This book is described as a biography of Phoolan Devi, a low-caste woman born in a rural community in India. She is married off at the age of 11 and suffered years of abuse by her much older husband. After being returned in disgrace to her family, she is kidnapped and raped by bandits. Phoolan is a survivor. She joined the bandits, taking money from the rich and sharing it with the poor. After years in jail, she becomes a Member of Parliament, always fighting for the poor and for women's rights.

Roy Moxham is fascinated with India and writes to Phoolan while she is in jail. Upon her release, he visits her and her family several times. I was never clear what his motivations were, and wish the book had been more about Phoolan's life instead of her times with him, helping him buy a house in India etc.

I couldn't warm up to the writer who opens the book by saying he was "ashamed" that people thought he was interested in a romantic or sexual relationship with Phoolan because she's "homely". I suspect he overplayed his importance to her and his role in things.

Also, the book contains a list of illustrations, but no actual illustrations. More frustration! ( )

This is a biography of India's Phoolan Devi who became an outlaw after being brutalized by higher caste men and sought revenge while becoming a heroine to low caste peoples. After serving time in prison she was released and became a politician only to be the victim of assassination. The author was an archivist in Britain who, for some inexplicable reason, wrote her a letter while she was in prison. He befriended her and travelled to India many times on her behalf. Moxham's actions leave one scratching their head, but he sheds light on a notable person and India's social dilemmas that are not well known in the West. ( )