In 2002, Mr Das "decided to take an academic holiday". His purpose was not to visit destinations frequented by tourists, howsoever enlightened they may be. Instead he travelled to the University of Chicago, where he and his wife spent the next two years. He delved into the rich collection of books and other texts on the Mahabharata in the Regenstein Library and interacted with scholars such as Sheldon Pollack, Wendy Doniger, Steve Collins, Mathew Kapstein and Dan Arnold. Eventually he was to spend six years continuously with the epic before crystallising his thoughts and concept into this book. His comparison of the Mahabharata to the great western epics such as the Odyssey and the Iliad is especially welcome as it emphasises the many strengths of the former.