--- product_id: 8552177 title: "The Argumentative Indian: Writings on Indian History, Culture and Identity" price: "$33.56" currency: USD in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.us/products/8552177-the-argumentative-indian-writings-on-indian-history-culture-and-identity store_origin: US region: United States of America --- # The Argumentative Indian: Writings on Indian History, Culture and Identity **Price:** $33.56 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Argumentative Indian: Writings on Indian History, Culture and Identity - **How much does it cost?** $33.56 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.us](https://www.desertcart.us/products/8552177-the-argumentative-indian-writings-on-indian-history-culture-and-identity) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description In sixteen linked essays, Nobel Prize--winning economist Amartya Sen discusses India's intellectual and political heritage and how its argumentative tradition is vital for the success of its democracy and secular politics. The Argumentative Indian is "a bracing sweep through aspects of Indian history and culture, and a tempered analysis of the highly charged disputes surrounding these subjects--the nature of Hindu traditions, Indian identity, the country's huge social and economic disparities, and its current place in the world" (Sunil Khilnani, Financial Times, U.K.). Review: A Great Book! - It's hard to imagine a tougher assignment than conveying the history and development of a culture in one book, but that's what Sen effectively accomplishes. Sen doesn't simplify the complex diversity of the Indian people and we are rewarded with a particularly rich understanding. I enjoyed this type of treatment (a collection of writings), because articles that appeared later in the book helped reinforce earlier discussion without being overly repetitive. Interesting factoid- one artifact of India's diversity is that all 17 languages are found on Rupee paper currency. Review: Impressive, Engaging, Deeply satisfying, Brilliant writing... - [I have just finished the first chapter of this book... can't wait to read the rest in the coming days] This is my first reading of Amartya Sen's writings. After reading an excerpt of the "Argumentative Indian" recently, I ordered this book by this eminent Nobel Laureate. The author doesn't waste time. Right off the bat, from the very first page in the first chapter, his book is filled with timely anecdotal commentary (with appropriate references) and precise discussion about the topic he is writing about. His approach to Indian culture and history is very pragmatic and well thought out. His book clearly is not bound by any religious bias (... is sprinkled with examples of ancient and medieval Indian historical quotes/events of all religious contexts - from Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism...) The influence of Hinduism (and Buddhism) on Indian ethos and identity is of course not minimized. Anecdotal quotes (... Jain philosophers response to Alexander's query) that are hard to find for the average reader and historical facts (that are not muddled by the popular historical accounts) are all presented here - and with riveting clarity and multiple references to scholarly works. Reading through the book, one cannot but see how the profound philosophy and thoughts of two thousand years ago could be applied to the problems of today. Many popular misconceptions of India will be dispelled by this book. For the well read about India, this is a treasure trove of information that one can refer to with satisfaction. Anyone with a desire to understand the Indian (be it in the US, Suriname or India) should read the book. In fact, every corporate head who is planning to open an office in India should read this book. By the author's own admission, writing about India is a vast topic that is impossible to approach from any one perspective. My four star rating is simply an indication that no work is perfect and that there is always room for improvement. This book, IMHO, is far better than many of the 5-star rated books here on desertcart. Excellent book and I highly recommend it. venu_ravi at yahoo dot com ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #59,712 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #20 in India History #29 in Asian & Asian Descent Studies #184 in Cultural Anthropology (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,441 Reviews | ## Images ![The Argumentative Indian: Writings on Indian History, Culture and Identity - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81XQjCZLXFL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Great Book! *by M***R on July 7, 2007* It's hard to imagine a tougher assignment than conveying the history and development of a culture in one book, but that's what Sen effectively accomplishes. Sen doesn't simplify the complex diversity of the Indian people and we are rewarded with a particularly rich understanding. I enjoyed this type of treatment (a collection of writings), because articles that appeared later in the book helped reinforce earlier discussion without being overly repetitive. Interesting factoid- one artifact of India's diversity is that all 17 languages are found on Rupee paper currency. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Impressive, Engaging, Deeply satisfying, Brilliant writing... *by V***U on December 4, 2005* [I have just finished the first chapter of this book... can't wait to read the rest in the coming days] This is my first reading of Amartya Sen's writings. After reading an excerpt of the "Argumentative Indian" recently, I ordered this book by this eminent Nobel Laureate. The author doesn't waste time. Right off the bat, from the very first page in the first chapter, his book is filled with timely anecdotal commentary (with appropriate references) and precise discussion about the topic he is writing about. His approach to Indian culture and history is very pragmatic and well thought out. His book clearly is not bound by any religious bias (... is sprinkled with examples of ancient and medieval Indian historical quotes/events of all religious contexts - from Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism...) The influence of Hinduism (and Buddhism) on Indian ethos and identity is of course not minimized. Anecdotal quotes (... Jain philosophers response to Alexander's query) that are hard to find for the average reader and historical facts (that are not muddled by the popular historical accounts) are all presented here - and with riveting clarity and multiple references to scholarly works. Reading through the book, one cannot but see how the profound philosophy and thoughts of two thousand years ago could be applied to the problems of today. Many popular misconceptions of India will be dispelled by this book. For the well read about India, this is a treasure trove of information that one can refer to with satisfaction. Anyone with a desire to understand the Indian (be it in the US, Suriname or India) should read the book. In fact, every corporate head who is planning to open an office in India should read this book. By the author's own admission, writing about India is a vast topic that is impossible to approach from any one perspective. My four star rating is simply an indication that no work is perfect and that there is always room for improvement. This book, IMHO, is far better than many of the 5-star rated books here on Amazon. Excellent book and I highly recommend it. venu_ravi at yahoo dot com ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Materpiece by Amartya Sen *by K***K on February 2, 2013* Nobel laureate does a great job in tying India's vast and exhaustive culture and how it has been preserved all along which is one of its biggest strengths in competing against China in becoming global economic super powers. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.us/products/8552177-the-argumentative-indian-writings-on-indian-history-culture-and-identity](https://www.desertcart.us/products/8552177-the-argumentative-indian-writings-on-indian-history-culture-and-identity) --- *Product available on Desertcart United States of America* *Store origin: US* *Last updated: 2026-10-15*