Delhi: Its Monuments and History

First published in 1943, Percival Spear's Delhi: Its Monuments and History has long been recognized as one of the best guides to Delhi. Written in an engaging and wonderfully informal manner, Spear's guide, bringing alive the Delhi of the sultans and their ruined buildings, of tongas and lazy picnics, is a classic in its own right. Narayani Gupta and Laura Sykes revisited the places described by Spear and updated the original book, which was issued with annotations in 1994. The third edition includes a foreword by Narayani Gupta describing the changes that the city has undergone since. The book, apart from acting as an up-to-date field guide for those interested in exploring and rediscovering the city, will appeal to students and teachers of history and cultural studies.

Percival Spear (1901-1982) taught history at St Stephen's College, University of Delhi. He was the author of several major works on India including the Penguin History of India, Volume II.

Narayani Gupta is Professor at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.

Laura Sykes has spent several years in Delhi and knows the city well. She is also the author of Calcutta Through British Eyes (OUP 1992).