A well written and easy to read book on the partition of India in 1947.
Although called ‘THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE END OF AN EMPIRE’ I wonder is there are any secrets revealed in the book. The books main theme is the interaction between Mountbatten, Lady Mountbatten and Nehru and the affect this love triangle had on the partition of India. The author accepts that despite her efforts she was not allowed to read what must be hundreds of letters exchanged between Edwina Mountbatten and Jawaharlal Nehru. As for the fact that they had an intensely close and perhaps intimate relationship it has never been a secret (though never been publicly accepted by their families).
The book claims that Nehru was the real soul mate of Edwina (as she was to him).
The joy and happiness they both felt when together has been portrayed throughout the book.
Edwina died rather unexpectedly in 1960 aged just 58. The book claims that when she was found dead in her bed there were old letters on her bedside table as well as some scattered on her bed. It looked as if she was reading them when she died. All of the letters were from Nehru.
Humans are influenced by their likes and dislikes and for those who are in positions of power these influences can alter the course of history and affect the fate of millions. The relationship between Nehru and Mountbatten’s certainly affected the fortunes of India and Pakistan much to the loss of the later.
Perhaps a more appropriate title for the book would have been:
THE HISTORY OF A SECRET ROMANCE DURING THE END OF AN EMPIRE