Gandhi’s life is both inspiring and baffling to modern readers. How did an ineffective young lawyer become the Mahatma, who led 400 million Indians in their nonviolent struggle for independence? How did he endure the terrible hardships joyfully, and with love for all? And how exactly does nonviolence work?
Easwaran grew up in Gandhi’s India and gives authentic answers to these questions.
This biography, illustrated with 70 photographs, and supported by background notes, a chronology, and quotes from Gandhi’s writings, offers a moving account of the turning points and choices in Gandhi’s life that made him both a great leader and an icon of the power of nonviolence.
On a visit to his ashram, Easwaran watched the Mahatma meditating on the Bhagavad Gita, the source of his inspiration and personal strength. This book conveys the spirit and soul of Gandhi the only way he can be truly understood.
Foreword Michael N. Nagler 7
Introduction Gandhi: Then & Now 15
Chapter 1 The Transformation 25
Early years in India, London, & South Africa
Chapter 2 The Way of Love 59
Nonviolence in South Africa & India
Chapter 3 Mother & Child 125
The Bhagavad Gita as the source of spiritual strength
Chapter 4 Gandhi the Man 149
Nonviolence in all the affairs of life
Chronology, Maps, & Notes 173
Afterword: How Nonviolence Works Timothy Flinders 187
Further Reading 205
Acknowledgments 207
Index 209
PFlinders
Posted March 20, 2011
This beautiful little book from Nilgiri Press, with its attractive cover and myriad photos, belies its simple but revelatory title. It goes behind the political persona of the Ghandi we all know so well to reveal the power that produced his political genius: his unshakable faith and devotion to the spiritual ideals contained in India's ancient text, the Bhagavad Gita, which he called his "mother" and upon which he meditated daily. Few Gandhi biographers, it seems to me, have pointed this out. In fact, I was happy to find actually the Gita passage that influenced him most on pages 146-7 of this 200-page, original gem of a book. As a language professor for many years, I would say also that it is perfect for the classroom.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.MuraleeNR
Posted March 22, 2011
From front to back cover, this book cannot help but draw you in. Pick it up and simply flip through it: with even more photographs than before - all of them digitally restored - you'll see Gandhiji walking and laughing in the pages. And the detailed chronology with map and notes make this a useful reference for anyone - young and old - trying to understand the historical stage on which he lived.
Easwaran's introduction (not in the previous edition) brings to light his deep desire to understand Gandhiji's mesmerizing effect on Easwaran himself as well as the circle in which he lived. His quest to discover the underlying cause prompted a visit to Gandhi's ashram so that he could spend time with the Mahatma, and understand the deep inner transformation that Gandhiji underwent - to the end of his life - so that his every action was consistent with his deepest beliefs.
I love Easwaran's ability to unlock historical events by illustrating, for example, how by conserving his anger at injustice and harnessing it instead through "the fierce discipline of satyagraha", Gandhiji became an instrument for the welfare of both British and Indians alike. Ultimately, as we see here, Gandhi's actions are far from "political"; instead, they are driven by a deeper understanding of the unity of life. There is no book on Gandhi that captivates my heart as much as this one, or shows me how to become even a small part like him, through my own inner transformation.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.SK59
Posted March 22, 2011
This is an extraordinary book. Not only because Gandhi is one of the most extraordinary figures in recent history but because this book gets at the basis for the remarkable way he conducted his life - first and foremost as a person of deep faith and compassion. Easwaran has drawn on Gandhi's wide-ranging writings to show how his spiritual and political philosophy developed between 1893 when he first travelled to South Africa and his assassination in 1948. There are marvelous vignettes throughout book about the effect Gandhi had on supporters and foes alike. One such poignant relationship was the one he shared with Abdul Ghaffar Khan who came to be called "the frontier Gandhi". In a sharp counterpoint to today's Afghanistan, Abdul Ghaffar Khan created a non-violent force of a 100,000 Pathans who voluntarily laid down their arms and devoted themselves to non-violent resistance in the North West Frontier of British India. This latest edition is filled with digitally restored photos, which bring the characters vividly to life. There is also a useful chronology pp. 173-185, which will please history buffs and students.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 14, 2012
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Posted April 16, 2012
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Posted March 20, 2011
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Overview
Gandhi’s life is both inspiring and baffling to modern readers. How did an ineffective young lawyer become the Mahatma, who led 400 million Indians in their nonviolent struggle for independence? How did he endure the terrible hardships joyfully, and with love for all? And how exactly does nonviolence work?
Easwaran grew up in Gandhi’s India and gives authentic answers to these questions.
This biography, illustrated with 70 photographs, and ...