3 Review(s)

Partition of India and the transfer of power in 1947 constitute the most momentous period of modern Indian history. Equally fascinating to the historian and the common man, the Partition left many unanswered questions - Why did it become imminent? Who did it benefit? Could it have been prevented? Mountbatten and the Partition of India offers a series of candid interviews with Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of British India and the first Governor - General of independent India, conducted by world-renowned authors, Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre of the Freedom at Midnight and City of Joy fame. Herein, Mountbatten reveals his frank and often astounding, assessment of the events, personalities and issues of the time. The second part of the book contains a selection of revelatory documents, primarily Viceroy's Personal Reports to the Secretary of State for India and also other interesting documents such as Jawaharlal Nehru's letter to Mountbatten detailing his emotional reaction to the draft plan for transfer of power. About the Author Dominique Lapierre- the noted French author - has several celebrated books to his credit, including City of Joy, Freedom on the Soviet Roads and Chessman Told Me. A Fulbright scholar of economics at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, he traveled all over the world. In 1954, while serving in the French army, he met Larry Collins, a Yale graduate and draftee, to form an abiding friendship and literary partnership that produced renowned books such as Freedom at Midnight, O Jerusalem!, Is Paris Burning? and The Fifth Horseman. Dominique supports many humanitarian projects including refuge centres for leprosy and polio-afflicted children in Kolkata. He was also a close associate of Mother Teresa who gave him exclusive authorization to pen the script of a film on her, titled Mother Teresa - In the Name of God's Poor. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2008. Larry Collins (1929 - 2005) served in the US army during 1943 - 45. After World War II, he worked as a journalist for the United Press International and subsequently for Newsweek. He switched to writing books in 1964 and collaborated with Dominique Lapierre to produce epoch-making books, many of which were also converted into films. His solo works include Maze - A Novel, Black Eagles, Le Jour Du Miracle - D-Day Paris and Tomorrow Belongs to Us. Collins died of cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 76.