India

A Short History

Andrew Robinson

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English

Thames & Hudson
01 March 2025

History; Asian history

'Pithy, admirable ... a most refreshing resumé' The Times Literary Supplement

India has had many histories. To pilgrims from ancient China, India was the birthplace of the Buddha; to Alexander the Great it was a land of clever naked philosophers and indomitable, elephantine armies. At the height of the Mughal empire, India boasted nearly a quarter of the world economy, and even under colonial rule it was the jewel in the crown of the British Empire. Today it is the resurgent home to one sixth of the global population.

Andrew Robinson incisively distils India's many incarnations, from the remarkably advanced cities of the early Indus Valley to the world's largest democracy. Anyone curious about its past, present or future will find this a fascinating introduction.

By: Andrew Robinson
Imprint: Thames & Hudson
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 198mm, Width: 129mm,
Weight: 200g
ISBN: 9780500298251
ISBN 10: 0500298254
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 01 March 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Preface • Introduction • 1. The Indus Valley Civilization • 2. Vedas, Aryans and the Origins of Hinduism • 3. Buddha, Alexander and Asoka • 4. Hindu Dynasties • 5. The Coming of Islam • 6. The Mughal Empire • 7. European Incursions and East India Companies • 8. The Jewel in the Crown • 9. The End of Empire • 10. The World’s Largest Democracy • Postscript • Map

Andrew Robinson is the author of twenty-five books in the arts and sciences, nine of them on aspects of Indian history and culture. They include two definitive biographies: Satyajit Ray: The Inner Eye, described by V. S. Naipaul as 'an extraordinarily good, detailed and selfless book', and the co-authored Rabindranath Tagore: The Myriad-Minded Man. He holds degrees from Oxford University and the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, has been a Visiting Fellow of Wolfson College, Cambridge, and is currently a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society.

Reviews for India: A Short History

'Pithy, admirable ... a most refreshing resumé' - Times Literary Supplement 'Writing an accessible and coherent history of India is an ambitious task. Andrew Robinson meets the challenge successfully ' - History Today 'Impressively lucid … very good' - Asian Voice 'Sets out to achieve what might seem like an almost impossible feat, to write a history of India that is comprehensive, accessible and appealing. It succeeds admirably … redolent, concise, engaging ' - All About History