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Midnight's Furies

The Deadly Legacy of India's Partition

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About this listen

Nobody expected the liberation of India and birth of Pakistan to be so bloody - it was supposed to be an answer to the dreams of Muslims and Hindus who had been ruled by the British for centuries. Jawaharlal Nehru, Gandhi's protégé and the political leader of India, believed that Indians were an inherently nonviolent, peaceful people. Pakistan's founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, was a secular lawyer, not a firebrand. But in August 1946, exactly a year before Independence, Calcutta erupted in street-gang fighting. A cycle of riots - targeting Hindus, then Muslims, then Sikhs - spiraled out of control. As the summer of 1947 approached, all three groups were heavily armed and on edge, and the British rushed to leave. Hell let loose. Trains carried Muslims west and Hindus east to their slaughter. Some of the most brutal and widespread ethnic cleansing in modern history erupted on both sides of the new border, searing a divide between India and Pakistan that remains a root cause of many evils. From jihadi terrorism to nuclear proliferation, the searing tale told in Midnight's Furies explains all too many of the headlines we read today.

©2015 Nisid Hajari (P)2015 Tantor 20th Century Asia Colonialism & Post-Colonialism India Modern Politics & Government South Asia War & Crisis War Pakistan History

Critic reviews

"A carefully restrained and delineated account makes for chilling reading." ( Kirkus)
All stars
Most relevant
Definitely a bloody account of what happened, also biased. However it was a great listen

Good book

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Would you listen to Midnight's Furies again? Why?

Yes, I would. It serves as a well documented reference; rather a timeline.

What other book might you compare Midnight's Furies to, and why?

A novel- Midnight's children. Also about the birth of twin nations.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

Although the spiral of events was known, I did enjoy the moment of freedom.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes and no. I kept grasping for even more insight than it offers- which is quite a bit- for personal reasons, I wanted the book to never end. It served as a window to what became of my people.

Any additional comments?

Don't miss the most unbiased view I've heard so far. And change from the lessons you learn.

As unbiased as it gets

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Very worth listening too for a detailed understanding of India Pakistan relations. Thanks to the author for their comprehensive research.

A difficult but worthwhile listen

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Although very well versed; the narrative leaves out chunks of history to dramatise the partition for the benefit of the audience.

Leaves you wanting more

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