Freedom's daughter : letters between Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, 1922-39 /

Lovingly edited by the late Indira Gandhi's daughter-in-law, these two volumes contain 771 letters written between Jawaharlal Nehru, prime minister of India from 1947 to 1964, and his daughter, Indira, prime minister herself for 16 years. They shared an intense relationship. She, in turn, continued the bond with her father even after her marriage. Nehru was one of the great figures of the 20th century, not only because of the intrinsic interest in and importance of his career but also because of his writing. It has a poetical quality, which shines through these two volumes. Nehru (and Gandhi, to a certain extent as well) was an Edwardian figure who grew up in a world of books, friends, and family. They were both strong personalities in their own right, living life to its fullest amidst periods of loneliness, hardship, and deprivation caused by jail sentences and separations. Through these letters readers share their journeys, their experiences, and, especially, Nehru's humor. These are books to cherish: to read, to dip into, and through which to relive 42 years of life and history in a most intimate and remarkable manner! General; undergraduate; graduate; faculty; community college. R. D. Long; Eastern Michigan University