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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
The Other Side of Silence is almost the negative of a history textbook on the Partition. Through (almost) unedited interviews of people who lived through the Partition, Urvashi Butalia manages to document the inexplicable chaos of the time. She examines the events through the experiences of those who rarely have a voice - women, children and Dalits. There is little mention of Nehru or Jinnah, little rationalising, but delves into emotions, decisions and their lasting impacts.
Important and moving, particularly her work in excavating the stories of women, and in allowing those stories to remain complex - it doesn't succumb to a Western point of view. Suffers some from poor structure and some odd choices on the author's part.
4.5 Stars
This is probably one of the best books I've ever been assigned for class. Urvashi Butalia conducted interviews with people affected by the 1947 Partition of India, including a family connection that ended up being the most fascinating story in the collection, in my opinion. I appreciated how Butalia interwove the interviews with her analysis. Having the context and significance of the interview immediately at hand added to the experience and made the whole book flow better. By focusing on the communities whose voices were often not heard (women, children, and untouchables), Butalia challenges the traditional narratives of who was affected by Partition, showing the deep differences and subgroups of those categorized as "Hindu," "Muslim," and "Sikh." This is a must read.
This is probably one of the best books I've ever been assigned for class. Urvashi Butalia conducted interviews with people affected by the 1947 Partition of India, including a family connection that ended up being the most fascinating story in the collection, in my opinion. I appreciated how Butalia interwove the interviews with her analysis. Having the context and significance of the interview immediately at hand added to the experience and made the whole book flow better. By focusing on the communities whose voices were often not heard (women, children, and untouchables), Butalia challenges the traditional narratives of who was affected by Partition, showing the deep differences and subgroups of those categorized as "Hindu," "Muslim," and "Sikh." This is a must read.
Sometimes when you read too much fiction, you begin to question these made up stories. NO matter how realistic fiction is, you'll have to wonder at points - would this happen in a real life situation? The Other Side of Silence posed the opposite question to me - How is it that all of this really happened? And more importantly, how have we still managed to let the same social issues drive us even today?
One of my friends told me that once I start reading this book, it will be hard to put down. I didn't believe her, but it turned out that she was right. I do believe that Butalia's writing style is largely responsible for this. The writing is simple and smooth, and Butalia does not assume that the reader is an academic - she draws the connections very distinctly, and explains things in detail. It is probably for this reason that this book is valuable not only for academic purposes, but reaches out to a much larger audience. Anybody who would like to know more about the Partition should pick this book up.
One of my friends told me that once I start reading this book, it will be hard to put down. I didn't believe her, but it turned out that she was right. I do believe that Butalia's writing style is largely responsible for this. The writing is simple and smooth, and Butalia does not assume that the reader is an academic - she draws the connections very distinctly, and explains things in detail. It is probably for this reason that this book is valuable not only for academic purposes, but reaches out to a much larger audience. Anybody who would like to know more about the Partition should pick this book up.
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
Butalia brings a feminist voice to the history of India/Pakistan Partition. This is by no means an easy read. The historical events themselves are heart-wrenching enough, but Butalia couples it with interviews from those who lived through the Partition and the horrors they faced. This is a valuable work in the oral-history tradition, and brings a unique perspective to an historical account that is well-known, but has rarely been shared with this level of emotional, psychological depth.
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
This is an important read. A collection and discussion of oral histories from Partition, when the British gave up control of India and the countries of India and Pakistan were formed. This was a brutal time, with anywhere from 200,000 - 2 million estimated deaths, 12 million displaced people, along with rampant rape and abduction. This book tries to tell some of the stories of the women, children, and other classes left out of the typical historical narratives about this time period. I found this book of "lost voices" particularly compelling.
On the historiography side of things, the author points out the complexities and issues involved with attempting to collect these types of oral histories about events that many people want to forget or want to be remembered in different ways. If you are a fan of history, this discussion alone makes the book worthwhile.
It is a challenging read due to its content and a lot of knowledge about Partition and Indian culture is assumed. I found myself frequently using the handy glossary in the back of the book. However, even if you are unfamiliar with the history of Partition, this book is a worthwhile read. I'll be thinking about it for a long time.
On the historiography side of things, the author points out the complexities and issues involved with attempting to collect these types of oral histories about events that many people want to forget or want to be remembered in different ways. If you are a fan of history, this discussion alone makes the book worthwhile.
It is a challenging read due to its content and a lot of knowledge about Partition and Indian culture is assumed. I found myself frequently using the handy glossary in the back of the book. However, even if you are unfamiliar with the history of Partition, this book is a worthwhile read. I'll be thinking about it for a long time.