The writings and political and social reform campaigns of Mohandas K. “Mahatma” Gandhi (1869–1948) continue to inspire many commentators and activists. Howard brings together 16 independent (and occasionally overlapping) essays on Gandhi by scholars based in the US, the UK, and India, who hail "from a wide range of disciplines, including Philosophy, Theology, Religious studies, English literature, Peace Studies, Social Sciences, Ethnic Studies, Ethics, and International Relations" (p. 17). Using Gandhi’s own published words and drawing from the vast array of secondary studies about him, each essay thoughtfully considers one or more aspects of Gandhi and his legacies internationally, but especially in the US, South Africa, and India. All of the contributing authors esteem Gandhi, but many critique the interpretations advocated by others about the true meaning of his concepts and actions. Individual essays compare and contrast Gandhi’s presuppositions—especially those regarding the nature and practice of nonviolence and universal human morality and equality—with those of Islam, Jainism, Hinduism, international feminism, Euro-American liberal democracy, Christian US civil rights leaders, and Indian Anglophone fiction writer Mulk Raj Anand (1905–2004). Recommended. General readers and lower-division undergraduates.

Choice Reviews

Few individuals have an afterlife that is as chequered as the life they lived. Gandhi is one such person whose global footprint increased after his life was brought to an end. Veena Howard brings together an impressive range of concerns and perspectives to comprehend the enduring presence of Gandhi.

Tridip Suhrud, CEPT University