Review: An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India

An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India by Shashi Tharoor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Shashi Tharoor manages the impossible seeming task of writing something that is coherent, chock full of information and enjoyably eloquent. The way he writes makes Era of Darkness a clear read, something you can sit down with in any state of mind. However, there is a lack of ease despite the coherence, and I found it impossible to read the book for long periods of time at a stretch.

The content is well-researched, supported and presents a compelling argument. There were parts that appalled me, parts that surprised me, nuanced areas that made me think and even sections I disagreed with. Yet, within all of this, Tharoor is consistently logical and factual. There are minor sections of speculation, however they are supported by examples that are understandable.

It is also important content. British Imperialism may be a century past, almost, but there are lessons there. We ignore them at our own peril.

What the book lacked was strong organisation. The arguments felt a bit repetitive without a solid flow. It needed a more coherent structure to better drive the point. That would have really helped make it a more urgent piece of prose. As is, it feels like it’s meandering at points, not a good feeling for the topic or the style.

Good book.

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