Gandhi or Republic

Gandhi: The Man, His People, and the Empire

Author: Rajmohan Gandhi

This monumental biography of one of the most intriguing figures of the twentieth century, written by his grandson, is the first to give a complete and balanced account of Mahatma Gandhi's remarkable life, the development of his beliefs and his political campaigns, and his complex relations with his family. Written with unprecedented insight and access to family archives, it reveals a life of contrasts and contradictions: the westernized Inner Temple lawyer who wore the clothes of India's poorest and who spun cotton by hand, the apostle of nonviolence who urged Indians to enlist in the First World War, the champion of Indian independence who never hated the British. It tells of Gandhi's campaigns against racial discrimination in South Africa and untouchability in India, tracks the momentous battle for India's freedom, explores the evolution of Gandhi's strategies of non-violent resistance, and examines relations between Muslims and non-Muslims, a question that attracted Gandhi's passionate attention and one that persists around the world today. Published to rave reviews in India in 2007, this riveting book gives North American readers the true Gandhi, the man as well as the legend, for the first time.

Uma Doraiswamy - Library Journal

Gandhi (Ctr. for South Asian & Middle Eastern Studies, Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Eight Lives) has skillfully narrated events in the life of his grandfather, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, known as "the Mahatma" and India's "Father of the Nation." While the author has earnestly and sequentially knitted together the story of the Mahatma, whose practice of nonviolence paved the way for India's independence from Britain, he also presents a clear picture of the history of India during Gandhi's time. We get a close look at the contrasts and conflicts in Gandhi's life as he strove for Hindu-Muslim unity and fought against apartheid in South Africa and untouchability at home. Gandhi, who had a "great emotional hold as evidenced by the numerical support of his demonstrations and the popular enthusiasm," continues to fill the reader with awe throughout this excellent book. Although many commendable studies of Gandhi have been written, this one is a comprehensive and therefore invaluable resource both for scholars and for those embarking on a beginning study of the man. Strongly recommended for academic and public libraries.

Table of Contents:

Preface     ix
Boyhood     1
London and Identity     25
South Africa and a Purpose     53
Satyagraha     91
Hind Swaraj     117
A Great March     147
Engaging India     177
The Empire Challenged     222
Building Anew     258
Assault - with Salt     302
Negotiating Repression     353
Dream Under Fire     385
'Quit India!'     425
Rejected     497
Walk Alone...     541
To Rama     574
Postscript     657
Notes     665
Further Reading     703
Glossary     709
Index     715

New interesting book: Democracy against Capitalism or Understanding Practice

Republic

Author: Plato

Without doubt the greatest and most provocative work of political philosophy ever produced in the West, The Republic is here presented in the stately and melodious Jowett translation-a perfect mirror of the beauty of Plato's style.

Beginning as an inquiry into justice as it operates in individuals, The Republic soon becomes an inquiry into the problems of constructing the perfect state. Are the masses really qualified to choose virtuous leaders? Should the rulers of a state receive a special education to prepare them to exercise power virtuously? What should such an education consist of? Should artists who do not use their gifts in a morally responsible way still be allowed a place in society? The Republic's answers to these and related questions make up a utopian (or, perhaps, dystopian) program that challenges many of the modern world's most dearly held assumptions-and leads us to reexamine and better understand those assumptions.

Author Biography:
Plato (c. 427-347 B.C.) was born into a wealthy and prominent family, and grew up during the conflict between Athens and the Peloponnesian states. The execution of his mentor, Socrates, in 399 B.C. on charges of irreligion and corrupting the young, necessitated Plato's leaving Athens. He traveled to Egypt as well as to southern Italy, where he became conversant with Pythagorean philosophy. Plato returned to Athens c. 387 B.C. and founded the Academy, an early forerunner of the modern university. Aristotle was among his students.

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