Plain Tales from the Raj [Paperback]

Charles Allen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1988

The Raj was, for two hundred years, the jewel in the British imperial crown. Although founded on military expansionism and undoubted exploitation, it developed over the centuries into what has been called 'benign autocracy' - the government of many by few, with the active collaboration of most Indians in recognition of a desire for the advancement of their country. Charles Allen's classic oral history of the period that marked the end of British rule was first published a generation ago. Now reissued as the imperial century closes, this brilliantly insightful and bestselling collection of reminiscences illustrates the unique experience of British India: the sadness and luxury for some; the joy and deprivation for others.

Editorial Reviews

Review

One of the most enjoyable books I have read ... It is an authentic record of the survivors of British India ... a book which takes on where Kipling left off ANTONIA FRASER Both a guide and an entertaining companion ... Humour, drama and regret fill its pages MAIL ON SUNDAY A lovely and compelling account of what India meant to the British between 1900 and 1947 ... One of the best THE TIMES

About the Author

Charles Allen is an oral and military historian specialising in colonial matters. He is the author of several previous books and lives in north London.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Abacus (July 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0349104972
• ISBN-13: 978-0349104973
• Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 7.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,275,754 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars British India by those who lived it., February 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Plain Tales from the Raj (Paperback)

Charles Allen's collection of stories about the British Raj in India by those who lived it is a wonderful insight into an often turbulent period of both British and Indian history. With first-hand accounts by the men an women who were a part of the Raj, Allen presents us with a kalidescope of exactly how it was in India in the early part of the 20th century. Whilst many of the eyewitnesses offer a typical British upper class view, there are wonderful descriptions of everyday life in village India. We are also presented with a glimpse of the moral standards of those who lived in the hill stations during the hot Indian summer and one can only surmise that with the passing of time, not much has changed. Kipling would have been proud of this broad panoramic view of the land he loved and wrote about with such affection. The cassette version is a sheer delight and is worth more than one listening. A must for any Indiophile or lover of Kipling.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Authentic voices from the past, August 27, 2006

By 

Lelia - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Plain Tales from the Raj (Paperback)

A gem of a book! Too often, stories of the experience of imperialism are scrubbed to fit in with more modern sensibilities instead of staying true to the authentic tale. This book is glorious for the truth of the voices and the attitudes, morals and viewpoints that were the norm for the time. Invaluable to understanding what life was really like, and what motivated those who were the Raj. This was a wonderful read, completely free from political correctness and censorship. Finally a book that seemed to tell the tale as it was. The book flows well, the stories are engaging, the language is crisp and clear, and valuable information is present on every page. There is no attempt to portray the people as anything other than who they were, they are allowed to tell their own stories. I'm very thankful that someone realised how valuable this material would be to future generations and took the steps to capture it while it was still available.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Aliens under Indian sky, February 21, 2006

By 

Sarakani (Harrow United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Plain Tales from the Raj (Paperback)

Pithy though this book is it will keep you glued and captivated. British individuals who were masters or participants in Colonial India talk frankly about what it was really like. Many of the people featured in this book like Deborah Dring, Reginald Savory and Philip Mason (who also introduces the volume) would now be dead. The voices were recorded for radio in the mid 1970s. Now the memoirs resurface like something out of a faraway fairytale.

Charles Allen, now getting on himself was originally put in charge of the recordings for a BBC radio series documenting the period of Colonial India between 1900 and 1948 from then living witnesses to a bygone age by Philip Mason. Thank goodness that Mason had the courage to launch this project which was regarded as somewhat politically incorrect even then. Allen is much suited to the task as the heir to a British family that lived and worked in Colonial India over several generations.

The stories reveal a peculiar breed - the very caricature of the English as they once were putting up an even more formal front than they would have at home as the rulers of India - few in number but ruling by prestige. Every part of the book reveals character, humour or history with priceless aphorisms spoken in true English style:

"You get these burning plains right across India, fifteen hundred miles of them, absolutely flat with revisers wandering through them fed by the snows, and behind them the greatest range of mountains in the world. You gradually go up from tropical ... climbs, through European and Alpine flora until you get right up into the snows. I don't think there is anything in life which is such a relief and such a physical delight as going from the heat of the plains in the hot weather up into the mountains"

This is just the tip of an iceberg of a series of sensational real life recordings, but there is more leaving aside some nice photographs, cartoons and sketches reproduced from period material. There are quotations from books such as by Maud Diver from her "The Englishwoman in India" 1909 and bits from period material:

"It is clearly to be understood that no one except on duty is allowed to accompany him and in no circumstances whatever are any ladies allowed to proceed to the border" (from a travel permit).

Practically every aspect of Indian Colonial life is examined up and down the hierarchy from the Viceroy down to corporals and Anglo Indians of mixed blood - though the book leaves you yearning for more - it is not an exhaustive treatment thankfully. We get a great sense for the climate, the "subjects", the pace of life, flirtation, gardening, travel and the rituals associated with that once prominent institution the Club. We look into the army barracks and the Mess -with some men deprived of women for five to seven years and how they bore it, and into the endless parties at Simla in Summer . There are also accounts of the profligacy of the times such as sport, hunts and shoots and the snobbery and segregation that accompanied Colonial life altering through the decades. However, with their power, the British seemed to have dispensed their responsibilities with aplomb - it was a miracle that they did so for so long.

This past best-seller is a must for those who wish to understand the English and Colonial India - it will deserve repeat readings and sharing with friends. A vital reference - precursor to famous TV dramatisations like "Jewel in the Crown".