Freedom At Midnight (2018)

Although print of the book was very poor butThe book Freedom at Midnight by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins is a masterful account of one of the most pivotal periods in modern history—the final year of British rule in India and the subsequent partition in 1947. The authors, through meticulous research and engaging storytelling, bring to life the complex web of political maneuvering, cultural upheaval, and human emotion that defined this era.What sets this book apart is the unparalleled access the authors had to key historical figures, including Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India. This unique perspective allows readers to gain an intimate understanding of the intense pressures and critical decisions that shaped the subcontinent’s destiny. The vivid descriptions make historical events feel immediate and personal, from the delicate negotiations between leaders like Gandhi, Nehru, and Jinnah to the heartrending experiences of ordinary people caught in the crossfire of communal violence.The activities of Princes in their princely state are written in so much detail. The narrative is both educational and deeply moving. It highlights the heroism, the failures, and the sacrifices that accompanied India's birth as an independent nation. Lapierre and Collins' portrayal of Gandhi’s steadfast commitment to peace and Mountbatten’s complicated role adds layers of nuance to well-known historical accounts.Whether you're a history enthusiast or a casual reader, Freedom at Midnight provides a captivating journey into a momentous chapter that reshaped the world. It is a testament to the power of storytelling that intertwines grand historical events with the human stories at their heart. This book is an essential read for those who wish to understand the complexities of India's independence and the lasting impact of partition.

A book about history of what happened during and after independence of India. Every page was enthralling and immersive that you felt like you were in the story, and events are happening in front of your eyes. Gandhi and his lonely fight is written beautifully, and days leading to his death is very well articulated and researched.

Beautifully written with lot of research. Duration from Jan 1947 to Jan 1948 is explained in detail.Scenes become vivid when you read through.Good points : Some of the Conditions are explained in detail like the pomp and crankiness of Indian Maharaja's. Mahatma Gandhi's sacrifices for piece and the plight of common man due to partition can make your eyes moist. Role of Hindu mahasabha and RSS and finally the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.Bad points : Basically it is more of a biography of Mountbatten and he is portrait as Hero of this book. Most of the time Britishers role was explained in total bias. It looks all the good things which happened were due to Britishers and all the bad things were due to Indian leader politics and religious differences. Book explained how Mountbatten has done efforts to avoid Indian partition but the fact is that Partition was a byproduct of Britishers policy of Divide and Rule. To check this detail, I recommend to Read book "India Divided" by Dr Rajendra Prasad.Anyhow overall it is good package to read and get an overview of Indian freedom and partition.

That Independence and Partition of India was an epoch in the 20th Century is an widely accepted fact, but not many people are aware of the political mauevering that happened on the eve of end of Colonialism in India. Many books have been written about the social and political landscape of India, but not in as much detail as in Freedom at Midnight.The book covers about one year of time, from the decision was taken in Britain to appoint Lord Mountbatten as India's Viceroy to Mahatma Gandhi's death. The writing and the approach of narration is very fluid. The events are told from the point of view of main actors with stories of common man and woman serving as an essential ingredient. In doing so, authors have made the events of partition very relatable, especially for those who might not be aware of its complexity and tragic character.The authors have done deep research to not only comb the archives and official documents but also to talk to people, right from highest level of politicians (I was most surprised to know of their interview with Indira Gandhi, who was Indian PM at that time) to locating ADCs, common people and conspirators of Gandhi's assasination.The biggest source of their research material was Lord Mountbatten. Here in lies the book's biggest strengths and weakness. The authors got access to a trove of documents and sunsequently a lot of material that hadn't been written about Partition before. This reflects in the book as well, where you will find details of private and official conversation and correspondence that impacted the future of Indian Subcontinent, but were not known to most of the people.Then there is the problem of authors getting, sort of, rosy eyed in their perception of role of British in India. That Mountbatten did the best he could for peaceful transfer of power to India is probably true and that he directly was not in control of social factors that led to bloodshed in Punjab is correct, but authors mentioned on a number of occasions that British wanted to always preserve Indian Unity. In reality, it was partiallly British policy of Divide and Rule that caused friction and disturbance between Hindus and Muslims has been totally ignored. That most of the British were absolutely detached from Indian sentiments finds no place in narrative.The last quarter of the book is a fast paced detective sequence of Mahatama's Gandhi's assanination. Authors have done a brilliant job in presenting the sequence of events and potraying the conspirators as they were .In the end, this book is a very well researched and thorough chronicle of India's Freedom at Midnight.