Begums, Thugs, and White Mughals: The Journals of Fanny Parkes
G**E
A delightful insight into British India during the early to mid 1800's
This edited version of Fanny Parkes Journal of her time in India of the Raj during the 1820's & 30' is a delight to read. Unlike many of the Brits in India, later in the 1800's, Fanny writes with empathy and affection for what she experiences and sees in this amazing sub continent.She obviously threw herself into her life there with gusto, and an insatiable curiosity to see and learn more. As an Indophile, I relished reading Fanny's journal as it gave me a vicarious experience of being there during that time. I was struck by what has changed in Modern India and by what has not.Unwittingly Fanny was a forerunner of some of today's excellent travel writers.
J**Y
Interesting read
Very well documented free spirit of a woman of the ages. Good balanced view of what Fanny experienced in India. A true convert to India and for what it stood.
C**A
What a Woman!
I can understand why Fanny Parkes was not well liked among the other "Women of the Raj" as she did not conform to their code of behaviour. She was a true adventurer and took every opportunity to discover as much as possible about her new environment - the people as well as the land. Her descriptions of her journeys and the people she meets are very good. My only disappointment was that her story ended on return to England. I would have liked her to continue, giving us her reaction to the changes she found in England on her return.
T**E
Begums, Thugs and White Mughals
A very good picture of The Raj in India. Historically interesting rather than gripping, sincerely recounted and written with plenty of atmosphere by one of the classic Memsahibs - without whom, it has been said, the empire would not have been as it was.
D**N
A more or less unbiased observation of life in nineteenth century India.
The book is a chronicle of an English woman's life in India during early days of colonialism. It"s written in an easy conversational style that sounds surprisingly contemporary. The author appears to be unbiased while documenting aspects of what must have been to her an exotic and alien culture.Some of the cultural and social observations made by Fanny Parks are of relevance even today. It's probably of as much interest to a historian or research scholar of Indian cultural history as much as a casual reader.
V**I
A very interesting journal from India's past.
written by an English lady just before the advent of the railways when Indian society was still in the Middle Ages. This is a wonderful description of The Bengal presidency and awadh state in the early nineteenth century in the eyes of a European lady when India was a very colourful, fascinating and cruel land. This book is right up there with the journals of ibn bhatuta and Marco Polo.
B**N
Four Stars
One can imagine being there then.
K**N
Great deal!
Received quickly, exactly as promised, great price. Terrific seller to deal with!
W**L
An English lady provides the arcane details of 19th century life in India
The book is a bit of a slow read, but I am enjoying it since I am a fan of William Dalrymple (editor). Anyone familiar with Dalrymple's work will know that he uses some material from Fanny Parkes. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is that I am pretty certain many people, particularly those without much knowledge of colonial India, might find the diaries a bit boring. For people willing to put in the effort, the book is a great read, particularly if time is taken to 'visualize' Fanny's experiences on Google. For instance, Fanny sailed from England to India on the Marchioness of Ely in1822. A contemporary painting of the ship, depicting that same event, can readily be found on the internet.
J**R
Begums, Thugs, and White Mughals
livre en etat plutot moyen ,vieux livre qui sent le renferme
P**S
It's not worth worrying about!
Way too long, boring, boring, boring and superfluous. Redundant descriptions of noble Muslim families, their weddings and customs. Descriptions of long journies - again and again always the same without caring for the really interesting rest of the Indian population of the time. Stories of a rich and spoiled English lady from the first halfth of the 19th century.Don't buy it, a waste of money!
R**A
It would be great if the sketches the author speaks of
An excellently written book with vivid explanations. It would be great if the sketches the author speaks of, can be show cased in the book too. It's amazing to connect the past of 200 yrs ago with current 2018. It's wonderful to compare lives & life styles, cultures, similarities & dissimilarities, etc. A "must read" for anyone who loves delving in the past. Regards
T**N
A great 19th century memoir
Written in the early 1830s, Fanny Parkes memories of her life in India as the wife of a Civil Servant working for the native Indian government during the decade of the 1830s.Fanny recounts fascinating episodes in her life involving the extraordinary experiences that we as Westerners find almost beyond belief. However, the Indian people seem quite bemused, according to Fanny, by her reactions to certain of these practices that to them is everyday life. Read her section on Sati and the chapter regarding the Thugs and the chapter about a lavish Indian wedding with the slave girls.In other chapters, Fanny mentions her encounters with Indian wildlife; I was particularly interested in her memory of well-off Whites using wild cats as trained hunters: not trained hawks but captured and trained hunters doing the same thing.I was also fascinated by reading her accounts of her beautiful wooden boat sailing up and down the Ganges River at various times to meet her husband.Dear potential readers, you probably can tell I loved this book for many reasons; these are only a small few of her insights into her magical life in India. I was afraid to read too quickly because I would miss some of her thoughts about her life in India. It is a fabulous read on Kindle, and I highly recommend it.
