Read The age of Kali , the City of DJINNS.
It is sometimes overwhelming to see a foreigner knowing so much about the history of the country and researching more on a land not his own. We seldom seek knowledge on the history and the events that have had happened,occasionally if we do,we generally have a biased perspective of it.
However Dalrymple presented the facts as they were with a 360 degree look at it - completely unbiased.
The Age of Kali presented accounts of events that happened in Post Independence India. The facts presented were so disparate that it would invoke a thought in minds of those who read it. From the myths and beliefs that lead to a grand Sati of a young Bride in Rajasthan to a Scindia Widow who shed the inhibitions and entered politics to dominate the political arena he shows India which is shredded into many pieces a completely modern one housing few parts still medieval in its nature and still few with a primeval touch (accounts of exorcism in a Kali temple).
The City Of DJINNS - all about the states Capital , Delhi at the times of Emergency . Indira Gandhi and the operation Blue star that lead to massacre of lots of Sikhs. The emergence of Khalistan movement - the idea and the eventual war waged by the Sikhs. The state of the country after that and many more accounts of pieces of history presented unruffled .
William does captivate the readers through his simple but strong narration of the details.
