Patriots and Partisans

Inspite of all of Guha's perceived ‘centrism' and his reverence (bordering on idolatry) of Gandhi and the first Nehru, this collection of essays (both old and new) by the eminent historian is immensely readable, dealing with a variety of issues - ranging from his favorite (now defunct) bookshop in Bengaluru, to the ticking bomb that is South Asia.

Guha comes across as a charming and erudite (if somewhat snobbish) scholar, one whose numerous tangents are read fondly, a rare quality for a author to have, and an even rarer quality for a historian to possess.

The main pitfall of this compendium will be the fact, that since it is a collection of essays, and not a standalone treatise on a single topic - many topics are repeated, and this happens fairly frequently. This collection would have been better served by a more meticulous editor, but oh well.

TL;DR - good read if you're interested in history/politics, must read if you're cynical about Indian politics (you'll become even more cynical, but that's a different matter altogether).