Ben Waber reviewed A Concise History of Modern India by Thomas Metcalf
A Focused, Insightful Review of Recent Indian History
5 stars
The most recent version of this book goes a bit past 2010 and provides a rich history of India over the past ~300 years, focusing mostly on the colonial and post-colonial period. The Metcalfs provide deep insight into how different players interacted in the subcontinent, and importantly how the colonial period warped and significantly exacerbated religious and caste divisions. I also appreciated the post-colonial chapters, especially the sections detailing the rise of the BJP. I would love an expanded edition (probably abandoning the "concise" in the title) that would add a bit more international and regional context. Highly recommend
The most recent version of this book goes a bit past 2010 and provides a rich history of India over the past ~300 years, focusing mostly on the colonial and post-colonial period. The Metcalfs provide deep insight into how different players interacted in the subcontinent, and importantly how the colonial period warped and significantly exacerbated religious and caste divisions. I also appreciated the post-colonial chapters, especially the sections detailing the rise of the BJP. I would love an expanded edition (probably abandoning the "concise" in the title) that would add a bit more international and regional context. Highly recommend