Scan barcode
Reviews
An Autobiography or the Story of My Experiments with Truth: A Critical Edition by M. K. Gandhi
uditnair24's review against another edition
4.0
First of all the name of the book is the Gandhi stories or Gandhi Katha. The book basically complies the little anecdotes about the habits and attitude of mahatma in everyday life. One thing which comes out beautifully through these stories is that the greatness of a person is the result of the smaller habits and way life. I
clarks_dad's review against another edition
2.0
Things I've learned reading The Story of My Experiments with Truth:
- Being vegan is hard. Like really, really, really hard.
- Earth treatments and hydropathy apparently cure everything.
- Ignorant and dirty people ruin third class passage, but we should all ride there anyway...so we can, you know, help them "change their ways."
- Gandhi would laugh at our current usage of the word "austerity."
- If you drink a lot of milk, you're going to have a bad time.
To say that I was disappointed with this book is a bit of an understatement. What little I know of Gandhi stems from the excellent Oscar-winning performance of Ben Kingsley and the casual glance we get of him in readings on European imperialism and de-colonialism or the obligatory quotes we get on occasions of great solemnity or inspiration. Needless to say, I was really stoked to learn more about the philosophy and life of one of the world's most inspiring and humble leaders.
The work was narrated to an assistant who recorded Gandhi's words (supposedly verbatim) in weekly sessions from 1925 to 1929, appearing in installments in several journals Gandhi worked with. The narrative recounts his earliest recollections through 1921, but many of the stories are repetitive in theme and purpose and if you think you're going to get 500 pages of inspired religious rhetoric about compassion and the use of non-violent resistance in campaigns, you'll be disappointed until you hit the last tenth of the book or so, where he delves into satyagraha in Indian protests of the Rowlatt Acts. In many instances, it's difficult to be certain what the campaigns are in response to and the precise position of the narrative in the course of events, but then again, Gandhi didn't keep a diary and was narrating off the cuff.
What you do end up geting in this volume is about 200 pages of amateur dietician proclaiming the health and spiritual benefits of a vegan diet. So much does diet dominate the narrative that they should seriously think about reclassifying this book and moving it to the "Health" section of the library and call it The Story of My Experiments with Food. As the narrative progresses, Gandhi becomes more and more austere with the vows and restrictions he imposes upon himself, sometimes for no other discernable reason than to see if he can. About 100 pages are devoted to pure medical quackery and the remainder a mix of recollections both mundane and insightful that keeps dragging you back for the brief glimpses at genius and compassion that we miss so much in the landscape of the 21st century. Are there enough of these moments to make it worth it? Not really. Stick to the quotes and watch the movie. Read a third-person biography from a historian with a little more narrative sense and you'll be more satisfied.
Obviously, the 2 star rating has nothing to do with Mr. Gandhi personally or his philosophy, both of which are fascinating...it's just that this narrative is so difficult to get through that I don't think I'd recommend it to anyone.
- Being vegan is hard. Like really, really, really hard.
- Earth treatments and hydropathy apparently cure everything.
- Ignorant and dirty people ruin third class passage, but we should all ride there anyway...so we can, you know, help them "change their ways."
- Gandhi would laugh at our current usage of the word "austerity."
- If you drink a lot of milk, you're going to have a bad time.
To say that I was disappointed with this book is a bit of an understatement. What little I know of Gandhi stems from the excellent Oscar-winning performance of Ben Kingsley and the casual glance we get of him in readings on European imperialism and de-colonialism or the obligatory quotes we get on occasions of great solemnity or inspiration. Needless to say, I was really stoked to learn more about the philosophy and life of one of the world's most inspiring and humble leaders.
The work was narrated to an assistant who recorded Gandhi's words (supposedly verbatim) in weekly sessions from 1925 to 1929, appearing in installments in several journals Gandhi worked with. The narrative recounts his earliest recollections through 1921, but many of the stories are repetitive in theme and purpose and if you think you're going to get 500 pages of inspired religious rhetoric about compassion and the use of non-violent resistance in campaigns, you'll be disappointed until you hit the last tenth of the book or so, where he delves into satyagraha in Indian protests of the Rowlatt Acts. In many instances, it's difficult to be certain what the campaigns are in response to and the precise position of the narrative in the course of events, but then again, Gandhi didn't keep a diary and was narrating off the cuff.
What you do end up geting in this volume is about 200 pages of amateur dietician proclaiming the health and spiritual benefits of a vegan diet. So much does diet dominate the narrative that they should seriously think about reclassifying this book and moving it to the "Health" section of the library and call it The Story of My Experiments with Food. As the narrative progresses, Gandhi becomes more and more austere with the vows and restrictions he imposes upon himself, sometimes for no other discernable reason than to see if he can. About 100 pages are devoted to pure medical quackery and the remainder a mix of recollections both mundane and insightful that keeps dragging you back for the brief glimpses at genius and compassion that we miss so much in the landscape of the 21st century. Are there enough of these moments to make it worth it? Not really. Stick to the quotes and watch the movie. Read a third-person biography from a historian with a little more narrative sense and you'll be more satisfied.
Obviously, the 2 star rating has nothing to do with Mr. Gandhi personally or his philosophy, both of which are fascinating...it's just that this narrative is so difficult to get through that I don't think I'd recommend it to anyone.
scheu's review against another edition
4.0
I chose to read Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography (written decades before his death) because I've always greatly admired the man and his work. The book has much to offer any reader as it covers Gandhi's personal struggles, his spiritual progress, his health and his recollections of the many people (great and small) he knew in India, South Africa and England. I enjoyed the spiritual portions of the book the most.
dmtague's review against another edition
2.0
This book took me quite some time to read. Definitely not an easy read, but worth reading if you have the time.
acrigger's review against another edition
5.0
I picked up a few books on Gandhi and this was by far my favorite. Lots of pages, but good read.
vigneswara_prabhu's review against another edition
5.0
An Autobiography: The Story of my Experiments with truth, as penned by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, is something that everyone, Indians in particular, and people in general should read, in order to gain an insight into the life, thoughts and convictions of the one of the most influential and relevant personalities of the 20th Century, perhaps of modern history.
In a time of wars, conflict, and colonial oppressions taking place on a global scale, Gandhi was one of few who appealed to the better qualities of humanity and advocated a form of resistance which bore neither violence, hatred nor bloodshed.
Gandhi told an entire nation the meaning of nonviolence and peace, but by no means did this make him a pacifist, ergo in the sense of someone who washed their hands of any affairs of the world. Gandhi was an active force for good, and chose to upload his ideals even when faced with imprisonment and death. Indeed, he made his life & death his teachings, bearing no hatred for his murderer in his final moments, choosing to end it with the Lord’s name in his lips.
So what caused a man born in a middle class orthodox family in Gujarat, to become the champion of nonviolence, universal camaraderie and brotherhood; to inspire a nation to demand for independence and to led them every step of the way, all the while, never hating or inflicting violence upon their oppressors?
His autobiography, written over four years on a weekly basis, for the magazine Navajivan, gives us a glimpse. Of the man from the time of his birth, childhood, all too early marriage, overseas education, South African legal practice, and how he came into the social service and independence stage over these years.
First of all, you can surmise, as someone who upholds truth and righteousness as the central tenets of their existence, Gandhi has a penchant for laying bare his life to the world. No aspect is too private, too embarrassing, or conscientious. He speaks freely of his marriage at a young age, as well as his relations with his wife, when desires clouded over him and caused him unspoken grief.
As far as his childhood days, Gandhi was an individual who was bound by rules, customs and promises, and would never betray his covenant, with others as well as himself. A characteristic which would define his interactions till death. Gandhi never shies away from the parts of his life, where he had committed, as per his own rigid moral standard, unforgivable offenses, and seeks penance to them, through his life.
One trait which is clear from his youth, was his himalayan will, which while was instrumental in him directing several nationwide campaigns of civil disobedience, made him quite obstinate when it comes to his own family and health. Gandhi was set in his ways of refusing to consume any food which were not fruits, nuts or vegetables, rejecting even milk as something which was derived from the suffering of lactating animals. Even when his health failed, and he was close to death’s door, he refused to consider the word of his doctors, and was pig-headed in following his self imposed regimen.
Which ties into his over enthusiastic indulgence in Dietetics. His experiments with food went as early as his education in London, where he had to cope with an overwhelming meat based cuisine, as well as his later employment in South Africa. Gandhi is quite spirited when sharing what he believes to be the novel insights he came across in his readings and research, regarding diet, as well as traditional lifestyle and medical practices.
One would imagine that someone who, at this point, was a practicing lawyer and hardworking social worker would find it hard pressed to find time for personal projects and pursuits. Not Gandhi. Alongside his public activities, he was also involved in several pursuits such as Dietetics, Hydropathy, Earth treatment, building a self sufficient ascetic community, as well as promoting the Swadeshi movement with Khadi & spinning charkas taking forefront.
Another aspect which shines in his writings is how much of a personable man Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was. He was able to establish close relationships across the length and breadth of India, so far North as Kashmir, as South as Madras, beyond the seas in London and S. Africa. And not just passing acquaintances, but dedicated well wishers, who were ready to assist Gandhi in many of his endeavors. The list contained fellow lawyers, merchants, military & law enforcement officers, heads of state, and a couple of viceroys to boot. Not mentioning the support he had in congress as well as the independent movement. Gandhi made sure that his actions, even those opposing the government, would not be viewed with enmity, so much so that even his opponents would know of his character, long before they met him.
Other than being a successful lawyer and shrewd leader of men, Gandhi liked to consider himself as a man of the people. Who took great efforts to meet and understand those from every walks of life, understand their lives, their struggles and what he can do to alleviate them. Be it the migrant Indian populace of S. Africa, or the oppressed farmers of Champaran, or the peasants in Kheda, he was amongst them, for them.
Gandhi believed that the social worker should be a civil servant in all intentions of the word. His obstinacy shined here in organizing nationwide movements with mass cooperation of the masses, while ensuring that not one anna of the funds collected for this purpose was wasted or misused. He wanted to not just teach people to resist their oppressors, but also to be self-sufficient in their own rights, and to embrace the same principles of simple lifestyle and universal brotherhood which he had learned over his life.
To this effect he established communes such as the Sabarmati Ashram, to teach his followers the values which he embodied and to train a future generation which can make the nation prosper. In many aspects, with his penchant for public service, and his spiritual teachings, Gandhi would fit right in amongst the ancient Stoics, amongst Marcus Aurelius and other Philosophical Kings.
The Saga ends abruptly up until his activities during 1921, which might as well be. Covering the further three decades or so of his life, up to his death, would cover entire volumes, tomes, which would take a much longer indulgence.
Despite his shortcomings, we should all be lucky to have the opportunity to have known the man who has taught so many the value of peace and non-violence, and one who yearned for a better world, appealing to the angels in us all.
In a time of wars, conflict, and colonial oppressions taking place on a global scale, Gandhi was one of few who appealed to the better qualities of humanity and advocated a form of resistance which bore neither violence, hatred nor bloodshed.
Gandhi told an entire nation the meaning of nonviolence and peace, but by no means did this make him a pacifist, ergo in the sense of someone who washed their hands of any affairs of the world. Gandhi was an active force for good, and chose to upload his ideals even when faced with imprisonment and death. Indeed, he made his life & death his teachings, bearing no hatred for his murderer in his final moments, choosing to end it with the Lord’s name in his lips.
So what caused a man born in a middle class orthodox family in Gujarat, to become the champion of nonviolence, universal camaraderie and brotherhood; to inspire a nation to demand for independence and to led them every step of the way, all the while, never hating or inflicting violence upon their oppressors?
His autobiography, written over four years on a weekly basis, for the magazine Navajivan, gives us a glimpse. Of the man from the time of his birth, childhood, all too early marriage, overseas education, South African legal practice, and how he came into the social service and independence stage over these years.
First of all, you can surmise, as someone who upholds truth and righteousness as the central tenets of their existence, Gandhi has a penchant for laying bare his life to the world. No aspect is too private, too embarrassing, or conscientious. He speaks freely of his marriage at a young age, as well as his relations with his wife, when desires clouded over him and caused him unspoken grief.
As far as his childhood days, Gandhi was an individual who was bound by rules, customs and promises, and would never betray his covenant, with others as well as himself. A characteristic which would define his interactions till death. Gandhi never shies away from the parts of his life, where he had committed, as per his own rigid moral standard, unforgivable offenses, and seeks penance to them, through his life.
One trait which is clear from his youth, was his himalayan will, which while was instrumental in him directing several nationwide campaigns of civil disobedience, made him quite obstinate when it comes to his own family and health. Gandhi was set in his ways of refusing to consume any food which were not fruits, nuts or vegetables, rejecting even milk as something which was derived from the suffering of lactating animals. Even when his health failed, and he was close to death’s door, he refused to consider the word of his doctors, and was pig-headed in following his self imposed regimen.
Which ties into his over enthusiastic indulgence in Dietetics. His experiments with food went as early as his education in London, where he had to cope with an overwhelming meat based cuisine, as well as his later employment in South Africa. Gandhi is quite spirited when sharing what he believes to be the novel insights he came across in his readings and research, regarding diet, as well as traditional lifestyle and medical practices.
One would imagine that someone who, at this point, was a practicing lawyer and hardworking social worker would find it hard pressed to find time for personal projects and pursuits. Not Gandhi. Alongside his public activities, he was also involved in several pursuits such as Dietetics, Hydropathy, Earth treatment, building a self sufficient ascetic community, as well as promoting the Swadeshi movement with Khadi & spinning charkas taking forefront.
Another aspect which shines in his writings is how much of a personable man Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was. He was able to establish close relationships across the length and breadth of India, so far North as Kashmir, as South as Madras, beyond the seas in London and S. Africa. And not just passing acquaintances, but dedicated well wishers, who were ready to assist Gandhi in many of his endeavors. The list contained fellow lawyers, merchants, military & law enforcement officers, heads of state, and a couple of viceroys to boot. Not mentioning the support he had in congress as well as the independent movement. Gandhi made sure that his actions, even those opposing the government, would not be viewed with enmity, so much so that even his opponents would know of his character, long before they met him.
Other than being a successful lawyer and shrewd leader of men, Gandhi liked to consider himself as a man of the people. Who took great efforts to meet and understand those from every walks of life, understand their lives, their struggles and what he can do to alleviate them. Be it the migrant Indian populace of S. Africa, or the oppressed farmers of Champaran, or the peasants in Kheda, he was amongst them, for them.
Gandhi believed that the social worker should be a civil servant in all intentions of the word. His obstinacy shined here in organizing nationwide movements with mass cooperation of the masses, while ensuring that not one anna of the funds collected for this purpose was wasted or misused. He wanted to not just teach people to resist their oppressors, but also to be self-sufficient in their own rights, and to embrace the same principles of simple lifestyle and universal brotherhood which he had learned over his life.
To this effect he established communes such as the Sabarmati Ashram, to teach his followers the values which he embodied and to train a future generation which can make the nation prosper. In many aspects, with his penchant for public service, and his spiritual teachings, Gandhi would fit right in amongst the ancient Stoics, amongst Marcus Aurelius and other Philosophical Kings.
The Saga ends abruptly up until his activities during 1921, which might as well be. Covering the further three decades or so of his life, up to his death, would cover entire volumes, tomes, which would take a much longer indulgence.
Despite his shortcomings, we should all be lucky to have the opportunity to have known the man who has taught so many the value of peace and non-violence, and one who yearned for a better world, appealing to the angels in us all.
mixedblessings89's review against another edition
1.0
I'm rating this book purely on how tough I found it to read- not challenging and therefore fun, but a dry chore. That said, I do understand why people rate this book so highly. This man changed the course of human history, and certainly for my country, had and continues to have a very profound impact on people's lives.
Given that I am Indian, there is nothing in this book that I hadn't already read and studied in my history papers, and I found those much more engaging in that while they stated fact, and even excerpts from this book, they did not- dare I say it, have a preaching quality to them.
This review will not be popular, but it is exactly what I thought- I should have stuck to my history books.
Given that I am Indian, there is nothing in this book that I hadn't already read and studied in my history papers, and I found those much more engaging in that while they stated fact, and even excerpts from this book, they did not- dare I say it, have a preaching quality to them.
This review will not be popular, but it is exactly what I thought- I should have stuck to my history books.
portlandcat's review against another edition
2.0
This is an extremely tedious book about an incredible man. It’s almost as if Gandhi is so intent on escaping the human condition, that he’s totally incapable of relating to the reader on the sensual or emotional level.
striver's review against another edition
4.0
a mostly honest writing. enjoyable. I did take my time reading it (14 months)