Speaking Of History: Conversations About India’s Past And Present (Hb) brings India’s rich past into sharp, urgent focus through a candid exchange between renowned historian Romila Thapar and incisive writer Namit Arora. This non-fiction inquiry invites readers into how history is crafted, remembered, and often contested in modern discourse. It’s ideal for curious readers of all ages who want to understand not just what happened, but how that history matters today. The tone is thoughtful, rigorous, and approachable — inspiring further questions rather than offering neat answers.

In these conversations, the book is written as a living dialogue rather than a traditional monograph. Short chapters unfold around questions like how we weigh evidence, how interpretations are formed, and how politics and identity shape what counts as history. The experience is engaging because the authors model careful argument, friendly disagreement, and lucid explanation, making dense ideas accessible without dumbing them down. The content is presented as a balance of scholarly rigor and human curiosity, with discussions of caste, gender, religion, mythology, and nationalism that illuminate both past and present.

• Dialogic format featuring Romila Thapar and Namit Arora
• Explores historiography—how evidence is weighed and interpretations are formed
• Tackles the politics of history, including caste, gender, religion, mythology, and nationalism
• Accessible, thoughtful prose that blends rigorous scholarship with everyday relevance
• Clear insights into how knowledge of the past informs contemporary public discourse
• Engaging structure that invites reflection, discussion, and critical inquiry

After finishing Speaking Of History, readers gain a sharper sense of how the past is built, contested, and used in the present — and a confidence to engage in historical conversations with curiosity, care, and critical eye.