Indian Summer
The Secret History of the End of an Empire
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
£0.00 for first 30 days
Indian Summer
Buy Now for £32.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Stephen Thorne
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 LtdListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
What listeners say about Indian Summer
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Haris amin Chaudhry
- 22-06-16
articulate
story of a lucky guy, play girl and a pandit cooperation together in indian interest.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- A Wright
- 10-02-16
Loved it!
An eye opener for me regarding the recent history of India and it's partition. Beautifully narrated.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Komal Amin
- 17-09-17
Great but narrator let it down
Great read but the choice of narrator let it down. Why choose a man to read a book by a woman? Usually I get the author or closest thing to the author to read it? And on top, why a man who clearly can't pronounce any of the Indian words, names and places. This is an Indian history book! I had to frequently stop listen to find the written version of what he said because I couldn't understand his terrible pronunciation.
Other than that, fab and interesting content.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Satesh
- 31-08-24
Good read
Paint an alternative perspective as to what went down vs what's in the popular narrative
So you don't feel you are hearing the same thing again
The writer weaves his words well to make it interesting. Wasn't a struggle to finish
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 23-03-21
excellent read
Well read and written. Fascinating insight into a momentous time. It is well worth reading.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Marion W.
- 14-07-23
Very comprehensive 😀
A sweeping, well researched and well presented account of the end of the British Raj and the trauma of partition. The main protagonists and their interactions are beautifully brought to life here ☺️. If you have any interest in the characters, time or place, this book will give you more than you asked for. Enjoyable and thoroughly recommended.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Mr
- 07-04-13
The characters tell the story
I felt this book was like a collection of biographies, interwoven to tell the story of India becoming independent from the British Empire. The Mountbattens (Louis and Edwina, the latter being a substantial figure herself rather than just "the wife of"), Nehru, Gandhi and Jinnah form the nucleus, but others such as Chuchill and the British Royal Family make plenty of appearances. The approach works extremely well and the overall effect is a thoroughly enjoyable account of the period. The later lives of the main players are also covered - there is no abrupt ending with Indian independence - which adds to the biographical feel of the book.
I did feel that Louis Mountbatten, who comes out of the book rather badly, was probably unjustly treated here. I just don't believe that someone who held the posts and achieved what he did can have been as bad as is made out.
That criticism aside, this is a fine book which I will probably listen to again at some point. It is well narrated too. I have no difficulty in awarding it 5 stars and recommending it to anybody with any interest in India or the period.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- RKG
- 14-05-20
Creation of Pakistan from the Indian Sub-continent
Don’t know where the writer gets her facts from and since she sounds so sure and certain, it would have been interesting to know the sources of this historical narrative?? If it is that.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Soranus
- 01-12-15
How and why the British Raj ended.
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Definitely. This not only gives a very readable history of India but also an insight into the characters involved. There is a very interesting insight into the relationship between Lady Edwina Mountbatten and Jawaharlal Nehru. It also made me realise that Gandhi was not quite the force I had thought.
Who was your favorite character and why?
I did not have favourites. I did however come to view characters I thought I knew in a different light.
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
This made me embarrassed to be British and made me very thoughtful about other more modern events we have been, and are, involved in.
Any additional comments?
I found this book very easy to listen to. Stephen Thorne reads it well and kept my interest.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Asil Hindi
- 15-03-21
Marvellous
Marvellous read, full of details.
Informative for anyone interested in the largest Empire in the world history (by land expansion).
Intense but in a good way. It tells so many stories of important names such as Dickie Mountbatten and his wife, Gandhi, first Indian PM Nehru and the founder and First governor of Pakistan Jinnah.
Rich details on the independence of India, Pakistan then Bangladesh.
Highly recommended.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful