Page 25 - Book Reviews

My Palestine: Tarbush's memoir captures the struggle for self-rule

Part memoir, part political history, My Palestine offers a radical solution to the long-standing conflict: The creation of a secular, democratic state with equal rights for all, regardless of religion

Dinesh Sharma's 'Beyond Biryani' explores Hyderabad's future in its past

There is a figurative divide between the old city and Cyberabad, a tension between Hyderabad's history and its future, raising the central question of Beyond Biryani: Does history hinder development?

Ramachandra Guha's new book is a must-read on India's history and nature

Anyone interested in the planet, in India, and in India's history would be well-served by reading, Speaking With Nature

The betrayal of a social revolution: Rohin Bhatt explores marriage equality

Rohin Bhatt writes from the vantage point of a queer, non-binary lawyer in the courtroom during the landmark marriage equality hearing

Heartbreak Is the National Anthem: Rob Sheffield on Taylor Swift's journey

Sheffield writes that Swift "reinvented pop in the fangirl's image," and while he's not a fangirl himself, he has long cultivated an interest in the cultural interests and contributions of girls

GN Devy's book questions common assumptions about India's languages

The book would have enhanced its accessibility for ordinary readers if more care had been paid to its presentation and delineation of arguments in support of the author's principal thesis

'Character Limit' unveils Musk's expensive Twitter buy and its real impact

Mr Trump (then ex-President) also gets a fair share of attention in the book, particularly about how he used Twitter and other social media to make false claims

Lal Chowk: Unveiling Kashmir's realities amid nationalistic narratives

Article 370 is often portrayed as the root of Jammu & Kashmir's woes, but reality is a complex mix of possibilities, not perception

Sara Ahmed's book offers a deep dive into the feminist killjoy perspective

The book begins with Ms Ahmed's story, but it can be an every woman story or every queer's story

The End of the Chinese Century? New book critiques BRI's flawed assumptions

The BRI has been compared to the US Marshall Plan launched after the end of the Second World War to enable the recovery of the war-ravaged economies of western Europe

In this biography, Mitch McConnell hates Trump but loves power more

The overall sense you get from this biography is that McConnell has prioritised little besides his own political survival

AI meets art in McNeal: Akhtar's play challenges limits of creativity

In McNeal, Ayad Akhtar explores the way AI is disrupting the literary world and raising questions about creativity

Beyond beaches: Couto's essays on Goa's complex cultural identity

Maria Aurora Couto's last book is an elegy for a more inclusive Goa, and confronts its modern challenges, such as corruption

The Siege: Ben Macintyre's book recalls a forgotten Iranian hostage crisis

Mr Macintyre's original aim in writing this book was to showcase the brilliance of the SAS in post-war action

A Ravindra's book delves into India's urbanisation challenges and future

With a few exceptions of large slums in megacities such as Mumbai, the poor continue to live on the city fringe-a colonial legacy that persists to this day

Trilochan Sastry's book explores faith, conflict, and search for harmony

How does one find harmony in the discordant notes of a practice that ignites wars and justifies genocide, all in the name of God? That is exactly what this book seeks to explore

Night of Power: Robert Fisk's war stories spotlight victims, perpetrators

Fisk's didactic fury may have kept him going, but it tainted his fidelity as a witness and narrowed his vision

From boardroom battles to Frank Sinatra, life of Tata 'patriarch'

The book opens with the early years. "He lived like a prince, spoilt for comfort and in infinite luxury.'' Despite the luxury all around, the author notes that "young Ratan had no room to himself."

'Iconic Trees of India' explores deep-rooted bond between people and trees

One hopes that Natesh's labour of love will inspire numerous state-sponsored and citizen-led initiatives grounded in science to document and conserve India's green living heritage

Hilal Ahmed's book offers a scrutiny of contemporary Muslim identity

The true value of Hilal Ahmed's book on the condition, plight, choices, and compulsions of Muslims in today's India lies in its refusal to see every issue as either black or white