Hey guys,
Just to clarify, this is about the guys living around the Ganges, not the folks living in north America before the Europeans.
I currently search for books about Indian History prior to British colonialism, ideally a lot before that. I am well aware that India is gigantic and has a multitude of different cultures, but:
I don't care, since I know very little about the country, so it doesn't really matter with which part of the culture/country I start.
My main expectation is that it is somewhat fun to read, but should also be not toooo influenced by religious beliefs. My native language is German and there I found for example translations of "Mahabharata", but had the impression that it was not translated by a historian, but instead by a dude trying to sell his yoga classes.
I need the basics of the culture, ideally as an ebook or audio book.
I checked this list by the economist: What to read as an introduction to India from TheEconomist https://www.economist.com/the-economist-reads/2022/08/13/what-to-read-as-an-introduction-to-india
Which suggests: Mahabharata; India in the Persianate Age: 1000-1765. By Richard M. Eaton Penguin; 512 pages; $39.95 and £30;Inglorious Empire: What the British did to India. By Shashi Tharoor. Hurst Publishers; 296 pages; £10.99 and $17.95; Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity. By Katherine Boo. Penguin Random House; 288 pages; £9.99 and $15.99 ; The Billionaire Raj: A Journey Through India’s New Gilded Age. By James Crabtree. Penguin Random House; 416 pages; £9.99 and $17.
Non of them, except Mahabharata seem to match my description.
Any ideas where to start? Languages that I can read are German and English. French if it is not tooo complex.
Yeah, right? We should not give that bullshit that much attention! Just let them rott in the hellscape of their own making and everyone that is cool can come over to Europe and enjoy the sweet healthcare and free education.