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52nd out of 55 books
—
21 voters
Tinderbox: The Past And Future Of Pakistan
by
M.J. Akbar
Nations do not commit suicide, nor die of accidents or old age. There is, however, a serious malaise within Pakistan's body politic, arising from one gene within the country's DNA. The question is not whether Pakistan will survive, but what it will survive as: a modern democracy or an illiberal theocracy.
Jinnah visualized a Pakistan that had a Muslim majority, but was sec...more
Jinnah visualized a Pakistan that had a Muslim majority, but was sec...more
360 pages
Published
by HarperCollins
(first published January 1st 2011)
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I am not a league-y . My mother's family is very congressi so we buy a lot of the reasoning that goes behind Mr. Akbar's thesis of how Pakistan was formed. A lot of this book is well written research until we get to Pakistan's independence. Then the narrative breaks down and the author does not seem to have good sources to draw upon. The period after Pakistan's independence looks like it is patched together from newspaper clippings, mostly.
Nevertheless a good read on how Pakistan has gone a bit...more
Nevertheless a good read on how Pakistan has gone a bit...more
"One good section, two okay parts, and several instances of selective interpretations."
Short review: MJ Akbar displays an impressive grasp of history, that blends into a fast-paced account of world events that intersect with the march of the Indian subcontinent to freedom, and partition. This is however marred, repeatedly so, by the jarring interjection of incongruous paragraphs that seem to exist for little reason other than to serve as the display of an elegant train of thought's ugly derailme...more
Short review: MJ Akbar displays an impressive grasp of history, that blends into a fast-paced account of world events that intersect with the march of the Indian subcontinent to freedom, and partition. This is however marred, repeatedly so, by the jarring interjection of incongruous paragraphs that seem to exist for little reason other than to serve as the display of an elegant train of thought's ugly derailme...more
Any book, that traces the idea of Pakistan, from its most nebulous beginnings to the present day, from Aurangzeb to Zardari and Kayani, cannot be this short. MJ Akbar's intent is noble, but the chapters of Pakistan's troubled history require more detailed and nuanced treatment. The book gathers pace as it progresses and soon the year changes with each page. This speed is fatiguing and does not do any justice to the complexity of the region.
Pakistan, to me has always been a nebulous entity. Havin...more
Pakistan, to me has always been a nebulous entity. Havin...more
It is a brilliant book discovering the history of Pakistan as we see it today, and way beyond the 1947 partition of India into two countries. It also blasts the myth of "hindu muslim" living in peace romanticism, and highlights how and why Pakistan came into existence. The book has lots of facts and data that is precious. Moreover, the book ends with a poignant and realistic assessment that Pakistant is at a point of no recovery. The book does not get into utopian solutions to Pakistant's largel...more
This book is an investigation into the idea and creation of Pakistan as a separate state from India for Indian Muslims. The author looks into the historical roots of this idea and what it holds for Pakistan's future.
M.J.Akbar, the author, identifies a 'theory of distance' amongst the Muslim elite in India in the 18th century onwards. This theory holds that Hindus and Muslims are different people and that Muslim interests and way of life in India can only be secured by Muslims living as a separa...more
M.J.Akbar, the author, identifies a 'theory of distance' amongst the Muslim elite in India in the 18th century onwards. This theory holds that Hindus and Muslims are different people and that Muslim interests and way of life in India can only be secured by Muslims living as a separa...more
No doubt, the book is well structured..But it is more an academic exercise of History than the current social and cultural rulings of Pakistan. I really got bored reading the whole history of partition again as there are enough of books on it already! Though the book describes itself as "The past and future of Pakistan", 80% of the book just deals with the past..The present social, political and economic systems of Pak are totally neglected. I wonder why it took 2011 for MJ Akbar to write someth...more
Excellent history if Pakistan. Very current, must read. Talks about the idea of Pakistan and the Pakistani of today. Which one does the average Pakistani subscribe to, one of the father Jinnah or the godfather Maudaudi? Inclusive or exclusive? A Pakistan of Rahet Fateh Ali Khan and Aisam ul-Haq Qureshi or the one of Ajmal Kasab and Qadri? Liberal or conservative? It's a question every Pakistani needs to address himself with, do we want Pakistan to be a secular modern state or an Islamic theocrat...more
Was a nice summation of a lot of books and work .Does some digging into the history of India and Pakistan but doesn't give nay new insights into the problems that are already well defined .Jinnah's description is nice but I would refer to Jinnah of Pakistan by Stanley Wolpert for a better read.All in all does agood job of summing up a lot of details spanning a lot of other author's and historians' works and MJ Akbar's very illustrious experiences.
A very interesting (if a little bit biased possibly) account on the decades before 1947, when Muslim and Indian communities grew more and more apart and the idea of a separate Muslim state was formed. The book also provides some historic insight into the process that led to the creation of two countries where official status is so different: India being strongly secular, Pakistan strongly theocratic.
Helped me understand the roots, not only of Pakistan, as idea and nation state, but the origins and evolution of Islamism more generally. Must read for anyone seeking to comprehend the hazards of invoking religion to achieve nationalistic or other ends. As relevant to the past and future of Israel and the USA as to India and Pakistan.
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picked the book expecting pakistan's history since independence. Unfortunately more than 3/4th of the book is about how the idea of pakistan came into being. And the history post independence is too little and not detailed. Actually expected a detailed accounted like the other work of the author Kashmir: Behind the Veil. However not as impressed as with that book.
My copy of this copy is heavily annotated and post-it(ed). I LOVED it. Akbar has a way with words that makes him unlike any other political writer. And he is really really funny - something I appreciate over anything else. Everybody should read this book; apart from being well-informed, the entertainment value is excellent. The critique of the military and the Jamaat-i-Islami are especially giggle-inducing.
An in depth survey of the history which led to the creation of two nations and the implications which have subsequently developed. Daunting in more ways than one. The personalities add an extra dimension and complexity to the tale, particularly those who will be less known to most western readers.
Though this was an informative and, at times, enthralling read I have to admit that I also found it a little clunky ie, repetition, time leaps, detail imbalance.
Requires some previous knowledge of regio...more
Though this was an informative and, at times, enthralling read I have to admit that I also found it a little clunky ie, repetition, time leaps, detail imbalance.
Requires some previous knowledge of regio...more
It's obvious that the author is very knowledgeable about the subject matter -- and he makes very smart and on-point observations -- but the book itself is very dense. There's an overload of details that slow the writing. It would make a very good textbook.
An in-depth analysis of the idea behind creation of Pakistan. Author narrates very well the political & ideological turmoil in Pakistan & how it has lead to current chaos in Pakistan
I am impressed the way book starts and more imp is that the book is really focused, every line contributes to the subject.
This book presents a well researched and balanced analysis of the Pakistan psyche, how it came into being and why it came into being. It also provides an insight into how powerful people have manipulated muslim common man for decades and they are continuing to do so.
A must read for those who want to understand Pakistan and for those wondering why India and Pakistan managed to take these very different paths.
A must read for those who want to understand Pakistan and for those wondering why India and Pakistan managed to take these very different paths.
A must-read, not to be missed...
Jun 18, 2012
Debamitra
added it
Had to quit this book after plodding through 200 odd pages....I just dont have the intellectual stamina to sustain myself for the remaining part.
It is collection of his articles appeared on various magazines about his travel and experience abroad. We get to know many things about the countries he visited. But personally speaking, it is not upto the mark that Akbar set himself.
Jun 16, 2013
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Mobashar Jawed "M.J." Akbar (born 11 January 1951) is a leading Indian journalist and author.
He has written several non-fiction books, including Byline (New Delhi: Chronicle Books, 2003), a biography of Jawaharlal Nehru titled Nehru: The Making of India, a book on Kashmir titled Kashmir: Behind the Vale, Riot After Riot and India: The Siege Within. He also authored The Shade of Swords, a cohesive...more
More about M.J. Akbar...
He has written several non-fiction books, including Byline (New Delhi: Chronicle Books, 2003), a biography of Jawaharlal Nehru titled Nehru: The Making of India, a book on Kashmir titled Kashmir: Behind the Vale, Riot After Riot and India: The Siege Within. He also authored The Shade of Swords, a cohesive...more
