Thy Hand, Great Anarch!: India, 1921-1952

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

According to PW , this second volume of Chaudhuri's memoirs is ``a courageous, provocative, sometimes provoking but unquestionably major book by a fiery polymath.'' His fundamental thesis is that the British Raj in its 19th-century heyday brought the breath of life to Indian, and more specifically Bengali, culture, and that there is more corruption and lawlessness in India now than there was then. Sept.

Library Journal

Chaudhuri (1897-), author of Autobiography of an Unknown Indian (1951), needs no introduction. Thy Hand is a continuation of his sweeping autobiography and covers his work career in India as a clerk, journalist, and broadcaster. He faithfully records how the independence movement in India affected him and makes the reader feel part of the action. Though few will agree with all Chaudhuri says, rare will be the reader who will not be stimulated, challenged, and forced to reflect upon the events of the 20th century. A gold mine of data on the period covered, yet presented in very personal terms. Most highly recommended. Donald Clay Johnson, Univ. of Minnesota Lib., Minneapolis