SKU: 31016786044

An Era of Darkness The British Empire in India By Shashi Tharoor

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An Era of Darkness The British Empire in India By Shashi TharoorAn Era of Darkness The British Empire in India By Shashi Tharoor Product Description: In 1930, the American historian and philosopher Will Durant wrote about Britain's conscious and deliberate bleeding of India. [was the] greatest crime in all history? He was not the only one to denounce the rapacity and cruelty of British rule, and his assessment was not exaggerated. Almost thirty five million Indians died because of acts of commission and omission

An Era of Darkness The British Empire in India By Shashi Tharoor

Product Description:

In 1930, the American historian and philosopher Will Durant wrote about Britain's conscious and deliberate bleeding of India. [was the] greatest crime in all history? He was not the only one to denounce the rapacity and cruelty of British rule, and his assessment was not exaggerated. Almost thirty-five million Indians died because of acts of commission and omission by the British? in famines, epidemics, communal riots, and wholesale slaughter like the reprisal killings after the 1857 War of Independence and the Amritsar massacre of 1919. Besides the deaths of Indians, British rule impoverished India in a manner that beggars belief. When the East India Company took control of the country, in the chaos that ensued after the collapse of the Mughal empire, India's share of world GDP was 23 percent. When the British left it was just above 3 percent. The British empire in India began with the East India Company, incorporated in 1600, by the royal charter of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth I, to trade in silk, spices, and other profitable Indian commodities. Within a century and a half, the Company had become a power to reckon with in India. In 1757, under the command of Robert Clive, Company forces defeated the ruling Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula of Bengal at Plassey, through a combination of superior artillery and even more superior chicanery. A few years later, the young and weakened Mughal emperor, Shah Alam II, was browbeaten into issuing an edict that replaced his own revenue officials with the Company's representatives. Over the next several decades, the East India Company, backed by the British government, extended its control over most of India, ruling with a combination of extortion, double-dealing, and outright corruption backed by violence and superior force. This state of affairs continued until 1857 when large numbers of the Company?s Indian soldiers spearheaded the first major rebellion against colonial rule. After the rebels were defeated, the British Crown took over power and ruled the country ostensibly more benignly until 1947, when India won independence. In this explosive book, bestselling author Shashi Tharoor reveals with acuity, impeccable research, and trademark wit, just how disastrous British rule was for India. Besides examining the many ways in which the colonizers exploited India, ranging from the drain of national resources to Britain, the destruction of the Indian textile, steel-making, and shipping industries, and the negative transformation of agriculture, he demolishes the arguments of Western and Indian apologists for Empire on the supposed benefits of British rule, including democracy and political freedom, the rule of law, and the railways. The few unarguable benefits?the English language, tea, and cricket?were never actually intended for the benefit of the colonized but introduced to serve the interests of the colonizers. Brilliantly narrated and passionately argued, An Era of Darkness will serve to correct many misconceptions about one of the most contested periods of Indian history.

Product Details:

  • Publisher:‎ Aleph Book Company; First Edition (27 October 2016)
  • Language:‎ English
  • Hardcover:‎ 360 pages
  • Reading age: 18 years and up
  • Dimensions: 21.6 x 14 x 2.05 cm
  • Country of Origin: India

Legal Disclaimer: Product images are for illustrative purposes only. Images/packaging/ labels may vary from time to time due to changes made by the manufacturer's manufacturing batch and location. The product description is for information purposes only.

Product ID:14262040

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SKU: 31016786044

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Mariano
Grantham, US
★★★★★ 5
Great Place to Start
Format: Paperback
Clear and entertaining
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Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2026
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Austin
Lexington, US
★★★★★ 5
Engaging Read for Beginners and Techies Alike
Format: Paperback
An engaging and accessible exploration of how computers really work. The author breaks down complex concepts into simple, relatable explanations, making topics like binary, logic gates, and basic circuits far less intimidating. For newcomers, it’s a great way to build a foundational understanding of computer theory with just a touch of electrical engineering. As someone with a technical background, I still found it entertaining; the examples and analogies added fresh ways to frame ideas I already knew. It’s the kind of book that can bridge the gap between “I use computers” and “I understand what’s happening under the hood.” Highly recommended for anyone curious about what makes hardware and software tick, whether you’re starting from scratch or just want a new perspective.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2025
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Peter
Fort Morgan, US
★★★★★ 5
CODE is the book you should get.
Format: Paperback
The best book to enter the field. Grateful that Charles Petzold decided to write it, even happier this was one of the first books I picked up. Recommend to everyone wanting to become a programmer, or just interested in computers.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2026
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Michael Donoghue
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 5
If you only buy one technical computer book, this is it
Format: Paperback
Disclaimer: I owned the first edition for years and read it a dozen times, mainly for pleasure since it’s not only informative but also just enjoyable to read. I’m a professional software architect and have dozens of textbooks on computer science and engineering so I’ve been around the block. This is the kind of book I would buy all for all my friends (if I had more than a couple) and family members (if they were even slightly into computers, which they aren’t sadly). Petzold does an exceptional job at describing digital logic and guides you through building a conceptual CPU from very first principles. I think his bottom up approach is the way to go and has helped me understand complex topics in an extremely simple way. When I’m not reading fiction, this is my go to bedtime reading. The second edition has about 100 more pages than the first and some content has been completely reworked and it’s great. If you ever had even a passing interest in knowing how computers work at a very fundamental level, get this book!
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Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2023
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Yura
Lowell, US
★★★★★ 4
First programmer?
Format: Paperback
As an ardent reader of the past 1st edition, I was fairly excited to get the latest version. That is, until I encountered the history chapter of the new edition. For one thing, what I do NOT understand in this second edition is the newly added description of August Ada Byron (countless of Lovelace). The author claims it was Babbage who was the first programmer to design the engines, not Ada. I am not trying to start a futile argument here about who has more or fewer contributions, etc. What I am trying to assert here is that it is undisputed that Ada (unless the new evidence arises) left *the very first demonstration* of what this seemingly imaginary machine, which didn't even physically exist, was capable of through her program. Because Babbage designed the engine itself, that doesn't automatically put him in the position of a programmer (despite Babbage being a brilliant engineer/scientist and may have had a simple or detailed program in his mind). However, it was Ada who gave a definite touch to programming concepts that ultimately led to modern-day programming. Ada deserves more recognition than a mere "tutorial writer," and she is certainly entitled to the title she deserves. Other than that, like the previous edition, this book is a must-read for people who are from related/unrelated fields. I always loved the 1st edition, and I would do too with the 2nd. Still, I think history should always be approached with more care, particularly if matters have potential controversies.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2023

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