Nagaland: A Journey to India's Forgotten Frontier
Jonathan Glancey
Nagaland: A Journey to India's Forgotten Frontier
Landlocked, almost inaccessible to foreigners, Nagaland has been fighting a secret, often brutal war for independence for more than half a century. Portrayed either as a land of ruthless guerrillas or exotic natives, Nagaland is in fact a complex and divided region, with an incredible history. The breathtaking Naga hills take us to the offices of Adolf Hitler and Emperor Hirohito, via well-meaning colonialists and anthropologists, and one of the most important battles of the Second World War. The third generation of his family to be seduced by Nagaland, Jonathan Glancey tries to reconcile his childhood idealism with the reality he finds there, and explores his family ties to the region. Through his ancestral history, extensive travels beyond the tourist zone, and through the voices of the Nagas he meets, he tells the true story of this forgotten land.
2.4 out of 5 based on 4 reviews
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Omniscore:
|
| Classification |
Non-fiction |
| Genre |
Travel |
| Format |
Hardback |
| Pages |
304 |
| RRP |
£17.99 |
| Date of Publication |
April 2011 |
| ISBN |
978-0571221486 |
| Publisher |
Faber & Faber |
| |
Landlocked, almost inaccessible to foreigners, Nagaland has been fighting a secret, often brutal war for independence for more than half a century. Portrayed either as a land of ruthless guerrillas or exotic natives, Nagaland is in fact a complex and divided region, with an incredible history. The breathtaking Naga hills take us to the offices of Adolf Hitler and Emperor Hirohito, via well-meaning colonialists and anthropologists, and one of the most important battles of the Second World War. The third generation of his family to be seduced by Nagaland, Jonathan Glancey tries to reconcile his childhood idealism with the reality he finds there, and explores his family ties to the region. Through his ancestral history, extensive travels beyond the tourist zone, and through the voices of the Nagas he meets, he tells the true story of this forgotten land.
"Finding Nagaland: India's final frontier" Jonathan Glancey | Guardian (11/12/10)
Reviews
The Daily Telegraph
Basharat Peer
"What actually sets Glancey out on his journey is the search for his own Shangri-La. The first part is a tiring justification of his search ... His account improves with his discussion of American missionaries ... It is the last third of this book, where Glancey writes about the Naga battles with independent India, that is quite rewarding."
09/05/2011
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The Guardian
Sanjay Subrahmanyam
"… despite the several visits Glancey has made to the region, what is curious about his book is its lack of focus on Nagaland. No sooner has he begun to write about some Naga subject than he is off on a tangent. These diversions accumulate to such an extent that it is difficult to follow the central thread of the narrative. For the patient reader, the book contains a wealth of scattered information, and points to a number of personalities and voices that one can investigate with profit."
08/07/2011
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The Literary Review
Jonathan Mirsky
"Though Glancey is at times eloquent, his language is incorrigibly chatty … [He] also makes some irritating digressions … Ultimately, this is not a book about Nagaland. It's about the author."
01/05/2011
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The Financial Times
Carl Wilkinson
"Glancey has researched his pet subject exhaustively … It’s clear that he’s in love with the region and its fascinating story … Yet, where Nagaland falls down is in its structure. Had it been framed around a journey — the politics and history falling in behind first-hand meetings with real people — it might have fared better. As it is, Nagaland — like its subject — proves rather impenetrable."
29/04/2011
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