Romila Thapar is infamous for her ideological view of Indian History. This book is an interesting study of that ideology and how it affects the reading (and writing) of history, more than an account of history itself.

This book is based on assumptions that are simply not true. It sees Indian history in terms of caste conflict which is a gross over-simplification. The presentation may be in agreement with the Marxist dogma, but that does not make it right.

Romila Thapar is one of the leading Indian historians. Her earliest book, which was very well received academically, was on the emperor Asoka. Her subsequent writings have elaborated the effects of economics on Indian history more than other historians have done, but while she may draw on Marx for some insights, she cannot be written off as a "Marxist." Paul Samuelson, Robert Solow, and Amartya Sen, all Nobel prize-winning economists, also use Marx to aid their interpretations of society when he makes sense.

Ms Thapar also writes cogently about that a topic that is very sensitive for Indians, namely, caste, and the effects of that system on Indian society through the ages. Some of her comments or interpretations on this subject may not please everyone, but the effect of this system in keeping down, frequently in a brutal manner, persons considered to be of lower caste, has been quite pernicious in Indian history. It is no good taking an ostrich-like attitude towards this topic, or going into denial, which some of my fellow Indians are prone to do.

This book could certainly be updated, but even as it stands it is a good introduction to Indian history.