Page 42 - Book Reviews

The secondary sex

Aaliya Waziri's book is a brave and articulate attempt at dismantling patriarchy

Bankruptcy in the name of efficiency

Government, these books say, has been remarkably supportive of an industry that has helped hasten downward mobility and widen economic inequality

A calculating look at literature

The only sections that may require more than secondary school knowledge are on cryptography and fractal dimensions

On terror firma

Shahbaz Taseer's book is a gripping account of his abduction by Islamic militants in Lahore and years of captivity under the Taliban in Afghanistan-a nightmare from which he miraculously emerged alive

Beyond tribal instincts

Kasturi Ray's biography of President Droupadi Murmu is an exploration into her childhood, her deep inner sorrow, and the impact of her cultural upbringing, which values generosity, on her life

A soft tale of hardware

Ajai Chowdhry's autobiographical tale is a charmingly narrated account of his journey from Abbottabad in Pakistan to Jabalpur in India, and his rise to becoming a key figure in the Indian IT industry

FTAs beyond the zero-sum game

V S Seshadri's book makes a case for why India's collective thinking on FTAs needs to evolve in order to leverage their intrinsic value, both in economic and strategic dimensions

1848: Reaction and response

The sense of failure that hovers around 1848 cannot be dispelled by counting the rail lines laid down in its aftermath

Jab sleazy and kitschy met arty and popular

After the economic and political background my favourite portions of the book are ones chronicling the rush of Hindi films made in the south and the rise of parallel cinema

Tomorrow's world: Comforting incrementalism

Journalist Hamish McRae's book predicting future events lacks novelty in the projections compared to some other publications

Finance ministers and their balancing acts

A K Bhattacharya's book delves into the challenges, decisions, and political dynamics of India's economic policies through the lens of its finance ministers

Omens from a Canadian wildfire

Journalist and author John Vaillant's book explores the devastating wildfire that engulfed Fort McMurray, revealing the ominous implications of climate change and the destructive power of fire

The maritime realm of Oman's sultans

Seema Alavi's book sheds light on the often overlooked role of Omani sultans in shaping regional dynamics. It shifts from the Western perspective and provides us with the view from Oman

How traders win big when society collapses

Perhaps what comes through most strongly is just how many theories there are about how financial markets behave

History through climate change

Historian Peter Frankopan traces the story of human civilisation through its impact on the biosphere

Lost subtext of the planetary crisis

Siddarth Shrikanth's book explores the urgent need to prioritise nature and adopt a nature-positive approach in addressing the global environmental crisis

The roots of male dominance

Angela Saini's book is a thought-provoking exploration of patriarchy, its historical roots, and its impact on society, offering glimpses of resistance and the search for alternatives

Reinventing capitalism for the digital age

Ro Khanna's book reveals the dual nature of the Digital Revolution, urging policymakers to decentralise growth and ensure inclusivity in the face of its transformative impact

Why history matters

Eminent historian Romila Thapar's collection of essays urges us to confront the past critically for a more inclusive and enlightened future

A tale of five hacks

"Fancy Bear" and "Cozy Bear" refer to cyberespionage units linked to Russian intelligence that gained access to Democratic National Committee's computer systems before 2016 presidential election