsters , the Hindu-Muslim riots taking of innocent life--all the unpleasant realities of India are meticulously avoided. Maybe it is bad marketing to expose the underbelly of India.

Yet Merchant is exposed to this underbelly in his own account while filming the Courtesans of Bombay, in the red light district of Bombay. He, first hand, encounters the exploitation of woman by hands of criminals. He witnesses switchblade fights but does nothing to expose the sad plight of the dancing women. The dance of life must go on. That the government has failed is not obvious to Merchant (I told you he was very apolitical) Is there honor in receiving the Padma Bhushan from such a failed establishment?

Okay, when it comes to socio-political realities, Mr. Merchant is neither a Charles Dickens or Mark Twain. What Merchant lacks in political depth he makes up in an effusive sense of humor which can compete with either Dickens or Twain. My Passage From India, is a great, true short story that will enthrall, in particular people familiar with the terrain and time. There is a joke or a quip embedded in every page. Like all great men Mr. Merchant undoubtedly has a great sense of humor, passion for life which, of course, includes food . I can go on and on (like Aan, Nimmi's great Hindi film which made an impression on young Merchant and goaded him to follow his calling.) But in deference to short artistic film I must stop.

I do not know Mr. Merchant personally nor am I connected in any way with Merchant-Ivory company. Nor am I am being paid to write this. Therefore, my advice is unbiased. Go ahead and buy My Passage From India Especially those who love Indian literature in English. As with the legendary Merchant cuisine (I trust his judgment on that) this book shall not disappoint.

Anybody who dreams making a film should read this book. Ray, the master filmmaker tells us how to get your dream into a reality with dedication and courage. Excellently edited by Mrs Bijoya Ray.