"Good book on England's wars in India?" Topic

Especially the early years. I'm looking for something that's comprehensive, yet readable. A good, approachable general history of England's conquests on the subcontinent.

I don't really need Afghanistan, being reasonably familiar with the Victorian era.

It's been some years since I've read either of these but I remember them as good books. Raj/The Making and Unmaking of British India by Lawrence James and The Great Mutiny/India 1857 by Christopher Hibbert.

India Britanica, Wheatcroft, good all round history.
The Great Mutiny, Hibbert, excellent account of the mutiny in Bengal
The Siege of Krishnapur, Farrell, novel about mutiny, exellent, ditto the Flashman novels set in India esp the Montain of Light – Sikh Wars.

Here is a partial listing from my book collection:

Gardner, Brian The [Honorable] East India Company Dorset/1990/HC

Mason, Philip A Matter of Honour-History¡KIndian Army Penguin/1972/Trade

Early Anglo-Indian Wars: (26)

General Histories/Accounts: (1)

Keene, H.G. Fall of the Moghul Empire Personal Reprint/Soft

(1st„³3rd) Anglo-Mahratta Wars: (12)

Anonymous Account of the Tullaugaum Expedition Personal Reprint/Soft

Anonymous Journal/March of the Bombay Detachment Personal Reprint/Soft

Burton, R.G. The (3rd) Mahratta and Pindari War Personal Reprint/Soft

Burton, R.G. Wellington¡¦s Campaigns in India Personal Reprint/Soft
Including 1799 Seringapatam Campaign

Duff, James A History of the Mahrattas, Volume 2 Elibron Reprint/Trade

Duff, James A History of the Mahrattas, Volume 3 Elibron Reprint/Trade

Gurwood, Lt. Col. Despatches/Wellington, Vol. 1 (India) Murray

Gurwood, Lt. Col. Despatches/Wellington, Vol. 2 (India) Murray

Kantak, M.R. The 1st Anglo-Mahratta War, 1774-1783 Prakashan/1983/HC

Khanna, (Young) The 2nd Mahratta Campaign, 1804-1805 Allied/1990/HC

Pearse, Hugh (Lord) Lake¡¦s Campaigns in India Loenaur/2006/SB

Pitre, Brig P.G. The 2nd Anglo-Mahratta War, 1803-1805 Ramchandra/1990/HC

Thorn, Major W. Memoir/War in India under Lake, 2 vols. Personal Copies/Soft

Weller, Jac Wellington in India Greenwood/HC
Including 1799 Seringapatam Campaign
Wellesley, Marq. Notes/Relative/Transactions¡KMahratta Personal Copy/Soft

(1st„³3rd) Anglo-Mysore Wars: (4)

Anonymous Vindication/BG Matthew¡¦s 1783 Campaign Personal Copy/Soft

Girom, Major Narrative of the 1792 Campaign vs. Tippoo Personal Copy/Soft
Two Editions

Rennell, George Marches/British Army/2nd Mysore War Personal Copy/Soft

Wickwire, F.B & M. Cornwallis, The Imperial Years Chapel Hill/1980/HC

Siege of Bhurtpore, 1825: (1)

Creighton, Capt. Narrative of the Siege & Capture¡K1824 Personal Reprint/Soft

Carnatic Campaigns: (4)

Kirby, Mike Campaigns of the 7YW in India MW Special #1/Soft

Lawford, James P. Britain¡¦s Army in India: Origins„³Conquest Allen&Unwin/78/HC

Stuart, BG James February 1783 Wandewash Campaign Personal Reprint/Soft

Wylly, H.C. Sir Eyre Coote, Life of Lt. General Personal Reprint/Soft

Conquest of Bengal: (2)

Edwards, Michael The Battle of Plassey Macmillan/1963/HC

Harrington, Peter Plassey 1757 Osprey/1994/Soft

The Free Lancers: (2)

Keene, H.G. Hindustan under the Free Lances Daya¡¦86/Reprint/HC

Bidwell, Shelford Swords for Hire: Euro Mercs/18th C. India Murray/1971/HC*

Notes:

#1) A personal copy is either a digital download or a book I printed/photocopied & then spiral bound with chipboard covers.

* Means that the book is missing its dust-jacket

Here are a few more:

(Semi-) Official Indian Army Accounts and (Regimental) Histories: (10)

Burton, R.G. History of the Hyderabad Contingent Personal Copy/Soft

Cadell, Sir P. History of the Bombay Army (extract) Personal Copy/Soft

Cardew, Lt. F.G. Sketches…Bengal Native Army to 1895 N&M Press/Trade

Innes, P.R. The Bengal European Regiment Leonaur (HC,w/dj)

Mainwaring, A.E. Crown & Company: 1st Bombay Eur. Inf. Personal Copy/Soft

Murland, Lt. Col. Baillie-ki-Paltan: 2nd Madras Pioneers N&M Press/Trade

Stubbs, Major F.W. History of the Bengal Artillery, Vol. 1, plus Personal Copy/Soft

Williams, Capt. History/Bengal Native Infantry, 1756-1817 Personal Copy/Soft

Wilson, Colonel History of the Madras Army, Vols 1-4, 1780-99 RARE 1st Ed./ HC

Wylly, Col. HCB Neil's Blue Caps: 1st Madras Europeans, V1 N&M Press/Trade

Wylly, Col. HCB Neil's Blue Caps: 1st Madras Europeans, V2 N&M Press/Trade

Hope this helps.

If anybody ever wondered at depth Andrew Preziosi researches his Colonial Era/19th Century Orders of Battle,(for sale via TVAG) perhaps this this will provide a hint.

Remember, these are sources he keeps on his shelves--other sources that only provide a unit ID, or full names of Officers, weight/size of guns in a column, or other fine details are not listed.

And scarier still--the Bloke has read them all, most more than once!

And these are only in relation to Roderick's original request, and not a patch of the rest of his historical library.

In matters of research, Andrew Preziosi has elevated OCD to a science.

TVAG

I at least hope that Frederick will have use for my listings, as many of the above tomes are freely available via Google books or at Archive.org.

Preziosi, pah, damned lightweight.

there is also a companion for wargamers by Stuart Aasquith and Charles Grant – Wellington in India.

I got mine from Caliver in the UK, who I think still carry it.

(the authors are nice guys too)