“Amrith covers the historical background, the political and social world of the migrants, and the human suffering: the inhumanity of plantation life, disease and high mortality rates, and the aftermath of the crumbling of the European empires.”—Ravi Shenoy, Library Journal
“Admirably ambitious yet eminently readable, Crossing the Bay of Bengal is one of the most engaging works of history to come my way in a long time.”—Amitav Ghosh, writing at amitavghosh.com
“Amrith uncovers new horizons in oceanic history as he sets sail with Tamil migrants across the turbulent waters of the Bay of Bengal. This exquisitely crafted book deftly traces the migratory patterns and cultural flows that connect South and Southeast Asia while demonstrating the power and limits of human agency in shaping the environmental destiny of the sea.”—Sugata Bose, author of His Majesty’s Opponent
“Exquisitely crafted and exhaustively researched, this book will become a classic in global and oceanic history. Few studies of world history can rival the breathtaking interdisciplinary reach and sheer narrative splendor of this book.”—Isabel Hofmeyr, author of Gandhi’s Printing Press
“Reading this book is pure joy. Beautifully written, with lyrical tenderness and subtle concern for the voices of migrants, Crossing the Bay of Bengal portrays the history of the Bay transformed over epochs, from medieval times to the present, in all its environmental, economic, social, and political complexity.”—David Ludden, author of India and South Asia: A Short History
Crossing the Bay of Bengal
The Furies of Nature and the Fortunes of Migrants
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Book Details
HARDCOVER
$29.95 • £22.95 • €26.95
ISBN 9780674724839
Publication: October 2013
