A decent introduction to the different periods and appearances of Delhi’s history. It was quite brief and passed over each aspect fairly quickly, but I didn’t find this to be too big of an issue as I didn’t know anything about it before. City of Dijnns has definitely sparked my interest in reading more around this city in the future :)

4.5

Dalrymple is a great writer. This book is near flawless look into Delhi life and culture. The history, like everything else, was explained in fantastic detail. Great stuff.

Not choosing to go on with this one. He clearly enjoyed his time in India. But still seems a little condescending.

One of the most fascinating accounts of Delhi I've read. This writing is really smooth. Good enough to give you a fairly decent historical perspective without delving too deep into one facet of history or the other. A recommended read, more so for a Delhiwalla.

Dalrymple historical insights may be debated by many historians but his writing is surprisingly hypnotic and very engaging

Read this along with a trip to India. Or tried to, it took three goes to finish. I liked the book and am hugely impressed with Dalrymple's scholarship, but the writing is a bit uneven. Parts are an amusing travelogue, parts are a slightly tedious recitation of history, and the whole doesn't quite hold together for me. Also was a bit bugged by the way he was channelling Mark Twain's "Tramp Abroad" in some of his amusing anecdotes about the natives. Overall it should be a fantastic book, Dalrymple's knowledge and intelligence makes for a unique and compelling perspective. But somehow it just didn't quite get there for me.