Resurrecting history

Many historians have written about South Asia, but their words are often coloured with their take on the subject, personal political affiliations or a glaring lack of facts.

In that regard Stanley Wolpert, an American historian who specialises in the history of India and Pakistan, writes about the two countries and their leaders with objective candour and great detail.

We highlight his four biographies:

Jinnah of Pakistan: (1984) is a biography that chronicles the life and times of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan, rebutting the distortions of the ideals and values of the great leader by popular myths and fallacies. Wolpert shows Jinnah as a rationalist of great intelligence, political ability and resolve. He paints a true picture of a man who sacrificed his family life to political causes.

Beautifully written, insightful and dispassionate, it brings to life the complex, brilliant and ambitious leader who did more than anyone else to bring to realisation the seemingly chimerical dream of the founding of a Muslim majority state in the Indian subcontinent.

Zulfi Bhutto of Pakistan: His Life and Times (1993) is a biography of the late Benazir Bhutto's father. Wolpert writes about Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Pakistan's leader from December 1971 to July 1977, as one of the very few political leaders who created a uniquely popular movement, one which many years after his death remains Pakistan's most vital political force. It is on the foundations of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's popularity that today his son-in-law and grandson command a majority mandate. The book looks at Bhutto's humble origins to his rise to power, his larger-than-life personality and the pitfalls of his tenure. Given the recent turns in Pakistani politics, the biography of the People's Party's enigmatic leader provides insights into where Pakistani politics came from so that readers can understand where it is heading.

Nehru: A Tryst with Destiny (1996) is in some ways better even than Nehru's autobiography. It brings rationality and objectivity to the subject matter by bringing Nehru's complex personality to life against the vividly portrayed picture of India's fascinating history through its most turbulent century. Wolpert shows how India's destiny was intimately connected to that of Nehru's; he was indeed a charismatic leader who stood among the 20th century's foremost statesmen.

Gandhi's Passion (2001) is a remarkable tribute to the great leader portraying him as a man rather than the living god depicted by his disciples. Granting unprecedented representation to Gandhi's passionate personality and profound complexities, the book traces the complex and courageous actions that brought freedom to India. It shows the indomitable and selfless determination of the great political leader who transformed himself into a model of courage and integrity for India's people to emulate a non-violent struggle for political power. Even to date, more than half a century after his death, the persona of Mahatma Gandhi continues to inspire millions across the world.

The writer is an avid reader and collector of books based in Dubai

Author of the week: Stanley Wolpert

Stanley Wolpert is a distinguished professor of Indian History at the University of California, Los Angeles. He received his Ph.D. in history from the University of Pennsylvania. He has written Nine hours to Rama (1962), Morley and India, 1906-1910 (1967), A New History of India (1977), Roots of Confrontation in South Asia (1982), Jinnah of Pakistan (Oxford 1984), Zulfi Bhutto of Pakistan (1993), Nehru: A Tryst with Destiny (1996), Gandhi's Passion (2001) and Shameful Flight (2006).

Wolpert's 1962 book, Nine Hours to Rama was adapted as the 1963 film of the same title.

We ask: Your most reliable historian ...

"Gandhi. He is an excellent historian."
— Shahana Abdullah, business, International Institute for Technology and Management

"I can't recall any."
— Aliah Joosub, dentistry, Universal Empire Institute of Medical Sciences (UEIMS)

"Our history course focuses on biographies so I don't remember names of historians."
— Sana Nayyar, business, IITM