Book Reviews

Hong Kong's blueprint for protest

Why the seeds of resistance that have been planted in the minds of the youth since 2019 will be not very easy to supplant

The paradox of calculated happiness

Has the evolution from the GDP-era to the well-being era started? This book is a primer for those interested in alternatives to GDP as a measure of happiness

Short stories about successful brands

From Wagh Bakri to Bleeding Madras - this book tells the stories of the emotions that fuelled some of India's most successful brands

How Kushner conducted foreign policy for profit

A new book alleges that Jared Kushner used his White House influence to advance the UAE's regional interests while pursuing private financial gains, prompting calls for a congressional investigation.

Tiger Memories: The eye of the tiger conservationist who protected wildlife

A memoir tracing Ullas Karanth's decades-long fight to protect India's tigers and forests, and his pioneering contribution to wildlife science and conservation

Building an army of brain warriors

In Brain Defenders, neurologist David Perlmutter explores how the brain's immune cells influence neurological health and how lifestyle changes may help prevent cognitive decline.

Aligarh from the archives

The city's multiple origin stories reveal the richness of its past and its place in history

Unsung heroes of the Union of India

The story of the first 21 days after Independence has all the ingredients of a thriller, with plot twists, intrigue and princely states determined to preserve their independence

The double-edged sword of a dual bottom line

Are purpose-driven companies likely to systematically outperform conventional competitors? That's the question this book aims to answer, and why good intentions alone aren't enough

Wikipedia's origin story, warts and all

Wikipedia's 25-year journey highlights the enduring value of human knowledge and collaboration amid misinformation, online disputes and the growing influence of artificial intelligence

Badshah, Bandar, Bazaar: A counter-narrative to India's 'Islamic dark age'

The book acts as a counter-archive against the colonial myth, still stubbornly alive, of an Islamic dark age liberated by the British

The bumpy road to India's EV policy

India's EV journey has been chequered, despite having the Reva long before Elon Musk conceived Tesla

Gender equality in the dock

Tracing women's struggle for gender equality and safety, this book offers a framework for fighting their battles, in the courtroom and beyond

The cities called Delhi

How Delhi has always been a work in progress, its story never quite complete

Dirty truths behind clean energy

Lithium-ion batteries drive the clean-energy revolution, but mining and processing their minerals come at a steep environmental and human cost.

The mystery of the 'Havana Syndrome'

A new book investigates the mysterious Havana Syndrome, examining alleged Russian involvement, unexplained injuries among US officials and claims of a government cover-up.

Stalin's Apostles: The untold story of the Soviet Empire's British spies

The choice of title is, presumably, a play on the Cambridge Apostles, the "self-consciously academic elite" society that became fertile recruiting for Soviet intelligence in the inter-war years

The world beyond war and peace

From debt diplomacy to the Global South, this book explores the defining issues of our times through a critical and often provocative lens

The elusive challenge of 'taming' Bastar

From British rule to the rise of Maoism, this book takes us through the history of a region that remains an enigma

Rights as freedoms, not freebies

This book opens up key debates on social policy - from mid-day meal schemes to maternity benefits and child development - and asks whether these initiatives foster dependency or empower people