The Patient Assassin

A True Tale of Massacre, Revenge, and India's Quest for Independence

By: Anita Anand

Narrated by: Anita Anand

The “compelling [and] vivid” (The New York Times Book Review) true story of a man who claimed to be a survivor of a 1919 British massacre in India, his elaborate twenty-year plan for revenge, and the mix of truth and legend that made him a hero to hundreds of millions.

When Sir Michael O’Dwyer, the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, ordered Brigadier General Reginald Dyer to Amritsar, he wanted Dyer to bring the troublesome city to heel. Sir Michael had become increasingly alarmed at the effect Gandhi was having on his province, as well as recent demonstrations, strikes, and shows of Hindu-Muslim unity. All these things, to Sir Michael, were a precursor to a second Indian revolt. What happened next shocked the world. An unauthorized gathering in the Jallianwallah Bagh in Amritsar in April 1919 became the focal point for Sir Michael’s law enforcers. Dyer marched his soldiers into the walled public park, blocking the only exit. Then, without issuing any order to disperse, he instructed his men to open fire, turning their guns on the crowd, which numbered in the thousands and included women and children. The soldiers continued firing for ten minutes, stopping only when they ran out of ammunition.

According to legend, nineteen-year-old Sikh orphan Udham Singh was injured in the attack, and remained surrounded by the dead and dying until he was able to move the next morning. Then, he supposedly picked up a handful of blood-soaked earth, smeared it across his forehead, and vowed to kill the men responsible.

The truth, as the author has discovered, is more complex—but no less dramatic. Award-winning journalist Anita Anand traced Singh’s journey through Africa, the United States, and across Europe until, in March 1940, the young man finally arrived in front of O’Dwyer himself in a London hall ready to shoot him down. The Patient Assassin “mixes Tom Ripley’s con-man-for-all-seasons versatility with Edmond Dantès’s persistence” (The Wall Street Journal) and reveals the incredible but true story behind a legend that still endures today.

Well researched and compelling narrative

Anita has done an amazing job in researching and pulling together the life story of a young and troubled boy across continents.
You cant help feel that the British were complacent in how they treated the Indians and were caught off guard by the resolve of the Punjabi people in particular. The global theme of protagonists in the story is eye-opening.

more interesting history

I hope the simple facts of this story, a revenge killing for one of the most egregious acts of the Raj against innocent people will inspire the British government to release all of the rest of the documents in this case to historians.
France is just beginning,g to admit their terrorising duplicity against Jews in WW2 while collaborating, happily with Hitler's Nazi's so I look forward to England apologizing to India. This history is still not taught in England's schools.

Riveting till the end. Well written and narrated.

Uddam’s character is both complex and multi-dimensional as he was gifted and flawed at the same time. This made the read even more interesting.

An outstanding work

I had a hard time putting this down.

I listen to Anita Anand’s podcast and I love her voice— it brings new life and meaning to an otherwise sad, sad story.

At times I found myself neglecting my daily responsibilities in favor of finishing the audio book. Excellent narration and very well written.

The story of Udham Singh, a seemingly obscure character with an enormous internal conflict comes to life.

Interesting and enlightening!

The author who is also the reader understands the history of the subjucation of the Indian people under the British Raj. This is a little known person, but the background given is rich with detail. I will look for more books written and read by this author. She is an expert who can turn dusty facts into intriguing & interesting reading & listening.