The Glass Palace  (English, Paperback, Amitav Ghosh)

The Glass Palace is a vibrantly detailed family saga set in south-central Asia against the tumultuous background of the twentieth century.

Summary of the Book

The Glass Palace written by Amitav Ghosh is set primarily in Burma and India. The novel explores the evolving history of these regions before and during the troubled years of the Second World War and India's independence struggle. The protagonist of the story is Rajkumar, an Indian shop boy orphaned in Mandalay. On the eve of the 1885 British invasion, he falls in love with Dolly, a beautiful handmaiden to the Queen of Burma. The British send Burma's King Thibaw and his loyal court, along with the young handmaiden, into exile in India. In the meanwhile, Rajkumar who is left behind in Burma manages to build a thriving lumber business in the growing teak trade. He finally sets off to India to find Dolly, the only woman he has ever loved. The long years in exile have devastated the royal family, leaving Dolly as their only servant. With the help of the colonial administrator's wife, Uma Dey, Rajkumar convinces Dolly to return to Burma and marry him. But shortly after her departure everything falls apart. The author takes the readers on a journey across Burma and India, from India’s fight for independence to Burma’s downfall and its transformation into Myanmar under a military dictatorship.

About Amitav Ghosh

Amitav Ghosh is a Bengali Indian author. Ghosh was born in Calcutta and completed his education from The Doon School, St. Stephen’s College, Delhi School of Economics and Oxford University. He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Indian Government in 2007. He has penned down books like The Circle of Reason, The Hungry Tide, The Calcutta Chromosome and River of Smoke. He is currently based out of New York where he resides with his wife, Deborah Baker.