‘Koh-I-Noor – The History of the World’s Most Infamous Diamond’ (Bloomsbury) Book Review

Koh-I-Noor: The History of the World’s Most Infamous Diamond by William Dalrymple

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Firstly it’s interesting and perhaps partly synchronistic that I have completed this book a few months shy of the first British coronation for seventy years and the imminent installation of the first British Asian PM of the United Kingdom (October 2022).
I have always found Dalrymple’s style captivating, somehow he draws you in, making you feel a part of the narrative. Whilst this book is co authored along with Anita Anand, I do not find it upto William’s usual brilliance – but even below par, it is still a great read.
I certainly had no idea that the Mughals preferred rubies to diamonds but I understand their sensibilities. And whilst the actual history of the Koh-i-Noor is not proven prior to 1739, one does suspect that it was probably one of those previously described jewels from the earlier Mughal empire.
I did find that Anand’s section was a little less interesting, yet still perfectly readable. There is a sense (conveyed to me at least) that the Mughal/Persian invasions of the subcontinent, although equally as brutal as the British and the Company’s conquests, are somehow more ‘acceptable’ because of their greater artistic and even poetic prowess. I suppose it’s broadly similar to many historians forgiving the Normans for their brutal subjection of England from 1066, with the Harrying of the North etc, purely because they built such incredible cathedrals and brought strong government. That said, I would concede that the British rule of India was far from being a simple case of a superior culture forcing itself on to an inferior one; in many ways Indian culture was more advanced than that of the so called West.
However, this aside, I do think this book adds another important element in the understanding of Anglo Indian relations and the history of the merging of these two and more cultures.

Copyright Francis 2022

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Favourite Books: ‘The Nature of Alexander’ by Mary Renault

I will forever associate this terrific biography with the year 1981, Charles and Diana‘s wedding and the Island of Crete.

Yes, nearly forty years ago we were on summer holiday on that wonderful Greek island, staying in a not-so-wonderful taverna. Nevertheless, I still fondly remember buying this book in an open air stall, somewhere near the waterfront of Aghios Nikolaos, quite early on in the holiday. I had read it before we left about ten days later.

Somehow we had conspired to be away when Lady Diana Spencer married the heir to the British throne – but enough of that.

Judging By The Cover

As a lover of history (so-called) and art, I was initially drawn to the cover. Few figures in ancient history are as iconic as Alexander The Great, who conquered much of the then known world by his untimely (or timely) demise in 323 BC in Babylon.

But of course, supposed facts are one thing, but weaving them together in an entertaining narrative is quite another. In my opinion, Mary Renault succeeded brilliantly. She is of course most associated with being a fine historical novelist with a penchant for ancient Greece, prerequisites for writing this acclaimed biography.

Vivid

I remember vividly (I have yet to re-read it) that it was easy to read, making me almost believe that I too was being tutored by Aristotle and later courting the beautiful Roxanne.

The fact that I did most of my reading on the hot sand or in a shady cafe, only added to the experience of travelling relentlessly eastward in my imagination.

Charismatic

Most especially the notion of conquest, that it is in fact a product of the mind, came across very strongly – to the point that by the end of the book I felt as if I had personally known this clearly insatiable and charismatic man — doubtless testimony to a great writer.

Maybe that day when I finally re-read this book is not too far away, though somehow I don’t think it will be in Crete.