Book Details:
Book Title: Gandhi : My Life is my Message
Author: Jason Quinn
Illustrator: Sachin Nagar
Genre: Graphic Novel, Biography
Publisher: Campfire Graphic Novels (June 19, 2016)
Length of the book: 212 pages
Source: Picked from local library
Blurb:
How did this shy, unassuming lawyer transform himself into the leader of India’s freedom movement? Renouncing wealth, ambition, and comfort, Gandhi led by example, becoming one with the people he sought to free, facing imprisonment, hardship, and humiliation while never raising his voice in anger.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, better known as the Mahatma or Great Soul, took on the might of the British Empire armed only with a message of love and non-violence. In Gandhi: My Life is My Message we discover the man behind the legend, following him from his birth in the Indian coastal town of Porbandar in 1869, to the moment of his tragic death at the hands of an assassin in January 1948, just months after the independence of India.
My Review:
This is my first graphic novel and I came to know about this book through a women's group. I have already read Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography 'The Story of my experiments with truth' in my childhood. So, I have some expectations set on this book before reading it.
This book is in the first person, as said by Gandhi himself. Even though the book covers all his important life events, it highlights more on his morals and why he believed in them. This book also portrays clearly the dilemma faced by Gandhi in different situations and how he has overcome a lot of problems undeterred. It is definitely an inspiring read. The autobiography of Gandhi is more detailed than this graphic novel. This novel seems like a quick recap or summary of the autobiography. One thing I liked most about the book is, it also portrays the dilemma in Gandhiji's mind when someone suggests him to go against his conscience. The clarity of his thought, ability to take the right decision, his patience and reasoning behind each decision are very well depicted in the book. I personally liked the details about his role during India and Pakistan partition and his feelings.
The concepts of Satyagraha, self-reliance by using spinning/charkha, Enabling villages, leading a simple life, his opinion on Untouchability and finally, the Quit India movement is very inspiring to learn about.
Reading a graphic novel is a better experience than reading only text. Illustrations by Sachin are good.
I would recommend this book to people of all ages and especially young, as there is a lot to learn from Mahatma Gandhi, our Father of the Nation.
PS: I have picked this book from the library and this is my honest opinion on the book.
My Rating:
4/5
Purchase Link:
About the Author:
Jason Quinn learned to read with comic books, and while most kids in his school dreamed of becoming astronauts or firemen, he always wanted to work in comics. He has worked in television, radio and publishing and has written for such characters as Spider-Man, Ben 10, and the Incredible Hulk. He co-wrote two books with his writing partner, Jonathan Magnanti, under the name Quinn Magnanti, those books were The Palace of Wonder and Leeds LS80. Before writing Steve Jobs: Genius by Design, he scripted New Baby Productions adaptation of the HG Wells classic, the Chronic Argonauts. He now lives and works in Delhi as Campfire Graphic Novels' Creative Content Head.
Until next time,