Basham, A. L. The Wonder That Was India, 3d rev. ed. 1968. Classic appreciative account of early Indian civilization by a scholar deeply immersed in Indian literature.

Dehejia, Vidya. Indian Art. 1997. Well-illustrated introduction to the visual feast of Indian art.

Embree, Ainslee, ed. Sources of Indian Tradition, 2d ed. 1988. An excellent introduction to Indian religion, philosophy, and intellectual history through translations of major sources.

Koller, John M. The Indian Way, 2d ed. 2004. An accessible introduction to the variety of Indian religions and philosophies.

Kulke, Hermann, and Dietmar Rothermund. A History of India, 3d ed. 1998. A good balanced introduction to Indian history.

Lopez, Donald S., Jr. The Story of the Buddha: A Concise Guide to Its History and Teachings. 2001. Emphasizes Buddhist practice, drawing examples from many different countries and time periods.

Miller, Barbara, trans. The Bhagavad-Gita: Krishna’s Counsel in Time of War. 1986. One of several excellent translations of India’s classical literature.

Possehl, Gregory L. The Indus Civilization. 2002. Overview of Harappan civilization, by one of the on-site researchers.

Renfew, Colin. Archaeology and Language: The Puzzle of Indo-European Origins. 1987. In-depth analysis of the question of the origins of the Aryans.

Scharff, Harmut. The State in Indian Tradition. 1989. Scholarly analysis of the period from the Aryans to the Muslims.

Thapar, Romilia. Early India to 1300. 2002. Overview by a leading Indian historian.

Wright, Rita P. The Ancient Indus: Urbanism, Economy, and Society. 2010. Broad-ranging overview that brings in Mesopotamian sources.