The opening title of Paul Scott's masterpiece, The Raj Quartet, dramatised by Radio 4

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NOW A BBC RADIO 4 EXTRA DRAMATISATION STARRING ANNA MAXWELL MARTIN AND PRASANNA PUWANARAJAH
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BOOK ONE OF THE RAJ QUARTET

India 1942- everything is in flux. World War II has shown that the British are not invincible and the self-rule lobby is gaining many supporters. Against this background, Daphne Manners, a young English girl, is brutally raped in the Bibighat Gardens. The racism, brutality and hatred launched upon the head of her young Indian lover echo the dreadful violence perpetrated on Daphne and reveal the desperate state of Anglo-Indian relations.

The rift that will eventually prise India - the jewel in the Imperial Crown - from colonial rule is beginning to gape wide.
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'A major work, a glittering combination of brilliant craftsmanship, psychological perception and objective reporting... Rarely have the sounds and smells and total atmosphere been so evocatively suggested' - New York Times

'Absorbing and brilliant... A triumph' - Evening Standard

'One of the most important landmarks of post-war fiction... A mighty literary experience' - The Times

'Quite simply, monumental' - Washington Post