A History of India

By: Michael H. Fisher, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Michael H. Fisher

Length: 18 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Over 5,000 years, India has been home to a rich tapestry of peoples and cultures. Two of the world's great religions - Hinduism and Buddhism - have their origins in South Asia, and the lands east of the Indus River have long been a central hub for trade, migration, and cultural exchange. Today the subcontinent contains 20 percent of the world's population and is a thriving center for global business, making this region one of most significant economic powerhouses in the world.

Go inside this thrilling story with A History of India, a breathtaking survey of South Asia from its earliest societies along the Indus and Ganges rivers through the modern challenges of the 21st century. These 36 sweeping lectures enable you to understand the epic scope of the subcontinent's history. Perhaps the most important facet of this history is how diverse the region truly is. Roughly the size of continental Europe, India - along with its neighbors, Pakistan and Bangladesh - contains a myriad of ethnic groups, socioeconomic classes, religions, and cultural mores.

In this wide-ranging investigation, you'll:

• Meet the many religious communities that have coexisted in India, including Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians
• Delve into the legacies of the Mauryan Empire, the Mughal Empire, and British colonialism - three of the few governments that ever unified the subcontinent
• Witness the fight for independence from European powers and the partition of the region into the countries of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh in the 20th century
• Consider the challenges and opportunities faced by this area today, from expanding urbanization to the vast need for energy sources to the ongoing heated debates about national identity

Professor Fisher, who has traveled and taught in South Asia for decades, reveals this complex narrative with skill and compelling insights.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2016 The Great Courses (P)2016 The Teaching Company, LLC

Ok, but not great.

With such a rich and fascinating history, I was expecting a captivating experience with more compelling story telling.

A Nice Intro

As other people have mentioned, it is very very high level so it will feel like you've only gotten an intro to the history of India

Very thorough and well written

Very thorough history guide of India. Really liked the detail, but one thing missing in the audio vs written is the spelling to go along with the pronunciation.

Acceptable overview of South Asian history

It was always going to be an uphill battle to condense 3 centuries of civilization to 18 hours. The lectures do an okay job as a general history survey. The pros are the coverage of Mohenjo Daro, Harappa and the migrations bringing Vedic culture to South Asia, as well as the overview of post Mughal South Asia. What's lacking is the political dynamics of the period in-between. There was too much emphasis on theology for a history class in my opinion. That part could have been condensed for a more fascinating discussion on mahajanapas, Greek kingdoms, etc.

Ok

Historical accuracy is questionable when one plays fast and loose and politicizes climate "science". Otherwise decent for a very broad overview.

Expanding my view of world history

With a typical American education my knowledge of the history of India was limited so this course helped me to expand my perspective. As with most of the Great Courses, this was very well produced and informative. As is sometimes the case I would have preferred it were a bit shorter - maybe 24 lectures instead of 36, but I am glad that I powered through it.

very comprehensive

The subject matter of this course was very interesting and enlightening. I learned a lot from listening to the entire course, however, the narrator giving the lectures was the worst I have ever heard. He constantly hesitated, stopped at the wrong places in the middle of sentences and seem totally unprepared to give an oral lecture . It was disconcerting to have to listen to him and it's hard for me to believe that he was the learned person who wrote this course. He is certainly not good at lecturing to the point where it almost made the course unenjoyable.

Disappointing but informative.

This audiobook was an in-depth history of the politics and rulers of India, but included little to no history of the people of the region. Also, the narration was awkward and stilted- almost as though he was reading from text

More like a book than a college course

The content is great, thorough, and balanced. If it were a book, a professional reader would have done a bit better job. If I had purchased a book, I would be very happy with it.

Educational, not captivating

The beginning of this lecture is a complete drag. It isn't until around the 16th century c.e. that the presented information gets interesting. The lecturer also came off as dry, and a bit impersonal, but definitely knowledgeable. I was interested in learning Indian history, and I walked away satisfied by course's end