Five millennia of civilization masterfully condensed into an absorbing, fast-paced narrative of how India became the world's largest democracy and a rising global power. The Shortest History books deliver thousands of years of history in one riveting, fast-paced read. India is an amalgam of customs, races, castes, languages, and spiritual beliefs--woven together throughout the ages into a colossal history. From ancient migrations and the Harappān civilization to Muslim invaders, the Great Mughals, British rule, hard-fought independence, and present-day hopes and challenges, John Zubrzycki fashions a riveting narrative that helps readers make sense of the country behind today's headlines. Zubrzycki brings the complex and contrasting layers of Indian history to life through a well-known cast of characters--Buddha, Alexander the Great, Akbar, Clive, Tipu Sultan, Lakshmi Bai, Curzon, Jinnah, and Mahatma Gandhi--against a backdrop of the mystical Ganges, the desert forts of Rajasthan, the snow-covered Himalayas, and the ruins of India's fabled civilizations. From Buddhism to Bollywood, India has made its mark on Asia and the world. Only time will tell if India--whose population has now surpassed China's--can overcome its political, social, and religious tensions to become the next global superpower.