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Indian Summer

The Secret History of the End of an Empire

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Indian Summer

Written by: Alex von Tunzelmann
Narrated by: Stephen Thorne
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About this listen

At midnight on 15 August, 1947, India left the British Empire. This defining moment of world history had been brought about by a handful of people: Jawaharlal Nehru, the fiery Indian prime minister; Mohammed Ali Jinnah, leader of the new nation; and Louis and Edwina Mountbatten, despatched to get Britain out of India.

Within hours of the midnight chimes, their dreams of freedom and democracy would turn to chaos, bloodshed and war. Behind the scenes a secret personal drama was unfolding, as Edwina Mountbatten and Nehru began a passionate love affair. Steeped in the private papers and reflections of the participants, Indian Summer reveals how the acts of a few players changed the lives of millions and determined the fate of nations.

©2011 Oakhill Publishing Ltd (P)2011 Oakhill Publishing Ltd
Great Britain India South Asia World

Critic Reviews

"A true tour de force:absorbing in it's detail and masterly in the broad sweep of its canvas." (Sir Martin Gilbert)

What listeners say about Indian Summer

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Excellent rendition and a great narrative.

I like listening to every bit of this book. It is so well written. I agree there could be differ perspectives in India’s run to freedom but the book throws light on the machinations behind it. Stephen Thorne is an amazing narrator.

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Solid research and a very engaging read

The book tells the story of Indian independence and partition through the intermingled life stories of 5 chief protagonists. What I loved is the ability of the author to weave intricate details, gossips and quirks of these people into the broader chronological narrative.
Accessible to all, it would be really interesting for Indians to compare it with the history of independence taught in our schools.

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Wonderful listen

The book sweeps over a long period of time, broadly covering the life of Louis Mountbatten. It is almost entirely interesting, the characters, including some lesser known political players, are well rounded, humanized. Even potentially scandalous aspects like the private lives of the Mountbattens and Nehru is dealt with a view of how that affects politics, rather than as salacious titbits.
The narration was great, and I plan to listen more books by the narrator.

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Mostly good but somewhat biased

The book is really interesting and I would even say a must read in many respects but I do think it focuses a lot more than it should on the affair between Nehru and Edwina which gives it somewhat of a high school romance vibe rather than a historical take on events. Also, the views on Gandhi seem biased and his person under researched.

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I would as as good as Freedom at midnight.

the narrator is really good. however I felt at few instances, the recording had some issues. words were swallowed. but over all very good content if you are interested in India history.

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Captivating!!

beautifully written and matched in narration. the intricate and unbiased details make it splendid and spellbinding.

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unputdownable

Immensely interesting . excellent narration . want to listen again. Congratulations to the author and Stephen Throne .

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Must Read

Beautifully researched book by an outsider into the history of Indian Independence. If you want to know about a beautiful and immortal relationship this book is a must read

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loved it

brilliant book. highly recommend for every Indian interested in the history of our Independence. I listened to it in one sitting

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A must listen for all Indians

A thoroughly researched book. Even though it’s a historical book but hard to put down. I listened in one go. It’s also unbiased towards all main characters.


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