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The Bandit Queen of India: An Indian Woman's Amazing Journey from Peasant to International Legend
 
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The Bandit Queen of India: An Indian Woman's Amazing Journey from Peasant to International Legend [Paperback]

Phoolan Devi (Author), Marie-Therese Cuny (Author), Paul Rambali (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)


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Book Description

August 1, 2006
She was born in India to the lowest caste, a group with few rights and even fewer prospects. Enduring cruel poverty, Phoolan Devi survived the humiliation of an abusive marriage, the savage killing of her bandit-lover and horrifying gang rape to claim retribution for herself and all low-caste women of the Indian plains. In a three-year campaign that rocked the government, she delivered justice to rape victims and stole from the rich to give to the poor, before negotiating surrender on her own terms. Throughout her years of imprisonment without trial, Phoolan Devi remained a beacon of hope for the poor and the downtrodden. In 1996, amidst both popular support and media controversy, she was elected to the Parliament.

On July 25th, 2001, Phoolan Devi was shot dead in Delhi. The identity of her killers is unknown, but it is thought that they may include relatives of villagers killed by her gang nearly twenty years ago. For over a decade millions have found the power and scope of Phoolan Devi's myth irresistible. Now she finally tells the story of her life through her eyes and in her own voice.


Editorial Reviews

Review

"She will remain one of the most talked-about people in the country."--The New York Times

"No reader can fail to be on her side."--The Times, London

 





"Phoolan became at once both symbol and avenger of atrocities committed against the lower castes-a woman who had taken justice into her own hands and achieved a singular vindication . . . as a creation of the worst aspects of a monstrous social structure, she could lead a credible challenge against the caste system that has defined India since ancient times."--Atlantic Monthly

"It took a Salman Rushdie to make the world discuss the freedom of expression . . . to discuss an individual's right to Justice, it takes a Phoolan Devi."--Arundhati Roy, author of the Booker Prize-winning international best-seller, The God of Small Things

"A stunning tale, and all the more amazing for being true. It will make you cry, it will also make you cheer."--Jan Goodwin Author of Price of Honor and Caught in the Crossfire

"Phoolan became at once both symbol and avenger of atrocities committed against the lower castes--a woman who had taken justice into her own hands and achieved a singular vindication."--The Atlantic Monthly

"A khaki-and-bandana clad avenger of outrages by high caste against low, and by men against women."--The Nation

"Vivid and moving . . . a remarkable story."--Financial Times

From the Back Cover

She was born in India to the lowest caste, a group with few rights and even fewer prospects. Enduring cruel poverty, Phoolan Devi survived the humiliation of an abusive marriage, the savage killing of her bandit-lover, and a horrifying gang rape to claim retribution for herself and all low-caste women of the Indian plains. In a three-year campaign that rocked the government, she delivered justice to rape victims and stole from the rich to give to the poor, before negotiating surrender on her own terms. Throughout her years of imprisonment without trial, Phoolan Devi remained a beacon of hope for the poor and the downtrodden. In 1996, amidst both popular support and media controversy, she was elected to the Indian Parliament.
On July 25th, 2001, Phoolan Devi was shot dead in Delhi. The identity of her killers is unknown, but it is thought that they may include relatives of villagers killed by her gang nearly twenty years ago. For over a decade millions have found the power and scope of Phoolan Devi's myth irresistible. Here is the story of her life through her eyes and in her own voice.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 512 pages
  • Publisher: Lyons Press; 1st edition (August 1, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1592286410
  • ISBN-13: 978-1592286416
  • Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #254,013 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

13 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A haunting book, February 21, 2005
By 
Tara Chklovski (Los Angeles, U.S.A) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I have grown up following the life of Phoolan Devi and was always curious to know what made her stand up against society and not be the usual docile Indian girl. This book brings home the fact that she was a fighter from the very start. Its an unbelievable account of what a little child has to go through and how her courage helps her survive. I haven't read any book or any account of horrific torture that comes close to what she experienced and survived. A truly amazing woman. It also shows the filthy underbelly of indian society and how hypocritical it is. May they all rot in hell for what they do to women every day and everywhere in India. I applaud what Phoolan did and I hope her life fires the rest of Indian women to never succumb to any kind of humiliation.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars So much to think about..., December 26, 2003
By 
Jennifer S. Brooks (Fort Collins, CO United States) - See all my reviews
This book is amazing. Thank goodness she put her life into her own words before being killed. The part that is so sad/scary is that the violence, hunger and unfairness that Phoolan experienced is not unusual - what is unusual is that she wasn't willing to sit back and let it happen. Truly a modern day female Robin Hood. You will love this book.
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars harrowing and intense, November 15, 2003
By 
Ms. Mary E. Sullivan "mary" (Carbondale, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I did a web search for Phoolan Devi after hearing about her on NPR, and then pre-ordered this book before it became available. I have a long line of friends waiting to borrow it now, and I can't stop recommending it. I finished it in a few days, in spite of work, because I could not stop. Harrowing beyond the imagination. I hope it sells enough copies to make the whole world develop some righteous outrage.
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