The eventful life and career of Sir John Malcolm, a distinguished combatant, statesman and man of letters who spent most of his life in India, has been a story little told in his native Scotland.
An ambitious and bold man who left his impoverished beginnings as one of 17 children of a tenant farmer in the Scottish Borders at the tender age of 13 in the late 18th century, he made his way to India to achieve distinction in many fields, most prominently with the East India Company at a crucial time in British and Indian political history.
As a descendant of this accomplished man and having worked for several years in Asia himself, John Malcolm is well placed to write this definitive biography on Sir John Malcolm’s eclectic experiences.
Indeed, the author’s extensive research in Britain, India and Iran is clearly evident.
He first introduces the reader to the young Scotsman whose career as a soldier, campaigning with Wellington in south India and later securing the rank of Major-General, provided the perfect platform for his rise to becoming Governor General of Bombay.
Along with playing a pivotal role in bringing western India under British political control in the late 1820s, Malcolm gained a considerable reputation as a distinguished author, writing nine books with an imperial focus, including The History of Persia.
Not only does the author offer a detailed depiction of a remarkable man’s life, he also clearly captures the personality of Sir John himself.
An enthusiastic, bold individual, Malcolm made friends across all classes. His unparalleled range of interests and his all-round zest for life make this an inspiring account for any reader.
It also offers a valuable insight into three decades of sustained imperial growth at the start of the 18th century, and shows the variety of Scots who rose to prominence.
Malcolm: Soldier, Diplomat, Ideologue of British India, by John Malcolm, published by John Donald, £30.
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