WHAT REALLY HAPPENED!!!!! FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, CLEAR AND CONVINCING EXPLANATIONS. Netaji Bose, who led the Indian National Army to wage battles against the British, allegedly died in an air crash in Taipei, Taiwan soon after the Second World War came to an end. Did he really die in the air crash or was it a fabrication? This question was considered by three inquiry commissions, the last of which came to the clear conclusion that there was in fact no air crash. Each report is carefully dissected by the author, a trained international lawyer and public intellectual. If Bose did not in fact die in the air crash, where did he go, what happened to him, and when, where and how did he meet his end? Why did Prime Minister Nehru keep Bose-related files away from the first committee that conducted an enquiry? Why did India's first prime minister order that surveillance be carried out on the Bose family for decades? Why did Prime Minister Morarji Desai speak of new evidence that challenged the conclusions of the first two inquiries that Bose had died in an air crash? Why did Desai subsequently fall silent? This book provides explanations on all the important questions that have plagued Indian minds for decades. The mystery behind the springing tiger's disappearance is finally unlocked. If Gandhi's non-violent struggle represented the feminine spirit of 'ahimsa' Bose and the INA's struggle represented Indian manhood in its fullest flowering. In freedom struggles across the world, some of those who fought the hardest are subsequently ignored. If we apply the necessary corrective to the history of Indian independence, the author argues, we will change India's view of itself and its place in the world, past, present and future.
When I first read the synopsis of this book, I was transfixed. It sounded really interesting. Strange as it is, here is the thing about me: I am addicted to everything related to the freedom of 1947. Sometimes, I hate the fact that I was born almost 50 years after it to not know exactly how things were during that time. (But then I remember to count my blessings. I mean, I wouldn't really be where I am today had I been born 60 years earlier, after all. The hardships, the nightmares—naah, I'm good!)
In any case, that was why The Vanishing of Subhash Bose interested me. I was a kid when I learnt that he passed away in a plane crash. I was more interested in people who survived so I didn't pay him much attention back then. So this blurb got me thinking—what did I know about Netaji and his death? Or even his life? I had always thought he was a more violence prone person and ditched it at that. (I am a rather non violent person myself. So even if I knew that we wouldn't have had our independence had it not been for the violent people as well, I still don't take much interest in the violence of it all. Non-Cooperation Movement? Now that I can talk about a lot!) That and his famous slogan "tum mujhe khoon do, mai tumhe aazadi dunga" Honestly, which Indian hasn't grown up learning this slogan of Independence? In fact, in my school, we even enacted a play on this speech!
So anyway, back to the book. (Gosh, I'm getting distracted a lot lately; but then, that's something the idea of partition and independence does to me.) Yes, that is why it struck me. And when I started reading it, I realized there were things about our nation's past leaders that I had no freaking clue about! That is when I realized that this book was far better than I had expected it to be. The author, a lawyer himself, had dissected each of the reports given regarding Netaji's disappearance and the things he mentioned did strike me as a little odd. I mean, why had no one mentioned all of this earlier?
The one thing that might not attract a few readers regarding this one book would be how it is filled with facts and details. But then, read the blurb first. That is what it is about, isn't it? So yes, that wasn't a hard thing to deal with. At the same time, the author has tried his best to even make the boring reports interesting and engaging for us through his writing style. (But then again, I'm never bored of reading things related to our history so my reason for liking them might be completely different from yours!)
Now lastly, I have to say that I enjoyed reading this book. I mean, I don't generally like non-fiction (unless the idea behind it extremely interested me) and if you follow my blog, then you'll know to be true. So the fact that I gave this book a 4 should suggest to you that yes, it really was interesting and that if you are someone who likes historical books, then this is the one for you. Don't hesitate then before giving it a buy. My deepest regret at the moment is that I couldn't hold a physical copy of this book while reading.
⚫️ I was really fascinated when I picked up the book because I have come across very few books on Subhash chandra Bose and mysteries regarding his death always caught my interest. And I am very glad that this book definitely met my expectations. ⚫️ I like very few non fiction books and this is one of them. ⚫️ Well written. ⚫️ Good use of vocabulary and language. ⚫️ When you want to write about biography or non fiction work on someone’s life, it’s really difficult and especially that someone is a real life “Hero” because you have to thorough with your research and language used to do complete justice. And author has done a very good job. ⚫️ I loved the quotes by Subhash chandra Bose in the beginning of the chapters. ⚫️ And author has also mentioned the references of articles where it’s needed so it’s really impressive. ⚫️ I came to know about many unknown aspects of his life as well as major political events. So author has done complete justice to his work. ⚫️ Overall I loved this. ⚫️ Definitely Recommended.
The book revolves around what happened on the18th day of August 1945 at Taihoku during air-journey to Manchuria and the aftermath of the event, the political ill-will to have a fair and just enquiry to find out the truth behind the event, the reason behind this political ill-will, not only at the state and central level in India but in Japan and other places.The hidden agendas behind eye wash commissions formed by various governments and the how's and why's behind the influencing and stage managing their proceedings. But most importantly it throws light on one thing, whether the incident had taken place at all or was it a story, cooked up poorly. The book begins with a brief about Charismatic, enigmatic personality of Subhash Bose and how his rising popularity had been affecting many of his contemporaries. In the following chapters the light is thrown on the possible reasons behind trying to push Bose's vanishing under the carpet . The author, in detail, discusses the eye wash efforts on the part of authorities to rising public demand for a detailed enquiry to unearth the fact behind his mysterious disappearance and death. In the last chapters author gives a believable and logical reason behind Bose's disappearance and where possibly he went post 18th August 1945. First of all kudos to author for taking up such a sensitive topic for his book and handling it very sensibly. The work seems to be well researched and supported by logic. The language and vocabulary used is upto the mark. The content at no point looked draggy or unnecessary. I am not much of a non-fiction reader, yet this book was unputdownable for me. The title and the cover are nice. In fact the title is so effective that it compels you to pick up the book. The blurb is crisp and evokes curiosity. Overall this book is an eye opener and emphasises that the history of freedom struggle need to be rewritten and the heroes like Subhash Bose be given their due place in the history.
Having never come across a book on Subhash Bose exclusively, The Vanishing of Subhash Bose was a pleasant surprise and subsequently, a gripping read as well. The entire book, right from the very first page itself, could attract all of my attention and kept me sucked in until the very end. The fact that the book is very much based on research and available information, and then only some conjecture, makes the reader all the more intrigue, while also realizing the importance and significance of the book. The author has obviously put in a lot of research into this book, which is full of fats and such details. Now despite the fact that this book is so full of such details and facts, the author has been able to keep the reader occupied with a great interactive writing style that does not bore the reader. However, having sad that, I do feel that this might be a bit of a polarizing book – for people who absolutely may hate history, this book may not be for them, but then again, the entire topic is so very intriguing and curious that I think that if the reader just keeps on reading the first few pages, he will certainly fly through the next. Everybody has theories as to what might have happened, thus leading the reader to conjecture wildly. But this book does not depend merely on such things but real events corresponding and related to the entirety of this situation. The writing style of the author is easy to understand and also very engaging. Relating the simple, and “non-major” aspects of this enigmatic man’s life was also very interesting. The author has truly done justice to this non-fiction book, by adding true facts and details, without surprisingly making it boring. I really do think that this book is worth giving a read. I enjoyed the book and I rate it a 4/5 stars. I got the book as a part of the review program in Outset https://rakhijayashankar.blogspot.in
One of the most significant personalities, who strived hard to free India from the British Rule, is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. He led the Indian National Army and is one of the most revered freedom fighters of India. It is said that Netaji died in an air crash in Taipei, Taiwan soon after the Second World War came to an end. But a large number of people do not believe this. The sudden disappearance of Netaji has been a subject of great speculation and of great interest to Indians as well as to people all over the World. There are various theories regarding this, but none has been proved to be absolutely authentic. The question about Netaji's sudden disappearance was considered by three inquiry commissions, the last of which came to the clear conclusion that there was, in fact, no air crash. Each report is carefully dissected by the author, a trained international lawyer and public intellectual. The Introduction to the book is very informative. Although it is a bit lengthy, it provides a detailed overview of what the entire book is about and about each of the chapters. All the chapters are arranged in an amazing way. The readers will find it quite captivating. The book is indeed a page-turner. All the facts have been put forward by the author from an impartial point of view. The author has done a commendable job in writing about such an interesting as well as a controversial political topic in such an engaging narrative. This book kept me hooked on till the very end. It is indeed a very well researched book. I was very intrigued as I read this book. Please read this book if you want to know more about the life and mysteries about Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The Vanishing of Subhash Bose is one of the best books that I have come across this year.
ABOUT THE BOOK TITLE - THE VANISHING OF SUBHASH BOSE: THE MYSTERY UNLOCKED AUTHOR - Rajesh Talwar GENRE - Political Freedom and Security PUBLISHING DATE - 26 January 2016 LANGUAGE - English NUMBER OF PAGES - 245 pages ASIN - B07MHF2RR6 BUY IT HERE - https://www.amazon.in/VANISHING-SUBHA... TITLE The title is catchy for people with political interests. Also, the question regarding the death of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose is a suspicious one with many unsure answers. COVER The cover shows the picture of Netaji. It is altogether attractive and well designed. STORYLINE/CONTENT The book puts forward the truths and facts related to the life as well as the death of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Various political parties had various things to say about his sudden disappearance or the so-called vanishing of Netaji. Everyone had their own take on the incident, their own opinions, and their own comments The author has put forth a bunch of truths. Also, he has done an immense amount of research and study on the topic. What I believe is that it is very difficult for an author to write something of this type, where all you ought to write are facts and complete truths. The problem that arises is the language that you use, the way you frame the entire book and also the amount of effort you’ve put in the research section. LANGUAGE, WRITING SKILLS AND NARRATION The book has been written in a very good manner. Also, the readers will really admire the style of narration. The beginning of each chapter in the book has a wonderful quote, which is really appreciable. The language was lucid as well as easy-to-understand. RECOMMENDED FOR -- Admirers of History -- Admirers of political reads -- People who are interested in the mysteries and stories related to freedom fighters STRENGTHS -- Genre -- Theme -- Writing skills QUOTES Do you want the fragrance of the full-blown rose? If so you must accept the thorns. Do you want the splendour of the smiling dawn? If so, you must live through the dark hours of the night. Do you want the joy of liberty and the solace of freedom? If so, you must pay the price. And the price of liberty is suffering and sacrifice. I am not a shopkeeper and I do not bargain. The slippery path of diplomacy I abhor as unsuited to my constitution. I have taken my stand on a principle and there the matter rests. We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places… Our cause is the cause of freedom and truth; as sure as day follows night, that cause will ultimately prevail. I do not attach much importance to my bodily life that I should strive to save it by a process of haggling RATINGS TITLE - 4.5/5 COVER - 4.5/5 STORYLINE/CONTENT/PLOT - 4.5/5 LANGUAGE - 4.5/5 WRITING SKILLS - 4.5/5 NARRATION - 4.5/5 PORTRAYAL OF CHARACTERS - 4.5/5 END/CLIMAX - 4.5/5 OVERALL RATING - 4.5/5 CURRENT AMAZON REVIEWER RANKING - #227
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is an emotion . Esoecially for we bengalies he is an ideal hero . This is the reason I picked this book up ! I have read many books about him . I was quite curious for this particular topic , "Vanishing " because it's a great curiosity ! This book is page turner from the very begining . It's full of information . The author had done well research which I really want to mention . Also his writing style also admirable . It doesn't bore the reader .This book has answered so many doubts I have. It has again cleared my previous knowledge .
‘Give me blood and I will give you freedom.’ It was our very own beloved leader ‘netaji’ who said these words. Netaji Subhash Chandra bose is the forgotten hero of India’s struggle. It was said that Bose died due to aircraft crash in Taiwan on 18 august 1945. But till day, millions of Indians believe that Bose survived the plane crash, which has given rise to a number of investigations and theories that have come up in the past few decades. But still today, nobody knows for sure about what might have happened. The secretive and the ambivalent nature of the government are to be partially blamed for it. It’s the right of the people of the nation to know about one of their brightest prominent leader who did everything he could to free India off foreign powers.
To say that I loved this masterpiece by Mr. Rajesh Talwar, would be an understatement. I was never able to develop any kind of interest in the non-fiction genre but this book with its unbiased presentation of well researched facts proved to be a mind blowing change for my genre choices. Mr. Talwar has very arduously investigated all theories and controversial conversations and has very remarkably dissected each one of them with clear and convincing explanations. The author with his brutal honesty and historical proofs has brought out the nature of the motives and the hidden agendas of the INA. This very sensitive issue was tackled by Mr. Rajesh here very skillfully who has done full justice to this mystery by stating crisp and scrutinized facts while at the same time capturing the reader’s attention with his lucid and palpable writing. If one feels like the topic of the book isn’t enough to keep the reader hooked, the authors writing style would surely be the one to keep you on the tenterhooks with curiosity.
All the speculation and question that one might have about the unsung hero of the nation might be resolved by this gem of an informative read! A must read for all people interested in the Indian freedom! Do give it a shot!
Thankyou to the author for sending me a review ebook!
Firstly, I thank the author for giving me the opportunity to read such a great nonfiction, my second favourite of this year!
The Vanishing of Subhash Bose is a a very systematic presentation of facts related to the disappearance of Subhash Chandra Bose and why what was done was done; all of this in the guise of a short Kindle read. And trust me, this book has surprised me in ways beyond my imagination.
I will begin with the first thing that captivated me the most. The way the contents of the book have been organised is very ingenious. The book begins with a lengthy introduction, followed by a detailed analysis of each important feature of the three reports on which rests the plot of the book, as well as the theme of it. The second reason why I enjoyed reading enjoyed reading The Vanishing of Subhash Bose is a fact that the author presents the whole point in a very unbiased and impartial manner; this is exactly how a nonfiction should be. You will find in most of my book reviews the emphasis on abiding by the basic conventions of nonfiction writing. No, I am yet to be an expert. This is merely an opinion I make. Nonfiction should not be influenced (even in the least) by the figment of the writer's imagination; I personally believe that The Vanishing of Subhash Bose a successful in doing so. Moreover, nonfiction reads cannot be judged by the content they have, because what they present is, after all, a series of facts or the revelation of some myths of which we should have known earlier. So, to judge a non fiction on the basis of what its content, that is the plot, would be a really absurd thing to do. Instead, I will be focusing more on the technical aspects of the book.Resumings with my views on the book; The Vanishing of Subhash Bose shouldn't only be viewed as a text that merely unravels a mysterious disappearance of the man who gave birth to the Indian National Army. We, as readers, also get to have a proper glance at the other side of the coin — the Moderates of the Indian National Congress in the early twentieth century. The book is bold enough at upsetting the very notions we, the readers, have been having since the time when we first came across the history of India's struggle for independence from British Imperialism & Colonialism. In fact, the phrase that reiterates throughout the book is Springing Tiger, Crouching Dragons, which is quite brilliantly justified with the contemporary political events then.
I am indeed spellbound at how the author brings forth a book that upholds the hallmark of impartial and uninfluenced history. It greatly intrigues the reader, by asking the questions which have never been asked to those who spearheaded Indian politics then. Philosophical thinkers and litterateurs agree that the truth is nonexistent. But, distortion of facts can never escape the eyes of time and the clutches of fate. Just like Stieg Larsson wrote in his iconic thriller The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo —
What is hidden in snow, comes forth in the thaw.
I convey my best wishes to the author for his future endeavours.
The Vanishing of Subhash Bose by Rajesh Talwar is a collection of facts, theories and logical explanations that add up to elucidate what really happened to the lesser celebrated hero of the Indian history, Subhash Chandra Bose. We all know how Netaji lead the Indian National Army and did his bit in the battle of bringing freedom to our country. We've been given loose ended stories about his death in an air crash. But there's a whole another story behind all that was shown and told to us. This book throws light on so many facts and theories that you might not have paid attention to, which was the case with me. I came across so many details about the life of this unsung hero and about his own struggle and role in the history of Indian independence. The author put forth explanations supported by well researched facts and logic that not only served as proofs but also gave an insight into so many incidents that happened behind the curtain that we were all unaware of as audiences watching the view of just the stage. The author did not bring onto page any explanations out of nowhere. He gave crisp and clear statements about every incident and theory he talked about. You are well fed with every bit of information you'd need in order to understand a point he's trying to make. He was able to raise, address and answer most questions that would begin popping in your head as you read through the facts with the most logical explanations, which according to me was one of the reasons why this book was so gripping. The numerous footnotes, of course, were loads helpful. Issues about the Congress lead government through the years, the INA, the air crash in Taipei which was said to have killed the springing tiger, the commissions that were appointed to look into the mystery of Netaji's death/disappearance, Nehru's fairly dubious actions, and so many more intriguing subjects were approached and explained like a story unveiling plot twists with every chapter, which makes this non-fiction novel engrossing to read even for pure fiction lovers. On a different note, the author's writing was to-the-point and I had zero complaints in regards to his language or use of vocabulary. All in all, I'll give The Vanishing of Subhash Bose a 4.5/5 stars!
I have never read much about the individual role of our freedom fighters and how much they proved to be a part of the struggle. Though I have read books on the general scenario of the pre and post independence era, I haven't gone much into biographies, except those of Gandhi ,Nehru and the likes. When I received this book for review I was so glad to be reading about one of the less popular heroes of the struggle. There have been mentions about this leader in our school books about him passing away in an air crash but nothing more than that or how he really met his end!And on reading this book, it all comes before our eyes! The preface has a gist on what the chapters hold and though I found it a little bit lengthy, it gives us a crisp picture of what to expect in the coming pages. History - politics may sound like a dull combo but this book was so engaging and kept me hooked to it from the start. I was eager to see what would happen as I kept 'turning' the pages. There has been a lot of research that the author has put in in the writing of this book and with a little speculation,the theories are explained. Being written in the non fiction category, the author has done justice to the genre by clearly and boldly stating the facts from his research! Kudos to that! The more you read the book, the more facts come in front of you that makes you wonder how things went on in the political arena of the by gone era! It makes you want to change your views on several leaders and the state of affairs back then! The language is simple and the book is well researched. Certain sensitive issues have been dealt with tactfully and it is really commendable. I really liked the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. The references are given as footnotes. As you read on it enlightens you about the commissions that were carried on for investigating his death and how there were dealt with. Was it just for an eye wash purpose or was there any other reason behind it? What really happened to Subash Bose, the unsung hero of our country ? You will find the answers to all these questions and more when you read this enlightening book! Do give this book a shot,it will make your time worth it and you will get to know so many details surrounding this enigmatic person
There are not many books based on Subhash Chandra Bose and how it all happened at all. This book deals with how/what had happened along with his relations with other politicians. His work and other areas have been focused about. In the start the description of each chapter is given. What really lures you to read the book is about the disappearing and the extensive description of each event that took place along with references. The book is a really well researched one one could only imagine about the possible probabilities. It shows a part of him that was never given credit. Alot about his personal life has been given about too. The author focuses on his work and makes you to come to the conclusion. The book has been written in simple language so as to keep clarity and as well as this could be dealt with mass of readers. The cover is simple along with a picture of Subhash Chandra Bose. If you want to know what had happened and to dive in a little more about history you should definitely read it. The book does not get boring even after being so long as it has been narrated well with detailed description. Overall an informative read and adds on to your knowledge. There are quotes given by Subhash Chandra Bose in the starting of chapters.
Firstly hats off to the Author for a book on Subhash Chandra Bose: The selfless son of Mother India. Totally agree with the author that due credit was never given to this son's contribution for the struggle of India's independence or of the innumerable heroes belonging to INA. It is mostly ignored. The history that we read during our academics is so biased, that whereas the author gives apt information of freedom struggle of what really happened. Extensive Information collected (references mentioned) regarding mystery of his death and all possibilities are addressed and analyzed. Simple words and meaningful analogies used for better understanding and keeping the readers completely engrossed. Author's views are not forced at any point but inference arrived/made after thorough analysis which inturn convinces the readers. A must read book for all who want to know more about Subhash Chandra Bose and unbiased history of freedom struggle.
The vanishing of Subhash Chandra Bose: The mystery unlocked.
Or rather I should say :An Unsung hero and his own struggle.
The book revolves around what happened on the18th day of August 1945 at during air-journey to Manchuria.
We all have been given slack ended listening about his death in an air crash. But there's a whole different story behind all that was shown and told here in this book. All the facts are mentioned precisely and some unlocks were there which needs great research of facts, theories and logical explanations.
This book was no doubted able to address all questions and answer most questions that would begin or already been popping in your mind.
I was thrilled while reading it as it's a very sensitive issue which is also the greatest mystery of Indian history the author has chosen . A must read book for all who want to know more about Subhash Chandra Bose and his struggle .
An important book for India and the world. What I like is the central idea about the book that credit for sacrifices made to win India's freedom should be properly shared. The book talks about the dangers of 'competitive patriotism.' Who was it that brought India freedom? Let's share credit and let no one ever deny the huge contribution by Subhash Bose and the Indian National Army. As the author writes our history needs to be rewritten, a genuine history, not the fake history.... In the opening chapters the author convincingly demonstrates how the air crash theory is not only fake, but laughable. Finally, in the second last chapter, the author gives an extremely plausible explanation of where Bose went and what happened to him. No spoilers here Kudos to Mr Talwar for bringing out this book in such a simple and easy to read format. It deserves to be widely read.
I must admit this is probably my first historical boot though I have read many biographies and autobiographies but this one I completely different . This book is all about the events before and after the fateful event of an air crash 18 August 1945 in which Subhash Bose was believed to have died, the hidden agendas of the various commissions formed by various Governments and the preceding events. But as the other Part of name suggests this books throws light on whether the incident ever took place or it was all made up story. At the starting of this book author tried to inculcate the charismatic and enagmatic character of Subhash Chandra Bose & how his contemporaries were affected by his increasing popularity. Following this the author has put down reasons behind Government trying to hide Bose's vanishing and managed to explain the non conclusive efforts of authority to find out the facts behind this mysterious disappearance/death. In the last chapter the author has put forth all the the facts and avidences to support his claims of resolving the mystery about the Vanishing of Bose. A huge round of applause for the Author for choosing such a sensitive and politically driven topic for his book and he has managed to do full justice to the history with his writing. I have not been a fan of History myself the author Bhaskar managed to keep me hooked to the book with his crisp and effective writing. I highly recommend this book to History lovers and also the to those who wants to know truth behind the famous incident.