{"product_id":"partition-the-story-of-indian-independence-and-the-creation-of-pakistan-in-1947","title":"Partition","description":"\u003cb\u003eTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e‘Stands out for its judicious and unsparing look at events from a British perspective’ Dominic Sandbrook, \u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBetween January and August 1947 the conflicting political, religious and social tensions in India culminated in independence from Britain and the creation of Pakistan; in \u003ci\u003ePartition\u003c\/i\u003e, Barney White-Spunner shines a light on those turbulent months.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This period saw the end of ninety years of the \u003cb\u003eBritish Raj,\u003c\/b\u003e and the effective power of the \u003cb\u003eMaharajahs, \u003c\/b\u003eas the\u003cb\u003e Congress Party \u003c\/b\u003eestablished itself, commanding a democratic government in Delhi. It also witnessed the rushed creation of Pakistan as a country in two halves whose capitals were 2000 kilometres apart.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e From \u003cb\u003eSeptember to December 1947\u003c\/b\u003e the euphoria surrounding independence dissipated into shame and incrimination; nearly \u003cb\u003eone\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003emillion people died\u003c\/b\u003e and countless more lost their homes and their livelihoods as partition was realised. The events of those months would dictate the history of South Asia for the next seventy years, leading to three wars, countless acts of terrorism, polarisation around the \u003cb\u003eCold War\u003c\/b\u003e powers and to two nations with millions living in poverty spending disproportionate amounts on their military. The legacy of decisions taken that year still continues.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Those at the centre became some of the most enduring characters of the twentieth century. \u003cb\u003eGandhi \u003c\/b\u003eand\u003cb\u003e Nehru \u003c\/b\u003eenjoyed almost saint-like status in India, and still do, while \u003cb\u003eJinnah \u003c\/b\u003eis lionised in Pakistan. The British cast, from \u003cb\u003eChurchill \u003c\/b\u003eto \u003cb\u003eAttlee \u003c\/b\u003eand \u003cb\u003eMountbatten\u003c\/b\u003e, find their contribution praised and damned in equal measure. Yet it is not only the national players whose stories fascinate. Many ordinary people who witnessed the events of that year are still alive and have a clear recollection of the excitement and the horror.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eIllustrating the story of 1947 with their experiences, \u003ci\u003ePartition \u003c\/i\u003ebrings this terrible era for the Indian subcontinent vividly to life.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Simon \u0026 Schuster Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":32093772218451,"sku":"9781471148033","price":17.5,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0278\/1295\/4195\/files\/9781471148033.jpg?v=1765379737","url":"https:\/\/agendabookshop.com\/products\/partition-the-story-of-indian-independence-and-the-creation-of-pakistan-in-1947","provider":"Agenda Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}