| A PILGRIM’S PROGRESS |
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The book qualifies to be one the most authoritative topical memoirs of contemporary political history. The author diligently gives due justice to the “Country” aspect of the book, while the “Life” aspect of the book largely centers around two basic tenets of Advaniji’s ideals –‘Conviction’ and ‘Credibility’. This underlying thrust on Conviction and Credibility as the fountain-heads of moral-authority of a Leader and a Statesman is the moral of this book.
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| Mr
Acceptable, At Last |
| By SWAPAN DASGUPTA |
April 19, 2008, Tehelka
Magazine |
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There are two ways in which LK Advani’s autobiography My Country,
My Life can be read. The first is to approach it as a primary source
of contemporary history by a person who was either an important decision-
maker or had a ringside view of political developments from the early-1970s.
The second is to read the 942-page tome as a road map to the mind
of a man who has played a seminal role in reshaping the political
contours of India.
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| Candidly,
Advani |
By Chandan Mitra
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April 13th 2008, Agenda
(Sunday Pioneer) |
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It is a bit late
in the day to review LK Advani's magnum opus, My Country, My Life,
since at least 100 others have done so already. But having taken more
than three weeks to actually read it, I am convinced that the reviewers,
both in the print and electronic media, did no more than desperate
rapid reading, culling out "juicy" parts with the primary
intent of sensationalising its apparent flaws.
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| An
ocean of remembrance |
By Shri M.V. Kamath
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April 20th 2008, Organiser |
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Not many politicians
are given to write about their life and times and those that do often
evoke little interest and much less enthusiasm. But L.K. Advani’s
My Country My Life stands apart. To say just that is to underestimate
its essence and character. It is, simply put, more than an autobiography.
It is history, philosophy, political commentary, personal observations
of a passing scene, all put together in language felicitous that even
Jawaharlal Nehru, a fastidious autobiographer himself would have happily
applauded.
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| Testament
of an unrepentant nationalist |
| By S PRASANNARAJAN |
March 14, 2008, India
Today |
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Lal Krishna Advani
is trapped inside an image. In the art works of professional demonologists,
it is an image incompatible with the drawing room aesthetics of left-liberal
India.
So, many variations of Advani continue to dominate and divide Indian
politics. The nationalist who borrows his rhetorical wares from the
black markets of mythology to win his argument with the present. The
aggrieved Hindu who never stops returning to the imaginary sites of
cultural vandalism.
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| In
the running |
| By Ashish Sharma |
April 12th 2008, LiveMint |
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Lal Krishna Advani
has long been revered, and equally reviled, as a truer representative
of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) than Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Ever
since he led the Ram Janmabhoomi movement in 1990, he has symbolized
the party’s core beliefs, while Vajpayee played the malleable
mascot suitable for latter-day coalition politics. Now, after Vajpayee’s
retreat and his ascent as the party’s prime ministerial candidate,
along comes My Country, My Life, a self-portrait that presents him
as Vajpayee’s natural successor.
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| LK
before he leaps |
| By VIR SANGHAVI |
March 25 2008, Hindustan
Times |
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Anybody who has ever interviewed LK Advani
will know that he is an unusual Indian politician in the sense that
he does not shy away from discussing issues. He is unusual also in
that he is comfortable with ideas and happy to conduct an intellectual
argument. If he has faults, they lie in his sensitive nature. He is
remarkably thin-skinned for a politician, will often take needless
offence and equally, will be easily and tearfully overwhelmed. Plus,
he is reluctant to cause hurt. Rarely will he say anything bad about
any of his colleagues even when the truth might do him more good than
the evasions he sometimes resorts to.
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| Ghost
Burial That Wasn't to Be |
| By KHUSHWANT SINGH |
March 29th 2008, Outlook |
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| There is some justification for his
publishers describing L.K. Advani’s memoirs as a "must-read".
Advani redrew the political and communal map of India. Whether it
was for the good of the country will be a matter of debate for years
to come. It’s a massive tome running up to nearly a thousand
pages. I thought it best to read his views on matters which were
of vital interest and so decided to consult the index and see if
it had something to say about me. I do not have an ego problem,
just that for a brief period I played a role in promoting his career.
Advani writes:
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| Diversions
On Memory Lane |
| By KANCHAN GUPTA |
April 7 2008, Outlook |
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Ever since autobiographies
by the rich and famous (contrary to what aficionados of 'lifestyle
journalism' believe, the two are not synonymous) became an expectation
rather than an exception in early 20th century Europe, authors have
willingly made public that which should have remained private. In
some cases, it was meant to titillate and push up sales; when the
author was a politician, it was directed at providing an insight into
the unknown or to set the record straight.
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| The
Past Isn’t Another Country |
| By PRATAP BHANU
MEHTA |
March 30 2008, Indian
Express |
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| Lal krishna advani is
that rarest of politician who can claim credit for something unique
in the annals of Indian history: starting a social movement that
left a deep imprint on the society. Many politicians will claim
longer stints in power; others will be better administrators and
thinkers, but the privilege of creating a movement that shifted
the ideological centre of Indian politics, gave utterance to widespread
but suppressed feelings, empowered new constituencies and energised
an important political party belongs to a few.
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| LK,
In His Own Words |
| By VINOD MEHTA |
March 31 2008, Outlook |
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One can argue with his politics,
his rath yatras, his ideological somersaults, but it has to be conceded
that L.K. Advani is a politician’s politician. He is possibly
the most astute and accomplished practitioner of the art which, unfortunately,
has fallen into disrepute.
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