The Wonder That Was India

by A.L. Basham

Book Overview

Brand new reprint, pa. best available. a classic, wellbound, illus. 3rd rev. ed. Golden Jubilee Pub. with introduction by Thomas Trautmann This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0006D79KK
• Release Date: January 1959
• Publisher: Grove Press
• Length: 568 Pages
• Weight: 2.75 lbs.

Customer Reviews

The Wonder that was Basham...

This is, without reservation, the greatest, most impartial, scholarly, informative and readable account of ancient and classical India that I have ever had the extreme good fortune of reading. Dr. Basham's scholarship will put a very great majority of people born in India to shame. But more than that, the love, affection, respect and genuine caring he feels for his subject brings tears to one's eyes. This is not a halcyonic, idyllic account; but even the flaws of the culture he writes about are discussed imaprtially, they do not constitute the fulcrum about which his impressions of India rotate. This is a far better work on Indian history than say Ms. Romila Thapar's work on the history of the Subcontinent until the 12th centure (about which I have written seperately, Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300). As far as being a "simple mlechha" is concerned, Dr. Basham is among the greatest Indians I will ever have the good fortune of encountering, if not in person than atleast in thought. Recommended without any, any reservations.

Without peer

Bashams scholarship is without peer, he is as comfortable translating tamil as he is in sanskrit, talks about vedic, jain and buddhist ideas with equal flair, passion and clarity. The book presents ancient India; an idllyic society in an intellectual pursuit unparalled in any society made possible by a liberal and benign social and political environment. His understanding of philosophy, religion, language and culture (art and prose) is just a pleasure. I am amazed to see the breadth in one person. His timeline of history and how (only)Indian society has absorbed wave after wave or outsider and make them one in a melting pot is illuminating. If you are intersted in understading Hindu's(or India); it's a must read, there is nothing as clearly written for an english reader as this.

Simple Mlechha

This Book is Great. Every page of it makes very insightful and intresting reading. It can hardly be bettered in the Subject its dealing with. But, I guess he may not be wholly impartial in his assessments and retains i guess some "Mlechha" attitude. I know the authors reputation and this might appear silly but at a few places he makes some sweeping statements which appear to be made without much proof. Following are some such sweeping statements.1. Comparing vedic culture to a culture that bears a generic likeness to that of 'Beowulf' who were semi-barbarians.2.'and was somehow less advanced than that depicted in the Iliad.3."BUT IN GENERAL THE MUSLIMS WERE REASONABLY TOLERANT "Its tough to find any scholar agreeing with this view point. This is almost exclusively of AL BASHAM.Lot more like this but believe me!.

readable and scholarly

This is a classic work on pre-Muslim Indian history. The author's scholarship is evident on every page. While the preface specifically states that the book is intended mainly for a Western audience, South Asians especially should find this book salutary reading--it is an account of their history that is both objective and respectful, a healthy contrast to the unscientific views of history that are often put forth by right-wing politicians in India and Pakistan. The book is a little dated when it talks about the Indus valley civilization.

The standard academic survey of the early history of India

This is the "standard introductory textbook" that is also a true joy to read for any layman who wants some accurate information on early India. At the time the book was first published (1954), Professor Basham was teaching at the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London.Later he moved to the chair of Asian Civilisation, at the Australian National University, Canberra. His book remains a perennial despite his passing.