Discover The Raj Quartet: The Jewel in the Crown, The Day of the Scorpion, The Towers of Silence & A Division of the Spoils as it's meant to be heard, narrated by Mark Bazeley, Anna Maxwell Martin, Benedict Cumberbatch, full cast, Geraldine James, Kulvinder Ghir, Nina … I was really glad for this as I would have hated to get to the end of any of them and have to wait to get the next one from the library. Tolstoyan in scope and Proustian in detail but completely individual in effect, it records the encounter between East and West through the experiences of a dozen people caught up in the upheavals of the Second World War and the growing campaign for Indian independence from Britain. Read 89 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. Find great deals on eBay for paul scott the raj quartet. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, The Raj Quartet: The Jewel in the Crown, the Day of the Scorpion, the Towers of Silence, a Division of Spoils. The Raj Quartet is a huge investment in time - it's four novels - but it's worth it. It is that good! Updates? After finishing, I was tempted to re-start from the beginning. With Tim Pigott-Smith, Geraldine James, Wendy Morgan, Judy Parfitt. I found myself really sucked into the lives of the characters, and although and I could neither love nor hate them, I could feel for them, caught, as they were, ‘like butterflies in a web’. The cruelty and arrogance of the British rule made me want to leap up and demand justice for Hari; romance was satisfied on several levels but not alas for all. At the time, I never did feel as much sympathy for Hari the individual --for his displacement and loneliness--as much as a friend of mine did; choosing to be more horrified by the depictions of racism against the Indians, but I may have a little more sympathy now. Many a doctoral paper could be wr. It is a Herculean task of handling 375 characters and cyclic narration of a mega story against the backdrop of pre-Independence history. A momentous achievement...almost 2000 pages I kept turning and marvelling at the perfect style of writing for this saga of the end of the Raj. Written decades later, it is superior in style and content to the Raj. Paul Scott - The Raj Quartet The Jewel in the Crown Daphne Manners arrives in Mayapore and meets two men who are to change her life: Hari Kumar and Ronald Merrick. I think the "Quartet" is especially relevant today in terms of our ongoing problems with "Nation Building" in the Middle East. Hope you read it or at least started. Despite my intense sadness at the loss of American jobs to cheaper overseas labor, especially to India, I am interested in the country and its history. I cannot imagine reading any of theses books in isolation of the others. Yes, it was a fabulous series, keeping in mind that it was the British version of the Raj. The sweeping drama about the ruling and ruled classes of WWII India, trying amidst the turmoil to come to terms with the drastic changes taking place around them, knowing that their lives will never be the same again. I think the "Quartet" is especially relevant today in terms of our ongoing problems with "Nation Building". The Jewel in the Crown (451 p), The Day of the Scorpion (483 p), The Towers of Silence (392 p), and A Division of the Spoils (598 p). When you realize you can skip 1/3 of the three succeeding books of the Quartet, as they are rehash of the previous books, then it goes quite quickly. The Raj Quartet: A Division of the Spoils, The Towers of Silence, The Day of the Scorpion, The Jewel in the Crown (Four Volume Boxed Set) [Scott, Paul] on Amazon.com. Omissions? Paul Scott, introduced by Hilary Spurling. Despite my intense sadness at the loss of American jobs to cheaper overseas labor, especially to India, I am interested in the country and its history. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Find the latest tracks, albums, and images from The Raj Quartet. The Raj Quartet (Book) : Scott, Paul, 1920-1978 : The Raj Quartet , Paul Scott's epic study of British India in its final years, has no equal. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Read the sequel (Staying On), too. Postcolonial literature-Wikipedia. Obviously, I think a great deal of these books as I have read them in their entirety several times over the years. I love books about and set in India. At the time, I never did feel as much sympathy for Hari the individual --for his displacement and loneliness--as much as a friend of mine did; choosing to be more horrified b. It is simply an exquisite experience to read this book, every word and image seem just about perfect. The Raj Quartet, series of four novels by Paul Scott. Tolstoyan in scope and Proustian in detail but completely individual in effect, it records the encounter between East and West through the experiences of a dozen people caught up in the upheavals of the Second World War and the growing campaign for Indian independence from Britain. The Jewel in the Crown (451 p), The Day of the Scorpion (483 p), The Towers of Silence (392 p), and A Division of the Spoils (598 p). The Raj Quartet is four books in one. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. The story of The Raj Quartet begins in 1942. Read this book using Google Play Books app on your PC, android, iOS devices. The Raj quartet by Scott, Paul, 1920-1978. I read it breathlessly and was sad when it was over (sad that there were no more volumes to read), though Staying On is a lovely, bittersweet coda to the series (and won the Booker to boot). When you realize you can skip 1/3 of the three succeeding books of the Quartet, as they are rehash of the previous books, then it goes quite quickly. The Jewel in the Crown is a 1984 British television serial about the final days of the British Raj in India during and after World War II, based upon the Raj Quartet novels (1965–1975) by British author Paul Scott. That said, even in hindsight I would still give this set of books at least 4 stars--they are absorbing and bring to life an era in India that has gone forever. I was in Costa Rica and had given the other volumes away to save on luggage weight. The Raj Quartet, Paul Scott’s epic study of British India in its final years, has no equal. The Raj Quartet, Volume 4: A Division of Spoils - Ebook written by Paul Scott. The "Raj Quartet" is the epic account of the last years of the British occupation of India. Report abuse. The Raj Quartet Vol. The series is about 2,000 pages, and it requires a fair amount of time to read. The Jewel in the Crown opens in 1942 as the British fear both Japanese invasion and Indian demands for independence. (Volumes 1 through 4). The Raj Quartet 1: The Jewel in the Crown, A Division of the Spoils . The Jewel in the Crown, acclaimed British television miniseries (1984) that was adapted by Ken Taylor from The Raj Quartet, a series of novels by Paul Scott about the last days of British rule in India.. The Raj Quartet by Paul Scott (1,032 pages, Everyman’s Library, 2007) I want to begin with a judgment of luminous wrong-headedness. I’ve recently finished “The Raj Quartet” (1965-1975) by Paul Scott, a novel sequence about the final days of British Crown rule in India during and directly after World War II. The Day of the Scorpion (Book) : Scott, Paul : The Raj Quartet , Paul Scott's epic study of British India in its final years, has no equal. If you are just now reading the Raj, I suggest you follow it up with the Native version of the Raj: The House of Blue Mangoes by David Davidar. As I read the last page, I wanted the book to go on. The Raj Quartet by Paul Scott "The quartet has made Scott's international reputation as the chronicler of the decline and fall of the Raj." One of the central incidents of the story is the rape of an Englishwoman, and one of the main characters is the Indian Hari Kumar, who is accused of having participated in the rape. Indian Hari Kumar’s interracial relationship with Englishwoman Daphne Manners, the career and sexual opportunism of Police Super intendent Ronald Merrick, the encroaching madness and despair of idealistic missionary Barbie Batchelor, and the failure of well-intentioned diplomat Guy Perron to decipher the riddle India poses for its would-be conquerors are painstakingly woven into an engrossing, unforgettable extended narrative. Refresh and try again. The Raj Quartet: A Division of the Spoils, The Towers of Silence, The Day of the Scorpion, The Jewel in the Crown (Four Volume Boxed Set) He creates world in which one could dote in a state of timelessness. As I read the last page, I wanted the b. The character development is outstanding from the humble Barbie to the equally pathetic yet sadistic Merrick to Guy to Sarah to Daphne to ... Not a single bad portrayal throughout the books. What I can remember is that this is successfully conceived and executed epic, which integrates individual human destinies, Indian and British, with the wider historical perspective. Here is a set of the 4 novels which comprise The Raj Quartet, all of which are set in India between 1942 and 1947. I was really glad for this as I would have hated to get to the end of any of them and have to wait to get the next one from the library. To see what your friends thought of this book, Yes, I have read them twice, listened once on Audible and I am trying to find the time to read for the 4th time. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The Raj Quartet is four books in one. India was the "Jewel in the Crown" of the British Empire, and the relationship of the Indian people and their colonial masters was vastly complicated, to say the least. Listen to music from The Raj Quartet like Whoops! It helped that it had been made into a movie. I ask if anyone on Goodreads has read the books? Conseuently this review is necessarily very short and from meory of what struck me, without references. My rating for this quartet is probably more out of nostalgia than judgement, but I did love them whole-heartedly without reserve when I read them for the first time. The Raj Quartet, Paul Scott’s epic study of British India in its final years, has no equal. The last days of the British Raj in India as the Second World War leads inevitably towards independence. Take the time to follow through these four great books to the powerful end. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The Raj Quartet, Volume 2: The Day of the Scorpion - Ebook written by Paul Scott. The story examines the role of the British in India and the effect of their presence in the country during its struggle for independence. One, The Jewel in the Crown. The Raj Quartet, series of four novels by Paul Scott. Read this book using Google Play Books app on your PC, android, iOS devices. Made famous by a popular television series, this rich quartet of novels dramatizes the final years of British rule (“the Raj”) in India through explorations of several intersecting lives. Since I so enjoyed the mini series I am considering reading the books. It is simply an exquisite experience to read this book, every word and image seem just about perfect. Never sentimental, often instructive, occasionally ethereal and poetic, sometimes military in style about the military period of the end of British Rule in India, and always intelligent and interesting, the characters keep coming back and kris-crossing with each book so that you end. The Raj Quartet is one of those rare masterpieces that takes something you have little interest in and people that you have no time for, and yet it manages to make you feel what you never expected to feel. The tetralogy, composed of The Jewel in the Crown (1966), The Day of the Scorpion (1968), The Towers of Silence (1971), and A Division of the Spoils (1975), is set in India during the years leading up to that country’s independence from the British raj (sovereignty). The series was written during the period 1965–75. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Raj-Quartet, Academia.edu - Spoken in God Faith: Narrators in The Raj Quartet. Have read it a couple of times now and probably heading back for a 3rd read shortly. This is long and fairly deliberately paced, but absolutely riveting in its dramatic construction, characters and their inter-dynamics, historical interest, etc. Unfortunately my notes on this book as well as the last volume which I was half way through, were in my rucksack, which was stolen. about No set of novels so richly recreates the last days of India under British rule-"two nations locked in an imperial embrace"-as Paul Scott's historical tour de force, The Raj Quartet. and just discovered the video covers all 4 of Scotts books. It is a complex, multi-layered story of 2 countries, their colonial relationship and eventual "divorce" told from the many points of view of the supremely detailed characters Scott created. I cannot imagine reading any of theses books in isolation of the others. Started sort of interesting; but I became increasingly bored, and couldn't wait to "finish" the poundage. The "Raj Quartet" is the epic account of the last years of the British occupation of India. 1960s: English writer Paul Scott is best-known for The Raj Quartet (1965-1975) dealing with the final years of the British Empire in India. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read The Raj Quartet, Volume 2: The Day of the Scorpion. The major literatures written in English outside the British Isles are treated separately under American literature,…. That said, even in hindsight I would still give this set of books at least 4 stars--they are absorbing and bring to life an era in India that has gone forever. Yes, it was a fabulous series, keeping in mind that it was the British version of the Raj. Publication date 1976 Topics British -- India -- Fiction, Historical fiction, English, India -- History -- 20th century -- Fiction Publisher London : Heinemann Collection inlibrary; printdisabled; internetarchivebooks Digitizing sponsor Kahle/Austin Foundation Contributor Internet Archive Language English. Seems like I get the urge every ten y. [gosh, i wrote so much. Never sentimental, often instructive, occasionally ethereal and poetic, sometimes military in style about the military period of the end of British Rule in India, and always intelligent and interesting, the characters keep coming back and kris-crossing with each book so that you end up with a tapestry of the time and place, of India during the second world war. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Word Count: 550. The character development is outstanding from the humble Barbie to the equally pathetic yet sadistic Merrick to Guy to Sarah to Daphne to ... Not a single bad portrayal throughout the books. Made famous by a popular television series, this rich quartet of novels dramatizes the final years of British rule (“the Raj”) in India through explorations of several intersecting lives. When at the end of novel 1, Edwina Crane declares "There is nothing I can do" - I should have figured out sooner that this was the theme of the quartet. Finish means that I skimmed the fourth novel, having invested careful reading of novels 1, 2, 3. Got tired of the British, got tired of the prejudice, got tired of World War II. I like to think I'm wiser, or at least more cynical and less romantic, and I spent some time on the subcontinent in the interim; at any rate, ten years on from my first attempt, I devoured the series. Many a doctoral paper could be written on the symbolism of each for the weaknesses and strengths of the conquering country. Listening now: A major investment of my time, but one that really paid dividends. A Division of the Spoils homepage. Four novels form Paul Scott’s series known as The Raj Quartet: The Jewel in the Crown, The Day of the Scorpion, The Towers of Silence, and A Division of the Spoils. Corrections? The Raj Quartet is one of the longest, most successfully rendered works of nineteenth-century fiction written in the twentieth century. The Raj Quartet a four-volume novel sequence, written by Paul Scott, also deals with the subject of the British in India, in this case the concluding years of the British Raj in India. It's very old-fashioned in one sense, because it has a very languorous pace (but it's NOT dull) but it's also an English-class worthy example of contemporary fiction: lots of symbolism but also the whole story is seen as though you're in, Obviously, I think a great deal of these books as I have read them in their entirety several times over the years. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). "The Raj Quartet" is a towering achievement and make up a collection of some of the best contemporary historical novels ever written. I believe it was originally published in serial form. I believe it was originally published in serial form. The story is filled with history, cultural insights, and profound allegory. A paperback that weighs in at three pounds; after 2 weeks of handling my copy is battered, but amazingly still holding together. Unfortunately my notes on this book as well as the last volume which I was half way through, were in my rucksack, which was stolen. The Raj Quartet, Paul Scott's epic study of British India in its final years, has no equal. Tolstoyan in scope and Proustian in detail but completely individual in effect, it records the encounter between East and West through the experiences of a dozen people caught up in the upheavals of the Second World War and the growing campaign for Indian independence from Britain. A wonderful book. It is a complex, multi-layered story of 2 countries, their colonial relationship and eventual "divorce" told from the many points of view of the supremely detailed characters Scott created. I was in Costa Rica and had given the other volumes away to save on luggage weight. The cruelty and arrogance of the British rule made me want to leap up and demand justice for Hari; romance was satisfied on several levels but not alas for all. It's the kind of fiction project that most of us don't carve out space for, but large, complex works (think Proust or Joyce) have sublime rewards when done well, as here. It was also made into a very good BBC production. Yes, I have read them twice, listened once on Audible and I am trying to find the time to read for the 4th time. I don't know if it would last through a second reading, so it will be honorably retired. The Raj Quartet is a four-volume novel sequence, written by Paul Scott, about the concluding years of the British Raj in India. It is especially profound literature. Conseuently this review is necessarily very short and from meory of what struck me, without references. Amazing descriptive language and characters set at the end of the British empire in India, My rating for this quartet is probably more out of nostalgia than judgement, but I did love them whole-heartedly without reserve when I read them for the first time. The question of how one person (Sarah Layton in the book) can break away from the ties of nationality and chauvinism that appear to define us and eventually create one's own identity is sensitively and beautifully detailed. It has something War and Peace lacks: an evil presence of enormous pathos. Helpful. The Raj Quartet: The Jewel in the Crown/the Day of the Scorpion/the Towers of Silence/a Division of the Spoils Hardcover – Nov. 1 1984 by Paul Scott (Author) 4.8 out of 5 … *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Granada Television produced the series for the ITV network. A thorough look at the end of British presence in India. Part of Paul Scott's The Raj Quartet. The Times called it "one of the most important landmarks of post-war fiction. " --Malcolm Muggeridge, New York Times Book Review "Not many of E. M Forster's readers could have imagined then that his book's theme -- relations between Europeans and non-Europeans -- would soon become an acute human and literary concern. Thank you, Dear Laura. The Raj Quartet (comprised of four novels) is my favourite work of fiction for the twentieth century. India was the "Jewel in the Crown" of the British Empire, and the relationship of the Indian people and their colonial masters was vastly complicated, to say the least. I have just completed viewing the PBS mini series of Paul Scotts Raj Quartet there is a sequel called "Staying On". Welcome back. The Raj Quartet is one of the best stories around, it is based on historical events in India before and after they sought independence from England. 7 people found this helpful. In The Raj Quartet, Scott holds a large lost world of empire in the volumes that form the epic saga. The Raj Quartet (comprised of four novels) is my favourite work of fiction for the twentieth century. 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