India is a mysterious land of contrasts. On three sides it is isolated by water, on the fourth by mountains, and yet its loca- tion is ideal for world trade. Its riVer svstems are tremendous. but irrigation is one of its great problems. Its people know al- most nothing of machinery, yet they have the largest steel works in the British Empire. It has a few of the world's most wealthy individuals--and millions of the most poverty-stricken. Cradle of Buddhism, and heart of Hinduism, it is controlled by a handful of Christians. Con- quered time and time again, it has preserved its culture while other civilizations have lapsed and disappeared. And after 5000 years of history, its greatest destiny still lies in the tuture This book is intended to serve as an introduction to complex and misunderstood India. In lively and informative text and a wealth of colored illustra- tions, it shows what the coun- try is like, how it developed, what kinds of life are found there, what the people do and how they do it. Emphasis is not on facts and figures and names, but on an intormal presenta- tion that will be stimulating and instructive reading for to morrow's citizens.