After the Raj: The Last Stayers-On And The Legacy Of British India

One of the best books about the impact of the Raj and the people involved in the last days and beyond. Well written and thoughtful. This book was outstanding showing how India started by distrusting the stayers on and treating them bad and then over the years began to look upon them as a type of heritage. Very well done.

I was a bit dissapointed about the contents of this book, but I realise it is now more than 70 years since India got independence, and when the book was written there were quite few left from when the British were there. The book gives, however, quite a good description af those people.

Really gives an insight into the lives of those who stayed on in India after the Raj was dismantled. In this book, Purcell takes a close look at several life histories and weaves into them the time and place, which give such a great context to the individuals he writes about. In many respects a scholarly work, but not dry and inaccessible to the general reader.

A PRESENTAION OF STORIES ABOUT PAAST GENERATIONS AND FAMILIES WHO LOVED AND WERE DEDICATED TO INDIA.-PRESENTED IN CLEAR ACCOUNTS -HERETO UNPUBLISHED ACCOUNT ABOUT THE LIVES OF GENERATIONS WHO CHOSE TO LIVE OUT THEIR LIVES IN A COUNTRY THEY LOVED.VERY WORTH READING-ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO HAD RELATIVES THE PAST INDUIA YEARS.

10% more on the 'stayers on' and 10% less on the author would have given him an extra star.The 4th star is for the hunter and the tea planter plus the Royal Bombay Yacht Club.

In the preface the author admits that he was reluctant to write another book on the raj as so much had already been written - and unfortunately this comes over in the book. There are constant references to previous publications and the only really fresh material is updates on people who have been interviewed before and are still alive - and some of them were reluctant to talk about the past or indeed give a proper interview. The author cleverly adjusts for this paucity of new material through the sub title " the last stayers on and the legacy of British India" which allows him to throw in a detailed history of british cemetaries in India and other miscellaneous information. However, you cannot escape the feeling that this is a "padded" book with the really interesting part - the updates on the surviving stayers on - more appropriate to a Sunday magazine article.

A great insight into the lives of those who stayed on after the Raj and an explanation of why we British call it the Raj!Lots of real-life tales giving a better picture of Indian life for the stayers-on

I found the book fascinating - a part of history too easily ignored. The stories of those who stayed on after 1947 vary enormously, each one interesting, and the changes in life in India over the last 60 years is well brought out. Recommended.

I didn't finish the book. It's a lament for the good old days of white supremacy in India by a group of entitled Britons who stayed on in India after 1947 and bewailed their lack of privilege. No thanks.

The font is tiny, so tiny it spoiled the experience of reading the book. Publishers should know that people over 35 read books. Other than a headache after 15 minutes of reading, I enjoyed it. A good companion to 'The Fishing Fleet' by Anne de Courcey.