Publication Date:December 7, 1982 Shipping:Eligible for Super Saver Shipping Promotion:Buy 4 eligible items in the 4-for-3 promotion offered by Amazon.com and get 1 of them free.Terms and Conditions Promotion:Save $5.00 when you spend $25.00 or more on Qualifying Items offered by Amazon.com. Enter code BMLSAVES at checkout.Terms and Conditions Availability:Usually ships in 24 hours
From Gandhi's own mouthJune 18, 2008 I read this book while in college and was so impressed that the editors allow Gandhi's own words to represent his philosophy of non-violence and peace. It's very well organized by chapters and has good commentary throughout. This is a great introduction to Gandhi and his impact in Asia and the world.
"BLESSED ARE THE MEEK"June 11, 2008 Gandhi; His Life and Message for the World by Louis Fischer was a well formulated and relatively comprehensive biography on the life, and times of Mahatma Gandhi. The book also explained a great deal of the political turmoil that Gandhi found himself ...forever foundering in.
A great and spiritual man no doubt. Shades of a contemporary Jesus, Buddha, and Mother Teresa all rolled into one. A great spiritual icon but one who struggled to overcome those nasty little demons (i.e.: jealousy, anger, lust etc.), that affect all of mankind.
He trained the "Tiger" to overcome the "Lion" by non-violent civil disobedience. Ironically, "non-violence" spawns "real violence" and the results are...sadly the same.
It was not England that killed Gandhi, but the same "Tiger" (India) that he had nurtured from it's captivity to it's independence.
A very good and informative book for anyone trying to understand India and those who lived it's history.
The true saintAugust 26, 2005 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I grew up in India but never really got to know Gandhi until I read this book. It is the story of a man and how he grows into a saint - the force that got India its freedom. But Gandhi wanted more than just the freedom of India from the British. He wanted each man to be free of all evils. His aspirations were greater than any other Indian freedom fighter - and so were his ways. In the struggle for freedom, he did not want to corrupt the individuals. Gandhi proved that you could wrestle with a pig and yet remain clean. Louis Fischer has done a great job describing Gandhi and his life. He writes without any bias. It is an easy read and is truly inspiring.
enlightening, but convolutedJune 11, 2005 2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Fischer's recount of Gandhi's life does a satisfactory job of providing facts and commentary on the Father of Modern India. Though this book may seem more approachable, however, because it is considerably shorter than several other biographies (and indeed Gandhi's autobiography), the facts of Gandhi's life and the Indian Nationalism movement are presented anachronistically and often without sufficient context. Thus it is often difficult to have a complete understanding of where, when, how, and to whom Gandhi was applying his peaceful resistance techniques.
Notwithstanding Fischer does an excellent job of elucidating Gandhi's worldview and the religious implications behind Gandhi's contrubitions to the shaping of 20th-century world history.
Great for fans and neophytes alike.March 22, 2004 14 out of 15 found this review helpful
I find it a little odd that I just wrote in the title that people can be 'fans' of Gandhi. Like he is a rock star or famous model. But in essence that is what most people who admire influential people are. And I admit that I am a fan of Gandhi.
Being such I decided it was time to learn something about him that was not a movie (though the movie is very good; truncated but good) or a magazine article or some old handout from high school I found in a dark corner of my closet. So I chose Louis Fischer's short little biography. And I am very satisfied.
Mr. Fischer does not make any excuses for being a fan of Gandhi either. Like another biographer of Gandhi mentioned, it seems everybody whoever saw Gandhi and spoke to him felt the overwhelming need to write something, preferably a biography, of him. Mr. Fischer met Gandhi twice, stayed in his Ashram for a week as a guest, and he documents it in this biography.
I fear I will sound repetitive with my biography reviews, but once again this is a great introduction to Gandhi. Just over 200 pages, full of important details, but never drowning in the complications of them (though it gets close to such when dealing with the creation of Pakistan, which is admittedly complicated and difficult to explain).
Louise Fischer writes with emotion. This is not a straightforward academic account of the life and times of Gandhi, but a thank you letter to the spirit and power that Gandhi was. For one rare moment I let the emotion sway me as Gandhi's death was recounted and I felt a very rare sympathy that I have rarely ever experienced with the written word; a remarkable achievement. .
