I first read this book in its Tamil translation back in my school days for a local competition. I must have been 11-12 years old at that time and had a profound effect on me.
This is one of the books that you go back to again and again just trying to make sure that such honesty and truthfulness is possible in life.
More than anything else, this book taught me the importance of being true to oneself and to see my actions clearly without strings and criticize and correct. This has not brought me a lot of good but then it has kept me sane in these crazy days.
The book itself is not very big and covers about the first 40 years of Gandhi's life. But this basically is the formation period where the man experiments with his tools for the imperialistic fight and wields them wisely to go on to become Mahatma and Father of this nation.
If you want to read a book which is brutally honest to its subject, look no further.

Let me just start by giving a little background about me, so that you can get a better idea where I am coming from.

I read this book first as a child (around 10 yrs) and then I found myself reading it again and again. I have read Gujarati (original) version, so I can't comment on how loyal other translations have been. Also, I am an ardent fan of Gandhi. The more I read, the more I respect this man. And here is the reason - Gandhi did what he - at a given time - thought was closest to truth. Understanding that, is the key to this book.

As many people have pointed out, it is not an autobiography in the strictest sense. It is not even a narrative of history since it stops right in the middle of one of the most important moments 20th century - Indian independence. The book is about what Gandhi thought were important episodes in his life that shaped his mind. That's all this book is about. Every chapter describes an event. Gandhi follows his thought process most candidly and describes what he learned at the end of it.

He narrates what he did as a child and what mistakes he made. A usual child becomes a man with indomitable courage and that transformation is aptly captured (and hidden) within those narratives. Gandhi, being an unassuming man that he was, writes a lot in passive tone. He almost sounds apologetic for hurting British at times. But all that is part of what he really was.

A major shortcoming of the book is that it traverses an epic event and it does so without introducing characters and events properly. I guess it was assumed that people will be more than familiar with all the characters and events described (I think they never thought that a non-Indian would care to read it). If you are looking for history, this is not the book. This book needs to be read in the backdrop of thorough knowledge of Indian history. Gandhi never explains what he did, but goes into greater details of why he did what he did. Again, as pointed out by many many reviewers here, this is no literary masterpiece - so if you are looking for a sleek story, you should shy away from this book.

However, if you are looking for the most brutally honest narrative a person can write about himself, this is the book to go through. Even in late 1920s, Gandhi was a force to reckon with. He was almost elevated to Godhood. I think it takes unbelievable courage to write what he wrote. And that makes this book special. Of course, through out the book he describes his experiments, analyzes results and matches it with his central hypothesis (Truth is God and God is truth).

Overall, this is one of the book that shaped my ideas and philosophy in a major way. Hope it can prove to be a similar experience for someone out there.

Let me just start by giving a little background about me, so that you can get a better idea where I am coming from.

I have read this book first as a child (around 10 yrs) and then I found myself reading it again and again. I have read its Gujarati (original) version, so I can't comment on how loyal other translations have been. Also, I am an ardent fan of Gandhi. The more I read, the more I respect this man. And here is the reason - Gandhi did what he - at a given time - thought was closest to truth.

As many people have pointed out, it is not an autobiography in the strictest sense. It is not even a narrative of history since it stops right in the middle of one of the most important moments 20th century - Indian independence. The book is about what Gandhi thought were important episodes in his life that shaped his mind. That's all this book is about. He narrates what he did as a child and what mistakes he made. A usual child becomes a man with indomitable courage and that transformation is aptly captured (and hidden) within those narratives. Gandhi, being an unassuming man that he was, writes a lot in passive tone. He almost sounds apologetic for hurting British at times. But all that is part of what he really was.

A major shortcoming of the book is that it traverses an epic event it does so without introducing characters and events properly. If you are looking for history, this is not the book. This book needs to be read in the backdrop of thorough knowledge of Indian history. Gandhi never explains what he did, but goes into greater details of why he did what he did. Again, as pointed out by many many reviewers here, this is no literary masterpiece - so if you are looking for a sleek story, you should shy away from this book.

However, if you are looking for the most brutally honest narrative a person can write about himself, this is the book to go through. Apotheosis was prevalent at that time too and it took unbelievable courage to write what he wrote. I would simply read the book to get inspired in that aspect. Overall, this is one of the book that shaped my ideas and philosophy in a major way. Hope it can prove to be a similar experience for someone out there.

If you're like me and like to read straight from the source, this book is a great introduction to Gandhi. Having been published in 1927, his autobiography does not cover his whole life, so it will not give you a complete picture; there are other resources for that. By covering his early life and his personal growth, and how he developed his ideas and opinions, this book gives you great insight to his thoughts and values.

The book is not perfect. It starts out very interesting and highly readable, and the short chapters make it easy to move through. You may stumble over some people and place names, as well as some unfamiliar Indian terms, but it is all very fascinating - for a while. The farther he progresses with his story, however, the more he gets into the minutia of his political activities, meetings, acquaintances, and travels, to the point where you may feel you are still reading only for the sake of finishing the book. It's still worth it, for what few nuggets of gold can be found in those last several pages.

Now, on a practical level, I selected this, the Dover edition, over the Beacon Press edition (Gandhi An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments With Truth) upon looking over both in the bookstore, because the Dover edition is cheaper, has better paper quality, and is in an easier-to-read font (however, Dover books don't smell that great, I've noticed). The Dover cover is kind of blah, and got scuffed up pretty easily, but the inside is really nice. So the deal is, if you DO judge a book by its cover, and want it to look good on your shelf to impress your friends, get the other one. If you intend to actually READ this book, buy the Dover edition.

This is easily the most powerful book I have ever read. Gandhi does a great job of telling the story in his life in such a way that not only tells a story, but teaches lessons that go along with it. The title explains a lot, considering that Gandhi considered his entire life to be an expirement with the truth.

He is very open about the mistakes that were made (such as his marraige and bigotry at an incredibly young age) and details how he took those mistakes to make his life as consistently honest as possible. The way he organized people to non-violence in two terrible situations in Africa and India are legendary, but the way he brings it home to the individual is under-rated, to say the least.

Gandhi teaches that it doesn't take an army to learn the truth, nor does it take an army to become a part of that truth. His story explains that an individual dedicated to the empowerment of honesty and love can overcome any violence or hatred that can exist. It is within this context that one can use this book to change themselves.

These ideas used in an individual's every day life will lead to the understanding that love is more powerful than hatred, and honesty more powerful than lies. His examples of these ideas and proof that they are true is the most inspiring part of this book.

Even for those of us not religious (like myself) his use of religion is also motivating. He teaches lessons from religions and explains how to use this understanding as a way to love people of opposite religions rather than fighting them.

I will leave the indivudal stories to Gandhi himself, but his life is something everyone in the world would benefit from knowing.

Gandhi An Autobiography: The Story of my Experiments with Truth, is a culmination of the life of one of the most famous peaceful revolutionaries and supporters of non-violence. The book is basically an entire list of the life experiences of Gandhi, all of which prove to contribute to his spiritual growth, and in turn, each go to influence his way of thinking. Gandhi's autobiography reveals a vast array of experiments he performed throughout his life, leading to his praise of truth as the ultimate underlying principal, contributing to his adaptation of celibacy (brahmacharya), adherence to fasting, and development of Satyagraha: his concept of non-violent firmness.
Gandhi's autobiography stretches back to his youth in exploring all of his life experiences. Gandhi's inclusion of all aspects of his life in his autobiography illustrates the idea that each and every experience becomes an influence; which, in Gandhi's case, means influences leading to the development of a concept of non-violence to spear-head the Indian journey for Independence.
The strength in Gandhi's autobiography lies in his adherence to truth even as he tells his life story. Gandhi hides nothing, allowing this display of raw truth to help readers examine Gandhi's uncensored ideas and thoughts, making it possible to understand what Gandhi was thinking in even some of the most significant moments in his life.
The main weakness in Gandhi's autobiography, however, is his obvious omission of information where the information is most definitely needed. In order to fully understand a large number of chapters, an understanding of India and its culture is necessary, but not provided. Gandhi also seems to assume that readers have knowledge of the political situation in India, so if you lack any historical knowledge, you will find yourself somewhat confused. Because Gandhi's autobiography radiates the idea that every experience is an influence for the person he eventual becomes, it obviously is a challenge to include every experience and spend an adequate amount of time discussing them. But his choice to omit quite a few particularly significant experiences will not go unnoticed. He does not, for example, spend any time describing his experiments in South Africa, and instead instructs readers to consult other works. Lack of background information regarding people who Gandhi introduces and lack of historical information on the movements he involves himself in, may lead to an incomplete illustration of Gandhi's life.
At the conclusion of Gandhi An Autobiography: The Story of my Experiments with Truth, you are left with the desire to take a trip to the library, because you have surely reached the conclusion that there is much more to know about the teacher and leader who made the world aware of India's struggle for independence. The autobiography gives you an in-depth look into the mind of one of the most influential non-violent role models that the world has seen, with a detailed understanding of the steps necessary to try to follow in Gandhi's footsteps if you so desire. Gandhi's autobiography leaves a lot out, but it also leaves you with a strong desire to find out more.

After hearing Mahatma Gandhi's grandson speak at University of Florida, this book was especially meaningful. If only all our world leaders would employ his wisdom!

This book, the autobiography of Mohandas k. Gandhi, the father of modern India, is a must read. if you have any interest in Gandhi, non violence or just want a glimpse into the life of a spiritually guided person, then this book if a must read.

I enjoyed this book. I wish this book was written sometime after India's independence as more important events unfolded later. I also think that the reader needs background on India and its culture to understand some chapters. Overall, a good one!

The book was delivered on time and though it was a used item, it was in excellent condition. No complaints; very satisfied.

This book could also be called: "What I learned in the first half of my life"

Not only useful for knowing Gandhi's experiences & character, but will also offer valuable lessons, insight & wisdom.

Your view of this book will depend to a great extent on the reasons you choose to read the book and the extent of your historical knowledge about Gandhi in particular and the history of India in general.

I must confess that I was disappointed because I was reading the book with the expectation that I would gain a better understanding of Gandhi and his place in Indian history.

The book is not really an autobiography. It covers only a limited period of his life. And those periods are not fully convered. For example, there are references to time he spent in jail in Africa but there is nothing in the book about the details of the time spent in jail or the reasons he was jailed. He only relates bits and pieces of his life.

The book would be much more beneficial to someone who had a strong historical knowledge of Gandhi.

There are many people introduced in the book but no adequate background information on them. There is much discussion about certain events but there is inadequate discussion about the background of the events. This goes on throughout the book. There are many people, places and movements that I did not fully understand because he either assumes the reader knows or in some cases it directs the reader to other publications.

The book is not complete within itself. To truly appreciate the book, you need more backgound information.

Because the book only covers a certain period of his life, I am left to wonder if he changes his thinking as he progresses. Gandhi subtitled the book, "The story of my Experiments With Truth". But there are a lot of things that makes you wonder about what led him to his position on being a father and husband. He seemed to have little concern for his wife or his children.

It was interesting getting an inside look at the man. However it seems much more suitable for advanced study than as a first exposure to the life of Gandhi.

When I picked up this book about a year and a half ago, I was determined to read through its 550 pages as soon as I could. I finished it in a couple of weeks, and when I got to the end of it, I couldn't have been more disappointed.

First of all, I practically idolized Gandhi when I started reading. But if I have to say one thing about this book, it's that someone else should be telling his story. I ended up having to force myself through the last 120 pages or so because the writing was so dull and this book is little more than a "I met this person and received a certificate from him" statement over and over again. There is a little about his dietary choices and how he decided to sacrifice pleasures to be closer to God, but other than that it is utterly useless to read this. Also, this book is hardly a complete autobiography because it stops at around 1926, when he liberated India from the British in 1947. Twenty years of his thoughts and actions have been left out! Sad to say, this book turned me away from admiration for the man -- a fate I want to save others from by warning them here.

Admire the man as you will, but let someone else tell his story.

First, hers's why I loved this book. It allows the reader to understand who Gandhi was as a simple, gentle, caring, honest man (in contrast to the myth he has become since). The book covers his life until the 1920's. So not much is said about the indepence struggle in India. In a way, it gives the reader a chance to learn how, when, and in which circumstances Gandhi developed his thought, without too many political issues mixed in. The nice thing about this book is that he doesn't write about himself as if he is right about everything, he writes that he presents the best answers and principles he has found so far but aknowledges that he still hasn't found the truth and continues his search for it. He essentially teaches us how he does his search to give us some idea of how to do ours. This means that we don't have to give up milk like he did if we don't have the same reasons he had (he didn't drink it because he didn't like the way cows were treated), likewise regarding accepting medications or not, or being vegetarian or not, etc. The point one should get from this book is not to follow his lifestyle or spiritual/intellectual ideology, but to continue to improve one's lifestyle and ideology as he did.

The reason I didn't give 5 stars is that I was sometimes disappointed. One thing is that he skipped most of the struggle in South Africa and refers the reader to his book "Satyagraha in South Africa". You then have to stop reading the autobiagraphy and read this other book, or keep reading with a big part of the story missing. Another thing I didn't like is that Gandhi often mentions how he learned some lessons and how he developed some aspects of his philosophy, but then he moves on to other topics without expanding on the implications of this new lesson. I would have liked him to spend a bit more time explaining his thoughts, but I feel he wrote this book for those who already knew about them and he just wanted those people to learn how the thoughts had come to him.

So if I were to give an advice, I'd say this book is not the best place to start learning about Gandhi, you should first get an idea of his philosophy, and then read his autobiography. I'd recommend this autobiography for anybody who likes Gandhi, it's an invaluable source to learn about his evolution and to see him how he saw himself.

First, hers's why I loved this book. It allows the reader to understand who Gandhi was as a simple, gentle, caring, honest man (in contrast to the myth he has become since). The book covers his life until the 1920's. So not much is said about the indepence struggle in India. In a way, it gives the reader a chance to learn how, when, and in which circumstances Gandhi developed his thought, without too many political issues mixed in. The nice thing about this book is that he doesn't write about himself as if he is right about everything, he writes that he presents the best answers and principles he has found so far but aknowledges that he still hasn't found the truth and continues his search for it. He essentially teaches us how he does his search to give us some idea of how to do ours. This means that we don't have to give up milk like he did if we don't have the same reasons he had (he didn't drink it because he didn't like the way cows were treated), likewise regarding accepting medications or not, or being vegetarian or not, etc. The point one should get from this book is not to follow his lifestyle or spiritual/intellectual ideology, but to continue to improve one's lifestyle and ideology as he did.

The reason I didn't give 5 stars is that I was sometimes disappointed. One thing is that he skipped most of the struggle in South Africa and refers the reader to his book "Satyagraha in South Africa". You then have to stop reading the autobiagraphy and read this other book, or keep reading with a big part of the story missing. Another thing I didn't like is that Gandhi often mentions how he learned some lessons and how he developed some aspects of his philosophy, but then he moves on to other topics without expanding on the implications of this new lesson. I would have liked him to spend a bit more time explaining his thoughts, but I feel he wrote this book for those who already knew about them and he just wanted those people to learn how the thoughts had come to him.

So if I were to give an advice, I'd say this book is not the best place to start learning about Gandhi, you should first get an idea of his philosophy, and then read his autobiography. I'd recommend this autobiography for anybody who likes Gandhi, it's an invaluable source to learn about his evolution and to see him how he saw himself.

This is an very good book to read.It shows one that the trials they go through in life, helps to shape what they become and the impact it can have on others.If you are interested in reading about the life of mahatma gandhi i strongly recomend this book and also to others that like to read.

Gandhi may have been the only honest successfull politician ever.
If Gandhi had been born before the American Revolution, the declaration of independence may have including the protection of truth as one of the self evident responsibilities of the goverenment, and maybe pursuit of not so self-evident truths as a right...
Gandhi's autobiography along with The Daily Show's book on Democracy Inaction have inspired me to write my own book.

if everyone would be assigned to read this book. I only wish I had been alive to meet the dude. This book changed my life and I've worn out my copy just rereading passages that inspire me. Take it to a quiet corner and read every word. It will capture your soul.

I have just finished reading Mahatma Gandhi's "An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth." Of the 10,000 books I have read, Gandhi's autobiography is, quite simply, the most uplifting book I have ever read (excluding scriptures and 'holy' books).

What impressed me the most was Gandhi's extreme clear-mindedness. He was a master of prioritizing; he almost always did the most important task first. Although he took exception with a few specific applications of "The Law," he was devoted to the general principles of British law. Gandhi was non-judgmental. He understood the other side and continued to see the opposition as people.

Always on the path of self-improvement, Gandhi was committed to principle. He virtually always "walked his talk." His personal discipline and integrity were matched only by his desire to serve and his commitment to non-violence and to Truth itself.

The inner development of Mahatma Gandhi's life is wonderfully educational. The book clearly shows what one man can accomplish through will -- coupled with integrity.

If there is one book that makes you crave for more, and the search for Self-realization is definitely this one. This book explains the search of one mans' own and 'his' way of pursuit.

The book is truly the story of his experiments with defining his life style and credos: it is not a chronicle of the struggle with the British Empire.
It is an excellent description of his personal journey toward a philosophy that preaches extreme humility and non-violence. The towering personality of this man is evident especially in moments of contrast with the rest of the world, when normal people attack him and he responds with grace, kindness and respect. The apparent simplicity of his philosophy hides the greatest challenge we have as humans: to control ourselves, to conquer our inside before even thinking of influencing the outside. Obviously, the shortcut everybody takes is to neglect the all-too-difficult control of the inside for the much easier conquest of the material world.
His search for Truth is a real adventure: perhaps the only adventure we should all pursue. His quest ties together with Zorba, the Bible, Jim Rohn: Truth will set you free, free to amend your errors, to live your own life, to blossom to the person you are really set to be. But Truth is upstream, as any other great thing: it is difficult to pursue.
And Truth can only be achieved through joyful service rendered to others.