Ashoka the Great, the ruler of ancient India’s largest kingdom, took the path of peace, tolerance, non-violence and compassion after a fierce battle in Kalinga. He now addressed his subjects as a father would his children, and erected pillars that spread his thoughts throughout the land in the people’s own language. He put their welfare above all else and worked towards that for the rest of his life. One of the most well-known symbols from India’s history, the Ashoka chakra, now adorns India’s national flag, and the lion capital from his pillars is our national emblem.

In this lively, engrossing account of Ashoka’s life and the times, Subhadra Sen Gupta deftly brings him alive again from behind the swirling mists of time.