Latest Books to Read News | Top Books to Read News Headlines Today | Today India news | Breaking Books to Read News Today | English Books to Read News Headlines - TheDailyGuardian

BOOKS TO LOOK OUT FOR THIS WEEK

January 1, 2021, 4:10 am

Duryodhan

Kaka Vidhate

Right down to his core, Duryodhan believes that the Kuru kingdom belongs to the Kauravas. He will not give away even an inch of that ancestral land without a fight. How can he? The Pandavas are not even the real sons of Maharaj Pandu, they are not true heirs of the Kurus. In his bestselling Marathi novel, Kaka Vidhate reimagines the enduring tale of the Mahabharat, turning away from the victors to listen to other points of view. In so doing, he reveals an endlessly fascinating protagonist: Duryodhan. He peels back layers upon layers to reveal unknown facets to the character. To some the Kaurava prince is an anti-hero, to others a hero no less than Arjun. In Vidhate’s telling, he is an enigmatic life force that shook and overwhelmed many a statesman and warrior.

Matinee Men: A Journey through Bollywood

Roshmila Bhattacharya

Do you know that the horror movie Mahal grew out of an eerie experience Ashok Kumar had during an overnight stay at a resort? A nervous Yusuf Khan learnt of his screen name Dilip Kumar from his debut film’s promotions? Or Aditya Chopra had to fool Shah Rukh Khan into agreeing to a narration by saying DDLJ was an action film! This book attempts to go beneath the pancake and the paint, beyond the glam and the glory, to bring to the readers the human behind the celluloid persona. Peppered with anecdotes and candid interviews with some of the Indian Cinema’s most iconic stars, it is a story of Bollywood as seen through the world of its greatest magicians, the stars.

Queen of Mahishmathi

Anand Neelakantan

Sivagami’s missteps have only deepened her determination to fulfil her father’s wish and stop the despicable activities at Gauriparvat. And so she battles on. Unknown to her, Maharaja Somadeva’s challengers have begun to close in on the king, and Sivagami finds herself at a disadvantage. With a player like Somadeva, though, the biggest mistake you can make is to not immediately checkmate and destroy. The game of chaturanga is not quite over. As Sivagami takes on the kingdom’s enemies, guided by Somadeva, she finds in her manoeuvres an echo of the man she has always detested. In her journey to becoming the queen of Mahishmathi, Sivagami must choose between love and ambition, principles and deviousness, selflessness and envy.

Pakistan’s Terror Conundrum

Khaled Ahmed

Pakistan was born amid communal violence and a collective consciousness of danger. Right from the outset, democracy was up for debate between the politicians nurtured by the British Raj and an orthodox clergy that advocated a utopia in which Islam was to be the ideological guide. Today, the threat of religion as an extra-legal force is causing many Pakistanis to think if the state can move ahead with Islam as its credo. In this collection of writings, senior journalist Khaled Ahmed examines Pakistan’s policies regarding terrorism against the backdrop of increasing pressure from international organisations. Ahmed looks at the origins and activities of the various terrorist organisations, the role of the state and ideology of its founding figures.

BOOKS TO LOOK OUT FOR THIS WEEK

December 18, 2020, 4:54 am

I Am No Messiah

Sonu Sood, Meena K Iyer

Penguin India, Rs 399

When a wave of poverty-stricken migrants set out on foot to make their arduous journey back home during the lockdown, Sonu Sood came forward. He helped thousands of helpless and needy workers from taking to the streets and reaching out to the stranded, to setting up a dedicated team and making arrangements for national and international transport. Thus, began his ‘Ghar Bhejo’ programme which snowballed into a campaign for providing jobs, medical facilities and educational aid to workers. In an honest, inspirational and heart-warming book, Sonu combines the extraordinary experiences of his journey with the writing skills of veteran journalist and author Meena K. Iyer.

Baahubalis of Indian Politics: From Bullet to Ballot

Rajesh Singh

Rupa Publications, Rs 295

Considered Robin Hoods by some, and dons and mafiosi by others, they are elected democratically but survive through the power of their bullets. Across the country and over the decades, there have been people who either got into politics through money and muscle power or gained either or both after they entered politics. Their careers have been pockmarked with criminal activity. Based on research and reportage, this book presents the origin, rise and fall of Baahubali politicians across India, from Arun Gawli to Raja Bhaiya and from Mohammad Shahabuddin to Mukhtar Ansari. The author shows how money and muscle power continue to exert a malignant influence on politics in India.

When The Soul Heals

Pulkit Sharma

Auro Publications, Rs 275

This book amalgamates thoughts in contemporary psychology with simple spiritual wisdom. It helps you understand and heal common psychological problems by tapping your spiritual force. There are step-by-step strategies, guided meditations, contemplation exercises and real-life inspirational case studies in this book to overcome stress, anger, grief, depression, anxiety, beauty obsessions, addictions and caregiver burden. Author Pulkit Sharma presents an eclectic and integrative spiritual psychology bringing together insights from 10 major religions of the world: Hinduism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Bahai Faith, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism and Zoroastrianism along with the timeless teachings of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother and revelations of other great spiritual masters.

Yoga Also for the Godless

Sri M

Westland, Rs 399

Renowned spiritual teacher, author, social reformer, educationist and global speaker Sri M through ‘Yoga Also for the Godlessis’ proves that one doesn’t even need to believe in God to be a true yogi. Based on a profound understanding of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, this book presents a step-by-step guide to the theory and practice of yoga for those who seek to know it better, and also for the young and the millennial, who may be stepping out for the first time. In lucid prose, with photographs for visual aid, the author takes us through the most complex notions of breath, body and posture with admirable brevity and clarity.

Books to look out for this week

September 25, 2020, 9:54 am

Akkitham: A Pictorial Autobiography
Bhaskaramenon Krishnakumar
Rupa, Rs 2,500

This is perhaps the first-of-its-kind book culled and created entirely from an author’s writings, interviews and private conversations. The text has been translated into English by Bhaskaramenon Krishnakumar, alias Atmaraman. It’s the journey of a village boy who went on to become a profound poet. His contribution to literature is summed up beautifully in the statement that was issued with the Jnanpith award 2019: ‘Akkitham’s poetry reflects unfathomable compassion and imprints of Indian philosophical and moral values, delving deep into human emotions in a fast changing social space.’

ROYAL
Danielle Steel
Pan Macmillan UK, Rs 450

In this spellbinding tale from Danielle Steel, a princess is sent away to safety during World War II, where she falls in love, and is lost forever. As the war rages on in the summer of 1943, causing massive destruction and widespread fear, the King and Queen choose to quietly send their youngest daughter, Princess Charlotte, to live with a trusted noble family in the Yorkshire countryside. A fascinating story of family and royalty, Royal is an exhilarating work from Danielle Steel, one of the world’s favourite storytellers of our times.

The Science of Mind Management
Swami Mukundananda
Westland, Rs 350

The quality of our mind determines the quality of the life we lead. It can be our greatest ally or our worst adversary. A mind that runs amok could steal our inner peace and undermine every productive endeavour. Yet, with proper knowledge, training and discipline, it is possible to unleash the mind’s infinite potential. In The Science of Mind Management, Swami Mukundananda charts the four different aspects of the human mind and lays down a clear path towards mastering it. He gently guides readers on the road to winning their inner battle

The Art of Leading in a Borderless World
C. Panduranga Bhatta
Bloomsbury India, Rs 699

The Art of Leading in a Borderless World is a reflective journey on the significant instances of leadership-when leaders were considerate and conscientious about heterogeneity through their focus on what they exclude when including, such that the excluded became the vantage point of their focus. An attempt is made here to retrace the global instincts long before globalisation was coined as an economic functionality. The combinations of texts, philosophies and events are uncanny and generate food for thought.

Books to look out for this week

September 18, 2020, 10:58 am

The Buddhist on Death Row
David Sheff
HarperCollins India, Rs 350

With uncanny clarity, David Sheff describes Jarvis Jay Masters’ gradual but profound transformation from a man dedicated to hurting others to one who has prevented violence on the prison yard, counselled high school kids by mail, and helped prisoners – and even guards – find meaning in their lives. Along the way, Masters becomes drawn to the Buddhist principles – compassion, sacrifice, and living in the moment -and gains the admiration of Buddhists worldwide. And while he is still in San Quentin and still on death row, he shows us all how to ease our everyday suffering, relish the light that surrounds us, and endure the tragedies that befall us all.

CAPITAL CONTEST: How AAP and Kejriwal Won Delhi
Deepak Bajpai, Sidharth Pandey
Rupa Publications, Rs 195

Capital Contest tells us the story of how the political disruptor man- aged to disrupt once again and win the capital contest. It also gives deep insights into how the AAP has grown as a political entity. Weaving in candid accounts from the party’s key decision-makers and strategists, this book is an essential read not only for those who keenly track politics and sociology, but also for all those who are interested in understanding how India has changed and continues to change and how its politicians must continuously monitor the pulse of the people so as to be in sync with a fast-changing nation.

Doing Business in India
Jamie Cid
LID Publishing, Rs 1392

More and more businesses world- wide are looking to do business in India, but its unique business environment, culture and traditions make it a challenging market for most foreigners. Doing Business in India is designed to make anyone exploring, starting or already doing business in India better aware of the cultural and business etiquette necessary to succeed in this market. This book is a one-stop guide that aims to shed light on the intricacies and complexities of doing business in India. It will help inspire and remove the fear of doing business in India from entrepreneurs and business owners who may find it overwhelming, confusing and even intimidating.

Books to look out for this week

September 11, 2020, 10:14 am

Wondering of Indian International Ethics
Padmaja Bharti
Leading trails, rs 149

Wondering of Indian International Eth- ics sends a mesage of unity. In present times, peace is crucial for our current and future generations. How does di- plomacy work with ethical value? We need ethics in every aspect of our life and work. The book serves to know knowledge and morality. Now with inner peace being pegged as the new wealth, at work and off it; how does diplomacy work with ethical value? It describes how Indian ethics affect the world. Just to realise our diversity has global value and by old sustainable theories, all are the part of ethics.

The Making of Aadhaar
Ram Sevak Sharma
Rupa, Rs 595

Aadhaar is the world’s largest iden- tity project that enrolled a billion resi- dents. This book offers insights into its creation, at a fraction of the cost of the alternative, less sophisticated identity systems that had been previ- ously tried in India and elsewhere. It makes for an interesting case study as outcomes of major projects, especially in government, tend to range from the ‘underwhelming’ to the ‘spectacular failures’. Alongside Nandan Nilekani, the author led a brilliant team in devel- oping the technology that undergirds Aadhaar. The book tells an inside story of how Aadhaar came into being.

And… Perhaps Love
Sanil Sachar
Penguin, rs 299

A new normal has replaced the estab- lished order. Distant relationships, vir- tual work, blurred futures and measur- ing our way back to this reality occupy us every day. Negotiating these changes, Sanil Sachar’s And … Perhaps Love will work as your companion. It is a silent observer for when you want to read it, and a patient listener when you wish to communicate with it. Each turn of the page is a new chapter and an instance of life as you’ve encountered. Captur- ing the ideas of love, darkness and the attempt to find balance in life, this is a book for now and forever.

Books to look out for this week

August 28, 2020, 4:19 am

Close to the Bone

Lisa Ray

HarperCollins India, Rs 499

‘How fortunate it is when life alters you without warning. One of India’s first supermodels. Actor. Cancer survivor. Mother of twins through surrogacy. Woman of no fixed address. Unflinching, deeply moving, brave and charming, ‘Close to the Bone’ is Lisa’s story. Of her nomadic existence; her entry into the Indian entertainment industry at sixteen; her relationship with her Bengali father and Polish mother; life on the movie sets and her brush with the Oscars; her battle with multiple myeloma at thirty-seven; her quest for love; her spiritual journey; lovers and traitors, mentors and dreammakers; and the heartaches and triumphs along the way.

Pandemic: Tracking Contagions, From Cholera to Coronaviruses and Beyond

Sonia Shah

Macmillan US, Rs 499

Science journalist Sonia Shah presents a startling examination of the pandemics that have ravaged humanity and shows us how history can prepare us to confront the most serious acute global health emergency of our time. It has a new preface written in response to Covid-19. In Pandemic, she interweaves history, original reportage and personal narrative to explore the origins of epidemics, drawing parallels between cholera—one of history’s most deadly and disruptive pandemic-causing pathogens—and the new diseases that stalk humankind today.

Pokhran

Uday Singh

Srishti Publishers, Rs 250

The success of the ‘Smiling Buddha’ nuclear test marked the rise of India as a nuclear power. But what went unreported in the media was the nuclear fallout that had lasting impact on the inhabitants of Pokhran, especially Chaitanya. It was clear that the conspiracy surrounding this radioactive fallout runs deep in the establishment and certain individuals are willing to go to great lengths for the secrets to stay buried. Chaitanya sets on a journey to expose the truth with Zara by his side but he becomes revengeful when fate takes away her. He embarks on a mission going from deserts of Pokhran to those of Syria and halls of MIT.

Think Like a Rocket Scientist: Simple Strategies for Giant Leaps in Work and Life

Ozan Varol

Penguin India, Rs 699

In this accessible and practical book, Ozan Varol reveals nine simple strategies from rocket science that you can use to make your own giant leaps in work and life — whether it’s landing your dream job, accelerating your business, learning a new skill, or creating the next breakthrough product. Today, thinking like a rocket scientist is a necessity. We all encounter complex and unfamiliar problems in our lives. Those who can tackle these problems—without clear guidelines and with the clock ticking—enjoy an extraordinary advantage. Think Like a Rocket Scientist will inspire you to take your own moonshot and enable you to achieve liftoff.

Books to look out for this week

August 21, 2020, 4:08 am

Queeristan: LGBTQ Inclusion in the Indian Workplace

Parmesh Shahani

Westland, Rs 559

Parmesh Shahani, tin this book, makes a cogent case for LGBTQ inclusion and lay down a guide to reshaping office culture in India. He talks to inclusion champions and business leaders about how they worked towards change; traces the benefits reaped by industry giants who have tapped into the power of diversity and shares the stories of employees whose lives were revolutionised by LGBTQfriendly workspaces.

Breaking Through: A Memoir

Isher Judge Ahluwalia

Rupa Publications, Rs 395

This is the life story of Isher Judge Ahluwalia, one of the leading Indian policy economists of her generation. Born into a family with eleven children and limited means, where she was one of the first to attend university, she takes us through her journey to Presidency College, Delhi School of Economics and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Narrated with candor and from the heart, it tells us about a woman balancing career and family.

Blue Ocean Shift

Blue Ocean Shift: Beyond Competing – Proven Steps to Inspire Confidence and Seize New Growth

Pan Macmillan UK, Rs 750

This book is the follow up to the global bestseller Blue Ocean Strategy. Drawing on more than a decade of new work, Kim and Mauborgne show you how to move beyond competing, inspire your people’s confidence and seize new growth, guiding you through how to take your organisation from a red ocean crowded with competition to a blue ocean of uncontested market space.

Manmatha Nath Dutt: Translator Extraordinaire

Bibek Debroy

Rupa Publications, Rs 395

Who is Manmatha Nath Dutt? It started haunting the author when he finds this name imprinted on the translations of almost all ancient texts that he too wants to translate from Sanskrit into English. Gathering material and sifting through clues, following various leads and discarding some, Debroy unveils a picture of the prolific translator and 19th century Calcutta.

Books to look out for this week

July 31, 2020, 6:13 am

My Genius Lunch Box

Uma Raghuraman

Penguin, Rs 299

This book by Uma Raghuraman is every parent’s go-to book for fifty fun, nutritious and simple vegetarian recipes that can be made on a school day. Featuring stunning photographs styled and shot by the author herself, this book is divided into six sections: one for each weekday and a bonus section that includes recipes for bite-sized snacks! Learn to make original, innovative dishes like Paneer Makhani Kulzza, Gnocchi di Idli, Iyengar Bakery-Style Frankie, Vermicelli Pancakes, Greek Strawberry Samosas and more, which have been tested on her own family and are loved by her followers.

How the Onion Got Its Layers

Sudha Murty

Penguin, Rs 199

We all have seen how the onion has so many layers. And the mother’s eyes water when she cuts an onion? Here is a remarkable story to tell why. Sudha Murty brings alive this timeless tale with her inimitable wit and simplicity. Dotted with charming illustrations, this book is the ideal introduction for beginners to the world of Sudha Murty. Following the success of How the Sea Became Salty, the author takes the young reader into a beautiful world of endless possibilities through gorgeous illustrations accompanying a simple yet engaging narrative. This book is also available in audiobook formats.

Janaka and Ashtavakra: A Journey Beyond

ASHRAF KARAYATH

RUPA, RS 295

A young boy Ashtavakra goes to King Janaka’s court to debate the kingdom’s most learned sages but is ridiculed by the courtiers for his deformed body. After the boy triumphs in the debate, Janaka realises that the boy has an extraordinary intellect and becomes his disciple. While Janaka is obsessed with his quest for spiritual liberation, a treacherous plan unfolds inside the royal palace. This novel is rooted in ancient Indian spiritual wisdom and philosophy, but with new interpretations of the concepts of liberation, enlightenment, consciousness and the

A Portrait of the Artist in the World

Paresh Maity

Westland, Rs 4,999

Paresh Maity is perhaps India’s most successful contemporary artist. Nemai Ghosh is one of India’s best-known photographers. The two met fortuitously at an exhibition in Kolkata, and as they conversed they realised that they had much in common—including common Bengal roots. Ghosh was to shoot Maity as he travelled and worked in places across India and the globe. As he shot and composed frames and built a narrative, Ghosh began to take on a new role: As the director of this story. The result is a book that brings together the genius of Ghosh and Maity, and a compelling visual chronicle of an artist at work.

Books to look out for this week

July 24, 2020, 6:54 am

Slices of Life

Richa Gupta

Bluerose Publishers, Rs 298

The book is a collection of short stories or vignettes that provide an immersive and entertaining experience of diverse scenarios of life in motion. They are slivers of existence with the ingredients of plot and characters, sprinkled with human emotion, pervaded by the aroma of human dilemmas and served in the platter of lucid language. Sometimes searing with agony and often pervaded with beauty and yearning in the midst of travails in a contemporary or futuristic reality, they explore relationships and the human struggle to find meaning amidst chaos.

Quintessentially Tata

Syamal Gupta

Rupa, Rs 295

This book is a must-read for all those simply curious or actively interested to know about the Tata visionaries and the working of Bombay House, the head office of the Tata group in Mumbai, that touches lives the world over. The author’s experiences over 55 years in one of the biggest business houses in India reflects the Tata’s pioneering spirit of entrepreneurship and its culture of nation-building, led by Tata founder Jamsetji Tata, and stalwarts like J.R.D. Tata, Sumant Moolgaokar, Naval Tata, Nani Palkhivala and Ratan Tata.

Partap Singh Kairon: A Visionary

Gurinder Kairon, M. Rajivlochan

and Meeta Rajivlochan

Rupa, Rs 595

Punjab not only bore the brunt of Partition, but the state’s economy was also left in ruins. This was the time when one man helped the state emerge from the ravages of death and destruction — Sardar Partap Singh Kairon. He steered Punjab away from the confused times after Partition and reined in divisive forces that threatened to divide the state yet again. He succeeded in getting different communities to work together and brought stability to the region. Read the book to know more about him.

Goner

Tazmeen Amna

Penguin, Rs 299

She’s a young woman going through a mid-20s crisis, trying to deal with the dark and intoxicating side of life with haunting memories of an abusive exboyfriend, remnants of a broken family and obvious mental health issues. She finds herself on a consistent downward spiral. With no job, a failing art career, months of expensive therapy, a cast on her leg and a mystery man in her life, will she be able to recover from her embarrassing wastefulness? Can she defeat her infamous trait of self-sabotage and manoeuvre her way through some hard-hitting truths?

Books to look out for this week

July 17, 2020, 5:37 am

Shameless

Taslima Nasreen

HarperCollins, Rs 399

Shameless is an uncompromising, heartbreaking look at ordinary people’s lives in our troubled times. ‘My name is Suranjan. You don’t recognise me? You wrote a novel about me called Lajja.’ One day in Calcutta, Taslima suddenly finds herself face-to-face with Suranjan, the protagonist from Lajja. Persecuted in their native Bangladesh, he and his family have, like Taslima, moved to the city across the border. But is life for a Hindu family from an Islamic nation any better in a country where the majority happens to be Hindu? Leading poor, unmoored lives, exploited and frustrated and always carrying with them the memories of a scarred communal history, Suranjan and many others like him seem to lead incomplete lives in their so-called ‘safe haven’.

Boost your Self-Esteem in 30 Days

Marc Reklau

Rupa, Rs 195

Boost Your Self-esteem in 30 Days is a guide to self-love, in which international bestselling author Marc Reklau shows you how to boost your selfesteem with simple and practical exercises. Thirty days does make a difference. All you have to do is change your life by changing the way you feel about yourself! Having healthy self-esteem is being happy with ourselves and believing that we deserve to enjoy the good things in life. Our self-esteem impacts every area of our life: our self-confidence, our relationships with others, the partner or job we choose, our happiness, our inner peace and even our personal and professional success. This book will help you change your life by changing the way you feel about yourself!

Running Toward Mystery

Tenzin Priyadarshi and Zara Houshmand

Penguin, Rs 2031

Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi’s profound account of a lifelong journey as a seeker. It is a story of striving for enlightenment and the vital importance of mentors in that search. Tenzin Priyadarshi was only six years old when he began having visions of a mysterious mountain peak and of men with shaved heads wearing robes like the colour of sunset. At the age of 10, he ran away from boarding school and strangely enough, ended up at the Buddhist monastery that was the place in his dreams. Searching everywhere possible, his frantic parents and relatives located and brought him home after two weeks. The visions continued and he felt a strong pull to a spiritual life which he later embarked on.

Janaka and Ashtavakra

Ashraf Karayath

Rupa, Rs 295

A story of sage Ashtavakra and his disciple King Janaka is a gripping yet unknown episode from the Ramayana. A young boy Ashtavakra goes to King Janaka’s court to debate the kingdom’s most learned sages but is ridiculed for his deformed body. After the boy triumphs in the debate, the king realises he has an extraordinary intellect and becomes his disciple. While Janaka is obsessed with his quest for spiritual liberation, a treacherous plan unfolds inside the royal palace. Very soon war clouds gather on the horizon of Mithila but Janaka devotes more time to the young sage staying on the path to spiritual enlightenment. With Ashtavakra’s guidance, the king enters the realm of a new world which alters his and his kingdom’s reality.

Books to look out for this week

July 10, 2020, 6:01 am

36 DAYS: A Political Chronicle of Ambition, Deception, Trust and Betrayal

Kamlesh Sutar

Rupa, Rs 295

The battle of Kurukshetra described in the Mahabharata lasted for 18 days. But in the aftermath of the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, another battle was fought — though not on any battlefield. It went on for 36 days. Neither of these battles was a spontaneous attack. Rather, the seeds of both were sown over the years, and a broken promise tipped the scales in both cases. The similarities don’t end there. As you encounter the dramatis personae of the 36-day political drama, you may find yourself drawing parallels between them and the cast and characters of the great Indian epic. So, read the book to know what really happened in those 36 days.

The Meltdown: India INC’s Biggest Implosions

Dev Chatterjee and Sudha Pai Chatterjee

Rupa, Rs 295

This is a behind-the-scenes book at the collapse of some of the biggest names in India Inc. The book reveals the reasons behind the non-payment of loans of over Rs 9 lakh crore to the banks by India’s big companies. The authors analyse how funds were illegally diverted from some of the bankrupt companies and why auditors as well as bankers went into sleep mode. Even more baffling was the fact that a few bankers loaned to these companies based on nothing but project reports by investment bankers. And, some bankers kept giving fresh loans to firms that had been defaulting on their payments. The authors analyse what went wrong and the lessons we can learn from India Inc’s biggest implosions.

Building a Happy Family

Raageshwari Loomba Swaroop

Penguin, Rs 299

You can’t have a happy family unless you’re happy yourself. Raageshwari Loomba, an award-winning speaker on mindfulness, shows us how to create an excellent atmosphere for the entire family to thrive in. Her relatable style is coupled with real-life examples, such as that of Albert Einstein, who couldn’t speak till the age of four and was a poor student. His parents encouraged him with love and allowed him to learn at his own pace. This, she shows, is the way to bring up your own little genius. Building a Happy Family brings to you 11 simple mindfulness philosophies that will enrich and strengthen your and your children’s inner world.

Vijayant at Kargil

Col V.N. Thapar and Neha Dwivedi

Penguin, Rs 299

This was the last letter Captain Vijyant Thapar wrote to his family. He was 22 when he was martyred in the Kargil War, having fought bravely in the crucial battles of Tololing and Knoll. A fourth-generation Army officer, Vijyant dreamt of serving his country even as a young boy. In this firstever biography, we learn about his journey to join the Indian Military Academy and the experiences that shaped him into a fine officer. Told by his father and Neha Dwivedi, a martyr’s daughter herself, the anecdotes from his family and close friends come alive, and we have a chance to know the exceptional young man that Vijyant was.

Books to look out for this week

July 3, 2020, 5:28 am

In The Land Of The Lovers

Sakoon Singh

Rupa, Rs 295

In the absence of her parents, Nanaki, a fiercely sensitive young woman, is brought up by her grandparents in a quaint Chandigarh neighbourhood. She grows up to be an artist and a professor in an art college. As Nanaki goes through the motions of an idyllic childhood and a difficult teenage love, her experiences play out against a haunting backdrop of Partition. She is brought face to face with the dark underbelly of contemporary Punjab. The book is a masterfully woven fable with interlocking tales that explore struggle, loss, longing and love

The Princess and the Political Agent

Binodini Devi

Penguin, Rs 399

Manipuri writer Binodini’s The Princess and the Political Agent tells the love story of her aunt Princess Sanatombi and Lt Col Henry P. Maxwell, the British representative in the kingdom of Manipur. A poignant story of love and fealty, treachery and valour, it is set in the midst of the imperialist intrigues of the Raj. The book deftly dissects the build-up and aftermath of the perfidy of the AngloManipuri War of 1891. In doing so, she recovers its little-known history, its untold relations with India and Great Britain, and a forgotten chapter of the British Raj

Song of India

Ruskin Bond

Penguin, Rs 299

Sixteen-year-old Ruskin, after having finally finished his school, is living with his stepfather and mother at the Old Station Canteen in Dehradun. Struggling to begin his writing journey, he tries to make a passage to England to chase his true calling. But as he prepares for his long voyage, the prospect of saying goodbye to the warm, sunny shores of India looms large. Brought straight from his past, Ruskin Bond recalls the longing for familiarity, the joys of receiving his first money order, publishing his stories and finding new friends.

Boons & Curses: Legends of the Mythological Mother

Yugal Joshi

Rupa, Rs 295

It is said that Kunti fulfilled her desires and ambitions through her sons, the Pandavas, resulting in the bloodbath in Kurukshetra. And once the truth struck her she sought help from Krishna to get rid of her guilt. In this brilliant retelling, Kunti is placed at the central of the novel and running parallel to her universe are the stories of Aditi and Diti, the primordial mothers, the rebellious Soorpanakha, the independent Sanjana and Tara, trendsetters such as Anusuya, intrigues of Kaikeyee and Kaikasi, among others.

Checkmate

Nihshanka Debroy

Westland, Rs 299

AD 455, Central India: The marauding Svetahunas manage to take prisoner Harshavardhan. In captivity, he fashions a game of combat strategy with black and white pebbles, preparing for the day when the Svetahunas and his people face-off in battle. Present day, New Delhi: When her estranged father Rajinder Joshi dies suddenly, Vinita is called in from New York to take charge of his company. And she discovers tantalising clues to Rajinder’s obsession — the origins of chess and the identity of its creator. Debroy’s debut novel holds attention.