Title: History Unpacked- The why, when and what of Medieval India
Author: Saisudha Acharya
Illustrations: Rohit Bhasi
Publisher: Duckbill (an imprint of Penguin Random House)
Type: Paperback
Length: 320 pages
Genre: History
Age recommendation – 10 years and above
Here is a review by my soon to be teenager daughter Ayesha.
History!!! Aaarghhhh. How can one study a subject so boring? Why do we have it in school? I don’t find it interesting. Do all these thoughts come to you when you have to study History? Good News!!! Finally we have a book that will change your entire perception and make you fall in love with history.
Overview
This book by Saisudha Acharya is in literal sense “History Unpacked” that takes the readers through the journey of the medieval India spanning roughly a thousand years. It covers dynasties from the Chalukyas to the early Mughals, weaving in stories of adventurers, poets, saints, and rulers thus obviously “not forgetting the who and where.” And the book proves that History can be as interesting as ever.
Illustrated by Rohit Bhasi, the book combines narrative, comics, timelines, and quizzes to make history lively and approachable for ages 10 years and above.
Strengths
- Storytelling approach: Acharya’s humor and conversational tone transform dynastic politics into relatable tales.
- Cultural depth: Strong focus on Bhakti and Sufi movements, literature, and art, showing how everyday life was shaped beyond battles.
- Regional inclusivity: Goes beyond Delhi Sultanate and Mughals to highlight South Indian and Deccan kingdoms, as well as the Ahoms in Assam.
- Interactive learning: Comics, cheeky poems, and quizzes encourage active engagement rather than passive reading.
Okay, so I am in grade 8 currently and I wish I had gotten hold of this book earlier because this is the more fun version of our history textbooks (simplified 1000 times given its easy language). This would have been our history books in parallel universe. It is amazingly interesting with all its cute illustrations (the book cover interested me the moment I saw it), information in point format, (honestly, I was tired of reading the books with simple paragraphs in them) and obviously, the use of fun and quirky fonts.
Criticisms
- Quiz fatigue: End-of-chapter quizzes felt a bit repetitive instead of exploratory
- Limited sources: Certain regional histories, especially Northeast India, remain underdeveloped
Verdict
Overall this book is a an excellent read for all the people who are fond of knowledge, history and India and is an excellent light read in between exams or a hectic school day full of homework. So, go and unpack the history of India with loads and loads of information.
PREVIOUS BOOK in this series – History Unpacked – The Why, When and What of Ancient India (review)
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