A Passage to England

Nirad Chaudhuri left India for the first time in 1955, at the age of 57, for a visit to Europe, and in particular to England. In A Passage to England he tells of his impressions of the country.

Don't be misled though, this isn't just a record of his travels round the country. Chaudhuri was a highly educated man, and probably knew more about English culture and history than most of those living in the country. Furthermore, India had recently gained independence from Britain, and this affected how the Indian people thought of England. Thus Chaudhuri came to the country with various ideas and ideas and expectations of what the English might be like, and the book deals with how reality matched these expectations. Chaudhuri comments on topics such as the plays of Shakespeare, the welfare state, and whether the English really do spend a large amount of time talking about the weather. There are also chapters looking at the English reserve when talking about subjects such as religion or money. If you're looking for a typical travel book then this might not be for you, but it does give a fascinating glimpse into the way that a nation is percieved by people from the rest of the world.