"* 'Giles Tillotson's slim and balanced book is without question the best short introduction yet produced' William Dalrymple, Sunday Times * 'Witty and authoritative' Peter Parker, Daily Telegraph * 'Tillotson's accessible and enjoyable style will engage a broader readership... he airs the many myths and legends with relish; then slays most of them with facts and reason and a generous helping of illustrations' Andrew Robinson, Independent 'Marble enigma, most photographed of structures, the Taj Mahal lends its name to a prime brand of Indian tea bags and stands too as the world's great, extravagant monument to eternal love. This wry, brisk book is a delightful and fascinating excavation of the Taj Mahal's many layers of meanings. Giles Tillotson deploys his formidable knowledge of India's artistic and cultural history to create a kaleidoscopic interpretation of the Taj - revealing what it meant to the Mughal world that conceived and built it; to the British colonists who cavorted amidst its grounds and minarets, then set about to preserve it; and to the many millions who now come every year to gawp and touch and click. With delicacy, creation, and yet succeeds in keeping its unworldly aura intact." Sunil Khilnani, author of The Idea of India"

Giles Tillotson was Reader in History of Art at SOAS, University of London. He is now an independent writer and lecturer, living in Gurgaon near New Delhi. He is the author of many books on Indian architecture, history and landscape, including Jaipur Nama: Tales from the Pink City.