nation, seeing it as their own estate (p. 19). He gives the example of Padma Shamsher, who was Prime Minister for less than three years and took more than six million rupees in cash when he left for India (p. 21). But his mention of a Rana having two million acres of land in birta holdings must be an exaggeration (p. 21). M.P. is judicious in making a critical appreciation of the Rana Prime Ministers. He gives credit to Jang Bahadur for granting political asylum to Chand Kuwar and Hazrat Mahal, and taking back the Naya Muluk lands in the Tarai from the British. He considers this as "permanent achievements for the nation" (p. 24). He also has words of praise for other Prime Ministers who undertook certain reform-oriented activities for the country. So much so that he even appreciates the attempt of Mohan Shamsher Rana in getting Nepal admitted to the United Nations in 1955 (p. 28). Not to forget that it was against Mohan that the Nepali Congress launched the movement and ended Rana rule. Coming to the socio-political aspects of the Rana rule, M.P. narrates some of his personal experiences with the Rana government, and 392 Studies in Nepali History and Society 13(2), 2008 mentions how people (including high officials) lived in a state of terror. When Krishna Prasad Koirala told Juddha Shamsher that the Ranas were interested only in "three B's," namely Bank, Birta and Building, his elder brother (possibly Kali Dass Koirala), who was just promoted to Sardar was very afraid that he might lose his job (pp. 33–34). M.P. gives credit to the Prachanda Gorkha and Praja Parishad organizations who revolted against the Rana regime before Nepali Congress. Most historians argue that King Tribhuvan had a secret connection with Praja Parishad and donated some money to it. But M.P. writes that King Tribhuvan "flatly denied (his) participation and knowledge of it. The money he gave to Mr. Bhakta (Dharma Bhakta Mathema – a leader of Praja Parishad) which was found during the searches was for the specific purpose of Mr. Bhakta's marriage" (p. 37). However, he admits that "King Tribhuvan had moral sympathy with any effort against the Ranas to set up a popular representation in the governance of the country" (p. 37). To close his narration about the Rana rule, M.P. argues that the “tallest claim the Rana clan has made is the