The Wonder That Was India Paperback – July 8, 2014

This is, without reservation, the greatest, most impartial, scholarly, informative and readable account of ancient and classical India that I have ever had the extreme good fortune of reading. Dr. Basham's scholarship will put a very great majority of people born in India to shame. But more than that, the love, affection, respect and genuine caring he feels for his subject brings tears to one's eyes. This is not a halcyonic, idyllic account; but even the flaws of the culture he writes about are discussed imaprtially, they do not constitute the fulcrum about which his impressions of India rotate. This is a far better work on Indian history than say Ms. Romila Thapar's work on the history of the Subcontinent until the 12th centure (about which I have written seperately, Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300). As far as being a "simple mlechha" is concerned, Dr. Basham is among the greatest Indians I will ever have the good fortune of encountering, if not in person than atleast in thought. Recommended without any, any reservations.

This book is a tome. That said, it's organized by discipline (history, religion, art, etc.) then chronology, so one can open to any page and begin reading. My Sanskrit book recommended this one as a first read about India, and I don't regret it. One unexpected delight is that Sanskrit words are marked with diacriticals which are defined in the Introduction. Those persons wishing to know about retroflexes, nasals and aspirations might well pick up a lot of vocabulary. Meanwhile, the depth and breadth of information make obvious that the author has dedicated a lifetime to every aspect of the culture. I'd buy it again.

If your idea of a good time is reading over 500 pages of Wikipedia articles in 10 and 11 point font, then this is the book for you! It is a monumental feat of scholarship and produced at a time when knowledge was much more difficult to obtain and hence properly valued. Basham is clearly unparalleled in his knowledge of India and he does an admirable job of organizing this impressive tome and demonstrating his scholarly and literary prowess. That said, reading it cover to cover is a slog and I think that it is best used as a reference book to consult on specific subjects.As I was stubbornly reading this tome, I couldn't help but remember the old chestnut about the dictionary - it has a lot of characters but not much of a plot. The depth and breadth of this work cannot but impress, but it lacks an overarching story that is only very occasionally saved from pedantry by Basham's witty and snobbish interjections. Notwithstanding the aforementioned, the book holds up remarkably well for a work that was written some 70 years ago.

I read this book for the first time 40+ years ago and I have a worn copy of the first edition which belonged to my father.Despite the topic being serious, it is one of the most readable books on the subject.I have recommended it to many, over the yearsTapan Bhattacharya

A. L. Basham's, The Wonder that was India, is a classic in the field of Indology. Despite its age it is still relevant and rarely "wrong" - even with all the advances made since its publication. It covers a massive amount of information and is really a wonderful resource for those interested in Indic history, society and religion - especially if one is just beginning their studies. The writing is always clear and insightful. Highly recommended!

Basham presents a clear and comprehensive history of India harking back to 5000 BC. In order to comprehend the complexity of Indian culture and religions, one needs to understand the roots and development of this magnificent civilization. Basham provides this perspective.

One of the best books on the early history of India. It is well-documented and is a trove of detailed information on every aspect of early India's Politics, Society, Everyday Life, Religion,The Arts and the Languages.

A profound and complete book on ancient India. Author makes an honest and balanced attempt and it should be thoroughly celebrated.

It is very detailed account of Indian history. It is worth a read.

It is undoubtedly the BEST source material about ancient India. When it comes to ancient India historians--both Nationalists and Marxists--tend to exaggerate and modify facts to suit their ideology and narrative. This book is one of those rare unbiased books that puts forth just facts and doesn’t subtly twist the facts to fit a certain kind of narrative. The writing is simple and engrossing, the kind that makes even non-history students interested in the subject. As a history student who opted for Ancient Indian Culture in college, this book helped me so much with my studies. It is highly recommended for students preparing for competitive exams.

I read this book years ago and loved it. I remember meeting Prof. Basham in his last year of llife: what a wonderful humble man. One particularly nice surprise was that not only did this book arrive very quickly but it came from New Delhi, was wrapped in brown paper tied up with string! Wow...one of my Favourite Things. Thank you.

First of all I would like to thank Amazon for providing this book at very cheap rate ₹353/- as against the MRP ₹599/.This is best among all of the Art/Culture books related the pre-medieval period(the period of coming before Muslims).This is a great reference book along with Upinder Singh's one for the Ancient Part of our Indian History. However the order of Chapters in this book is not in a chronological order but one need be worried on what to read from this book because each and everything in this book is there in the syllabus of history optional. Just go through this for the art/culture part along with Upinder Singh

First of, it is one of the most unbiased, non-political work on the subject that I have came across. The research gone into this book is clearly evident and it seems to be a Herculean task at that. The book in under 600 pages covers a myriad topics that the India of that period was going through.The book is refreshingly not pedantic and provides a lucid detail of the life and times of the people, philosophy, religion and metaphysics of the time. Recommended to anyone interested in the indigenous culture of India, before the several alien invasions.