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.

I recommend this book for someone who wants to learn about Gandhi:The Man, his achievements and his shortcomings and not Gandhi: The Mahatma or Great Soul.


Provides a background for further study...   February 6, 2002
 8 out of 9 found this review helpful

Mahatma, Traitor, God, Machiavellian, Father of the Nation

Yogesh Chadha has done a great job in trying to bring forth the man behind the legend. But Gandhi was and is a very complex personality.

Throughout his life Gandhi's view matured and changed every day. This I am sure irked the British but it is the essence of Gandhis life that he absorbed the good out of every incident in his life.

Many critics view Gandhi as a political leader but as is made evident by Chadha Gandhi was extremely religious and this was where he found the strength that made the sacrifice of millions logical to him. We should be thankful that his fanaticism was towards truth and peace and only forced on himself (quite unlike the leaders nowadays).

A great book but a new reader would be advised to read Gandhi's Autobiography first as that is very approachable and lacks the dichotomy in this book that can leave a reader confused...


All the facts are there but where's the Passion   July 12, 2001
 9 out of 9 found this review helpful

I guess I found myself wanting to like this book so much more than I actually did, due to the profound respect and reverence I have for the subject matter. A read-through of this book definitely proves educational, as Chadha seems to capture all the facts surrounding Gandhi's extraordinary life. What is lacking is the passion and enthusiasm that fails to bound the reader to Gahndi's profound beliefs in Ahimsa/non-violence and the Satyagraha/soul-force resistance movement. Some highlights of the book are the extensive retelling of Gahndi's initial efforts in South Africa, his personal family life, and the well-researched background behind his assassins and the assassination. Gahndi's life is such a motivational influential epic that it's a shame to not have a biography to match it. This is a good book to read to learn about the historical facts surrounding Gahndi's life, but if you are looking to get to know his spiritual side and get caught up in his inspiration, the biography has yet to be written. I just wasn't enthralled with the writing.


An excellent account of the mahatma's life   March 16, 1999
 59 out of 60 found this review helpful

After having read mahatma gandhi's autobiography which does not reach towards the later part of his life, i was keen on getting a complete account of his life. I must say that Chadha's book proved immensely satisfying and educative in this regard. The book is very thoroughly researched and its best attribute is that in it Chadha tries to stick to facts and takes up the role of the narrator rather than put in his own personal views. Invariably biographies make a picture of the person as the biographer chooses to think about him or her, but in reading this book one gets the feeling that Chadha has tried to consciously hold back his opinions and remain historically accurate. He leaves the judging to the reader. All the same the book is definitely not dull and dreary. It vividly brings out the great man's character along with his faults. It shows gandhi as human and definitely not a saint. It is when we realise this that we truly understand the greatness of the mahatma and the courage, strength of character and truth on which his life, movement and teachings were based. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wishes to learn about the mahatma.


A well researched book on life of Mahatma Gandhi   February 23, 1999
 16 out of 17 found this review helpful

After having read Gandhi's "My experiments with truth" I found Chadha's book very helpful about the context surrounding Gandhi. This book almost reads like a Hypertext document in that Mr. Chadha takes you to the source of Gandhi's many inspirations e.g. Tolstoy. So a reader doesn't have to go to library and find Tolstoy, Ruskin, etc. Chadha also throws light on many persons who were followers of Gandhi in South Africa. Chadha also quotes from many friends and adversaries of Gandhi in South Africa. So this book gives lots of insight into Gandhi's past. This is indeed a very well researched book.