No Full Stops in India

by Mark Tully

Book Overview

India's Westernized elite, cut off from local traditions, 'want to write a full stop in a land where there are no full stops'. From that striking insight Mark Tully has woven a superb series of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140104801
• Release Date: January 1991
• Publisher: Penguin USA
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.1" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

Only occasional Commas, Never a Full Stop in India

Mark Tully has been a house hold name in most of India for his quality commentaries about happenings in India for many years. Way back in 1975 and thereafter, he was a known name and voice over BBC world service to me as a child of 14 and a collage student later. His deep love for India and things Indian is well known. He has been awarded `Padma Shree' one of the famous state award by Indian Government for his genuine affection to India and services rendered by him to India apart from OBE that he received from UK. Reading the book called `No Full Stops in India' I could not but admire him for his deep understanding of Indian Affairs. He is right. India is such a long winding and unending story by itself that there can not be a full stop to it. A full stop in itself signifies end of a line or a paragraph or a story. A country like India can never have a full stop, it can at the best have some commas coming and going in its saga of deep rooted values. It is here in India that modernity coexists with ancient values of humanity and sacrifice. Each of his story, may it be about Sati (the whole world wants to hear only dramatized versions of few negativities that occur very rarely to sustain the image that they perceive about India) at Deorala, highly deplorable act even by local standards, which he has put in the correct perspective or the description of Kumbha Mela, the greatest confluence of Indian culture and religious values, in a very objective and unbiased manner, are master pieces. The way he brings out Indianness, the simplicity of its people, the peace and tranquillity of common men and women of this country in the midst of stark materialism in the immediate neighbourhood is admirable. Mark Tully is very observant but unlike many others who are judgemental with out in depth analysis or knowledge about India and its people, his deep understanding has made him admire it better and it shows. The other topic covered (Ramayana, the traffic / work stopper show on Door Darshan (Indian Television)), or story of his visit to a Gond aboriginal village near Jabalpur, riots between Hindus and Muslims at Ahmadabad in Gujrat and all other stories are also well covered and have detailed accounts of every thing he observes but in a very understanding manner. It is very simple to condemn anybody and any thing by looking at it through `coloured glasses' of individual perspective, prejudices and value system. It takes a Mark Tully with his deep love and understanding of India to bring out finer aspects of India even in the depth of tragedy apart from its good times when any one can praise India. A well respected man in India that he is, my respect for him has increased manifold after I read through this book. Being Indian, I know, in spite of modernity and onslaught of external culture, eventually, every Indian reverts to his culture and values, may be at 20 years of age (generally unlikely), may be at 30 years (more likely) or at 45 years of age (d

Very good book - a great panoramic view of the Indian collag

Mark Tully blends his reporting objectivity and opinions in the essays he has written about different places and events that I could relate to in my time in India. Provides a very refreshing commentary on the different perspectives and at the same time finding enough room to provide his judgements.The accounts of the Roop Kanwar episode and Operation Black Thunder have a historian's touch to them. DEfinitely a must read.

Tully describes India

This book gives a far more in depth picture of India than one is able to get by traveling around the country as a Westerner not familiar with the many languages of India. Tully has a great love for the country, but bares the many contradictions and conflicts that exist in the vast Indian society beyond the small English speaking elite.

Rewarding book!

Mark Tully writes with great sympathy for India and this book of impressions is full of surprising insights. I recommend it strongly!