Gandhi's Experiments with Truth: Essential Writings by and about Mahatma Gandhi

by Richard L. Johnson (Editor), Douglas Allen (Contribution by), Judith M. Brown (Contribution by), Richard A. Falk Albert G. Milbank Profess (Contribution by), Michael Nagler (Contribution by)

Overview

This comprehensive Gandhi reader provides an essential new reference for scholars and students of his life and thought. It is the only text available that presents Gandhi's own writings, including excerpts from three of his books—An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Satyagraha in South Africa, Hind Swaraj (Indian Home Rule)-a major pamphlet, Constructive Programme: Its Meaning and Place, and many journal articles and letters along with a biographical sketch of his life in historical context and recent essays by highly regarded scholars. The writers of these essays—hailing from the United States, Canada, Great Britain and India, with academic credentials in several different disciplines—examine his nonviolent campaigns, his development of programs to unify India, and his impact on the world in the second half of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first. Gandhi's Experiments with Truth provides an unparalleled range of scholarly material and perspectives on this enduring philosopher, peace activist, and spiritual guide.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780739111420
Publisher:	Lexington Books
Publication date:	11/17/2005
Series:	Studies in Comparative Philosophy and Religion
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	6.42(w) x 9.22(h) x 1.15(d)

About the Author

Richard L. Johnson is professor of Germanic languages and director of peace and conflict studies at Indiana University-Purdue University Ft. Wayne.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Gandhi's Experiments with Truth: Private Life, Satyagraha, and the Constructive Programme
Part 2 Gandhi's Life and Thought
Chapter 3 From Childhood to Satyagrahi
Chapter 4 Return to India
Part 5 Selections from Writings by Gandhi
Chapter 6 An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth
Chapter 7 Satyagraha in South Africa
Chapter 8 Hind Swaraj (Indian Home Rule) and Related Writings
Chapter 9 Constructive Programme: Its Meaning and Place and Related Writings
Chapter 10 Short Moral and Political Writings
Part 11 Writings about Gandhi
Part 12 Part A. Gandhi's Practice and Theory of Satyagraha
Chapter 13 The Birth of Gandhian Satyagraha: Nonviolent Resistance and Soul Force
Chapter 14 Gandhian Freedoms and Self-Rule
Chapter 15 Gandhi's Politics
Chapter 16 "Satyagraha, the Only Way to Stop Terrorism"
Chapter 17 Gandhi and Human Rights: In Search of True Humanity
Chapter 18 Gandhi's Constructive Programme
Part 19 Part B. Gandhi's Impact on the World
Chapter 20 Gandhi in the Mind of America
Chapter 21 The Availability of Gandhi: Toward a Neo-Gandhian Praxis
Chapter 22 Gandhi, Contemporary Political Thinking, and Self-Other Relations
Chapter 23 Gandhi's Legacy
Chapter 24 Gandhi's Contribution to Global Nonviolent Awakening
Chapter 25 Gandhi, Nonviolence, and the Struggle against War

Editorial Reviews

Those looking for an introduction to Gandhi, seasoned nonviolent activists, and long time students of Gandhi will all find this to be a remarkable collection. Johnson has brought together key selections from Gandhi’s writings with insightful essays by a variety of Gandhian scholars on Gandhi’s nonviolence, views on religion, methods of political, economic, and cultural change and his continuing influence and relevance for today. I cannot think of a better book that unites Gandhi’s own words with very readable essays covering a breadth of topics on Gandhi’s life and thought. Johnson's book makes clear again Gandhi's importance as a resource for creating a more just and peaceful world.

Peter R. Gathje

Having these essays on one volume makes it a valuable source of supplemental readings for courses on Gandhi, peace and nonviolence, and conflict studies.

July 2007

In a time ravaged by large-scale violence and unending 'terror wars,' nothing seems more urgent than to be reminded of another possibility: the path of non-violent struggle for justice exemplified by Gandhi. This volume assembles for the first time writings both by Gandhi and about Gandhi, the latter by some of the most distinguished experts in the field. Richard Johnson deserves credit for his judicious selections and for persuasively arguing that Gandhian satyagraha is 'the only way to stop terrorism.'

Fred Dallmayr

Having these essays on one volume makes it a valuable source of supplemental readings for courses on Gandhi, peace and nonviolence, and conflict studies.

In a time ravaged by large-scale violence and unending 'terror wars, ' nothing seems more urgent than to be reminded of another possibility: the path of non-violent struggle for justice exemplified by Gandhi. This volume assembles for the first time writings both by Gandhi and about Gandhi, the latter by some of the most distinguished experts in the field. Richard Johnson deserves credit for his judicious selections and for persuasively arguing that Gandhian satyagraha is 'the only way to stop terrorism.'

Those looking for an introduction to Gandhi, seasoned nonviolent activists, and long time students of Gandhi will all find this to be a remarkable collection. Johnson has brought together key selections from Gandhi's writings with insightful essays by a variety of Gandhian scholars on Gandhi's nonviolence, views on religion, methods of political, economic, and cultural change and his continuing influence and relevance for today. I cannot think of a better book that unites Gandhi's own words with very readable essays covering a breadth of topics on Gandhi's life and thought. Johnson's book makes clear again Gandhi's importance as a resource for creating a more just and peaceful world.

From the Publisher

Having these essays on one volume makes it a valuable source of supplemental readings for courses on Gandhi, peace and nonviolence, and conflict studies.
— July 2007

Religious Studies Review