Book review: Land of the seven rivers: a brief history ofIndia’s geography

Sanjeev Sanyal sets off to explore India and look at how the country’s history was shaped by its rivers, mountains and cities. He traverses remote mountain passes, visits ancient archaeological sites, crosses rivers in shaky boats and immerses himself in old records and manuscripts. Ian St John thinks this is a book more for the general reader or traveller looking for an engaging but not overly demanding introduction to the historical background to contemporary India.