१८५७ का स्वातन्त्र्य समर (वीर विनायक दामोदर सावरकर - अंग्रेजों द्वारा छपने से पूर्व प्रतिबन्धित महाग्रन्थ)

THE STORY OF THIS HISTORY
“An honest tale speeds best
By being plainly told.”
—Shakespeare
Apart from the splendid merits of the subject matter
dealt with in the warlit pages of this history of “The Indian
War of Independence of 1857,” the story of the thrilling vicis-
situdes through which this book had to pass does by itself
entitle it to be placed on the classical shelf in any world
library.
The Object and the Name of the Book
Veer Savarkarji, the famous author of this book, did
himself explain in an article in the “Talwar,” an organ of
the Abhi Nava Bharat Revolutionary Society, which was started
by him and published in Paris, that his object in writing this
history was, subject to historical accuracy, to inspire his peo-
ple with a burning desire to rise again and wage a second and
a successful war to liberate their motherland. He also ex-
pected that the history should serve to place before the revo-
lutionists an outline of a programme of organisation and
action to enable them to prepare the nation for a future war
of liberation. It would never have been possible to preach
such a revolutionary gospel publicly throughout India or carry
conviction so effectively as an illuminating illustration of
what had actually happened in the nearest past would do.
So he invoked the warriors of 1857 to deliver his message
through their own mighty words and mightier deeds.
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