Historian Arthur Herman sheds new light on two icons of the twentieth century, revealing how their forty-year rivalry sealed the fate of India and the British Empire. Born worlds apart--Churchill to Britain's most glamorous aristocratic family, Gandhi to a pious middle-class provincial household in India--they led their nations through harrowing trials and became locked in a contest of wills that would decide the fate of countries, continents, and ultimately an empire. More alike than different, they became bitter enemies over the future of India--and Churchill would do whatever was necessary to ensure that India remain British, including a fateful redrawing of the entire map of the Middle East. Herman cuts through the legends and myths about these two charismatic figures, revealing their flaws as well as their strengths. The result is an epic of empire and insurrection, war and political intrigue, with a fascinating supporting cast.--From publisher description.