Reviews & Musings

Image Source: Amazon.in Publisher : Aleph Book Company  Release Date: 31 October 2020 Genre: Non-fiction, Indian History, Political Structure, Political Ideology ISBN-13 : 978-8194735380 Price: INR 799/- Now available on About the Book There are over a billion Indians alive today. But are some Indians more Indian than others?  To answer this question, one that is central to the identity of every man, woman, and child who belongs to the modern Republic of India, eminent thinker and bestselling writer Shashi Tharoor explores hotly contested ideas of nationalism, patriotism, citizenship, and belonging. In the course of his study, he explains what nationalism is, and can be, reveals who is anti-national, what patriotism actually means, and explores the nature and future of Indian nationhood. He gives us a clear-sighted view of the forces working to undermine the ‘idea of India’ (a phrase coined by Rabindranath Tagore) that has evolved through history and which, in its moder...

Source: Goodreads.com About the book:  ' Mihir has followed Indian cricket since his school days in Mumbai and the nine waves in his own style will bring out the subtleties and the nuances, pulls and pressures, the culture and colour, the politics and the people that make Indian cricket different from other countries’ .’ — Sunil Gavaskar  ‘ The nine waves will captivate all .’ — Ravi Shastri  ‘ Mihir Bose is fantastically well informed on world cricket and has great insight into the game.’ — Moeen Ali  'The nine waves is a tour de force. The most entertaining and comprehensive book on cricket in this country to be published yet, it tells the story of the nine great waves that have rolled through the history of Indian cricket, from India’s international debut in 1932 to the incredible achievements of Virat Kohli’s team today. Each wave or era was chock-full of mesmerizing stars, thrilling moments, great victories, heart-breaking losses and signi...

From the Blurb Indian women are taught to put others before themselves from an early age. This book aims to change that. Boundless is a powerfully honest collection of poems that encourage a young India to find its own identity. The last ten years for the poet, Natasha Malpani Oswal, have been a journey in experimentation and self-discovery. Natasha has tried to capture her exploration of the idea of home and identity over this time frame through these poems. In the recent times, poetry as a medium of expression has been widely celebrated which only means more to love for poetry lovers like me. With poets like Rupi Kaur, Harnidh Kaur, Rochelle Potkar we have been introduced to new forms of poetry which is poignant and relatable at the same time. They seem to pick up extremely relevant themes from what is happening around us and weave the emotions around it to create poems which leave a deep mark on the psyche of the reader. Natasha Malpani Oswal is a big believer in the...

Introduction Image (C) Privy Trifles ISBN:978-9353332648 Genre:  Fiction Publishers: Rupa Publications Price: Rs. 295/- (I got the book for review from the publisher)

Introduction Source: www.amazon.in ISBN:  978-9384067328 Genre: Non-Fiction / Food & Culture Publishers: Aleph Book Company Price:  Rs. 499/-  

I am sure there is nobody who hates travelling. But recently I came across a guy who gave me serious travel goals. Now it is one thing to keep wishing and sighing looking at the various road trips people take and another thing to actually experience one. So, this man went on a 30 days trip travelling across India from tip to top recording his experiences with the people he met on the way. Just the idea itself sounds so thrilling on paper but it is much more than just that. So much hard work, meticulous planning, unplanned roadblocks, language barriers, extreme weather climates and all that can be considered a road block is also a part of this trip. But as they say, all's well that ends well. The trip is a lesson waiting to be learnt for all of us in the form of these videos. 

Introduction ISBN:  978-9384067571 Genre: Non-Fiction /Spirituality Publishers: Rupa Price:  Rs.195/-  ( I got the book for review from the publisher ) Autobiography of a Yogi is the story of the life of Paramahansa Yogananda (January 5, 1893–March 7, 1952) first published in 1946. Born as Mukunda Lal Ghosh in Gorakhpur, India, into a Bengali family, this book takes the reader on a journey into the life of Paramahansa Yogananda and his encounters with spiritual figures of both the East and West. Beginning from his childhood, his family life, to finding his guru and becoming a monk and establishing his teachings of Kriya Yoga meditation, this book allows the reader to see the spiritual yearning of the man and how he realizes that over the years. It draws on both his personal experiences—anecdotes and meetings with eminent spiritual personalities, his association with nineteenth-century master Lahiri Mahasaya who had prophesied the writing of this book—as well a...

Source:  www.murtylibrary.com

Introduction ISIN: 978-93-82277-54-5 Genre:  Fiction / Anthology Publishers:  Aleph  Price:  Rs.399/-  ( I got the book for review from the  publisher ) Small Towns, Big Stories showcases twenty-one stories of small-town life by the country’s greatest living chronicler of the Indian heartland. Ruskin Bond has been writing evocative stories about the dusty towns and settlements in the hinterland for decades but this is the first time his finest stories on the theme have been brought together in a single volume. Timeless classics like ‘Time Stops at Shamli’, ‘Bus Stop, Pipalnagar’, and ‘The Night Train at Deoli’ rub shoulders with brilliant new stories that have never been published before like ‘Strychnine in the Cognac’, ‘The Horseshoe’ and ‘When the Clock Strikes Thirteen’. Vibrant, poignant, beautiful and tragic, these stories show a master storyteller at the height of his powers. Behind the Book Source: Goodreads.com

Introduction ISBN: 978-8129142177 Genre: Non fiction / Biographies Publishers: Rupa Price:  Rs.395/- ( I got this book from the publisher for a review ) Did Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose die in an air crash in Taihoku (Taipei, Taiwan) on 18 August 1945? Was he sent off to Siberia by Joseph Stalin? Did he die there? Or did he escape? Or was he let off, eventually to make his way back to India? Was he the mysterious Gumnami Baba of Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh? If so, how did he find his way back? Why did Bose leave India when he did? Was it on account of his political approach, which was opposed by the then high command of the Congress party that wanted a quick transfer of power from the British? The past comes alive as journalist and author Kingshuk Nag seeks answers to these and related questions at a time when there is a considerable renewal of interest in Netaji's fate with old records tumbling out, the latest being the declassification of 64 files on the subject by the W...

Introduction ISBN: 9788129142146 Genre: Fiction Publishers: Rupa Publishing House Price:  Rs.176/- ( I got this book from the publisher for a review ) Hi, I'm Radhika Mehta and I'm getting married this week. I work at Goldman Sachs, an investment bank. Thank you for reading my story. However, let me warn you. You may not like me too much. One, I make a lot of money. Two, I have an opinion on everything. Three, I have had a boyfriend before. OK, maybe two. Now if all this was the case with a guy, one might be cool with it. But since I am a girl these three things I mentioned don’t really make me too likeable, do they? Behind the book Source: Goodreads.com

Romance novels. They bring a smile on my face. Yes, it’s my favourite genre, but even though I am an avid reader, I can’t read any random romance. Even your favourite genre cannot guarantee entertainment, sometimes.  Source: romance.fictionfactor.com

Introduction ISIN:  978-9382277149 Genre: Biographies / Travelgoues Publishers: Aleph  Publishers Price:  Rs. 395/- ( I got this book from # TSBookClub as a part of its Pass It Forward ) Korma, Kheer and Kismet: Five Seasons In Old Delhi is a record of the food experiences offered in the streets of Old Delhi. Pamela Timms came down all the way from Scotland to enjoy the tastes and flavours of Indian food, which she found it in the street food stalls. Pamela Timms decided to get away from the dampness of Scotland and enjoy the sun and heat in India. She came to Delhi and her mission was not just to enjoy the tropical climate but also to discover the heady flavours of Indian foods. Initially, Pamela Timms found it difficult to sample the genuine taste of Indian food. She then decided that Old Delhi was probably the best place to find it. She began exploring the side streets and by lanes of Old Delhi and discovered the wonderful street food stalls, offering ...