City of Gold [Hardcover]

Gillian Tindall (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 31, 1982

For over 300 years the chaotic grandeur of Bombay has acted as a magnet to people from every corner of the globe. A Mecca for fortune seekers, an unlikely architectural jewel, and once the second biggest city in the British Empire, this vibrant metropolis and those who created it are brought to life in this book.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gillian Tindall is a historian and novelist. Among her many acclaimed books are City of Gold: The Biography of Bombay and Countries of the Mind: The Meaning of Place to Writers that are being reissued in Faber Finds. Her latest book is Footprints in Paris: A Few Streets, a Few Lives. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Maurice Temple Smith Ltd (December 31, 1982)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0851172156
• ISBN-13: 978-0851172156
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,290,278 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Engaging story of the development of the city of Bombay, October 12, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Oakland, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: City of Gold (Hardcover)

For anyone who has been to India and Bombay, and for those who have not but would like to explore the nooks and crannies, the unique character and the history of one of the world's most significant cities, City of Gold grabs your attention in print much as it does in "person." Ms. Tindall paints picture after picture of views of Bombay at various periods of history as she weaves the story of its development with the different colors of the diverse ethnic groups that contributed to its fabric.

The city rises against the backdrop of the history of the European and particularly the English presence throughout India. Ms. Tindall peels back the layers of dirt and grime to reveal the significance of landmarks -- Bombay is an archeological treasure but one that is contemporaneous with the history of the United States.

The author develops the story of the history through exploring a number of themes: arriving in Bombay, the physical characteristics and development of the land, the presence of women, the industrial age. City of Gold is variously a social history, a city planning/history study and a watercolor portrait that is sometime entertaining and amusing, and at other times wrenching.

Unfortunately City of Gold is out of print in the Western world, but can be bought in Bombay itself from Penguin Books India.