Temptations of the West: How to be Modern in India, Pakistan and Beyond [Idioma Inglés] - Tapa dura

"Fascinating . . . Pankaj Mishra's travels are interwoven with pungent commentary on modern politics in South Asia. . . . This is not a gentle book, but it is a brave one."--"The New York Times Book Review" "A set of probing essays about strife and sorrow in volatile South Asia . . . Unusually insightful and eloquent, Mishra deftly deciphers forces political, religious, and economic."--"Booklist" "An insightful new book that blends journalism, travel writing, memoir, and sharp political commentary."--"The Miami Herald"

Old, new; rich, poor; rural, urban; Brahmin, Dalit; Hindi, Muslim. India is a country of contrasts, and Temptations of the West explores this diversity in all its forms. From the empty corridors of a grand but guestless western-style hotel to improvised shacks clustered along muddy roadsides; from the polite efficiency of stewards on board one of India's private airlines to overpopulated tenements and one-roomed school buildings where no teachers ever set foot; from sites of religious worship to those of mass burial; from road blocks to voting booths -- as Mishra's travels take him from one part of India to another, and then beyond, to Pakistan and Afghanistan, he paints a clear and often alarming picture of disarray and disorder. All too often, superficial changes seem simply to paper over the cracks, and beneath modern facades, the old tensions still exist. A travel book unlike any other, Temptations of the West also offers a detailed and thought-provoking exploration of the histories, politics, religions and philosophies of India - and her neighbours.. NOTA: El libro no está en español, sino en inglés.