What do you think?
Rate this book
John Lang: Wanderer of Hindoostan, Slanderer in Hindoostanee, Lawyer for the Ranee
This book is in pursuit of Alice, whose name rhymes with ‘galluse’. That, however, is another memory, another book, waiting to germinate. John Lang (1816-1864), inebriated on John Exshaw, a cognac, eau de vie, most of his adult life, was a dogged underdog from Sydney; he spared no effort to hurt the John Company (East India Company). He lived in India after the age of 26 and was a prolific writer, journalist, and lawyer.
His novels were too feminist for Victorian comfort, and his white male protagonists are often described by the narrator as in love with India, in despise with England. As a journalist, he was irreverent toward the army and legal systems; modern journalists can take a lesson or two from Mr Lang. As a lawyer, John Lang learnt Persian and Urdu fast to be able to argue cases in lower courts. He fought some important cases for Indians against the Company, and even won some of them. The establishment, however, found a way to send him to jail. The Rani of Jhansi was impressed and invited him to be her lawyer.
There was a party going on at Lang’s house when he died. He said a party could not be stopped just on the account of his ill health.
Endorsement:
Haunting tale of a man, and his world of shifting collusions and collisions - Stephanos Stephanides
His novels were too feminist for Victorian comfort, and his white male protagonists are often described by the narrator as in love with India, in despise with England. As a journalist, he was irreverent toward the army and legal systems; modern journalists can take a lesson or two from Mr Lang. As a lawyer, John Lang learnt Persian and Urdu fast to be able to argue cases in lower courts. He fought some important cases for Indians against the Company, and even won some of them. The establishment, however, found a way to send him to jail. The Rani of Jhansi was impressed and invited him to be her lawyer.
There was a party going on at Lang’s house when he died. He said a party could not be stopped just on the account of his ill health.
Endorsement:
Haunting tale of a man, and his world of shifting collusions and collisions - Stephanos Stephanides
472 pages, Hardcover
Published July 1, 2021
2 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 11, 2022
The book has its high points when the author digs into the writings of John Lang and reveals it inspiring the works of other authors. There are also interesting anecdotes relating to his most successful case and most spectacular failure. However, the approach has been very academic and writing nonlinear which fails to hold one’s attention for long.
July 4, 2023
‘John Lang’ delves into the intriguing life of John Lang, an unconventional character who left a mark on history. Lang, a writer, journalist, and lawyer, dedicated himself to challenging the powerful East India Company. His feminist novels and his love for India juxtaposed with his disdain for England showcase his unique perspective.
The author, Amit Ranjan, skillfully captures Lang’s eccentricities and his battles against the establishment, painting a vivid picture of a misunderstood man. The inclusion of Lang’s own writings adds depth and allure to the narrative.
Although challenging at times, the book offers a mesmerizing journey through history and a lesser-known aspect of Lang’s life. Literature and history enthusiasts will find this book captivating, while casual readers may struggle to fully grasp its contents. Overall, it is a thought-provoking and engrossing read that sheds light on a fascinating period in history.
The author, Amit Ranjan, skillfully captures Lang’s eccentricities and his battles against the establishment, painting a vivid picture of a misunderstood man. The inclusion of Lang’s own writings adds depth and allure to the narrative.
Although challenging at times, the book offers a mesmerizing journey through history and a lesser-known aspect of Lang’s life. Literature and history enthusiasts will find this book captivating, while casual readers may struggle to fully grasp its contents. Overall, it is a thought-provoking and engrossing read that sheds light on a fascinating period in history.
July 8, 2024
In "John Lang," by "Amit Ranjan" crafts a riveting portrayal of an eccentric and formidable figure who fiercely contested the oppressive East India Company. John Lang (1816-1864), an Australian by birth, found his calling in India where he emerged as a prolific writer, journalist, and lawyer. His life, steeped in defiance and unorthodoxy, is meticulously chronicled in this engrossing narrative.
By British society, he was outcast and his hatred for the society is evident in his feminist books that were considered improper for the Victorian period. Through his works, the reader gets to see the love the man had for India which evidently as much as he despised England, thus making the readers understand the complexity of the man. Once again Scott successfully depicts many sided characters of Lang, stressing on the role of the protagonist as a tireless fighter for justice in the context of legal cases, during which he struggled for the rights of Indians against the Company.
One of the most captivating aspects of his life was his role as the legal counsel for the Rani of Jhansi, a testament to his esteemed reputation and unyielding spirit. His narrative is enriched with excerpts from Lang's own writings, providing readers with an authentic glimpse into his provocative and satirical style.
The book does not paint a one sided picture of Lang, it depicts him as a man who survives the obstructions of the colonial world, with enormous courage and intelligence. He demonstrated his desire to antagonize as both a journalist and a lawyer and thus was imprisoned for his actions. He, as a man forever challenging and opposing the East India Company, his protest stands tall and firm with the themes of freedom from authoritarianism and bureaucratic corruption.
In conclusion, it is a masterful exploration of a singularly intriguing figure whose life and work continue to resonate as symbols of resistance and intellectual fervor. His detailed and nuanced depiction ensures that Lang’s contributions and eccentricities are not forgotten, offering a profound and thought-provoking journey through a fascinating period of history.
By British society, he was outcast and his hatred for the society is evident in his feminist books that were considered improper for the Victorian period. Through his works, the reader gets to see the love the man had for India which evidently as much as he despised England, thus making the readers understand the complexity of the man. Once again Scott successfully depicts many sided characters of Lang, stressing on the role of the protagonist as a tireless fighter for justice in the context of legal cases, during which he struggled for the rights of Indians against the Company.
One of the most captivating aspects of his life was his role as the legal counsel for the Rani of Jhansi, a testament to his esteemed reputation and unyielding spirit. His narrative is enriched with excerpts from Lang's own writings, providing readers with an authentic glimpse into his provocative and satirical style.
The book does not paint a one sided picture of Lang, it depicts him as a man who survives the obstructions of the colonial world, with enormous courage and intelligence. He demonstrated his desire to antagonize as both a journalist and a lawyer and thus was imprisoned for his actions. He, as a man forever challenging and opposing the East India Company, his protest stands tall and firm with the themes of freedom from authoritarianism and bureaucratic corruption.
In conclusion, it is a masterful exploration of a singularly intriguing figure whose life and work continue to resonate as symbols of resistance and intellectual fervor. His detailed and nuanced depiction ensures that Lang’s contributions and eccentricities are not forgotten, offering a profound and thought-provoking journey through a fascinating period of history.
November 10, 2021
“Wanderer of Hindoostan, Slanderer in Hindoostanee, Lawyer for the Ranee”
A quirky mix of attributes like the ones mentioned above perfectly encapsulates the life of John Lang, one of the most interesting characters in history. A man of eccentric nature, John Lang spent the latter half of his life in Hindoostan, exploring every possibility of the act of battling against the East India Company, on paper as well as in court. His unconventionality was such that the Rani of Jhansi invited him to be her lawyer. He was not only a prolific writer but an able journalist and lawyer as well.
Delving into this book and roving through the multiple instances in history, Lang’s story gave me a sense of camaraderie for a man who was misunderstood. He had a way of touching the sore spots of the historical anatomy through his writings which resulted in him landing on the wrong side of the establishment in most of the cases.
Lang’s life was quirky enough but Amit Ranjan's way of expression of the same added a whole new level of uniqueness to the narration. I enjoyed the snippets of Lang’s writings put in the book by the author. Even though I had to keep a dictionary handy throughout the read, I kept on going back for more. There was something very mesmeric about the story as well as the narration which made the book an unputdownable read. It also gave me an insight into a part of history lesser known to us which I appreciate. Overall, it was a difficult but engrossing read.
For literature and history enthusiasts, this book would be an appealing piece of writing, however, for amateur readers, this book would be difficult to grasp.
A quirky mix of attributes like the ones mentioned above perfectly encapsulates the life of John Lang, one of the most interesting characters in history. A man of eccentric nature, John Lang spent the latter half of his life in Hindoostan, exploring every possibility of the act of battling against the East India Company, on paper as well as in court. His unconventionality was such that the Rani of Jhansi invited him to be her lawyer. He was not only a prolific writer but an able journalist and lawyer as well.
Delving into this book and roving through the multiple instances in history, Lang’s story gave me a sense of camaraderie for a man who was misunderstood. He had a way of touching the sore spots of the historical anatomy through his writings which resulted in him landing on the wrong side of the establishment in most of the cases.
Lang’s life was quirky enough but Amit Ranjan's way of expression of the same added a whole new level of uniqueness to the narration. I enjoyed the snippets of Lang’s writings put in the book by the author. Even though I had to keep a dictionary handy throughout the read, I kept on going back for more. There was something very mesmeric about the story as well as the narration which made the book an unputdownable read. It also gave me an insight into a part of history lesser known to us which I appreciate. Overall, it was a difficult but engrossing read.
For literature and history enthusiasts, this book would be an appealing piece of writing, however, for amateur readers, this book would be difficult to grasp.
July 28, 2023
It’s one of those books which are intriguing but since it’s also written as a research paper, I lost interest quite early.
Some of the findings are so beautiful, I know it’s a wrong word to describe research but I was actually mesmerised with some portions while most others were skipped.
Some of the findings are so beautiful, I know it’s a wrong word to describe research but I was actually mesmerised with some portions while most others were skipped.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews