![Smith, Delia & Eno, Brian & Kelsey Fry, Jamie PREORDER NONFICTION New Delia Smith: Us [2026]](http://chaptersbookstore.com/cdn/shop/files/smith-delia-eno-brian-kelsey-fry-jamie-delia-smith-us-2026-9781837267385-1249170005_{width}x.jpg?v=1784119692)
![Biden, Joe PREORDER NONFICTION New Joe Biden: Promise Me, America [2026]](http://chaptersbookstore.com/cdn/shop/files/biden-joe-joe-biden-promise-me-america-2026-9781399844291-1249170008_{width}x.jpg?v=1784119780)
![Brubaker, Ed & Phillips, Sean PREORDER NONFICTION New Ed Brubaker: Five Gears In Reverse: A Criminal Book [2026]](http://chaptersbookstore.com/cdn/shop/files/brubaker-ed-phillips-sean-ed-brubaker-five-gears-in-reverse-a-criminal-book-2026-9781534333208-1247353298_{width}x.jpg?v=1783176520)
![Babitz, Eve & Anolik, Lili PREORDER NONFICTION New Eve Babitz: Too L.A. [2026]](http://chaptersbookstore.com/cdn/shop/files/babitz-eve-anolik-lili-eve-babitz-too-l-a-2026-9781805467816-1246544616_{width}x.jpg?v=1782849431)
![Carr, Katie & Carr, Toby PREORDER NONFICTION New Katie Carr: Moderate Becoming Good Later [2023]](http://chaptersbookstore.com/cdn/shop/files/carr-katie-carr-toby-katie-carr-moderate-becoming-good-later-2023-9781800076105-1246153490_{width}x.jpg?v=1782492759)
** THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER **
ORWELL PRIZE FOR POLITICAL WRITING FINALIST 2026
A Best Book of the Year in the Financial Times, The Week, Spectator, BBC History Magazine, NPR, History Today, Waterstones and Daunts
'A sparkling debut by an outstanding young historian' PETER FRANKOPAN
'Remarkable ... The prose is vivid, the storytelling cinematic' GUARDIAN
A history of modern South Asia told through five partitions that reshaped it.
As recently as 1928, a vast swathe of Asia - India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, Bhutan, Yemen, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait - were bound together under a single imperial banner, an entity known officially as the 'Indian Empire', or more simply as the Raj.
It was the British Empire's crown jewel, a vast dominion stretching from the Red Sea to the jungles of Southeast Asia, home to a quarter of the world's population and encompassing the largest Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Zoroastrian communities on the planet. Its people used the Indian rupee, were issued passports stamped 'Indian Empire', and were guarded by armies garrisoned in forts from the Bab el-Mandeb to the Himalayas
And then, in the space of just fifty years, the Indian Empire shattered. Five partitions tore it apart, carving out new nations, redrawing maps, and leaving behind a legacy of war, exile and division.
Shattered Lands, for the first time, presents the whole story of how the Indian Empire was unmade. How a single, sprawling dominion became twelve modern nations. How maps were redrawn in boardrooms and on battlefields, by politicians in London and revolutionaries in Delhi, by kings in remote palaces and soldiers in trenches.
Its legacies include civil war in Burma and ongoing insurgencies in Kashmir, Baluchistan and Northeast India, and the Rohingya genocide. It is a history of ambition and betrayal, of forgotten wars and unlikely alliances, of borders carved with ink and fire. And, above all, it is the story of how the map of modern Asia was made.
Sam Dalrymple's stunning history is based on deep archival research, previously untranslated private memoirs, and interviews in English, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, Konyak, Arabic and Burmese. From portraits of the key political players to accounts of those swept up in these wars and mass migrations, Shattered Lands is vivid, compelling, thought-provoking history at its best.
** Shattered Lands is being translated into four languages (Bengali, Marathi, Malayalam and Hindi), and was shortlisted for the Eastern Eye Award for History, the Ramnath Goenka Sahithya Samman and Atta Galatta prizes. **
'A stunning achievement. Shattered Lands reframes the story of South Asia with rare empathy and elegance, breathing life into the legacies of the partitions that shape a quarter of our world today' THANT MYINT-U
'This richly researched, vividly written book tells the story of how a colossal and powerful Empire was broken up into many distinct nation-states...An impressive debut by a gifted and very energetic young writer' RAMACHANDRA GUHA
- Publisher Name:HarperCollins Publishers
- ISBN: 9780008466855
- Author:Dalrymple, Sam
- Publication Date:2026-07-30
Refund Policy
If you are not satisfied with your order in any way, get in touch. We have an excellent customer service record and we will do our best to ensure you are pleased with your purchase.
📄 Exercise Your Right of Withdrawal
Under EU consumer law, you have the right to withdraw from your purchase within 14 days of receiving your order, without giving a reason. To formally exercise this right, use the button below. This is a distinct function separate from our general returns process.
Your right to cancel
If you order online, you have the right to cancel your order within 14 days of receiving your goods, without giving a reason. This cooling-off period runs from the day you (or someone you nominate) receives the last item in your order. To cancel, contact us at shop@chaptersbookstore.com stating your order number and your wish to withdraw from the purchase. Once we've confirmed your cancellation, you have 14 days to send the goods back to us.
Condition of returned items
To be eligible for a refund, your item must be returned unworn, unused and unread, in its original packaging, and in the same condition you received it. You'll also need your receipt or proof of purchase. If your return is based on the item's condition on arrival, please include a photo so we can advise the best resolution.
Faulty or damaged items
Please inspect your order on arrival and contact us immediately if an item is defective, damaged, or not what you ordered. Separately from the 14-day cancellation right above, you're entitled to a repair, replacement or refund on faulty goods for up to two years from purchase, under standard consumer guarantee rights.
This guarantee covers manufacturing faults only, such as printing errors, missing pages, or binding defects present at the time of purchase. It does not cover damage arising from normal use or wear, including creased spines, worn covers, marked pages or general signs of reading. If you're unsure whether an issue qualifies, send us a photo and we'll be happy to advise.
How to return
To start a return, contact us at shop@chaptersbookstore.com. If your return is accepted, we'll send you a return shipping label and instructions on how and where to send your package. Items sent back to us without first requesting a return will not be accepted. If a return is due to an error on our part, we'll cover the postage cost.
Exceptions and non-returnable items
Certain items cannot be returned, including custom products, special orders, sale items and gift cards.
Trade-In Programme
If you're trading in previously owned books rather than returning a purchase, please see our separate Trade-In Programme terms, which operate independently of this policy.
Refunds
Once we've received and inspected your return, we'll let you know if the refund has been approved. If approved, you'll be refunded automatically to your original payment method. Please allow some time for your bank or card provider to process and post the refund.
Free Delivery in the Republic Of Ireland on all orders over €30. Standard Delivery Charge in Republic of Ireland of €5 for all orders below €30.
Delivery is subject to warehouse availability. Out-of-stock items will be shipped as soon as possible, upon arrival from the manufacturer/publisher. Please take shipping time into consideration.
