THE ARGUMENTATIVE INDIAN BY AMARTYA SEN(book review)

A wonderful, awesome, spectacular book. Each and every one of the fifteen essays is worth your time and lends a different perspective into India.

I love the way Sen writes and also the way he explains his views. The book was educational to say the least; It talks about how India and its “Argumentative tradition”  played and still plays a part in development, science, art, literature etc. The illustrations and examples drawn across various epochs lend clarity and force the arguments home.

According to me it is a must read, especially today, where our Unity seems threatened because of sectarianism in politics(so much so that it has started to spill over on to the internet, even in youtube!). India is a nation which has come forward because of its diversity and also because it has had space for people to question tradition and explore other alternatives(blandly put, there are no stakes for people who dare to oppose) and of course its ever evolving culture.

And to keep the review short, I agree with William Darlymple(his remark about the book, printed on the cover),

” One of the most stimulating books about India to be written in ages”.

It has indeed made me realize many things about India, its people and culture, but sadly such books are never going to be read by the masses and we can forget about such ideas being presented to them.

Rating- 10/10

Image from here.

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