25 & Trying

In Spite of the Gods

In Spite of the Gods: The Rise of Modern India

I have to admit – I am obsessed with going to India. Nope, it’s not an intellectual obsession like North Korea, but it is the type of obsession that makes me want to go there. I have been dreaming about it for years. I think a lot of people feel like this about India, because the perception of it is, well, dreamlike. It is incredibly mystical, and there is this idea that it is from some other universe. It’s colorful, loud, and different.

I have thought SO MUCH about India, that (Nerd Alert.) I keep Mumbai’s time listed on my IPhone World Clock – an unnecessary reminder that I am not there. They are just things I do to keep me focused on the goal – the goal of one day visiting a place that exists both in reality and in the illusions that I have of it.

Edward Luce, investigative UK reporter, has written a work that did a wonderful job of catching me up on an extremely dense history of India. In Spite of the Gods is a work that some true historians may find frustrating in the things that it leaves behind. BUT as an Indian novice, I was thrilled.

Luce has clearly spent a lot of time on the ground in India. His history is personal, as well as journalistic – and his voice wavers between the two. He gives us the glimpse into the fact that his wife is Indian. His connection to this place and its’ “cast of characters” is something that is tangible.

The major issues Luce addresses (Pakistan-India tensions, nuclear proliferation, rural vs. urban India, political corruption) are all impressively researched. I have to admit that I was 100% overwhelmed by the names he uses. He attempts to cram a LOT of facts into a memoir-like tone, and sometimes it can be daunting. I found myself flying through parts of chapters, and then hitting a road block of historical facts.

One of the most compelling aspects was the fact that Luce has met a TON of important people. He also has a knack for conveying personalities of world leaders without sounding redundant. For example, Indira Ghandi, known to many as a leader that suspended India’s democracy (temporarily), is given new perspective in this book.

She is still portrayed as somewhat ruthless, but it is explained in greater detail – and Luce makes sure that the politics of India remain in full focus the entire book. After all, what is a country if not a political entity first and foremost?

India is complicated, and doesn’t get tackled in a 355 page book. But I think Luce knows that – and as a reader, I didn’t expect the entirety of Indian history to come from his work. I think his attention to dynamics, and how they shape corruption in everyday life is what HE brings to the table. It makes India a little closer than an IPhone clock – but still another world away.