Reviews & Musings

In Palestine Wail: Poems , Yahia Lababidi creates a profound and unflinching exploration of the ongoing Palestinian crisis, drawing from his own heritage and heartbreak to reflect on a political and humanitarian catastrophe that has unfolded across decades. This collection, imbued with personal history, political outrage, and spiritual contemplation, serves as both a witness to injustice and a call to humanity. The work’s origins lie deeply in Lababidi’s own roots—his Palestinian grandmother, Rabiha Dajani, was forced to flee Jerusalem at gunpoint, a traumatic event that reverberates throughout Lababidi’s poetry.  As an Arab-American writer, Lababidi is uniquely positioned to speak on the intersection of identity, politics, and human rights. His poetry, both personal and political, draws a clear line between the suffering of the Palestinian people and the complicity of global powers in perpetuating that suffering. Through his words, Lababidi eloquently counters the equation that Zioni

ISBN:  978-9391019792 Genre: Mythology Year of Publishing: 2023 Publisher: Jaico Books Price: INR 418 Shatrujeet Nath’s Warlord of Ayodhya Book 2: Resurrection plunges readers into a vivid and turbulent world where a kingdom teeters on the brink of collapse, and a dynasty's very existence is under dire threat.   This gripping continuation of Nath's series offers a compelling blend of fantasy, mythology, and political intrigue, masterfully reviving characters and storylines often overshadowed in the original Ramayana narrative. About the Book A kingdom on the brink of collapse. A dynasty under threat. A legacy in peril. Having taken on the responsibility of governing Kosala in place of his exiled brother Rama, Bharat has had to deal with multiple setbacks—a rakshasa attack on Ayodhya, a drought, a mysterious epidemic of people vanishing, and a waning of the magic that keeps the kingdom protected. Desperate to bring the magic back and give his people a reprieve, Bharat takes

"Decoding ESG - A Comprehensive Guide to Environmental, Social, and Governance Principles" offers a profound exploration of the intricate realm of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles. Through a meticulous examination of its core components, this book serves as an indispensable resource for readers seeking to understand and apply ESG principles in today's corporate world.  The book commences by elucidating the fundamental concepts of ESG, illuminating its paramount importance in shaping contemporary corporate strategies. It then proceeds to dissect the three pillars of ESG—Environmental, Social, and Governance—providing readers with a nuanced comprehension of their profound impact on businesses worldwide. 

This book has my heart. I first heard Rebecca when I was ten. Yes, I did not read it, I heard it. It so happened that the syllabus for our class was over, so the concerned teacher exchanged her classes with another teacher to complete the syllabus in the other class.                            This teacher was reading Rebecca at that time. Given how difficult it is to control a class full of 10-year-olds, she decided to tell us this story. She asked us if we would like to listen to a story, also adding that she had yet to read it completely. But was enthralled and that we might love it too. We all agreed. . . .

An old bookshelf fell apart last night. It was bought from a second-hand market a decade ago and as per the report of the carpenter working on it, is still strong. Just a few repairs and it will be up. On the outside, one could never guess some of the nails holding the shelves had come loose. . . . The first thing I noticed was the beauty in the mess created. ❤️ . . .

In 2021 I stopped accepting unsolicited review requests for multiple reasons. (Well, that calls for another long post.) I still do review books but they are very few and the titles are very carefully chosen. Throughout 2022 I read books that I fancied choosing randomly.  In early 2023 I decided to start reading books by/on artists I admired on creativity, the art of creation, and the love of creation. These artists were not just limited to the world of writing. It included singers, lyricists, directors, actors, and a whole of artists from other fields. The process was slow because it was no longer just about reading a book. It was also about analyzing it, processing it, and learning from the book. And thus, was born a new journal – Learnings from the Masters . 

A city is very much an entity and a complex one at that. It assumes for itself the life of any character(s) that identify with those of its elements given prime recognition. For instance, if the underbelly of a city is given prominence in a book, then the city gets to be seen as a villain. Where beaches, parks, gardens and serene parts of a city are central to the setting and plot of a story, then the city becomes romantic. In any book, the city assumes an entity in its own right. And even when this is not spelt out, but the reader knows. They always know. And if they don’t, there are some others who take note, and these ones end up wondering why their city is represented in a pleasing or displeasing manner; and then they contemplate whether to despise the author, or the book, or both. 

  Maybe you don’t like that I sold drugs. You may wonder why I came all the way from Nigeria to another man’s country to do illegal things. If someone had told me that I will be selling drugs when I came to India, believe me, I myself wouldn’t believe that person. And if the person had told me that selling drugs would be the only option for survival for me in India, I would never have come to India. You see, many of us you see are very good people back home in Nigeria. We come from respectable families. So many of us have invested time and resources in education. 

Spotlight: The Nigerian Mafia- Mumbai by Onyeka Nwelue Mumbai, the City That Never Sleeps Ek ungli kharab hai toh sab mat kaato – that is to say, don’t chop off all fingers if just one of them is rotten.

ISBN:  978-9358111019 Genre: Drama / Contemporary Fiction Price: INR 349/- Lost Edges by Salini Vineeth Lost Edges by Salini Vineeth is the story of a couple, Ravi and Geetanjali as they navigate through their marriage. The story takes place in a decade after their marriage and captures the ups and downs of their marriage beautifully. Salini Vineeth is a fiction writer and travel blogger based out in Bangalore, India. Her latest book is Magic Square - an English Novella. She is an engineering graduate from BITS Pilani, Goa. She later completed her MTech from IIT-Bangalore. While working as an electronics engineer, Salini started her travel website Pick, Pack, Go in 2014.   Having read her work previously, I was kind of prepared for Lost Edges. However, the author that she is, Vineeth blew me away with the treatment of this story. Her knack for dealing with relationships, talking about their messier aspects while continuing to retain their beauty shines through the book. In the beginn