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amandogra's review against another edition
4.0
Writings of Gandhi, very nicely arranged in chronological order
racheladventure's review against another edition
5.0
This book changed my life. It is by far the best biography I have ever read, but I think the unique format lends itself to that. While it is officially an anthology, the editor strung it in a way that Gandhi himself narrates the story. Drawing from all of Gandhi’s writings, this blend really makes up something special.
It is more than the fact that it is packed with a bunch of quotes you might find on dentist office posters or written on your mirror though (which there are plenty of that I will note at the end of this review). It inspired me to be a better person. I second what Einstein said, that “generations to come, it may be, will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked this earth” (323).
One of the most refreshing things about this biography is that Gandhi is very frank and honest about his human shortcomings. This might sound really silly, but I remember once taking the Meyer Briggs test and noting that Gandhi was also an INFJ (of course someone else took it for him, but still). After reading this book I can start to believe that he and I may have actually shared a lot in common, at least, when he was young. As a child he was “very shy” and would run straight home from school because he “could not bear to talk to anybody” (6). He also admits that he was very afraid of things (11), had a problem with secrecy (12), and once had to confess to his father than he stole from his brother (13). I laughed as I went through marking the pages—so many parallels to my own life, particularly his obsession with seeking truth (14). I remember as a young teenager some of my earliest terrible poems were about the conundrum of truth, especially around the time of my parents’ divorce. It does not really shock me that I am now very interested in the authenticity of experience and storytelling for my field study projects. I doubt I would have made that connection had I not read this biography.
I’m not saying I hope to be half as good as a person as Gandhi was, but it does give me hope that I can try.
In general I appreciated learning more about the history of both South Africa and India’s independence. I finally have a story to put behind the man you see in the pictures with his homespun kadi. I think the most amazing part of his life was his death, and how he seemed to know exactly what it was that would happen. He said that he did “not want to die of a creeping paralysis…a defeated man.” He went on to say that “an assassins’ bullet may put an end to my life. I would welcome it… I shall be content to be written down an imposer if my lips utter a word of anger or abuse against my assailant at the last moment (318). And of course, his last words when Godse’s bullet hit him on January 25, 1948 were “Oh, God” (323).
I would like to learn more about the modern India and where Gandhi fits in (or does not fit in) to it. I look at all my rupee notes and see pictures of this man who is the father of India, yet you cannot find homespun anywhere in Delhi. The villages are being filtered into the ever growing cities. All major world car dealerships are on every street corner. His economic theories are so antiquated that it is hard to tell what his lasting impact has been on India. I am anxious to look more into this. The tension is definitely evident by the end of this book after Independence with the formation of Pakistan, but what did it look like from there?
I am left with further questions about his family life—which seems to be the only glaring fault I could find with the man in later life. At first this was something that really bothered me. Can you save the world and still be there at home? Could Gandhi have been Gandhi and still put his family first? He does not seem to think so—going as far as saying that he sees “no purpose or meaning in having a family or raising children. You can do more service to mankind by not forming those attachments.” It seems to be a common theme in my field study here in India and in Eastern thought in general, which is very contrary to my own religious beliefs as a Latter-day Saint. By the time we get to his wife’s death though I felt like I had a better picture. She died in his lap in jail, to which he admits she was his “teacher in non-violence” and his “better half.” They were married for 62 years.
What a man. What a story. I just want to throw out a few favorite quotes:
“Brute force will avail against brute force only when it is proved that darkness can dispel darkness” (80)
“A government that is evil has no room for good men and women except in its prisons” (154)
“A reverent study of other religions will not weaken or shake one’s faith in one’s own religion” (185)
“A man is but a product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes” (163)
It is not “ungentlemanly to labor with one’s hands and feet for one’s livelihood or schooling… An academic grasp without practice behind it is like an embalmed corpse, perhaps lovely to look at but nothing to inspire or ennoble” (205)
“Three-fourths of the miseries in the world will disappear if we step into the shoes of our advisories and understand their standpoint” (222)
“We tend to become what we worship” (237)
“Prayer has saved my life” (269)
“I am an irrepressible optimist, because I believe in myself” (274)
“If I had no sense of humor I should long ago have committed suicide” (276)
“There is nothing that wastes the body like worry, and one who has any faith in God should be ashamed to worry about anything whatsoever” (277)
“It is trite saying that one half of the world knows not how the other lives. Who can say what sores might be healed, what hurts solved, were the doings of each half of the worlds inhabitants understood and appreciated by the other?” (284)
“The art of dying follows as corollary from the art of living” (300)
“After I am gone no single person will be able to completely represent me. But a little bit of me will live in many of you” (319)
It is more than the fact that it is packed with a bunch of quotes you might find on dentist office posters or written on your mirror though (which there are plenty of that I will note at the end of this review). It inspired me to be a better person. I second what Einstein said, that “generations to come, it may be, will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked this earth” (323).
One of the most refreshing things about this biography is that Gandhi is very frank and honest about his human shortcomings. This might sound really silly, but I remember once taking the Meyer Briggs test and noting that Gandhi was also an INFJ (of course someone else took it for him, but still). After reading this book I can start to believe that he and I may have actually shared a lot in common, at least, when he was young. As a child he was “very shy” and would run straight home from school because he “could not bear to talk to anybody” (6). He also admits that he was very afraid of things (11), had a problem with secrecy (12), and once had to confess to his father than he stole from his brother (13). I laughed as I went through marking the pages—so many parallels to my own life, particularly his obsession with seeking truth (14). I remember as a young teenager some of my earliest terrible poems were about the conundrum of truth, especially around the time of my parents’ divorce. It does not really shock me that I am now very interested in the authenticity of experience and storytelling for my field study projects. I doubt I would have made that connection had I not read this biography.
I’m not saying I hope to be half as good as a person as Gandhi was, but it does give me hope that I can try.
In general I appreciated learning more about the history of both South Africa and India’s independence. I finally have a story to put behind the man you see in the pictures with his homespun kadi. I think the most amazing part of his life was his death, and how he seemed to know exactly what it was that would happen. He said that he did “not want to die of a creeping paralysis…a defeated man.” He went on to say that “an assassins’ bullet may put an end to my life. I would welcome it… I shall be content to be written down an imposer if my lips utter a word of anger or abuse against my assailant at the last moment (318). And of course, his last words when Godse’s bullet hit him on January 25, 1948 were “Oh, God” (323).
I would like to learn more about the modern India and where Gandhi fits in (or does not fit in) to it. I look at all my rupee notes and see pictures of this man who is the father of India, yet you cannot find homespun anywhere in Delhi. The villages are being filtered into the ever growing cities. All major world car dealerships are on every street corner. His economic theories are so antiquated that it is hard to tell what his lasting impact has been on India. I am anxious to look more into this. The tension is definitely evident by the end of this book after Independence with the formation of Pakistan, but what did it look like from there?
I am left with further questions about his family life—which seems to be the only glaring fault I could find with the man in later life. At first this was something that really bothered me. Can you save the world and still be there at home? Could Gandhi have been Gandhi and still put his family first? He does not seem to think so—going as far as saying that he sees “no purpose or meaning in having a family or raising children. You can do more service to mankind by not forming those attachments.” It seems to be a common theme in my field study here in India and in Eastern thought in general, which is very contrary to my own religious beliefs as a Latter-day Saint. By the time we get to his wife’s death though I felt like I had a better picture. She died in his lap in jail, to which he admits she was his “teacher in non-violence” and his “better half.” They were married for 62 years.
What a man. What a story. I just want to throw out a few favorite quotes:
“Brute force will avail against brute force only when it is proved that darkness can dispel darkness” (80)
“A government that is evil has no room for good men and women except in its prisons” (154)
“A reverent study of other religions will not weaken or shake one’s faith in one’s own religion” (185)
“A man is but a product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes” (163)
It is not “ungentlemanly to labor with one’s hands and feet for one’s livelihood or schooling… An academic grasp without practice behind it is like an embalmed corpse, perhaps lovely to look at but nothing to inspire or ennoble” (205)
“Three-fourths of the miseries in the world will disappear if we step into the shoes of our advisories and understand their standpoint” (222)
“We tend to become what we worship” (237)
“Prayer has saved my life” (269)
“I am an irrepressible optimist, because I believe in myself” (274)
“If I had no sense of humor I should long ago have committed suicide” (276)
“There is nothing that wastes the body like worry, and one who has any faith in God should be ashamed to worry about anything whatsoever” (277)
“It is trite saying that one half of the world knows not how the other lives. Who can say what sores might be healed, what hurts solved, were the doings of each half of the worlds inhabitants understood and appreciated by the other?” (284)
“The art of dying follows as corollary from the art of living” (300)
“After I am gone no single person will be able to completely represent me. But a little bit of me will live in many of you” (319)
bookbolt's review against another edition
5.0
Gandhiji was a saint of modern times and reading this book made me realize not just how simple and effective his approach is. he valued life in all its form. He also said if the choice was only between cowardice and violence he would always prefer violence - This thought made clear to me more than anything else how non-violence was and is the epitome of courage. in our world today we have violence over religion and his views on the subject then show not only how big a visionary he was but also how correct he was. having said that, what made me like the message from this book the most was the hope it brings and hope is what we can cling to with all our faith in a world filled with violence and violent regimes .
yossikhe's review against another edition
4.0
Despite what some people say, Gandhi was one of the greatest individuals the world has ever seen. In his writings, one can figure that he was a deeply congruent, intelligent guy. Aside from the really interesting political aspect, the spiritual part of this book is mind-blowing. I gave it four stars instead of five because the first 100 pages or so are a little bit slow. The editor cut out huge parts of the texts and I found it difficult to read them. After that, it became way more fluid, easy and absorbing.
bradley_jf's review against another edition
5.0
This is an awesome resource for primary material (Gandhi's own writings). The book presents excerpts from multiple sources, both from his time in South Africa and in India, in what seems to be a mostly chronological order. The way it's written makes it easy to read, almost like a first person novel.
In terms of the content itself, Gandhi was brilliant and way ahead of his time.
In terms of the content itself, Gandhi was brilliant and way ahead of his time.
zomigi's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't know anything about Gandhi before, so I learned a lot about his life and philosophies, both of which were fascinating. I found much of his writing inspiring. I think the only problem with this book is that the editing is not as strong as it should be -- there were times when passages were repeated, and sometimes the chosen passages felt choppy together. Other times, things got repetitive. Still, it's a huge amount of information to condense into a manageable book for the average reader, so I can't complain much.
chrisjp's review
5.0
A wonderful telling of the life of an amazing man. His beliefs and his actions were shown with great detail and understanding.
While fairly long it was always an enjoyable read and hard to put down.
While fairly long it was always an enjoyable read and hard to put down.
andreairashea's review
3.0
FINALLY finished thia book. Actually started it ....almost 20 years ago. It's not an easy read (no duh, but I just lost interest in the middle), since it's a collection of everything he ever wrote, but grouped by themes. So there's a LOT of: ....blah blah.... ....blah blah blah... ...blah... With a ton of footnotes at the bottom of the page for the sources. Ugh. There's gotta be a better way to read Gandhi. Interestingly, I remember my view of Gandhi 20-30 years ago as a rosy halo/inspirational thing, and reading him now there were a lot of passages where my response was indignation/outrage/"easy for YOU to say!" Glad to be done with it; goin' to the donation pile.