The Courtesan, The Mahatma & The Italian Brahmin

DETAILS : 

• Author : Manu S. Pillai
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Westland Books 
  
• Publication date :22 August 2022
  
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
  
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9395073136
  
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-9395073134
  
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 750 g

ABOUT THE BOOK 

The Courtesan, the Mahatma & the Italian Brahmin is an illuminating collection of essays that subverts the traditional "great men" narrative of Indian history. Manu S. Pillai traverses centuries and continents to bring to life a cast of fascinating, often overlooked characters—from a high-spirited courtesan who defied the East India Company to a 17th-century Italian priest who lived like a Brahmin in Madurai. The book challenges modern stereotypes and nationalist myths, revealing a past that was far more pluralistic, eccentric, and complex than school textbooks suggest. With his trademark wit and meticulous research, Pillai explores themes of caste, gender, and colonial encounters through the lens of individual human stories. It is a masterful exercise in making history accessible, vibrant, and deeply relevant to contemporary India.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Manu S. Pillai (born 1990) is one of India’s most prominent young historians and a celebrated writer known for his narrative-driven approach to the past. He shot to fame with his debut work, The Ivory Throne: Chronicles of the House of Travancore, which won the Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar in 2017. A former chief of staff to Shashi Tharoor, Pillai has a background in international relations and journalism, having worked with the BBC and the House of Lords. His writing is distinguished by its ability to blend rigorous academic research with a cinematic, engaging prose style that appeals to a general audience. He is a frequent columnist and speaker, dedicated to uncovering the forgotten nuances of South Asian history.