Collins, llegan a Nueva Delhi para escribir la extraordinaria historia de independencia de la India del Imperio Británico. Éste será el comienzo de una maravillosa historia de amor, desde este primer viaje nace una relación fuerte, intensa y sincera entre la India y el escritor, que desde entonces se dedica por completo a la ayuda humanitaria.Dominique Lapierre viaja desde entonces sin cesar a la India para participar en programas concretos contra lapobreza extrema. La pluma de Dominique Lapierre transporta al lector a un magnífico e inolvidable recorrido por los rincones y misterios de este país-continente, absorbiendo la vitalidad yel encanto de la gente que allí conoció. Fotos, recuerdos y reflexiones se mezclan creando un testimonio único: India, mon amour. Un himno inolvidable a la vida y a la esperanza, unidos porun hilo común que proviene de un proverbio indio: «Todo lo que no se da se pierde.»
Dominique Lapierre was born in Châtelaillon-Plage, Charente-Maritime, France. At the age of thirteen, he travelled to America with his father who was a diplomat (Consul General of France). He attended the Jesuit school in New Orleans and became a paper boy for the "New Orleans Item". He developed interests in travelling, writing and cars and later traveled across the United States as a young man.
In the early 1950s Lapierre was conscripted into the French army. After one year in a tank regiment, he was transferred to SHAPE headquarters to serve as an interpreter. There he met a young American Army corporal, Larry Collins, a Yale graduate and draftee. They became instant friends. When Collins was discharged he was offered a job with Procter & Gamble. Two days before reporting to work, the United Press offered him a job as caption writer at their Paris office, for much less money than offered by Procter & Gamble. Collins accepted the offer and was soon picked up by Newsweek to be their correspondent in the Middle East. When Lapierre was discharged, he found work as a reporter for the magazine Paris Match. Several years later they decided to join forces to tell a big story which would appeal to both French and anglophone audiences. Their first bestseller Is Paris Burning? sold close to ten million copies in thirty languages. In this book they mixed the modern technique of investigation journalism with the classical methods of historical research.
After that they spent four years in Jerusalem to reconstruct the birth of the State of Israel for the book O Jerusalem!. Lapierre is proud that after spending a great deal of time in Jerusalem he knows each alley, square, street, and building in the Holy City intimately.
Two of Lapierre's books – Is Paris Burning? (co-written with Larry Collins) and City of Joy – have been made into films. Lapierre and Collins wrote several other books together before Collins' death in 2005.
He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian award in the 2008 Republic Day honors list.
This explains the experience and emotional attachment of french author Dominique Lapierre towards India where has been coming regularly and how he got love and support from people. One of best ever books ever read.
Una vera e propria dichiarazione d’amore di Lapierre alla sua diletta India. Durante la lettura ho provato una moltitudine di emozioni: rabbia, tristezza, dolore, disgusto, ammirazione, meraviglia, sconcerto, sconforto, orgoglio, senso di impotenza, pietà e amore. Più volte ho dovuto interrompere la lettura per lasciar sedimentare il groviglio di stati d’animo. Mi ha davvero scossa. 3 stelline e 3/4, perché in qualche modo l’autore mi è parso un po’ troppo autocelebrativo. Onorabile, ad ogni modo, il suo intento e la sua devozione nel fare attivamente del bene per questo pezzetto di mondo che è Paradiso e Inferno insieme.
Un libro che mi fu regalato quando ero davvero troppo piccola per poterne capire la potenza e la ricchezza di informazioni attorno alla storia intricata e profonda di un paese come l’India. L’ho riletto recentemente con maturità e coscienza, e posso dire che è decisamente un libro che rimane appiccicato addosso. Per gli amanti dei viaggi, dell’antropologia, della cultura e storia indiana… questo libro è imperdibile!
Its a book divided in two parts broadly : 1.Description of 'behind the scenes' work done for three of Lapierre's books especially The City of Joy. 2.Description ofthe charitable work done by Lapierre and his team in Kolkata. The book itself encourages charity and tells some bitter-sweet experiences of the author in India especially Kolkata.Even as an Indian,I learnt something new about. Dominique deserves respect for that. Coming to the review, I do not think ,considering the content and standard of Lapierre's work, the book deserves more than four stars.Because there are lot of 'I did' sentences on charity, I think the book loses a rating point.The book is only recommended if you want to read about making of other famous books (and a film) and intend to do some charitable work.Otherwise give this book a pass. (And thank you Dominique for your humanitarian work )
Desgarrador Este libro es el “ último” de la saga sobre la India… y había empezado por “ esta nocue la Libertad” porque es una descripción historico/política/religiosa de los últimos años antes de la independencia de la India de los Británicos. Siento que el libro “ la ciudad de la alegria” brevemente mencionado en este, va a ser difícil, angustioso, pero a la vwz necesario para comprender este país. Acabo de terminarlo y llevo medio libro llorando amargamente por la situación en la que viven, y la esperanza… Te hace pensar en lo estupidos y materialistas que somos, mientras en el otro lado del mundo con nada son felices. Somos idiotas
For me, Dominique Lapierre was a world renowned writer with a few bestsellers like 'Freedom at midnight' and 'City of Joy' under his kitty. But this book presents a new facet of the samaritan who used royalties of his book and his goodwill image to garner donation in order to change the lives of thousands in the slums of Kolkata and the bhopal tragedy survivors. His experiences in the most horrendous living conditions among the lepers and TB patients is an eye opener. His constant reverence to Mahatama Gandhi though irritated me during the read, but overall this book can be rated 4 stars!
I had read "Freedom at Midnight" by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins a French and an American writer, the story about India from 1946 till the death of Gandhiji. It was an excellent book which gave an idea about the turbulent times during that period in india. This book talks more about Dominique's time in India. The first part talks about the good tomes spent with Maharaja's playing polo, hunting boars and other details of the life of the kings in india. The 2nd of the book is the main highlight of this book and will make the reader cry, feel inspired, want to do something for the poor and needy. In this part Dominique talks about how he met the Indians of the lower strata trying to edge out a living with meagre amenities and hardly a rupee a day to survive on. Dominique encounters people who have done wonders by staying amidst the poor people and helping them in whichever way they can. The immense charity work done by Dominique and his wife is extraordinary and it is detailed in the book. Dominique was also honoured with the Padma Bhushan by the President Pratibha Patil. It is such a privilege to just read about the lives of the good Samaritans who have gone much beyond their call of help to be with the lesser privileged and downtrodden. The stories are from Kolkata and Bhopal. Initially starts with the lives of uber rich and comes down to humanitarian grounds, this book is a must read for people who feel life is worthless even after having all the amenities that money can buy.
The author has written many books on India. This book is behind the scenes experiences of the author as he researched for these books. It is a view of India through the eyes of the author.
It can also be considered to be a tomtoming of the various charities and contributions made by the author.
Not a great read for Indians. I could be a good book for non-Indians to get some perspective of India. It is a narrow perspective and not necessarily a wholesome perspective. As an Indian, one may feel lik disagreeing with the portrayal of poverty and living conditions in India, but it is a fact that one cannot deny. It can be argued that the author has not presented the many rich perspective of India.
Casi todos los libros de Lapierre son muy buenos, y este no es excepción. El argumento tiene qué ver con La ciudad de la alegría, está un poquito interconectado. El amor de Lapierre por la India está aquí bien exprimido. Su experiencia en India así que se enamoró es inmensa, conoció a personalidades “fuera del mundo” que viven para ayudar a los otros, en este caso gente muy pobre y enferma; sus condiciones de vida (del escritor) lo hn permitido ayudar a esa gente con donaciones y construcción de infra estructuras para ayudar a los minusválidos en India e de empezar el mismo con una fundación y muchas infraestructuras en India y en otros países.
Buy it! Es unnlibro maravilloso que refleja de una manera breve las dolencias de los barrios más pobres de La India. También muestra como la solidaridad e inteligencia del autor y su esposa, logran reunir fondos, ya sea por los derechos de autor de sus libros o de kas donaciones, y mejorar la vida de cientos en ese país. Al final presenta detalles de como contribuir con la fundación.
No podemos imaginar que pueda existir todo un mundo de miseria y nosotros no hacer nada. En cada país tenemos que ver la miseria que nos rodea y responder con amor y ayuda para mejorar nuestro mundo. Dios bendiga a santos como Dominique y su esposa. Debemos imitarlos!
Muy recomendado para tod@s aquell@s que queraís conocer que hay detrás de muchas de las obras de este autor, en las cuales nos muestra la fascinante India. Además de ver toda la labor solidaria que ha hecho por ese país. 🇮🇳 ❤️
Dominique's journey for 20000 kms through India his Silver Cloud results in his monumental book Freedom at Midnight. He donates a large amount of his royalty to philanthropic activities in India and thus we have another best seller, The City of Joy
Letto molti anni fa. È un po' retorico ma tutto vero, anche se parla di un'India che nel frattempo è cambiata. Ma sempre un caos difficile e bellissimo è, sempre tantissimi problemi, sempre tantissimi vizio e tantissime virtù, e un'umanità che i paesi occidentali hanno scordato da un pezzo.
Dominique escribe este libro 35 años después de su llegada a la India, cuando fue para documentarse para escribir su libro Esta noche, la libertad. En la primera parte, nos cuenta algunos pasajes de ese viaje, que le cambiaría la vida. Se enamoró del país, de la cultura, de sus gentes, pero también vio las terribles condiciones de vida de las gentes más pobres y decidió dedicar todos sus esfuerzos futuros a la ayuda humanitaria. En la segunda parte del libro, nos hable de otros héroes desconocidos de la India, personas que dedican su existencia a mejorar las condiciones de vida de los más pobres, a facilitar fundamentalmente la sanidad, la educación o el trabajo de los más desfavorecidos. Un testimonio directo de algunas de las acciones que se han llevado a cabo durante todos estos años. Un libro que no te deja indiferente, que llega hondo y demuestra que todos podemos ayudar, que otras personas necesitan nuestra solidaridad. El libro es breve, pero incluye también algunas fotografías históricas del tiempo de los marajás o la independencia india, y otras actuales referidas a la labor humanitaria.
3.5 perchè dopo aver letto la Città della gioia ci sono qui molte parti in comune e questo se non ben detto all'inizio può destare un po' di delusione.
The writing always brings me into the past, imagining the heritage of India, both the good and the bad. The photographs are the best part it gives you a sense of looking into another world.
Este libro se divide en dos partes. La primera, “Tras las huellas del mayor imperio de todos los tiempos”, hace un recuento, si uno quiere, de los días en que el equipo de periodistas formado por Dominique Lapierre y Larry Collins llegó a la India a investigar las últimas horas de la colonia británica y la proclamación de la independencia del nuevo estado. Si uno prefiere, cuenta en realidad el viaje de un viejo Silver Cloud a un país donde los carros de su marca fueron desterrados veinticinco años atrás (antes de eso, los 565 marajás y nababs que gobernaban buena parte del territorio tenían en promedio 3,4 Rolls-Royce por cabeza).
Had the occasion to read the English version of the book. Though this book is more in the form of a resume of personal experience of the author while researching for "City of Joy", it make for an extremely absorbing reading, providing insights into the making of the film that caught the imagination of the world. Some of the experiences are indeed very touching. It also tells a lot about the author and how he was transformed over a period of time as he experienced the "joy" of associating with the teeming masses of the city.
En el 2003 tube la oportunidad de visitar la India por primera vez.Los libros de Dominique Lapierre me permiten volver a ese increible Pais, siempre que lo desee,y sobre todo a sus gentes, que tanto echo de menos.Gracias, Dominique,por hacernos participe de todo ese Arsenal de historias humanas ,por tus iniciativas humanitarias,y ayudarnos a comprender lo que de verdad importa.Ya podríamos aprender muchos..
Credo che dopo un viaggio in India ci siano i libri di Lapierre. Un'opera che � una vera a prorpia dichiarazione d'amore ad un paese dalla cultura molto affascinante. In questo libro l'autore racconta come sia nata questa sua vocazione, e quindi le sue opere. Molti aneddoti sono quelli alla base de 'La citt� della gioia', quindi in alcuni frangenti � inevitabile la sensazione di deja vu (per chi ha gi� letto il romanzo). Rimane comunque una testimonianza preziosa su l'India e la sua cultura.