Review of "India Was One" by An Indian

A poem from the book –

India, an Enigma

She stands with arms open,

steadfast in times of turmoil,

donning the lovely tri-colors,

holy rivers making a beautiful smile.

She is the mother of pearls.

The land of festivals,

with a romantic history,

language and God of choice,

and culture has an identity.

Here music finds its voice.

Her magnetic architectures,

as old as her mysterious traditions,

hold beautiful treasures.

When people want to break her,

it so pains my heart,

the image of her future seems,

a mirror of the past.

And my dreams remain just memories.

But India has won,

you and I can live together

as one,

now and forever.

- Rahul

About the Author – 

The author of this book has chosen not to reveal his identity and has instead used the penname “An Indian.” The only information we have about him is that he was born and raised in Mumbai and moved to the US in 1989. He now lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.

What the book is about – 

As the name suggests, the book is about our wonderful country, India and the different people who inhabit it. The story revolves around Vijay (Jai) and Kahani (Kaahi), their college life, their friends, their families, their interests and their future. As the story unfolds we find the protagonists falling in love and moving to the US for work. Life goes on and they settle in, but soon there are other things in store for them. Will they separate? What will happen in the land of their birth? Will India remain one?

What I liked about the book – 

As mentioned earlier, I am very particular about the books I read and because of that I usually read books only by an author I like or one that a friend recommends. Well! This one was an exception and I am glad to have read it! The main thing that worked for me in this book are the sentiments attached. The love that the author has for the land of his birth is clearly evident from the way he describes the festivals, the food, the customs and the places. Any reader who has never been to India would actually have a very good idea about India because of this book. Of course, I would be wrong not to mention that he has written about other places in the world in with the same amount of detailing, providing readers a view of the world as seen through his eyes!

What did not work for me – 

One thing the writer could have done in order to keep the flow intact was write the explanations of the new words/words not known by people outside India, at the bottom of the page. That way the story would have flowed better. He could also have gone deeper into some of the topics instead of just touching upon them and leaving the reader wanting more!

All in all the book is a good read, especially if you want to see India through the eyes of someone who left long ago and yet feels so much love for his country.

Where can I buy the book? 

India Was One, is available, both, in paperback as well as in eBook (for all devices) format. It is available on popular sites, like: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple iBooks, Google Play etc., which can be accessed from anywhere in the world. For reader in India, in addition to it being available on online stores, such as: Flipkart, Infibeam, etc., it also is available in bookstores in Mumbai at Oxford Bookstore and Crossword bookstore. Very recently, it is also available in all the Sapna Book House stores in Bangalore and online with free shipping.

The book's website also has a lot of goodies, such as, artwork used in the book, poem used in the book, some reviews (including media reviews that was published in India, Canada and the US), interactive map of India, a few sample chapters, and much more.

Website: www.IndiaWasOne.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/IndiaWasOne (over 27,000 fans) Twitter: @IndiaWasOne 

Find out more about the book at www.IndiaWasOne.com/FindOut

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