Rajiv Gandhi and Rama's Kingdom

Rating:
Summary: readable and informative
Review: A well-written study of the rise of the modern Hindu nationalist movement in relation to Rajiv Gandhi; including ways he distanced himself and ways he tried to pander to them to retain power.
The book is actually broader than the title suggests, beginning with Indira Gandhi and the events leading up to her assassination, and looks at how Hindu nationalism revived after the assassination of Rajiv.
Written from a journalist's perspective, the narrative moves smoothly and coherently at all times.
If you are interested in modern Indian history, politics or religion, this book gives you a nice picture of this period of time (around 1984-1994), to help you understand how things in India got the way they are now.