Books by John Keay - reliably, you can get any Keay book and be entertained by his writing and informed by his research.
I've been reading his books for over 25 years, having discovered first his
stories of the exploration during the time of the Great Game.
- One of my most recent reads, this turns out to be the one best
recommended as a must read --Into India was written 30 years ago,
and has not changed much in its reprintings. It's simply the best
introduction you can find to India - the land, culture and
people. Organized geographically, each chapter purports to describe an
area such as 'North' or 'Central' India, but Keay skillfully
combines local descriptions with a more general discourse. Thus a
discussion of a local Jain community leads to a history of the sect.
Religion, culture and history are presented in parallel, and combine to
create a multidimensional view.
- India - a History - John Keay It's taken 30 years, but Keay
has finally done it, providing in one volume a readable account of the many
societies, conquerors and peoples that created India.
- Discovering India -- A history of the discovery of Indian art by the
west during the 18th & 19th centuries
- The Honourable Company -- A
history of the British East India Company
- The Gilgit Game and When Men & Mountains Meet-
these 2 books tell the story of the explorations during the Great Gane
between Russia and England for control of Afghanistan
- The Great Arc - the story of the triangulation survey of India in the
19th century
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