What do you think?
Rate this book
The Cambridge Companion to Gandhi
Even today, six decades after his assassination in January 1948, Mahatma Gandhi is still revered as the father of the Indian nation. His intellectual and moral legacy – encapsulated in works such as Hind Swaraj – as well as the example of his life and politics serve as an inspiration to human rights and peace movements, political activists, and students in classroom discussions throughout the world. This book, comprised of essays by renowned experts in the fields of Indian history and philosophy, traces Gandhi's extraordinary story. The first part of the book, the biography, explores his transformation from a small-town lawyer during his early life in South Africa into a skilled political activist and leader of civil resistance in India. The second part is devoted to Gandhi's key writings and his thinking on a broad range of topics, including religion, conflict, politics, and social relations. The final part reflects on Gandhi's image – how he has been portrayed in literature and film – and on his legacy in India, the West, and beyond.
296 pages, Hardcover
First published February 21, 2011
4 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Judith M. Brown
27 books4 followersJudith M. Brown is a historian of modern South Asia. From 1990–2011 she was the Beit Professor of Commonwealth History and a Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 19, 2015
A collection of stimulating essays on Gandhi’s life, his ideas and his legacy. They give us a better understanding of a remarkable man who has been all but deified and continues to inspire awe among new generations of scholars and activists, in all his multi–faceted life.
The first few essays portray the major episodes of his life. The atmosphere and conditions that he grew up in India, his life in London and his transformation from a lawyer to a political activist in South Africa , his return to India and his role in National movements and his final years lived in increasing disenchantment and despair. The second part of the essays deal with his deeply religious nature, his holistic view of the world, his unique anti – capitalist, anti-industrial and anti – imperialist views and his highly influential ideas of Satyagraha. The final two essays deal with his portrayal in film and literature and his continuing legacy despite the Indian state having embarked upon a totally Un-Gandhian and the unsustainable path of emulating the western style of consumption.
The first few essays portray the major episodes of his life. The atmosphere and conditions that he grew up in India, his life in London and his transformation from a lawyer to a political activist in South Africa , his return to India and his role in National movements and his final years lived in increasing disenchantment and despair. The second part of the essays deal with his deeply religious nature, his holistic view of the world, his unique anti – capitalist, anti-industrial and anti – imperialist views and his highly influential ideas of Satyagraha. The final two essays deal with his portrayal in film and literature and his continuing legacy despite the Indian state having embarked upon a totally Un-Gandhian and the unsustainable path of emulating the western style of consumption.
October 1, 2012
Excellent collection of essays on various stages and aspects of Gandhi's life and work.
March 6, 2015
Excellent Collection
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews