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“India has not been a real nation. It solely appears that way on the map. The cows I need to eat, the Hindus stop me from killing it.” This quote is taken from a compelling book Freedom at Midnight, by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre. The book is one of the popular accounts of partition, Mahatma Gandhi’s life, and the dark side of humanity. The book talks about the riots in pre-partition time and post-partition time.
Introduction
Book Name: Freedom at Midnight
Author Name: Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre
Genre: Non-Fiction; History
Language: English
The Freedom at Midnight is the true story of the events surrounding Indian independence, beginning with the appointment of Lord Mountbatten of Burma as the last viceroy of British India, and ending with the assassination and funeral of Mahatma Gandhi. The book was an international bestseller and achieved enormous acclaim in the united states, Italy, Spain, and France.
Book Name: Freedom at Midnight
Author Name: Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre
Genre: Non-Fiction; History
Language: English
The Freedom at Midnight is the true story of the events surrounding Indian independence, beginning with the appointment of Lord Mountbatten of Burma as the last viceroy of British India, and ending with the assassination and funeral of Mahatma Gandhi. The book was an international bestseller and achieved enormous acclaim in the united states, Italy, Spain, and France.
About the author
Larry Collins, born John Lawrence Collins Jr.,[ September 14, 1929.-June 20, 2005) was an American writer. While serving in the public affairs office of the Allied Headquarters in Paris from 1953 to 1955, he met Dominique Lapierre with whom he would write several bestsellers over 43 years.
Dominique Lapierre was[ born 30 July 1931 in Chatelalaillon, Charente-maritime, France] is a French author. Two of lapierre’s books – Is Paris Burning? [ co-written with larry Collins] and city of joy – has been made into films. Lapierre and Collins wrote several other books together.
In 1975, they published Freedom at Midnight, a story of the Indian Independence in 1947, and the subsequent assassination of Mahatma Gandhi in 1948.
Larry Collins, born John Lawrence Collins Jr.,[ September 14, 1929.-June 20, 2005) was an American writer. While serving in the public affairs office of the Allied Headquarters in Paris from 1953 to 1955, he met Dominique Lapierre with whom he would write several bestsellers over 43 years.
Dominique Lapierre was[ born 30 July 1931 in Chatelalaillon, Charente-maritime, France] is a French author. Two of lapierre’s books – Is Paris Burning? [ co-written with larry Collins] and city of joy – has been made into films. Lapierre and Collins wrote several other books together.
In 1975, they published Freedom at Midnight, a story of the Indian Independence in 1947, and the subsequent assassination of Mahatma Gandhi in 1948.
Review
Freedom at Midnight by Collins and Lapierre is a book about the Independence of India and Pakistan. The story of Indian Independence is such a fascinating story, how the Indians fought the British courageously and got their Independence.
Freedom at Midnight by Collins and Lapierre is a book about the Independence of India and Pakistan. The story of Indian Independence is such a fascinating story, how the Indians fought the British courageously and got their Independence.
There are a lot of movies about the Indian Independence and the brave freedom fighters of India. But the authenticity of it is unknown, whereas in this book the authors had done a great deal of research and only based upon authentic materials they have come up with this book.
As an Indian myself, I had heard a plethora of stories about Independence right from childhood and I had a different take on Independence altogether which would be very similar to that of most of the Indians here. I had only known about the good and proud parts of the independence.
As an Indian myself, I had heard a plethora of stories about Independence right from childhood and I had a different take on Independence altogether which would be very similar to that of most of the Indians here. I had only known about the good and proud parts of the independence.
I was unaware of the painfully and heart-ripping things that the country and its people have to undergo. By that I mean the pain endured by the people of Punjab and Bengal, the problems faced by the migrants, the communal violence, and stuff. With the help of this book, I got an opportunity to learn a lot of things about my country.
This book solely focuses on the transfer of power from the British Empire to the Indians and the by-product of independence – the Painful Partition all this while I have been seeing the partition of India from a different point of view.
This book solely focuses on the transfer of power from the British Empire to the Indians and the by-product of independence – the Painful Partition all this while I have been seeing the partition of India from a different point of view.
The Muslims who wanted a separate Muslim state went to newly formed Pakistan and the people who wanted a separate Muslim state went to the newly formed Pakistan and the people who wanted to be in a secular state remained in India or came to India, as simple as that.
Though it has been widely spoken by many Indians that the British Empire exploited the resources of India and other such colonial countries, it cannot be denied how responsible they were while transferring the power back to the native people. Because, they could’ve simply left the country without forming a proper assembly or a constitution, leaving behind all their responsibility to the newly formed nations but they didn’t do so and I completely admire Britishers for it.
This book showcased the actual potential of Mahatma Gandhi. The authors have also pointed out the groundwork done by the assassins of Mahatma Gandhi and the reasons and motive behind his assassination. This is a very controversial topic and these authors have written it honestly and bravely.
Though it has been widely spoken by many Indians that the British Empire exploited the resources of India and other such colonial countries, it cannot be denied how responsible they were while transferring the power back to the native people. Because, they could’ve simply left the country without forming a proper assembly or a constitution, leaving behind all their responsibility to the newly formed nations but they didn’t do so and I completely admire Britishers for it.
This book showcased the actual potential of Mahatma Gandhi. The authors have also pointed out the groundwork done by the assassins of Mahatma Gandhi and the reasons and motive behind his assassination. This is a very controversial topic and these authors have written it honestly and bravely.
The death of Gandhi was very hurtful. This book brought many incidents which have been buried deeply behind the pages of history into the light. The book was written systematically from real-life incidents. Though it’s a history and non-fiction, the authors have written it down so engagingly like a story with their casual writing style.
And as I have been telling it more often, it was very emotional and that’s what made this book better than any other in this niche. I admired the Mountbattens and Jawaharlal Nehru. At the end of the book, I became a fan of these people.
My view
This book changed all my pre-received perceptions, ideas, and thoughts about the Indian Independence and the partition which I have been thinking was the truth all this time. And I’m so glad to have read it. This book enticed my appetite to read more history about the formation of Modern India and the Leader of that time. It was a soul-stirring book.
My rating for the book 5/5
This book changed all my pre-received perceptions, ideas, and thoughts about the Indian Independence and the partition which I have been thinking was the truth all this time. And I’m so glad to have read it. This book enticed my appetite to read more history about the formation of Modern India and the Leader of that time. It was a soul-stirring book.
My rating for the book 5/5
You can easily buy this book from Amazon: Freedom at Midnight
Written By – Prachi Mann
Written By – Prachi Mann
Edited By - Anamika Malik
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