Reviews & Musings

Introduction ISBN:  978-8129145604 Genre:  Poetry / Urdu Publishers:  Rupa Publishing Price:  Rs. 299/-  ( I got the book for review from the  publisher ) Poetry is not merely a play of words but a serious spiritual exercise whose very being is pledged to the comprehension of the self and the universe. Good poetry is not possible in the absence of the flame of love because it is this light that tears apart the mist of obscurity surrounding the secrets of the universe. Shorn of the mist, the details become vibrant and the poet becomes aware of the enigma of reality. Tishnagi: The Thirst, Minu’s first book, garnered her unstinting praise from connoisseurs of Urdu poetry and hardened critics as well.Mauj-e-Saraab (Waves of Illusion), her second book of Urdu ghazals, is a manifestation of the various hues of the pageant of love and passion. It is the figurative expression of the tableaux of worldly spectacles that according to her is nothing but waves of illusion, while the rea

Introduction ISBN:  9789386228314 Genre:  Crime, Thriller & Mystery Publishers:  Juggernaut Price:  Rs. 499/-  ( I got the book for review from the  publisher ) "Kumar evokes [Mumbai] with lyrical prose." -- Publishers Weekly Included in Publishers Weekly's Crime Fiction feature on police corruption and brutality. "A melancholy cop's obsessions are just the tip of the iceberg as he leads a two-fisted team determined to clean up Mumbai's mean streets...Kumar's style, blunt but often by turns poetic and droll, is arresting...As unusual as it is compelling, this entry lays the groundwork for an entertaining series." -- Kirkus Reviews "[A] gripping thriller...Kumar has created some thoroughly intriguing characters...but the most fascinating of Kumar’s characters is Mumbai itself--enormous, crowded, hyperactive, roiling, stunningly rich and grindingly poor, and teeming with almost unfathomable energy. International-crime fans shou

Introduction ISBN:  9789386228260 Genre:  Thriller / Espionage  Publishers:  Juggernaut  Price:  Rs. 299/-  ( I got the book for review from the  publisher ) A girl is kidnapped by Pakistani terrorists in Pahalgam, Kashmir. But this is no ordinary girl And her kidnapper is no ordinary man.In Delhi, Admiral Nirbhay Rana, India’s most strong-willed naval officer, watches as the consequences of a lethal operation from his past crash into the present, holding both his daughter and his country hostage. In New York, as the Indian prime minister plays a delicate game of politics with Pakistan’s prime minister and the US president, Admiral Rana must assemble the only team he trusts to get his daughter back – the very same group of commandos he had led into the heart of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir years ago. Will they make it back alive this time? Behind the Book Source: Amazon.com

Introduction ISBN: 978-8129147950 Genre: Non-Fiction/ Mythological Publishers: Rupa Publishing Price: Rs. 295/-  ( I got the book for review from the publisher ) Reflecting on one of Hinduism’s most popular prayer for positive energy, acclaimed mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik demystifies the Hanuman Chalisa for the contemporary reader. His unique approach makes the ancient hymn accessible, combined as it is with his trademark illustrations. Every time we experience negativity in the world and within ourselves, every time we encounter jealousy, rage and frustration, manifesting as violation and violence, we hear, or read, the Hanuman Chalisa. Composed over four hundred years ago by Tulsidas, its simple words in Awadhi, a dialect of Hindi and its simple metre, musically and very potently evoke the mythology, history and mystery of Hanuman, the much-loved Hindu deity, through whom Vedic wisdom reached the masses. As verse follows verse, our frightened, crumpled mind begins to

Introduction ISBN: 978-93-815-0-6967 Genre: Fiction / Translated / Short stories / Novellas Publishers: Amaryllis Publishers Price: Rs. 599/-  ( I got the book for review from the publisher ) Like all timeless masterpieces, these classic novellas and short stories by the renowned Assamese writer Homen Borgohain highlight at once the uniqueness and universality of human life. Carefully and sensitively translated by Homem’s son, Pradipta Borgohain, the works included in this collection are gems from Homen’s repertoire of fine writing. Whether it be the very famous novella Matsyagandha/ The Fisherman’s Daughter (now also a motion picture) or short stories such as ‘ The Curtain and the Strom ’, these stories show Homen’s keen understanding of the human psyche, relationship and society in general. With ‘ The Homecoming ’, Homen gives us a very realistic glimpse into the mind of a married man and his stifling existence, and how he slowly learns to cherish what he had always ha

Introduction ISBN: 978-9386021007 Genre: Fiction  Publishers: Aleph Book Company Price: Rs. 599/-  ( I got the book for review from the publisher ) The Lovers is about a man in search of a love story. This man, our narrator, is Kailash—a new immigrant, eager to shine. His friends teasingly call him Kalashnikov and sometimes AK-47, even AK. In his account of his years at a university in New York, AK takes us through the bittersweet arc of youth and love. There is discovery and disappointment. There are the brilliant women, Jennifer and Nina and Cai Yan. There is the political texture of campus life and the charismatic professor overseeing these young men and women, Ehsaan Ali (modelled on the real-life Eqbal Ahmad) manifest in AK’s first years and first loves is the wild enthusiasm of youth, its idealism, chaotic desires and confusions. A decidedly modern novel that melds story and reportage, anecdote and annotation, picture and text, fragment and essay, The Lovers reminds

 

Introduction ISBN: 978-0670089420 Genre: Fiction/Drama Publishers: Penguin Random House Price: Rs. 499/-   Set in Lahore, This House of Clay and Water explores the lives of two women. Nida, intelligent and lonely, has married into an affluent political family and is desperately searching for some meaning in her existence; and impulsive, lovely Sasha, from the ordinary middle-class, whose longing for designer labels and upmarket places is so frantic that she willingly consorts with rich men who can provide them. Nida and Sasha meet at the famous Daata Sahib dargah and connect-their need to understand why their worlds feel so alien and empty, bringing them together. On her frequent visits to the dargah, Nida meets the gentle, flute-playing hijra Bhanggi, who sits under a bargadh tree and yearns for acceptance and affection, but is invariably shunned. A friendship-fragile, tentative and tender-develops between the two, both exiles within their own lives; but it flies in the f

Introduction ISBN: 978-819-3391-204 Genre: Non-Fiction/Self Help Publishers: Books that Inspire Price: Rs. 299/-  ( I got the book for review from the author ) Sammy is an 80 year old billionaire, who finds himself at the peak of his success built on a mountain of sacrifices. He decides to participate in a life he missed to live. Eleven months in a year he leaves behind his identity and money and allows his curiosity and his willingness to experience anything - death even, to take him on life changing adventures and experiences across the world. Loaded with wisdom, surprise, humor and an eagerness to embrace life, The Wise Man Said is a collection of twelve such adventures of Sammy, where his journey becomes his greatest achievement - a life well lived. Behind the Book Source: Goodreads.com

Introduction ISBN: 978-81-7599-4454 Genre: Non-Fiction/Self Help Publishers: Fingerprint Publishing Price: Rs. 250/-  ( I got the book for review from the publisher ) ‘Ignore the Heart and Listen to Your Mind’ is the popular belief. Easier said than done! Man is a social and emotional creature. Be it the professional or the personal sphere, emotions are the driving force behind all our thinking, behavior and actions. The problem is that we are the product of a dysfunctional society that teaches us to be ashamed and afraid of our feelings and trains us to suppress not express. Emotions that are not felt and dealt with, use a lot of our vital energy and create a sea of unhappiness in our lives. The more we ignore and run away from them, the bigger they get and take us further away from happiness. In fact, our happiness quotient depends on how well we understand our emotions and how effectively we deal with them. Not being afraid of our feelings and taking respon

Introduction ISBN: 978-9351941958 Genre: Non-Fiction/Biographies & Autobiographies Publishers: Roli Books Price: Rs. 556/-  ( I got the book for review from the publisher ) The period between 1850 and 1950 was a magnificent time for the world of performing arts. Classical music, dance, drama and folklore traditions were being rewritten and reinterpreted to welcome a new age. These arts were a reflection of the times, but they had larger role to play than as mere entertainment. Drama Queens: Women who created history on stage places itself at the crossroads of understanding modern cultural history. Through ten leading ladies of theatre, including Munni Bai, Mukhtar Begum, Jahanara Kajjan and Moti Bai, the book traces an unwritten narrative of women, performance, nationhood and modernity. The visuals knit a historical account reflecting the rich artistic lives they led. Through a project of memory, this book is a tribute to the giant contribution of these women to the maki