The Empire Writes Back

A much-needed and well-researched deep dive into the British Raj's collapse, five partitions and the making of modern Asia

- IRAM ARA IBRAHIM

The range of Sam Dalrymple's book Shattered Lands is expansive. An ambitious debut, it talks about the five partitions of the lands that comprise modern India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar as well as parts of the Gulf. The opening line of the book gives you the idea of what you're diving into. Sam writes, "You can't see the Great Wall of China from space. It's a myth.

Even if you were to squint your eyes while peering down at Earth from the International Space Station, you would not be able to see it. But the border wall dividing India and Pakistan is unmistakable." The book frames modern Asia's history in a way that keeps the reader hooked through 536 pages. From archival research to anecdotes, Sam's storytelling will make South Asians look at their own land with wide-eyed wonder.

The amount of information to process might feel a little overwhelming at times. But a subject so vast which includes five partitions tearing apart the Indian Empire in a span of just 50 years cannot be easy. From carving out new nations, redrawing maps and leaving behind a legacy of war, exile and division, the book takes you through it all.