Book Rack

From the world of literature

Kafka In Ayodhya

Zafar Anjum

Kitaab, 2018, Rs 199, pp 130

A brilliant experiment in quirky and offbeat literature with a twist. In story after story, the Kafkaesque view of life gives these tales their twisted appeal. Written in an easy, interactive style, these stories have what it takes to keep the reader engrossed.

Intertwined Lives

Jairam Ramesh

Simon & Schuster, 2018, Rs 799, pp 552

A biography of P N Haksar, Indira Gandhi’s alter ego during her period of glory. Drawing on his extensive archives of official papers, the author presents a compelling chronicle of the life and times of this personality who decisively shaped the nation’s political and economic history in the 1960s and 70s.

Love and Learning Under the Magnolia

Bulbul Sharma

Tranquebar, 2018, Rs 399, pp 391

A witty love story that captures clash of cultures and different perspectives. When Rose’s husband dies, she must sell the family’s hunting lodge. Sandy, a self-made billionaire, is the buyer, and what follows is attraction and hate. What will be their story?

She Goes to War

Rashmi Saxena

Speaking Tiger, 2018, Rs 499, pp 205

Through the stories of Purnima, Khalida, and others, the author attempts to fathom what goes into the making of a woman militant. What motivates her to abandon the traditional playbook and embrace the uncertain life of an insurgent, and how easy is it to ‘return’.

Apex Hides the Hurt

Colson Whitehead

Fleet, 2018, Rs 599, pp 211

The town of Winthrop wants a new name. The software millionaire wants to call it New Prospera, while the mayor wants to return to the original choice of the black settlers. Soon, they realise that they need a nomenclature consultant, but the consultant needs them.

S D Burman

Aniruddha Bhattacharyya and Balaji Vittal

Tranquebar, 2018, Rs 799, pp 376

This biography is both a tribute to S D Burman and a deep inquiry into what made his music great. Packed with details of his life, work and his astute understanding of Hindi cinema, it provides insight into the genius of the composer.

Tradition

Brendan Kelly

Penguin, 2018, Rs 399, pp 339

Jules wants to get out and start a new life in college. Jamie, a sports star, is here on a scholarship and wants to escape his past. After a disastrous party, they uncover a terrible truth. Can they stand together against Fullbrook Academy’s most toxic traditions?

Revolutionary Ride

Lois Pryce

Hachette, 2018, Rs 499, pp 284

At the height of tension between the British and Iranian governments, travel writer Lois Pryce finds a note on her motorcycle outside the Iranian Embassy in London. Intrigued, she ignores warnings and sets off on a ride from Tabriz to Shiraz. Along the way, she meets ordinary people and tells a true story of contemporary Iran.