Books dealing with our past are perhaps one of the best kinds to read. As much as our obsession with future, the past is equally fascinating. For they tell us how the world came about and is set in the ways we are living right now. Whether it be historical fiction or chronicles, the stories of kings and emperors, and even of a common man that embodies the spirit of the citizens of the nation is important. For in knowing the past, we can deal with our future, and most importantly, our present.
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Making space for history
The Week compiled a list of books that you might be interested in.
Published in 2006, this book completes writer John Man's trilogy of Chinese emperors. Kublai Khan is known as China's greatest emperor, and those interested in the conquest of China by the Mongolian would find this book interesting. The book divulges on how Kublai Khan, the grandson of the mighty Genghis Khan, planned, attempted, failed and finally succeeded in invading China. The Chinese then thought that no one could take over China, but then the great catapults helped break the wall and let the invaders in. The seizure has helped shape how China is understood and presented to the world now, as Kublai Khan brought with him new changes. The book would be a good read to know the China we know now.
The Great Arc: The Dramatic Tale of How India was Mapped and Everest was Named by John Keay
Historian John Keay has presented the life of George Everest, who lent his name to the highest peak of the world but never got to see that happen, in the light of his work and obsession, the Great Indian Arc of the Meridian. In this detailed account of the adventure that Everest took during his appointment as surveyor general of India, Keay has focused on the logistics, the science behind the survey and definitely, Everest, who is depicted as a martinet who held to his arrogant ways till the end. The book also talks about the effects such a project had on India, its people, and most important, the relationship between India and Britain. The book is made easy to read with illustrations, photos and maps.
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
In this book, Bryson has attempted to help understand life's biggest questions in a simple manner, all the while pushing us to grasp the magnitude of the universe and the history, related with many significant discoveries. Though published in 2003, the content mostly still stands up to date. What makes this book charming is that it encapsulates the stories and anecdotes in a simple and humorous way, keeping you on the hook. This book is the result of Bryson's curiosity which made him pursue the scientists, anthropologists, mathematicians and dig out their knowledge. If you've found yourself at the wrong end of the scientific everything, this book may even change your mind.
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
The drama of the courtroom is brought alive in this book about one of the most important period in English history. This is a historical fiction and book two of the Tudor series. The narrator is Mary Boleyn who recounts the story that unfolds to reveal the Boleyns' pursuit of riches and power. As she captures the interest of Henry VIII, she is recalled to let her sister, Anne, take the place to charm him. The book revolves around the rivalry between the sisters, Anne's fate, and with them, the scandals and history of England, and how Mary came out, barely surviving the scheming at the hands of the political predators. A book with such detail into the colorful history of the era would surely capture anyone's attention.
Letters from a Father to His Daughter by Jawaharlal Nehru
Nehru wrote to his daughter, Indira Gandhi, when she was 10 and living in Mussoorie and he, in Allahabad. Written in 1928, it is a collection of 30 letters, all written in English and later translated into Hindi. The letters deal with everything from the natural history to the past civilizations and the political lessons, that the leader of India's struggle for independence would want his daughter to know. The letters are written in such a way as if he were speaking to her, acknowledging her intelligence and with love. This is nothing more than a lesson in living life wisely.
The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
The Reader by Bernhard Schlink joins the rank of Holocaust literature, gaining accolades at home and abroad. The story of Michael Berg, a 15-year-old who fell in love with Hanna Schmitz, an older woman, and then crossing paths years later: he, as a law student observing a trial, and she accused of a crime when she formerly worked as a guard at the concentration camp. The story, dealing with post-war Germany, is a touching story, and was aimed at the people after the horrible war. The story is layered in details that reveal much about the country, the people and the mindset which led them to do the unspeakable.
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Wolf Hall is based on the life and rise of Thomas Cromwell who was the right-hand man of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the King's advisor. This is a novel largely based on Mantel's imagination where she has extracted the DNA from historical facts to create her own creature, living and breathing her story in her strong, sharp language. The truth of how good of a writer she is is proven by how accomplished and yet incomplete the reader feels while reading the book, as you prepare yourself for blast from the past, that is totally new. Cromwell is depicted as a talented man at a time that saw much religious and political turbulence. An ambitious man, his story then takes the readers to a ride ensnared in political drama, and with Mantel's storytelling, it will be an unforgettable one.
