The Lion and the Tiger: The Rise and Fall of the British Raj 1600-1947

Rating:
Summary: A Good Overview, But Nothing Spectacular
Review: My father grew up in India as a British schoolboy (3rd or 4th generation in India), and left with his family when the British pulled out. I wanted a relatively short overview of the British experience in India, and the book delivered. It provided a good understanding of how the British started trading in India and slowly established rule over the subcontinent, and then nicely covered the move for independence. Many of my father's stories and recollections rang true in the book, from going off to boarding school in the mountains to calls to "quit India" screamed at the British.

However, the book read like a textbook and had no drive or excitement. It relied heavily on quotes, which would be fine for a longer book, but at only 200 pages in a small format with wide spacing, it made the limited text even shorter. The conclusion is almost completely quotes, with no real analysis provided by the author.

Overall, the book provided a good overview, but more engaging writing and in-depth analysis would have improved the book.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Overview, But Nothing Spectacular
Review: My father grew up in India as a British schoolboy (3rd or 4th generation in India), and left with his family when the British pulled out. I wanted a relatively short overview of the British experience in India, and the book delivered. It provided a good understanding of how the British started trading in India and slowly established rule over the subcontinent, and then nicely covered the move for independence. Many of my father's stories and recollections rang true in the book, from going off to boarding school in the mountains to calls to "quit India" screamed at the British.

However, the book read like a textbook and had no drive or excitement. It relied heavily on quotes, which would be fine for a longer book, but at only 200 pages in a small format with wide spacing, it made the limited text even shorter. The conclusion is almost completely quotes, with no real analysis provided by the author.

Overall, the book provided a good overview, but more engaging writing and in-depth analysis would have improved the book.