The Heart of India

Tully, for many years the BBC's correspondent in India, loves that country and it's people (despite their many faults) and it shows in these stories of village life. Fictionalised in order to save the participants from repercussions they have, nonetheless, an air of authenticity about them that conveys the sense of what he encountered in his travels in Indian life. Recommended, but best read in conjunction with some of his other writing about India in order to get some sense of Tully's deep knowlegde of and attachment to that country and its people.

I did not like this book at all. There were too many generalisations about India and its culture, and not much focus on urban India and the strides it is making. If you are a foreigner reading this to get an idea of India, be warned that this will give you a lopsided view of this diverse country. These stories do not do justice to what India really is.