Mahatma Gandhi's lengthy Indian career was of central importance in the development of Indian politics and the changing relationship of the British raj and its subjects. But the extent of his political influence and his role varied considerably at different times. This book is an analysis, based on new material, of the phase between 1928 and 1934 when Gandhi was leader of a continental campaign of civil disobedience against the Raj. During this time Gandhi emerged from the comparative political quiescence which had followed his initial rise to prominence in 1920 as architect of a campaign of non-cooperation with the Raj. He resumed a crucial role as leader of the Congress movement against the British. At the peak of his political influence he negotiated a 'pact' with the Viceroy by which the civil disobedience campaign - most graphically illustrated in the famous Salt March to Dandi - was suspended....

Judith M. Brown, one of the leading historians of South Asia, provides an original and thought-provoking strategy for conducting and presenting historical research in her latest book, "Windows into the Past". Brown looks at how varieties of 'life history' that focus on the lives of institutions and families, as well as individuals, offer a broad and rich means of studying history. Her distinctively creative approach differs from traditional historical biography in that it explores a variety of 'life histories' and shows us how they become invaluable windows into the past. Following her introduction, "The Practice of History", Brown opens windows on the history of South Asia. She begins with the life history of an educational institution, Balliol College, Oxford, and tracks the interrelationship between Britain and India through the lives of the British and Indian men who were educated there. She then demonstrates the significance of family life history, showing that by observing patterns of family life over several generations, it is possible to gain insight into the experiences of groups of people who rarely left historical documents about themselves, particularly South Asian women. Finally, Brown uses the life history of two prominent individuals, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, to examine questions about the nature of Indian nationalism and the emergent Indian state....