Shortest History of India

Indian history has long been a blindspot for me and previous attempts to learn about it have basically said, "nothing important happened before the British arrived and nothing worth mentioning occurred after Partition." That's obviously not the case, and this high-level summary definitely shed light on the bigger picture that usually gets overlooked by more eurocentric recaps.

Besides the delve into the deep past, I particularly appreciated how recent this book was and how it discussed topics that I remember as news stories happening in just the past few years (the 2016 banknote demonetisation, the 2019 citizenship fast-track for non-muslim immigrants, the 2020 skirmishes with China over the Line of Actual Control, etc.). It even looked forward to the (now completed) 2024 Indian general election.

Yes, parts of this book read like a constant stream of names I've never heard of before all stabbing each other in the backs over centuries of court intrigue, but at least it's something I'd never been exposed to before. For a country that's projected to have more English speakers than the USA by the mid 2030's, this is a country that cannot be ignored, and learning about how it got back to the global stage is going to become important in the future.

It took me two months to finish this, but don’t take that to mean the title is false or the book not worthy—it is, on both counts. This is a great book to savor and take in pieces, as I did while reading it alongside other books. Though I’ve studied history for years, my knowledge of Indian history was extremely limited and focused only on certain eras—this book was a great way to remedy that.

Despite its short length, Zubrzycki manages to be surprisingly detailed; he not only gives an overview of major dynasties and empires/forces in each time period, but he also takes care to highlight important figures—many of whom I learned about only for the first time. His focus employs a narrative approach which further humanizes these ancient or sometimes mythic figures; it’s hard not to be engaged.

Throughout each chapter, I always several things to highlight or mark for further study, in the nostalgic manner of an enthusiastic student. At times, my attention started waning as we approached more recent history, which is no fault of the book but of my own biases. I did appreciate how Zubrzycki, though he somewhat equivocates on contemporary hot-button political issues in the country, gives detailed insights into various perspectives. Being a historian is a tricky balance, since we tend to reward the victors only in hindsight—but the present is rather messy when it comes to this sort of polarization.

Overall, the author’s passion for India certainly comes through, as well as the sense that this was a sort of culminating project for him—all of which enriches the book and makes it a worthy choice for a skillful introduction to India’s long and rich history.

Disclaimer: I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. Thank you to The Experiment, LLC and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book. My review reflects only my honest opinions.