Freedom at Midnight

In Freedom At Midnight, authors Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins provide a thoroughly researched account about various events in Indian history which contributed to its independence and the consequences (positive and negative) which ensued.

Readers will get a glimpse into issues such as the final year of the British raj, the reaction of the Princely states to independence, the partition between Pakistan and India, and the violence that followed. Readers will also learn about the details surrounding Gandhi’s assassination and the motives of Nehru and Jinnah’s decisions.

The book is a testament to Indian history as it contains deeply researched events and even important maps which lend it additional credibility. For instance, the authors have included maps denoting the boundaries between Pakistan and India that were drawn by Radcliffe, who was the Boundary Commission chairman. The authors have also included descriptions about religious unrest between the Muslims and Hindus, leading up to the massive migration by millions who were victimized by bandits and religious extremists.

In order to lend a humanist perspective to their historical account, the authors have recounted specific incidents experienced by individuals during this massive migration, that will surely flabbergast readers. The book concludes with the events that led up to Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, including the assassination plan by Nathuram Godse.

Freedom At Midnight was originally published in 1975.