Book Rack
The yellow emperor’s cure
Kunal Basu
Picador, 2012, pp 325 499
In Lisbon 1898, philandering surgeon Antonio Maria discovers that his father is dying of syphilis. He goes to China in the hope that Chinese herbal medicine may provide a cure, but comes back with lessons that cure much more.
From seva to cyberspace
Femida Handy, Meenaz Kassam, Jillian Ingold, Bhagyashree Ranade
Sage, 2011, pp 250, 650
Looking into the phenomenon of volunteering in India, this book examines historic, religious and cultural traditions of seva, that have played an important role in inspiring Indians towards voluntary action.
Those black trunks of memories
Sukhjit Singh
Wordizen, 2012, pp 302, 195
This is a collection of memories, of adolescence, as looked through the longing eyes of a grown-up. Habshi comes back to his village in Punjab on a vacation. As he opens the trunk, he reflects on the seven years he spent at the Sainik School in Kapurthala.
Glittering decades
Nayantara Pothen
Penguin, 2012, pp 268, 499
Closely examining the role of social and ritual interaction and behaviour in the shaping of the city and its elite groups, this book tells the story of New Delhi and its privileged inhabitants between 1931 and 1952.
The song seekers
Saswati Sengupta
Zubaan, 2011, pp 348, 395
With multiple themes woven in to reflect the turbulent sixties in Bengal, this is the story of Uma and her discovery that the foundation of the Kailash mansion, where she stays, is not only very deep but also camouflages the stench of death.
Bitter wormwood
Easterine Kire
Zubaan, 2011, pp 269, 295
Bitter wormwood was a herb used to keep bad spirits away. For the Nagas, it became a powerful talisman. This book is an insight into the human cost behind the political headlines from one of India’s most beautiful and misunderstood regions.
Rahul
Jatin Gandhi and Veenu Sandhu
Penguin, 2012, pp 267, 499
Rahul Gandhi’s image has ranged from being the great Indian hope to that of an over-promoted dynastic scion. The authors trace the evolution of the Rahul brand, exploring the relationship between modernity and dynasty in this political biography.
And all is said: memoir of a home divided
Zareer Masani
Penguin, 2012, pp 236, 299
Through letters and diaries of politician Minno Masani and his wife Shakuntala, an intimate portrait has been painted of two individuals and their different families, united by marriage but divided by temperament, lifestyle and political affiliation.
Urban shots - bright lights
Edited by Paritosh Uttam
Westland, 2012, pp 204, 199
This anthology offers snapshots of characters and their lives in urban India: the 10-year-old mathematics loving girl haunted by memories of her dead mother, the man who buys expensive gifts for married women, and many more.
Bridging the gap
Edited by Latha Pillai and Babu P Ramesh
Sage, 2011, pp 133, 550
Essays on two broad themes — ‘inclusion of the excluded’ and ‘education for the marginalised’, offer an exposition to the range of inequalities and challenges in different fields of social engagement, and possible ways of addressing these concerns.
