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The Hill of Devi

An Englishman serving at the Court of a Maharaja
Series: Eland classics
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( 121 ratings, 24 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Hill of Devi by E. M. Forster offers a vivid account of his time in India, serving as secretary to the Maharaja of Dewas, a princely state. It combines Forster's experiences and observations, providing insight into the social and cultural life of the region during this period. Through personal letters and diaries, it reflects on the intersection of Western and Indian cultures with Forster's characteristic wit and sensitivity.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3499
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you are fascinated by insightful travel narratives and personal reflections. It offers a captivating glimpse into the author's experiences and adventures in India, blending detailed observations with cultural insights, all captured in Forster's eloquent prose.

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This book chronicles Forster's infatuation and exasperation, fascination, and amusement at this idiosyncratic court, leading us with him to its heart and the eight- day festival of Gokul Ashtami, marking the birth of Krishna, where we see His Highness Maharajah Sir Tukoji Rao III dancing before the altar like David before the Ark.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The novelist E. M. Forster opens the door on life in a remote Maharajah's court in the early twentieth century, a 'record of a vanished civilisation.'

Through letters from his time visiting and working there, he introduces us to a 14th-century political system in 'the oddest corner of the world outside Alice in Wonderland' where the young Maharajah of Devas, 'certainly a genius and possibly a saint,' led a state centred on spiritual aspirations. The Hill of Devi chronicles Forster's infatuation and exasperation, fascination, and amusement at this idiosyncratic court, leading us with him to its heart and the eight-day festival of Gokul Ashtami, marking the birth of Krishna, where we see His Highness Maharajah Sir Tukoji Rao III dancing before the altar 'like David before the Ark.'

'A classic account of a vanished side of India that has never before been so graphically painted.' Raymond Mortimer, Sunday Times

'I spent a lot of time laughing, it's so weird, and so very British and very Indian at the same time, and so much of what he writes feels very contemporary. For all these reasons, I really love this book.' Damon Galgut

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781780601601

Publisher: Eland Publishing Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 25 March 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Eland Publishing Ltd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 160

About the Author

Edward Morgan Forster (1 January 1879 7 June 1970) was an English fiction writer, essayist and librettist. Many of his novels examine class difference and hypocrisy, including A Room with a View (1908), Howards End (1910) and A Passage to India (1924). The last brought him his greatest success. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 16 separate years.

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