Start gifting
Libro.fm for Business
Start a membership, get two free audiobooks
Almost ready!
In order to save audiobooks to your Wish List you must be signed in to your account.
Log in Create account
Limited-time offer
Get two free audiobooks when you make the switch!
Now’s a great time to shop indie. When you start a new membership supporting local bookstores with promo code SWITCH, we’ll give you two bonus audiobook credits at sign-up.
Make the switch
Gift audiobook credit bundles
You pick the number of credits, your recipient picks the audiobooks, and your local bookstore is supported by your purchase.
Start giftingTaj Mahal
This audiobook uses AI narration.
We’re taking steps to make sure AI narration is transparent.
Learn moreWhile Galileo was suffering under house arrest at the hands of Pope Urban VIII, the Thirty Years War was ruining Europe, and the Pilgrims were struggling to survive in the New World, work began on what would become one of the Seven Wonders of the World: the Taj Mahal. Built by the Moghul emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial to his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, its flawless symmetry and gleaming presence have for centuries dazzled all who have seen it.
The story of its creation is a fascinating blend of cultural and architectural heritage. Yet, as Diana and Michael Preston vividly convey in the first narrative history of the Taj Mahal, it also reflects the magnificent history of the Moghul Empire, beginning with legendary warriors Genghis Khan and Tamburlaine.
Diana Preston is an Oxford-trained historian who lives in London. Her book Before the Fallout won the 2006 Los Angeles Times Book Award for science and technology.
Michael Preston is an Oxford-trained historian and coauthor of Taj Mahal: Passion and Genius at the Heart of the Moghul Empire.
James Adams is one of the world’s leading authorities on terrorism and intelligence, and for more than twenty-five years he has specialized in national security. He is also the author of fourteen bestselling books on warfare, with a particular emphasis on covert warfare. A former managing editor of the London Sunday Times and CEO of United Press International, he trained as a journalist in England, where he graduated first in the country. Now living in Southern Oregon, he has narrated numerous audiobooks and earned an AudioFile Earphones Award and two coveted Audie Award for best narration.
Reviews
“Taj Mahal makes an argument for the commingling of love and architecture…A Shakespearean world of intrigue and betrayal, in which punishment was swift and brutal, and fratricide was commonplace.”
“Shah Jahan endeavored to make the gardens of the Taj Mahal an earthly paradise. His life and the history of the region prove that paradise is more easily lost than regained.”
“Taj Mahal chronicles the blood, sweat, emotions, expenditure, and history behind the construction of the world’s most famous mausoleum. Filled with quotes, anecdotes and evocative prose, this true tale has, at times, the texture of a historical novel.”
“This small history breaks through the legendary façade to reveal a powerful backstory.”
“James Adams’ clear, straightforward narration is perfectly suited to this history of one of the world’s most beloved architectural landmarks…[He] captures the emotions and wonder of those dazzled by a visit. Adams’ reading is smooth and inspiring, especially as he delivers quotes and anecdotes.”
“The Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, has been beautifully exalted in the hands of the Prestons…They skillfully unveil the history of the sixteenth-nineteenth–century Mogul Empire, especially its architecture, campaigns, and court life…A reliable source for readers wanting to understand the splendor of the Taj Mahal in historical context.”
“Enriching in its historical sweep and context.”
Expand reviews