Calcutta
by Geoffrey Moorhouse
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In the foreword to the first edition Geoffrey Moorhouse wrote: 'In a sense, the story of Calcutta is the story of India . . . It is the story of how and why Empire was created and what happened when Empire finished . . . The imperial residue of Calcutta, a generation after Empire ended, is both a monstrous and a marvellous city. Journalism and television have given us a rough idea of the monstrosities but none at all of the marvels. I can only hope to define the first more clearly and to show more persuade anyone interested that the second is to be found there too'. Geoffrey Moorhouse succeeds triumphantly in his aims. First published in 1971 this title has stood the test of time. Remarkably it was the first full-length study of Calcutta, seat of the British Raj, since 1918. 'The book is organized out of a profound understanding of the true issues and is brilliantly executed.' Paul Scott, Guardian show lessTags
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Rudyard Kipling called Calcutta 'The City of the Dreadful Night' - a city of unspeakable poverty, of famine, riot and disease. Yet Calcutta (Kolkatta), the Victorian seat of the British Raj, survives and flourishes to this day. At the time of its publishing, "Calcutta" by Geoffrey Moorhouse was the first full-length book on the city since 1918. Somwhat dated now, the book is still very worth a read.
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27+ Works 1,877 Members
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Belongs to Publisher Series
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Calcutta
- Original title
- Calcutta
- Important places
- Calcutta, India
Classifications
- Genres
- Travel, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 915.4 — History & geography Geography & travel Geography of and travel in Asia India and neighboring south Asian countries
- LCC
- DS486 .C2 .M63 — History of Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania Asia History of Asia India (Bharat) Local history and description
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 119
- Popularity
- 274,971
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.32)
- Languages
- English, French
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 9
- ASINs
- 5
