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John Masters (1) (1914–1983)

Autor von Nightrunners of Bengal

Andere Autoren mit dem Namen John Masters findest Du auf der Unterscheidungs-Seite.

35+ Werke 2,037 Mitglieder 29 Rezensionen

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Bildnachweis: Cropped scan from back cover of Penguin No.1085 - unattributed image

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Werke von John Masters

Nightrunners of Bengal (1951) 269 Exemplare
Bhowani Junction (1952) 258 Exemplare
Bugles and a Tiger (1948) 217 Exemplare
The Road Past Mandalay (1961) 179 Exemplare
The Deceivers (1952) 141 Exemplare
Coromandel! (1801) 110 Exemplare
Now, God Be Thanked (1844) 100 Exemplare
The Lotus and the Wind (1953) 86 Exemplare
Casanova (1870) 77 Exemplare
Fern, fern der Gipfel : Roman (1957) 75 Exemplare
The Ravi Lancers (1972) 67 Exemplare
Fandango Rock (1959) 62 Exemplare
Heart of War (1980) 58 Exemplare
To the Coral Strand (1962) 51 Exemplare
The Venus of Konpara (1960) 46 Exemplare
By the Green of the Spring (1981) 40 Exemplare
The Himalayan Concerto (1976) 31 Exemplare
Man of War (1983) 30 Exemplare
The Field-Marshal's Memoirs (1975) 29 Exemplare
Pilgrim Son: A Personal Odyssey (1971) 19 Exemplare
Trial at Monomoy (1963) 19 Exemplare
The Rock (1970) 18 Exemplare
Thunder at Sunset (1974) 14 Exemplare
The Breaking Strain (1967) 9 Exemplare
Fourteen Eighteen (1965) 9 Exemplare
High Command (1983) 4 Exemplare
A Spanish Affair (2014) 4 Exemplare
Glory of India (1982) — Einführung — 2 Exemplare
La barrera 1 Exemplar
Indisk fanfare 1 Exemplar
An Indian Affair 1 Exemplar

Zugehörige Werke

The Penguin Book of War (1999) — Mitwirkender — 450 Exemplare
Bhowani Junction [1956 film] (1956) — Original book — 8 Exemplare

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"Bugles and a Tiger: A Volume of Autobiography" is a captivating memoir by John Masters, a British officer and writer. Published in 1956, the book offers a firsthand account of Masters' experiences serving in the Indian Army during the early 20th century.

The memoir begins with Masters' arrival in India as a young officer in the 1920s. He vividly describes the sights, sounds, and challenges of life in the Indian Army, immersing readers in the unique cultural and military milieu of the time. The title "Bugles and a Tiger" refers to the bugle calls that marked the daily routines of military life and the tiger, symbolizing the wild and untamed nature of India.

Masters shares captivating stories of his adventures, from leading expeditions in the rugged Northwest Frontier to navigating the complex social dynamics within the ranks of the British Army. He reflects on the camaraderie among the soldiers, the colonial attitudes prevalent at the time, and the conflicts faced by both the officers and the enlisted men.

The book delves into the challenges of maintaining peace in a diverse and volatile region, as well as the British military's efforts to quell uprisings and maintain control. Masters provides insights into the complexities of the British Raj, shedding light on the interactions between the British and the Indian population, the tensions between different ethnic and religious groups, and the shifting political landscape.

Beyond the military aspects, "Bugles and a Tiger" is also a personal account of Masters' growth and development as an individual. He reflects on the impact of his experiences on his character, values, and worldview. The memoir touches on themes of honor, duty, sacrifice, and the personal toll of military service.

Masters' writing style is engaging and evocative, painting a vivid picture of the landscapes, people, and events he encountered during his time in the Indian Army. His love for India and its people shines through, as does his appreciation for the unique blend of cultures and traditions.

"Bugles and a Tiger" is not only a memoir but also a valuable historical document that provides insights into the British colonial era in India. Masters' personal anecdotes and observations offer readers a deeper understanding of the complexities of the time and the human experiences of those involved.
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FallsGalloway | 4 weitere Rezensionen | May 7, 2023 |
I read this about 60 years ago I suppose, and enjoyed it very much - It gave one a vivid picture of India and of the troubles around Partition, was exciting and I liked the idea of telling the story through the eyes of four different people. Sadly however the narrators are either European or Anglo Indian. I won't re-read the book as I fear I would find it very dated in its attitude the people of India, but I'll keep it in my library, unlike other India novels by the same author
 
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VPManga | 3 weitere Rezensionen | Dec 3, 2021 |
William Savage, an area official in the East India Company discovers a mass grave. When his superiors show little interest he decides to hunt down and infiltrate the murderers. Part boys-own-adventure channelling Lawrentian-like mystical experiences, William’s story brings a version of 1820’s India to life. A country that tolerated the act of Suttee & the putting to death of some prisoners by reluctant trampling elephant.

Apparently over 1 million travellers were murdered by Thuggee followers, who raised the act of befriending and then mugging into a quasi-religious experience.

A fascinating story, but I couldn’t quite believe the characters of William & his incredibly understanding wife, and this wasn’t a page-turner for me.
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LARA335 | 1 weitere Rezension | Dec 4, 2020 |
This was Masters first novel and is a work of historical fiction. Its subject is the Indian Mutiny of 1857. Masters was a regular officer in the Indian Army and served from 1939 to 1946. His family had a long tradition in the Indian army and so he was steeped in the culture of British rule under the Raj, but his setting for the novel is ninety years earlier when the country was controlled by the East India Company. He is probably at his best in describing the life of an officer in the army, but this first novel combines this with an adventure story and a full scale battle with much brutal action. It is quite well written, but in some places it feels a little clunky, there is a lot going on and sometimes I feel it doesn't quite hang together..

The central character is Captain Rodney Savage of the Bengal native Infantry. He has a good working relationship with the sepoys (Indian native army regulars) whom he has grown to appreciate. An English female visitor to the garrison at Bhowani Junction; Caroline Langford, becomes suspicious of possible plots against the ruling British elite. Savage is starting to feel that the opportunity to make his mark in the Company's service is passing him by and he takes an interest in Carolines concerns. The nearby all Indian town of Kishanpur is rocked by the assassination of the Rajah and Savage carries out his own investigation into the affairs of the Rani. He does not find out enough information to stop an uprising of the sepoys in Bhowani and just about escapes from a massacre of the white ruling class. His injuries lead to temporary insanity as Caroline attempts to hide him in the forest, he insists on going to Kishanpur, but they are imprisoned by the Rani. They learn more details of the mutiny, escape from prison and with the help of a loyal sepoy hide out in a small village. There follows an attempt to reach the British garrison at Gondwara to warn the British contingent of another sepoy mutiny.

There is a good opening sequence to the novel when Savage and Caroline witness a guru in Bhowani holding an audience in the centre of town and appearing to summon a murder of crows. He issues a cryptic warning of coming troubles and this gives the novel an edgy start that contrasts with the subsequent description of daily life amongst the British contingent in the cantonment. The expats lead an insular life in an endless round of socialising based on British traditions. The club house with its bar is where most come to gossip and to uphold the class divisions in their own society. The majority have a lifestyle supported by and endless supply of Indian servants that could not be achieved back home and they have become for the most part pampered and indolent in a climate that is totally unsuitable to them. John Masters describes their lifestyle with real firsthand knowledge, but I get the impression that it is more like the lifestyle of the British Raj in the 1930's than 1870 under the East India Company. Savage takes a more benevolent view of the natives than most and has an understanding and acceptance of their society. When he suffers his period of insanity he becomes more like the racist native hating ogre that one feels was more prevalent amongst the British ex pats at the time.

Caroline Langford says at some point in the novel:

“There are not two standards for us, for the English—only one. We must keep our standard, or go home. We must not, as we do now, permit untouchability and forbid suttee, abolish tyranny in one state and leave it in another, have our right hand Eastern and our left hand Western. It is not that India is wicked; she has her own ways. If we rule we must rule as Indians—or we must make the Indians English. But we do neither; we are like Mr. Dellamain. We have one foot in a whirlpool. Sometimes I am sure we will be dragged into another and drowned. God will punish us for compromising. As He will punish me.”

Masters has set his story back in 1857 when the East Indian Trading Company was looking to exploit the country for all that it was worth and they brought with them plenty of Christians who were looking to convert the natives, by any means possible to save their souls. I think Masters could be accused of giving some of his characters the more enlightened views that would be more appropriate to a later period of British rule than at the time of the mutiny. There is plenty of violence in the book and atrocities are committed by both sides in the struggle, Masters does not shy away from describing them.

The novels descriptions of India, its village and town life and the life of the expats tucked away in the cantonment rings true for me. It is told from a British imperialist perspective, but that is entirely suited to the events the novel describes and the characters that Masters has chosen for his story. He has created some interesting characters even if the story slips away from him at times, the novel has some good moments and so 3.5 stars.
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baswood | 4 weitere Rezensionen | Nov 15, 2020 |

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