Book Reviews

'The NAC was a purely advisory body with no executive authority'

In her memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi shares snippets of how the National Advisory Council functioned. An excerpt

Spices: A flavourful history of global trade, power and colonial conquest

The great appetite for spices, after all, brought a cross-cultural exchange between diverse regions, changing culinary habits and triggering 1st global age and the beginnings of economic globalisation

Sushila Takbhaure's life story charts caste oppression, women's resistance

Sushila Takbhaure's autobiography explores caste discrimination, patriarchy and the struggle for education, dignity and independence

A useful policy primer, but limited analysis leaves major policy gaps

The book offers a concise overview of key economic policies since Independence, but its limited critical analysis and gaps in coverage may leave serious readers seeking more.

Why capable, independent directors matter to effective corporate boards

Replete with personal experiences and anecdotes, this book is an important reminder of how a board should be

Bangladesh's troubled history and questions about its political future

Salil Tripathi brings together many strands from the country's history and politics to explain why it looks as it does today: A new nation, still looking to find closure on its blood-soaked past

Stephen Kinzer's case on US role in Ukraine meets a sovereignty caveat

Stephen Kinzer's Boiling Point argues that US and Nato policies helped fuel the Ukraine war, but the book's thesis faces scrutiny over Russia's motives and security concerns.

To Bishan, With Love: A tribute to the cricket legend beyond the pitch

Anju Bedi's essay is an honest account of the sacrifices wives are expected to make

Wendy Doniger memoir traces a life in scholarship and accidental feminism

Wendy Doniger, one of the most influential scholars of Sanskrit, looks back on her life in academia and her tumultuous engagement with India, which led to one of the biggest fights of her career

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