Five millennia of civilization masterfully condensed into an absorbing, fast-paced narrative of how India became the world's largest democracy and a rising global power
India is an amalgam of customs, races, castes, languages, and spiritual beliefs- woven together throughout the ages into a colossal history. From ancient migrations and the Harappan civilization to Muslim invaders, the Great Mughals, British rule, hard-fought independence, and present-day hopes and challenges, John Zubrzycki fashions a riveting narrative that helps readers make sense of the country behind today's headlines.
Zubrzycki brings the complex and contrasting layers of Indian history to life through a well-known cast of characters-Buddha, Alexander the Great, Akbar, Clive, Tipu Sultan, Lakshmi Bai, Curzon, Jinnah, and Mahatma Gandhi-against a backdrop of the mystical Ganges, the desert forts of Rajasthan, the snow-covered Himalayas, and the ruins of India's fabled civilizations.
​From Buddhism to Bollywood, India has made its mark on Asia and the world. Only time will tell if India-whose population will soon surpass China's-can overcome its political, social, and religious tensions to become the next global superpower.

John Zubrzycki is an Australian author with a PhD in Indian history from the University of New South Wales. A former foreign news editor with The Australian, he has worked as a correspondent in India and as a diplomat in New Delhi and Jakarta. He is the author of four books on India, most recently House of Jaipur: The Inside Story of India's Most Glamorous Royal Family.