The Essential Gandhi: An Anthology of His Writings on His Life, Work, and Ideas

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gandhi as a philosopher

Inspirational

Very well organized, and informative

EXTRAORDINARY COLLECTION OF GANDHI'S WRITINGS FROM VINTAGE SPIRITUAL CLASSICS SERIES

No better time to get your Ahimsa and Satyagraha

The Essential Gandhi: An Anthology of His Writings on His Life, Work, and Ideas
Mahatma Gandhi , M.K.Gandhi , and Gandhi
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Gandhi An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments With Truth

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ASIN: 1400030501
Release Date: 2002-11-12

Book Description

Mohandas K. Gandhi, called Mahatma (“great soul”), was the father of modern India, but his influence has spread well beyond the subcontinent and is as important today as it was in the first part of the twentieth century and during this nation’s own civil rights movement. Taken from Gandhi’s writings throughout his life, The Essential Gandhi introduces us to his thoughts on politics, spirituality, poverty, suffering, love, non-violence, civil disobedience, and his own life. The pieces collected here, with explanatory head notes by Gandhi biographer Louis Fischer, offer the clearest, most thorough portrait of one of the greatest spiritual leaders the world has known.
“Gandhi was inevitable. If humanity is to progress, Gandhi is inescapable. . . . We may ignore him at our own risk.” –Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

With a new Preface drawn from the writings of Eknath Easwaran

In the annals of spirituality certain books stand out both for their historical importance and for their continued relevance. The Vintage Spiritual Classics series offers the greatest of these works in authoritative new editions, with specially commissioned essays by noted contemporary commentators. Filled with eloquence and fresh insight, encouragement and solace, Vintage Spiritual Classics are incomparable resources for all readers who seek a more substantive understanding of mankind's relation to the divine.

Customer Reviews:

gandhi as a philosopher.......2007-04-12

The format of this book is a little unusual, it's basically an abridged version of Gandhi's writings, supplimented with editorial comments which set the scene for when and where his statements are coming from. If you're not entirely familiar with Gandhi's life or some of the basic aspects of Indian culture at the time, these editorial comments are very helpful. For example, just before some statements about Gandhi's use of the Gita (around page 160) the editor gives a brief summary of the what the Gita is.

Moving on from the basic format, I found this book very enlightening, and not in the way that other reviewers seem to have. I doubt very much that I'm in a position to change anyone's opinion on him, but I ask that if you buy this book, look closely at the ways in which Gandhi supports his claims. Oftentimes he makes grand statements and then leaves them in the air, unsupported. This is not in an of itself a bad thing, as sometimes the truth value of a statement is obvious to the casual observer, but then again sometimes it is not.

Gandhi was certainly a great leader, but I think it's stretching to call him a great philosopher. His ideas were not new, even if the grand-scale application of them was. He seeks truth but seems largely unconcerned with methodology, which undermines the grand statements he makes.

If you do read this book critically, it may help to keep in mind persuasive techniques, even beginner things like appealing to authority. Watch for strange analogies, as in page 168's equating atoms to people and Love to hydrogen/ionic/covalent bonds.

It probably seems a little weird to hear someone object to the methodology of someone like Gandhi, but these days we have to be aware of the methods by which the people around us seem convincing, whether we like what they're saying or not.

Inspirational.......2007-01-10

This is a wonderful book about Gandhi's whole life, his personal growth, relationships and tells how Tolstoy's "What I Believe" influenced the man that he became. A inpiring story that proves that peace is the way.

Very well organized, and informative.......2006-12-29

I really liked the way everything is laid out in this book, allowing you to read Gandhi's own words coupled with an explanation of events that was driving him.

EXTRAORDINARY COLLECTION OF GANDHI'S WRITINGS FROM VINTAGE SPIRITUAL CLASSICS SERIES.......2006-11-14

but why not get the originals instead, avaiable here cheaply on amazon.

This book draws from a number of original sources, including "My Experiments with Truth", etc., and you may choose to skip these excerpts and get the full writings. The more in this case the better.

Yet please take a moment to view the back cover using amazon's remarkable "Search Inside" feature, to read the quote about Gandhi's inevitability written by our nation's greatest Christian preacher, the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr., slain for doing and preaching non-violence, including opposing profitable warmongering and warmaking that only killed and wounded his and other peoples of color. King learned much about Christianity from Gandhi, and we can do no less. Lucky if we do as well.

Again, please search the mighty amazon for all of Gandhi's orignal works and read them in their entirety,and not only these excerpts collected originally long ago. (In fact one chapter heading, not quoting Gandhi, refers to Negros, a term which fell out of use some forty years ago).

I in particular now study with gratitude his Tous les hommes sont freres, whose topics are tellingly urgent today. His Way to God is also very very helpful and consoling.

But if you need a fine introductory text, begin here if you promise not to rest here. Vintage Spiritual Classics series are a decent popular source, but not the deep river that runs nearby. It is a division of Random House here recycling and reprinting old works still in the catalogue in new wineskins.

Go to the originals! These are the leaders and voices we most sorely need today: Dr. King and Gandhi. Or just read the Reverend Father John Dear, SJ, and you'll get the idea if not the Spirit. Or better yet, get Father Dear's collection of Gandhi's writings instead, from Orbis Books' Modern Spiritual Masters series entitled, Mohandas Gandhi: Essential Writings.

No better time to get your Ahimsa and Satyagraha.......2006-06-27

This is a book that should- and will- profoundly affect you. On the one hand its wonderful and inspiring. But I find myself instead feeling heart-broken. Mournful. I grieve for an alternate reality where our leaders have either the education, curiosity, wisdom, or courage to embrace the lessons of great people such as Gandhi. It's not exactly esoteric stuff. Everyone knows the name Gandhi and has at least some sense of where he stands historically. Even for the non-readers, there was the movie. It was a big deal.

Gandhi's true transformation occurred when he realized that violence is demeaning not just to victims but to the perpetrators. It is an intoxicating release of sadistic impulses. Impulses that are addicting and toxic. I was reading this book and think about the state of the world, and found myself thinking the tired cliché: give peace a chance. It feels so trite, a well-worn sixties throw-back. But it also a courageous sentiment. Peace takes courage and creativity, and it isn't as quick and easy as violence in the short-term, but it is more than just a dream. Peace is a bold assertion.

What kinds of things crossed my mind when I was reading this book? When John Kerry returned from Vietnam and testified about atrocities being committed by both sides, he was vilified by the right wing, portrayed as a traitor. But it was an act of courage. He obviously wasn't saying we should stop the war because American soldiers are bad people. He was showing how violence leads to more violence, how the violence of an unjust war corrupted the souls of good young Americans who were drawn into warfare. Violence leads to violence, but most importantly the converse is also true. Non-violence is just as contagious. We see peace leading to peace on all levels, from the macro international level all the way down to individual relationships. Another example that crossed my mind is the all-to-recent transformation in the culture of inpatient psychiatry. In the past, restraining people was considered a good treatment option because it quickly stopped dangerous behavior and gave staff a sense of control and safety. But now, the attitude has changed. Restraints are no longer seen as a treatment option but instead as a treatment failure, a last ditch resort for extreme cases only. And the results? People are actually safer. Violent patient behavior eventually goes down when staff thinks creatively of non-traumatic solutions. Those are some of the things that crossed my mind as I read this book.

Something else I like about Gandhi, as reflected in his writings: Whether or not you believe he was born destined for greatness has to do with your spiritual bent, but either way, he accomplished what he accomplished as a political leader and philosopher through the hard work of personal journey and spiritual exploration. He was an anglophile when he was young, buying into the classism of the oppressors. When he became radicalized after witnessing the cruelty and the glee with which the British soldiers repressed rebellion, the pendulum at first swung all the way the other way. He became a separatist, not unlike Malcolm X prior to his spiritual transformation. In fact, Gandhi was almost a middle-aged man before coming up with the magnanimous observation that violence degrades all involved, victims and perpetrators alike. That was a surprise to me actually, that Gandhi rejected separatism at an older age than Malcolm X did.

So read Gandhi. Read, share your books, talk about what it stirs up. Dream of a better way. And find a way to act on your dreams. And read John Stuart Mill, Emma Goldman, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., Edward Said, Chomsky... Agree, disagree, but read with an open mind.
Sorry for all the chatter. Thank you for listening, bye bye.

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Excellent read for all Indians who live abroad
The ONLY real Intro to India Available! A Master piece of work!
Amazing and Uplifting
Insightful
A Father's Gift

The Discovery of India
Jawaharlal Nehru
Manufacturer: Penguin Books,India
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0143031031

Product Description

Written over five months when Jawaharlal Nehru was imprisoned in the Ahmadnagar Fort, The Discovery of India has acquired the status of a classic since it was first published in 1946. In this work of prodigious scope and scholarship, one of the greatest figures of Indian history unfolds the panorama of the country's rich and complex past, from prehistory to the last years of British colonial rule. Analysing texts like the Vedas and the Arthashastra, and personalities like the Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru brings alive an ancient culture that has seen the flowering of the world's great traditions of philosophy, science and art, and almost all its major religions. Nehru's brilliant intellect, deep humanity and lucid style make The Discovery of India essential reading for anyone interested in India, both its past and its present.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent read for all Indians who live abroad.......2006-10-08

This book is compiled from Nehru's letters to his teen-age daughter from a British prison. Reading Discovery of India gives a glimpse of the intellectual level of politicians who contetsted British rule in 40's. India owes it's recent "Hi-Tech" growth to Nehru and his vision of sustainable freedom through knowledge and education.

The ONLY real Intro to India Available! A Master piece of work!.......2006-05-30

There is nothing to say other than 'to understand India'- this is where you need to start. A book like this only comes along once in a lifetime and I'm glad I've benefited from its wonders.

Amazing and Uplifting .......2005-02-21

Written by Jawaharlal Nehru for his daughter Indira, this book is an introduction to the history of India as well as an insight into Nehru's political vision during the fight for Independance.

The narrative framework is that of Nehru's stay in prison, which gives him time to write and look back on the history of the sub-continent, and on the Nationalist movement.
I find this work simply amazing. Nehru doesn't just tackle a few centuries of "Indian" (he actually speaks about a lot more than the present days India) history, he tries to offer a panorama through the ages, from the Indus Civilization (just discovered a decade or so ago at the time) to his entry in history. This history of India is eminently political, as the title proves it, since Nehru invites us to discover India, an entity that did not formaly exist yet. His presentation of the sub-continent's history aims at : doing justice to the incredible richness of the indian past and culture that was overlooked by the British (see MacCauley for instance), creating a history of the subcontinent as a "unified whole" (from Asoka to the Mughals and the British), and finally, summing up the nationalist movement's history.

However biased Nehru's view may be, his presentation of the facts is incredibly compelling and classifies this text as an uplifting testimony of his political views. No matter how much one knows about the more objective history of India, it is impossible to resist partaking in his dream of a unified country. This view might be criticized as imperialistic or just unrealistic since he thought of India as India + Pakistan + Bangladesh, nevertheless when reading this book it is possible to forget everything about history and share a bit of the fiever that animated Indian Nationalists of the Congress.

I find this book extremely informative as much in terms of Nehru's views as in terms of history. However you will need another source on the history to balance Nehru's unifying enthusiasm, for instance India a History by Keay is a very good read as well as an information packed volume (with nice photos).
As a final word I'd say that Nehru's take on the history of Islam in India is very intelligent in its attempts to minimize and expalin the gap that was starting to increase dramatically between the Congress and the Muslim League and is useful when trying to understand the origins of the Muslim/Hindu clash (here again, other sources are needed, but it's still worth taking in consideration).

Insightful.......2005-01-07

I read Nehru's treatise once when I was in 10th grade and appreciated little of it. I chanced upon the book again recently and decided to hash out the book from the first page to last. I was very impressed with his deep and insightful interpretation of various historical events in the 5 millenia long history of my country, and of his objective portrayal of the same. He was not overtly parochial as I suspected he would be, but was critical of my countrymen and of our culture and their actions when necessary, and lauded their actions when they were justified. Particularly interesting to me were his writings on the social evolution of our caste system, which is said to be a great problem, and is constantly criticized (particularly by the you-know-who's of the western world). However, Nehru showed that, the system in it's ancient and present forms are dogma-induced perversions of it's intended goal, which was to provide checks and balances to racial and class-based divisions that plagued other "more civilized" Hellenic and Saxonic/Nordic societies in Europe (he also pointed out that the caste system enabled ancient Indians to avoid the sick barbarity of the mass slavery of other human beings with minds and thoughts like our own, something which all civilizations other than India and those in the Far East have practiced on a nauseatingly copious scale). Also, I was impressed by his organized portrayal of the British Raj which, by all accounts other than those of the Europeans, was a savage massacre and rape of our land and people to satisfy the Anglo-Saxon bloodlust (while it did have a small number of benefits, it did not justify the claim of "Pax Brittanica"). If I were to paraphrase the British occupation based on his writings, I would have to say that his contention was that, while the British enslaved our people in order to "civilize" us, we wound up civilizing them, as, in the final analysis, they were amenable to reason and dialogue and consequently we were able to sue for our freedon through civil disobedience rather than wage bloody wars for it like other countries like the United States were forced to do.

However, one criticism for this work is that Nehru has often been a tad shaky on his facts. One might argue, of course, that his main intention was not to provide a litany of names and dates, but explanations and interpretations. But one must remember that history is a science as much as it is an art, and the scientific method entails detailed records of all the facts before providing an interpretation of them. Nehru is a little deficient on this. For example, he summarizes the spectacular rise of the Mauryan Empire in just 1 paragraph, without describing the palace intrigues that lead Kautilya to engineer the rather dramatic fall of the Nanda Dynasty and crown Sandracottus/Chandragupta Maurya as the Emperor after driving out the Celucid Greeks. He only touches the interesting bits about the invasions of Demetrius and the Scythians and Huns (though he does mention Mihiragula the Horrible), the mistreatment of the Buddhist monks by the Sunga Kings, and the grand achievements of the Gupta Empire that entail all that is finest about our people even to this day. Also, his portrayal of Muslim rule in India is somewhat biased, and he only describes the bad bits, such as the jizya and the pagan tyranny of Aurangzeb while glossing over the good bits during the reigns Emperors Akbar, Jehangir and all those chaps who tried to build bridges between Hindus and Muslims. He did not write about the reletavily progressive outlook of Indian Muslims (relative to the Persians and Afghans of that time) that laid to the establishment of the Ghulami (Slave) Dynasty in the Sultanate, when Iltutmish, a poor slave, rose in the ranks to become an Emperor, or of our first Empress, Razia al-Din (although the incompetence of the Tughlaq dynasty negated much of that later).

All in all, though, I'm glad I read this book as I know more about my roots than I did before.

A Father's Gift.......2004-08-25

A number of reviewers have noted that Discovery of India and Glimpses of World History were written during the years Nehru languished in British custody for sedition and civil disobedience. What none of them, nor the publisher, have pointed out is that these books were culled from hundreds of letters that Nehru wrote to his daughter, Indira (Gandhi), then in her teens and early twenties. As a forcibly absentee father, Nehru wanted both to explain his absences and play a role in her life and upbringing. The letters were his gift to her - an indication of his love and caring and a way to educate her in his world view. If the books seem romanticized, that is why. If they seem personal, that is why. And if they seem subjective, that is also why. They were not intended for publication. These were love letters from a father to his daughter to explain the world to her and her place in it, as he saw it. They imparted to the future Prime Minister of India a sense of nationalism, love for country and a belief in democracy, as well as an intimate understanding of politics and working the levers of power. These books are far more than an intellectual exploration of Indian and world history; they were the seeds from which modern Indian history grew. A precious gift, indeed.

The Life of Mahatma Gandhi (Harper colophon books)

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If you want to learn Gandhi, this is how
Gandhi close-up
A Great Book

The Life of Mahatma Gandhi (Harper colophon books)
Louis Fischer
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060910380

Customer Reviews:

If you want to learn Gandhi, this is how.......2004-08-19

This particular biography of the Mahatama is insightful and powerfully written. Fischer analyses Gandhi in a way that allows you to discover Gandhi for yourself and see connections between the world in which Gandhi lived and the man he became. It provides numerous insights that Gandhi's own humility may not have allowed him in his own autobiography. It does start out kind of slow, but Fischer's analysis of Gandhi picks up momentum after the first few chapters and becomes a page turner. Highly inspiring for those who want to further understand Gandhi's views and see them in relation to the world. Highly recommended!

Gandhi close-up.......2004-03-02

This, by any standards, is a remarkable story of a remarkable man, and of course part of the history of India's struggle for independence. All this makes it a compelling read. Fischer details Gandhi's struggle against the South African government, and then the fight against British rule in India. But as important was the problem of Indian national identity - was there any such thing, and was the road to Partition inevitable?

I couldn't help but reflect that Britain was very fortunate in facing an adversary like Gandhi - the end of British rule might have been even more messy and bloody than it was had it not been for his influence. Could any other culture have produced a figure such as Gandhi, who recognised the damage that imperialism did both to India and to the British.

Fischer's biography was published originally in 1951, only three years after the death of Gandhi. This adds value to the work, not least because the author met Gandhi on a few occasions and was able to add accounts of these meetings enliven his book. To be fair, this is a much more balanced view of Gandhi than I expected. Although Fischer's writing comes close to the hagiographic at times, he manages largely successfully to avoid going over-the-top.

Perhaps what is lacking is a sense of distance and context. I was not looking for a biography which either attacked Gandhi or tried to debunk his reputation, but as he said himself, he was no saint. Perhaps a different biographer would have been able to assess Gandhi's role and influence (both in India and South Africa) more dispassionately.

But that is to quibble. This book is still well worth the read.

G Rodgers

A Great Book.......2000-01-06

Louis Fischer does his subject justice with a fine account of Gandhi's life. Despite the long duration of the Mahatma's struggle, the author keeps the book interesting pretty much throughout. Fischer's two first hand accounts of his meetings with Gandhi serve as a plesent break in the course of the book, giving it greater life, as well as providing a more personal insight into Gandhi. Thankfully the author remains well clear of blind adoration for the man, highlighting both his flaws and weaknesses. The only short coming is that the book was written before the rise of M.L. King and Nelson Mandela, thus fails to address the full influence Gandhi had and will have beyond India. Overall, I whole heartedly recommend this book of such an important subject, which was also the inspiration for the film.

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A very interesting Life
Detailed, thorough, informative, dry.
In Depth with Gandhi
It's a good chronicle, but weak as a biography
Engrossing Book

Gandhi: A Life
Yogesh Chadha
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0471350621

Amazon.com

The aim of Gandhi: A Life as described by writer Yogesh Chadha is "[Reclaiming Gandhi] as a human being out of the many myths surrounding him." Chadha's method seems to consist mainly of a "frank" detailing of the Indian revolutionary leader's personal flaws. But the sheer amount of biographical data in this book is impressive. And the details of Gandhi's assassination in 1948 and the subsequent prosecution of his killers are extremely well researched.

In his introduction to the book, Chadha fleetingly suggests that Gandhi's significance to the liberation of India is overemphasized at the expense of his broader contributions to humanism, although the evidence presented later in the biography might indicate that the two are profoundly interconnected.

Making copious use of Gandhi's collected writings, Chadha presents a highly detailed portrait that lends new insight into one of the 20th century's most profound spiritual leaders.

Book Description

The Internationally Acclaimed Biography of One of History's Monumental Figures Gandhi: A Life The first biography of this important figure in over twenty years, Gandhi: A Life rescues the man from the myth, revealing the transformation of an ordinary, timid young man into a leader whose stand against a mighty empire brought millions together. "Until another Gandhi scholar comes along who digs deeper and can write more movingly, Gandhi scholarship will be well served by Chadha's effort." — The Washington Post Book World "It is well-balanced, even-handed, and, like its subject, inspiring." —Kirkus Reviews "An engaging work worthy of a wide audience." —Library Journal "A sober, sensible, and notably fair account of this most quicksilver of personalities … far from uncritical … But on the whole he is approving, even reverential. Usually he convinces one that this is justified." — Daily Telegraph (London) "The first major biography to appear for twenty years … [with] a depth and authority which others have lacked." —The Independent (London)

Customer Reviews:

A very interesting Life.......2007-01-09

I like the book because it was very easy to read and his life is very ineteresting

Detailed, thorough, informative, dry........2004-10-28

This is the second biography of Gandhi that I have read in the last few years. Yogesh Chada's book being much longer than the previous biography that I read, I hoped to get more detail and more insight about that extraordinary man named Gandhi.

This much praise I can give to Chada: he did his homework. Gandhi: a Life is a non-stop littany of facts; overpowering, insightful, and boring. It sounds harsh for me to say that, because this book is an excellent account of Gandhi's life in terms of facts, but it simply has no narrative flow. And after 500 pages it becomes overwhelming. For so much reading, I took away far less from it than I would have supposed. This works very well if one is researching Gandhi and needs the details of certain events and episodes in India's independence movement, but the dryness of it all makes it hard to remember and appreciate the story that is being told.

Gandhi may be the subject of this book, but it is objective in the extreme; removed of life, sapped of interest. But it is factual, and if that is what you are looking for in a biography, then you have hit pay dirt with Chada's work. And for that I cannnot completely be upset with this book. It is effective in certain ways, but not in all the ways I was looking for.

In Depth with Gandhi.......2004-06-19

I am not an avid reader but I found the movie "Gandhi" so intriguing that I decided to find a biography on this inspirational man. The book left me as satisfied as the movie did. While other books may be shorter and closer to the point, this book really goes in depth of what was going in India during Gandhi's non violence movement. I feel I really got to know the man and his policies better while even learning a lot of the Indian politics of the time. The inspiration I drew from this book and the Mahatma has led me to search for more information on this subject and to look closer into how one is supposed to live. While no man is without his faults Gandhi helps us find the truth in peace with each other. Great book

It's a good chronicle, but weak as a biography.......2003-02-15

I purchased this book because I wanted to learn more about Gandhi and his influence, given that he's been regarded as the father of modern India, and was an inspiration for Martin Luther King Jr.

Gandhi: A Life is a densely packed book; I wouldn't say it's hard reading, but there's a huge amount of material here. Unfortunately, I felt disappointed by it since it does a good job of presenting the basic facts of Gandhi's life (carefully cross-checked for accuracy, the author assures us in his foreword), but goes no further than that. As such, it will teach the reader much about what Gandhi did and said, and about the state of India circa 1890-1948, but it will provide little insight into the man himself.

As one would expect, facts about Gandhi's later life are more readily available than about his earlier life. Despite this, the first third of the book feels the most rewarding, as several formative events provide profound insight into the man, including his vegetarianism and policies of non-violence. His gradual development from a shy young lawyer with stage fright into the powerful and dogmatic leader is carefully shown through his experiences in South Africa.

His return to India prior to 1920 and his ascension to the top of Indian politics, though, is not as successful. Just when we most need explanations and interpretations of Gandhi's behavior, Chadha fails us. Gandhi suddenly ceases to talk on Mondays, for some reason. He acquires what is essentially a cult of personality, but his own personality seems basically unlikeable, and the personalities of those around him are left sketchy. Chadha introduces supporting characters with a few paragraphs when they appear, but then takes as a given that their behavior will be understood.

While I can understand the desire to deconstruct the mythology around a figure such as Gandhi, it seems to me that the author does us a disservice in not probing deeper into the figure, even if he does have to work with some less-well-documented material. Such interpretation seems to me to be an essential part of being a biographer.

The book concludes on its lowest note, a three-chapter description of the plot (if it can be called that) leading to Gandhi's assassination. Filled with characters who never met Gandhi, and whose motivations were not particularly profound, it adds almost nothing to our understanding of Gandhi, those around him, or his nation. It is, ultimately, a digression and an anticlimax.

If pure facts about the life of Gandhi are what you're looking for, then this is the book for you. If you're looking for interpretation or better understanding of who he was and why, then I recommend you look elsewhere.

Engrossing Book.......2002-12-11

This book has several things in it's favor.
- It does not try to deify Gandhi
- It provides, a historical treatment of events in Gandhi's life
- The author does not try to push his opinions on you, but instead allows you to absorb the facts and make your own mind up.

The book is a result of a tremendous amount of research and is very well thought out and well presented. I couldn't put it down.

Book Description

The Gandhi Reader collects the significant writings by and about Mahatma Gandhi, culled form 500 volumes, newspapers, and magazines. Here is Gandhi in his own words and those of his closest associates, including selections from his autobiography; descriptions of Gandhi by Romain Rollard, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rabindranath Tagore, Louis Fischer; Gandhi's letters to Roosevelt, Hitler, Chiang Kai-shek; and many of his most famous addresses.

Average customer rating:

The Heart of the Mahatma
Excellent excerpts from modern saint

The Way to God
Mahatma Gandhi , and M. S. Desphande
Manufacturer: Berkeley Hills Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1893163008

Book Description

One of the most influential figures of the twentieth century, M. K. Gandhi was a revolutionary leader not only in politics, but also in religion. It was for the power of his devotion to God that he was granted the title Mahatma, Great Soul, and continues to be regarded by millions as a Hindu saint. This book explores the deep religious roots of Gandhi's worldly accomplishments, and reveals, in his own words, his intellectual, moral and spiritual approaches to the divine.

First published in India in 1971, The Way to God is based on Gandhi's lifetime of experiments with truth, and reveals the heart of his teachings on love, the soul, meditation, service, surrender and prayer. Readers from every faith will find wisdom and inspiration in its message. This edition, the first available to American readers, includes a foreword by Arun Gandhi, the grandson of the Mahatma, and an introduction by Michael N. Nagler.

Customer Reviews:

The Heart of the Mahatma.......2001-10-11

One of the most influential figures of the 20th century, Mahatma Gandhi was a 'man of God disguised as a politician' in his own words. As a political liberator his name shall ever be remembered in history, but it is his contribution to the humanity's inner life that would prove more important in the long run. According to him any social change or political transformation should be founded on a spiritual awakening. Gandhi remained a Hindu by religious affiliation, but adopted a form of universal worship. He believed in the oneness of God and the legitimacy of all religions as leading to the same God, known by different names. This 'Great Soul of India' (Mahatma) was indeed 'the light of the world'. As Michael Nagler put it, "He went into the heart of everything and touched the hearts of millions because he chose and clung to the one essential thing, which is to awaken God or Truth within the individual".

Gandhi's spiritual thoughts scattered in his various writings were put together as a book by M S Deshpande and published in India in 1971 under the title "Pathway to God". This edition of it, slightly altered in content, is now available to the American readers for the first time. It has a 'Forward' by his grandson, Arun Gandhi and a very informative 'Introduction' by Michael Nagler. This book has captured the heart of the Mahatma whose life reflected every thought of his expressed in this book. This edition offers to the reader a wealth of spiritual insights providing food for reflection and meditation. A familiarity with some of the Hindu categories may help a better understanding of the spiritual concepts laid out in the book.

Excellent excerpts from modern saint.......2001-08-02

So many people admire Gandhi's life and his very visible, political spirituality. His spirituality had deep, Hindu roots, which he explained in many writings. This book is excerpts of those writings, arranged by subject. In the introduction we are told of an incident where a politician told Gandhi that they were both men of God. Gandhi replies, "You are a politician disguised as a man of God. I am a man of God disguised as a politician." The truth of that statement comes out in his writings.

"It is the duty of every human being to look carefully within and see himself as he is, and spare no pains to improve himself in body, mind and soul. He should realize the mischief wrought by injustice, wickedness, vanity and the like, and do his best to fight them."

Book Description

This major study reconsiders the creation of the Gandhian legend through the myriad texts and images that helped spread it through both India and the Western world.

In revealing how the picture of the Mahatma as saint-as-politician was founded on Indian nationalistic selectivity and limited Western representations of Gandhi, Claude Markovits shows how Gandhi's legend has obscured the facts of his public career. Gandhi's professional role in the public sphere, Markovits argues, was heavily influenced by his long and critical phase of maturation in South Africa, a period often dismissed as the precursor to his celebrated work in India. Markovits proposes that Gandhi's later Indian career, marked by his meteoric rise to prominence, was the result of his own radical self-reinvention as he negotiated the pitfalls of political life in order to create his influential political manifesto.

In reevaluating critical stages of Gandhi's career, and his sometimes ambivalent ideological positions, Markovits confronts the discrepancies between his early and late careers, closely rereading the Mahatma's varying intellectual positions as described both within his own writings and in those by commentators and biographers. Rather than seeing Gandhi as an upholder of traditional Indian values, Markovits stresses the paradoxical modernity of Gandhi's anti-modernism.

Book Description

Mahatma Gandhi, through his indomitable will and selfless determination transformed himself into a model of courage and integrity for India's people to emulate in their non-violent struggle for political power. More than half a century after his death, Gandhi continues to inspire millions throughout the world. Yet modern India seems to have abandoned much of his non-violent vision, joining the nuclear arms race. Inspired by recent events in India, Stanley Wolpert offers this subtle and profound biography of India's 'Great Soul'. Wolpert compellingly chronicles the life of Mahatma Gandhi from his early days as a child of privilege to his humble rise to power and his assassination at the hands of a man of his own faith. This trajectory, like that of Christ, was the result of Gandhi's passion: his conscious courting of suffering as the means of reaching divine truth. From his early campaigns to end discrimination in South Africa to his leadership of a people's revolution to end the British imperial domination of India, Gandhi emerges as a man of inner conflicts conquered by his political genius and moral vision. Early influenced by nonviolent teachings in Hinduism, Christianity, and Buddhism, he came to insist on the primacy of love for one's adversary in any conflict as the invincible power for change. He fearlessly courted suffering and imprisonment in pursuit of his moral vision. The sweet reasonableness of his 'Great Soul', combined with the steel of his unyielding opposition to intolerance and oppression, would inspire India like no leader since the Buddha - creating a legacy that would encourage Martin Luther King, Jr, Nelson Mandela, and other global leaders to demand a better world through peaceful civil disobedience. Gandhi's Passion is a remarkable tribute by a historian at the height of his narrative and analytical powers. Wolpert boldly considers Gandhi the man, rather than the living god depicted by his disciples. He thus provides an unprecedented representation of Gandhi's passionate personality and the profound complexities that compelled his actions and brought freedom to India.

Customer Reviews:

A bit of a letdown..........2007-07-19

This is an uneven and oddly structured biography of Mahatma Gandhi. The author is well-versed in Gandhi's letters, books and speeches, from which he quotes at length to tell the story of Gandhi's amazing personal life and political career. He is less successful, however, at painting in the background information needed to make sense of all the details. Readers unfamiliar with Hinduism, untouchability, Hindu/Muslim communal relations, Congress Party politics, or Britain's imperial system would have a hard time making sense of the narrative. For specialists only.

Yet an other political biography of Gandhi!.......2007-01-27

Overwhelmed by the hundreds of books already available scrutinizing, criticizing and or eulogizing the controversial life of Gandhi, Wolpert's dilemma when he thought of writing a book about Gandhi was what would he write that others have not written yet. Nevertheless, after so much introspection he has decided to write this book tempted by the significance of Gandhi's teachings in the wake of India's nuclear test of 1998. But, unfortunately, his attempt is falling woefully short of providing any new information on the life of Gandhi or is unable to challenge a critical mind on the life of one of the great and yet controversial figures of the 20th century.

In his work, Wolpert portrays a dutiful Gandhi of esteemed ideas and vision. But by often succumbing to Gandhi's saintly aura, Wolpert is unable to provide valuable insight from a historian's perspective on the circumstances and events leading to the spiritual development of Gandhi that we saw in him starting in South Africa, a topic that not many historians (may be except Judith Brown) tried their hands on and succeeded. Without any analysis of that sort, his work is nothing but yet another addition to the mundane category of political biography of Gandhi.

Contrary to the popular belief that Gandhi is the culprit for the partition, Wolpert has given many proofs from history for how the partition could not have been avoided despite Gandhi's many overtures and thus was absolving Gandhi completely from the crime. While that should be the right thing to do, Wolpert is also pointing out Gandhi's reluctance to listen to C.R. Das's (one of Gandhi's staunch supporters) candid and most plausible plea to Gandhi to accept Jinnah's proposal and work towards a peaceful partition. Gandhi who knew British's indifference to India's plea for political reforms after the First World War was not quite optimistic nor was he willing to sway from his stubborn position on the idea of unified India. Then at the end, Gandhi was completely sidelined by Nehru from the final politics of Mountbatten and was not even been consulted for his advice on partition. Wolpert could have done an excellent comparative study on the positive impacts of a partition with the whole Muslim population transmigrating leaving India's fate in the hands of its Hindu majority who nonetheless is the true denizen of the land. None of the historians I know have used this lost chance judiciously in repudiating Gandhi for not having taken that stance when Jinnah could not be budged from his insistence on partition. The partition should not had to be bloody had the leaders of both India and Britain shown more patience and done more planning. Though the freedom may have come late, the constitutional method for achieving India's freedom would have been less bloody.

Another `failure' that is blamed on Gandhi and which Wolpert roughly touched on is his handling of his family affairs. When he was trying to bring up a whole country in line with his principles, doing anything contrary for his children would be very un-Gandhian, and none can deny the fact that he loved all his kids and given basic education and support. One has to look into the details of the events leading to the alienation of some of his kids before putting blame on Gandhi. Wolpert having surely known some of these events has not attempted to put blame on Gandhi. In his wife's case, Gandhi had given complete liberty for her to break away from him if she chosen so. Kasturba, being an illiterate and having nothing to stand on her own, have nothing else to do than supporting her husband. It was too late by the time Gandhi realized that a man devoted to the service of people should never have a family or indulge in pleasures.

Gandhi had many qualms for western civilization but was not quite so for industrialization. What he against was machines stealing the jobs of millions of India's idle hands. He found imperative that these idle hands had to be employed first before bringing in machines. In fact Gandhi said that he was not against machines and would welcome it for anything that is beyond the capacity of people. He was wary about accepting a civilization, of which industrialization is a part of, that was (still is) in it's infancy in the place of a seasoned civilization that is thousands of years old. Gandhi's was a vision in which everything had its own time and place. For him one step at a time was good enough.

Even for freedom, Gandhi gave a proper time and place for its happening. He asked what difference it makes whether India is ruled by British or Indians as long as both have little knowledge of the real problems of India. Gandhi had a clear vision of India's future where both India and Britain work together as equal partners in a commonwealth enterprise not in a system of masters and slaves. Jalianwala Bagh massacre, Rowlatt act and the atrocities that followed in Punjab made him realize that British was not willing to see India on par and there started his opposition to the crown. Wolpert is unable to substantiate this most crucial transformation of Gandhi's political life that had had far reaching repercussions in the India's freedom struggle.

On the controversial topic of Gandhi's experiments with girls, Wolpert is groping in the dark unable to grasp the spiritual and psychological connotations of such experiments. One would have to believe that Gandhi never had any physical relations with any of his female disciples because none of the historians have made any indication on the contrary. In Manu's (one of the girls with whom he slept) book on Gandhi too she considered him only as her own `Mother'.

Wolpert's work is not devoid of blemishes either. He seems to have mistaken the meaning of Surendranath (in Hindu mythology it means king of all skies) as `Surrender Not' while referring to Surendranath Banerjea, a foremost political leader of British India. The fact is `Surrender Not' is the nickname that the British had given to Surendranath Banerjea (because Surendranath sounded more like `Surrender Not' when pronounced by the British) for his steadfast support for political reforms in British India. On another occasion Wolpert erroneously assumed Gandhi a true nationalist as early as in 1905 while referring him for indirectly supporting the British rule in the West Bengal by the statement Gandhi made in which he said it was the responsibility of British to quell the communal riots that broke out in Bengal in the wake of the partition, than blaming British for the partition itself. Gandhi considered himself as a true British loyalist as late as 1919 and on no account his loyalty to the crown had ever been questioned as early as in 1905.

Topics on Gandhi should not have to run out especially when our world is in such a sad state of affairs (I am not trying to be cynical here) in spite of all the `advancements' we made. What we need is a new generation of writers who have gone through the effects of modern wars, proliferations of nuclear weapons, impact of globalization, disintegration of morals, effects of depletion of natural resources, environmental pollution, economical imbalance, starvation of millions etc. to take a fresh look at his teachings and interpret them in the context of aforementioned impacts in the world. Gandhi said that so much advancement is made in the field of `violence' and equal amount of advancement could be made in the field of `non-violence' also. What Gandhi did was laying the foundation of that institute. Sadly, in the last 50 years since his death, not many studies have been conducted in that institute.

Despite its cerebral shortcomings, Wolpert's book on Gandhi could be recommended for anyone who is looking for a rudimentary introduction to Gandhi and the struggle in which he was part of during the early 20th century.

Timeless Leader.......2006-01-03

This book dwells more on the failures of Gandhi's methods than others I have read. It describes how he tried unsuccessfully over several years to reach an accommodation with Jinnah over Hindu-Moslem relations in India. Curiously - more than other books - Wolpert says there was a wide split between Nehru and Gandhi. It also mentions the attraction that several Westerners had for him - Margaret Slade, Charlie Andrews... Wolpert dwells on some of the negative (or questionable) aspects of Gandhi's behavior - his repressed sexuality, the relationship with his children and his sleeping with young woman (strictly on a platonic level says Wolpert as well as several other authors).
Gandhi's quest for change in a peaceful and truthful way is what has made him a great leader who will be remembered for centuries. He has left a timeless legacy in India. It is one reason why India is at the forefront of developing countries today. This willingness for open dialog and conflict between leaders (which Gandhi encouraged) is seldom seen in developing countries.
The book also has an interesting bibliography of writings on India.

Gandhi's Passion Holds to Love and Nonviolence.......2005-01-28

Stanley Wolpert looks behind the enigmatic icon of India's "Great Soul" and paints a lucid picture of what motivates Gandhi to invite suffering for political, religious and environmental causes? The historian offers numerous interesting insights that are gleaned from Gandhi's privileged childhood, barrister days, and early campaigns in South Africa. Wolpert dissection of various clues reveals how he became a living god. Hinduism, Christianity, and Buddhism were early influences that lead him to develop a philosophy of nonviolence.

Wolpert exposes inner conflicts that plagued Gandhi while he maintained the difficult road of "ahimsa" (nonviolent love). One such inner conflict was his battle with lust (a naked Gandhi slept besides his assistants). However, Gandhi's faith in "ahimsa" for India and the world proved to be stronger.

Fasting, imprisonment, boycotts were some of the peaceful weapons he imposed. Behind every action was a message of love and peace. Gandhi's vision to free India, banish untouchability, and make India viable rested on a crux notion: there is no gain through the horrors of modern war and power. The frail thin man warns, "Retaliation is no remedy. It makes the original disease much worse." Gandhi's legacy list luminaries such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Lech Walesa, Nelson Mandela, Dalai Lama and countless other leaders. Wolpert's biography is a page-turner that competes with the best of fiction. "Gandhi's Passion" will give the reader a crisp view of the complex man and his times.

Bohdan Kot

Facts vs Fiction.......2002-11-09

In a democracy every one has a right to voice his opinion something 'a reader' doesn't understand... instead he jumps to the obviously childish accusations and insinuations which makes his review all the more entertaining. Unlike the 'reader' I actually gave historical facts. Instead of countering any of those facts, Mr anonymous reader has used incendiary vocabulary which has only helped to strengthen my case ...

Having been educated in the United States, the World's GREATEST democracy, I highly doubt that my history has been 'military guided' or the product of onesided theology(To which as a secularist I take strong exception). If the 'reader' feels that my treatise on Jinnah is fiction, be advised that the material I used was from 'Jinnah of Pakistan' by Stanley Wolpert the same author whose current book he is giving 5 stars to...

Gandhi might have been a great leader, but no one can deny that he is responsible for bringing religion and superstition into politics for the purposes of mobilization. No one can deny that one of the man's massive appeals is his 'exoticism' (his half naked antics, his dhoti, his religious mumbo jumbo) which gives the warm tingly feeling to a sensitive but unaware westerner... In contrast the well dressed Barrister Mohammed Ali Jinnah seems quite ordinary ....

That is the irony of the study of History in our times... ofcourse you have to be Winston Churchill to look beyond such facades... it is well known that Churchill held men like Jinnah and Ataturk in much greater esteem than walking wonders of the world like Gandhi.

Book Description

Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948) was one of the most important and influential social and religious reformers of the past century, spending his life striving for justice, peace, and equality among countries, races, and classes. His ideas and ideals have inspired generations of activists--from Martin Luther King Jr. to Vaclav Havel--and acted as catalysts for change in every corner of the globe.

In this intimate biography, Charles ("Charlie") Andrews--Englishman, Anglican priest, and a close friend and colleague of Gandhi's in both South Africa and India--explores the life and times of this great soul, providing fascinating insight into the spiritual, political, and historical environment that affected Gandhi, playing key roles in the development of his thought and action.

Mahatma Gandhi: His Life and Ideas uses letters, personal reminiscences, and excerpts from Gandhi's many published and private writings to paint a vivid and accessible portrait of the personality and spirit of one of the most prominent figures in Indian--and world--history.

Customer Reviews:

A good guideline for Upper Management.......2001-08-27

You don't have to know a thing about M. Ghandi to appreciate this book. Even so, to get his point across the author gives the reader examples of Ghandi's approach to life, and how we can apply it in today's society. I especially enjoyed the emphasis encouraging anyone in 'supervisory positions' to not be elitist, and to have to be more honest with their employees.Small business owners, and corporate managers would benefit greatly from reading this book because it reinforces values that, for the most part, have been forgotten. Nair's work is a more sophisticated version of the book "Who Moved My Cheese' Employees, as an anonymous gift, give this book to your supervisors.

A Perfect Gift.......2001-06-03

This is a wonderful little book. I use it regularly in undergraduate and graduate courses I teach in leadership and decision making. It is a book that many students keep when the class is finished; and, it is not unusual for students to purchase additional copies to give to thier friends, colleagues, and managers.

A Good Read!.......2001-02-17

Keshavan Nair emphasizes the need for leadership based on a fundamental moral standard, as taught and lived by Mohandus Gandhi. The Indian leader embodied a moral life centered on truth, non-violence and service to others. Nair argues that business leaders today need to follow these basic principles. He stresses that these principles - and the practices based upon them - make good business sense in the long run, as well as being crucial to the survival of society. The text combines Gandhi's experiences with Nair's exhortations on how to apply these principles in the workplace. However, Nair provides few examples of contemporary leaders who practice these principles. Thus, the book occasionally comes across as somewhat preachy, wishful, overly idealistic and out of touch with the everyday realities of business. Yet, we at getAbstract.com recommend it in the face of those realities as a counterbalance, as well as a good quick read that encourages thought.

Learning From Gandhi.......1999-09-30

This quick reading book focuses on the life of Gandhi as a model for leadership. The author applies lessons from Gandhi's life to the practical tasks of leadershi. Nair provides guidelines for a leader's standard of conduct and for making decisions and taking actions based on moral principles. According to Nair, even when we are in the role of follower, it is our responsibility "to raise our standards so our leaders will have to follow." This is not a book heavy on skill building. The author's purpose is to challenge us to abide by a high moral standard in our roles as leaders and followers. Reading this book is an act of self-reflection from which all of us can benefit.

A MUST-READ FOR ALL WALKS OF LIFE.......1999-07-24

INTERPRETING THE NEAR-PERFECT PHILOSOPHY OF MAHATMA GANDHI, PROFESSOR NAIR HAS GIVEN US A CONCISE FORMAT WITH WHICH TO WAGE A BLOODLESS BATTLE UPON THE WORLD OF MARKETING, CORPORATE HANGUPS AND CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS WHICH SEEM TO ACCOMPLISH LESS THAN WHAT THEY WERE CREATED FOR. A GOOD READ. BUT BE WARNED, YOU WILL NOT LOOK AT THINGS QUITE THE SAME WAY AFTER READING THIS MARVELOUS COMPILATION.

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