Empire of the Soul

Paul William Roberts's journeys through India span twenty years, and in Empire of the Soul, he creates a dazzling mosaic, by turns tragic and comic, of the subcontinent and its people. From the crumbling palaces of maharajas to the slums of Calcutta; from the ashrams of holy men to a millionaire drug dealer's heavily guarded fortress on India's border with China, Roberts captures the lure of this enigmatic land—this empire of the soul. "India is a harsh mistress," he writes. "She seems to appreciate individual sacrifice so little. Yet she has never wanted for lovers..."Paul William Roberts graduated from and taught literature at Oxford University. After stints in India and Hollywood, he settled in Toronto. Recipient of numerous writing awards, he is also the author of In Search of the Birth of Jesus.