Gandhi: A Memoir

As an Indian grown-up in post-independence India, I learnt about the great man and his formidable aides (Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, Sarojini Naidu et al.) only through history books, articles by other Indians of the post-independence India, through newspapers, talks - all forums where M. K. Gandhi is spoken of always as someone who along with other freedom fighters got it all correct, and sorted for India. Reading Shirer after such an experience makes for good reading of Gandhi. What o [...]

I became very interested in Gandhi during high school. Revolution was in the air, had been in the air throughout the post-war period, since before my birth, but it had come home by the time I entered secondary school. The enormity of the unnecessary suffering in the world was staggering and my country was responsible for much of it. While I gave an ear to all revolutionary movements and radicals promoting solutions, Gandhi was especially appealing in that he had actually participated in leading [...]

This book is an interesting introduction to Gandhi. It was written by the international news correspondent of the old school William Shirer who, apparently fairly open minded and liberal in nature, actually seemed to "get" Gandhi on a certain level and obviously admired and respected him greatly.Though Shirer's actual personal contact with Gandhi was limited to a brief period of time during 1930-32, he remained in persoanl correspondence with him throughout the rest of his life and, of course, h [...]

Can't remember any book that I've read in the recent years that has touched me so deeply. Absolutely beautiful.

Usually I like reading Shirer's work but this book about Gandhi's attempts to gain independence for India from Britain struck me as incredibly dry and unreadable. I've read better. A shame really.

Very readable. Complete but with personal touch.

Let me qualify the 3 stars. This subject of Gandhi's life is the most incredible cake served in the styrofoam cup of this book. The cake proved a bit difficult to eat. Why? Well, major lack of sentence fluency. AND major overabundance of words per sentence. (I give two sentences at the bottom of my review as examples.) I wonder if Shirer was a bit ADD. Or perhaps I don't understand his journalism style of writing. Either is possible. However, the content must have overcome the distracting writin [...]

High 3. This is an interesting eye-witness account from the author who was sent by the Chicago Tribune to cover Gandhi's Civil Disobedience Movement between 1930-32. Shirer provides an insightful memoir which displays the inspirational yet contradictory figure who so tormented the British Empire's hold on the 'jewel in the crown'. The author captures the amazing scenes of the vast crowds who surged dangerously to see theirsaviour and the endless energy and enthusiasm of this elderly iconic figur [...]

William Shirer covers the important time of Indian and Gandhi history. During the 1931-32, Gandhi had to deal with Irwin and Willington in India, plus the second round table conference where the British's politics and the several Indian self appointed groups pettiness sowed the seeds for the 1947 bloodshed. Shirer throws light on those events. He records the firsthand accounts without any prejudice or taking sides. He also records his criticisms about Gandhi's some of the disturbing experiments. [...]

I started reading this book because I have always been interested in Gandhi's civil-disobedience and nonviolence movements against the British. I never really knew much about his country's circumstances until having read this book. It was an interesting background of the lives of those in India throughout the early to mid 1900s. The book offered a great background and story of Gandhi, but it did get a little too graphic at the end when it discussed the Mahatama's sex lifeOtherwise, I really lear [...]

This book gave me a better grasp of Gandhi's life - and particularly his political contributions. It is written from an American's perspective. Shirer was a reporter from the Chicago Tribune assigned to travel with and cover's Gandhi's activities. It seems that Gandhi took a liking to Shirer thus he was given a unique window into Gandhi's daily life and thoughts. The author is effusive in his praise for Gandhi - though he is also honest about some of Gandhi's idiosyncracies and contradictions.

Ghandi is amazing because he peacefully overthrew the strongest imperialist force in the world and a large country to democracy. I wanted to know more about this feat, and this book described the relationship between this American news reporter and Ghandi. Ghandi accomplished his goals by working hard, knowing what was right, and being typically Indian. He set examples for many other civil rights leaders, who like he, suffered persecution and still won their ideals.

Provides a fairly even-handed story of an American journalist's friendship with Mahatma Gandhi, and examines the cultural, political and interpersonal environs in which he moved and lived. Useful as a primer in modern Indian history, since one rarely gets a perspective on Gandhi or the struggle for Indian independence (or the creation of Pakistan) from most casual awareness of history.

Perfect. Shirer is the best possible primary source to tell Westerners about the great Eastern man. I found this book a delightful, relatively easy read, and I feel like I learned a lot from it, not just about history, but about life.

William Shirer's memoir about the year he spend with Gandhi in India. Not the best book I've read by Shirer, but good nevertheless. I am not sure Gandhi's ideas were quite as good as Shirer believed, but it was good enough that now I have to read Gandhi's biography.

be the change!

Engaging portrait of a remarkable man.

This was really cool to hear from William's point of view - he was really even handed and did a good job describing what happened behind the scenes.

A good read, but I have never read another book about the man so I feel like I am missing info about his childhood and early years too.

A short well-written memoir of a mighty man!

A below average book, written by a man who was in contact with Gandhi for a short duration, and was in awe of him.

Interesting guy

A mostly political biography of one of the most dynamic and far-sighted leaders of this Century, from the author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.

A worthy read. Bears rereading some day.