Page 6 - Book Reviews
Valmik Thapar's final book distils half a century of tiger conservation
Valmik Thapar's final book celebrates India's tiger legacy, blending conservation insights, Ranthambore tales, and lyrical portraits of the majestic Royal Bengal Tiger
 "Valmik Thapar's final book distils half a century of tiger conservation")
The Call of Music: Recording journeys of resilience for the sake of art
In her latest book, reputed Hindustani classical vocalist Priya Purushothaman traces the experiences of eight singular voices in Hindustani classical music that have deeply inspired her
 "The Call of Music: Recording journeys of resilience for the sake of art")
India's Act East policy needs deeper economic integration with Asean
India's Act East policy needs fresh momentum through deeper economic integration with Asean
 "India's Act East policy needs deeper economic integration with Asean")
The Hindi heartland: Indian history at the turbulent core of change
Regaling with stories, the Hindi heartland takes us through history, unraveling not only wars and invasions but also the beliefs of victors across eras, showing how we arrived where we are today
 "The Hindi heartland: Indian history at the turbulent core of change")
Sanjaya Baru's new book tracks the journey of the 'Non-Returning Indian'
How a seven-fold growth in nominal gross domestic product will change migration patterns
 "Sanjaya Baru's new book tracks the journey of the 'Non-Returning Indian'")
STRONG ROOTS: Chef Olia Hercules' Ukraine memoir by way of her family tree
Strong Roots is its own kind of dam, against the rushing anguish of war and generational trauma
 "STRONG ROOTS: Chef Olia Hercules' Ukraine memoir by way of her family tree")
'Mango: A Global History' explores the global appeal of 'bathroom fruit'
Often called a 'full-body experience' to eat, this book on the mango's history can be enjoyed just as much by those raised on fresh fruit as by those who first tasted it in preserved form
 "'Mango: A Global History' explores the global appeal of 'bathroom fruit'")
Sandeep Das's book argues for going beyond strategy to implementation
A good strategy always calls for friction - it is never a straight line
 "Sandeep Das's book argues for going beyond strategy to implementation")
The Party's Interests Come First: Xi's father biography reflects CCP story
Meticulously written and displaying thorough archival work, the book is full of anecdotes. It is possible to argue that the senior Xi's life overlaps with the life of the CCP
 "The Party's Interests Come First: Xi's father biography reflects CCP story")
Meet the Savarnas: Ravikant Kisana's book on millennials and exclusion
For a society so deeply entrenched in caste and class, the cognitive dissonance is astonishing. Caste is ancient history one moment, yet dictates marriage or who works at your house the next
 "Meet the Savarnas: Ravikant Kisana's book on millennials and exclusion")
Why the poor don't kill us: A must-read on why India is still Bharat
The poor attacking the rich is relatively rare in India. Sordid jails and the snail-paced judiciary are effective disincentives for voluntary criminal acts
 "Why the poor don't kill us: A must-read on why India is still Bharat")
Rain Dogs: Rohit Chawla's book reflects on stray dogs' fate and our bond
Photographer and art director Rohit Chawla's book Rain Dogs gets to the heart of why human beings care about stray dogs, and what makes their blood boil when they imagine their fate
 "Rain Dogs: Rohit Chawla's book reflects on stray dogs' fate and our bond")
To Lose a War: How the US slowly lost its way in Afghanistan conflict
A gripping account of two decades in Afghanistan, tracing the Taliban's fall, America's missteps, and the enduring human cost in Jon Lee Anderson's To Lose a War
 "To Lose a War: How the US slowly lost its way in Afghanistan conflict")
Inside India's polls: flaws, fraud, and the battle to save democracy
Author SY Quraishi dwells on the Model Code of Conduct and other aspects of holding elections, including the role of exit polls, media and hate speech
 "Inside India's polls: flaws, fraud, and the battle to save democracy")
The Art of War and Peace: From Ethiopia to Ukraine, what's changed, endured
The book contains analytical accounts of the 20-year Afghan War, which ended with ignominious withdrawal of US and Western military forces & with the Taliban gaining control over the entire country
 "The Art of War and Peace: From Ethiopia to Ukraine, what's changed, endured")
No, Minister: Subhash Chandra Garg's 2nd memoir mirrors tone of his first
The tenor of the second part of former finance secretary Subhash Chandra Garg's memoir is not dissimilar to that which pervaded his first one --and the title is a dead giveaway
 "No, Minister: Subhash Chandra Garg's 2nd memoir mirrors tone of his first")
Can you make peace with your smartphone? Two books explore the idea
With this book, the author calcifies some of the deposits heavy phone use has left on her soul
 "Can you make peace with your smartphone? Two books explore the idea")
M S Swaminathan: Celebrating an icon of India's Green Revolution
As one reflects on Swaminathan's life and time, it is worth wondering if India could produce towering figures like him today
 "M S Swaminathan: Celebrating an icon of India's Green Revolution")
Superbloom: Nicholas Carr book says more communication isn't always better
The real threat of AI and LLMs lie not in job loss, but in corporations using them to create endless loops of content tailored to everyone's smallest needs, chaining us to our devices more than ever
 "Superbloom: Nicholas Carr book says more communication isn't always better")
Jacinda Ardern's memoir is a moving account of a career built with care
The former New Zealand Prime Minister's memoir is nothing like a political manifesto. It is an assured and often moving account of a career built with care - though not without frequent self-doubt
 "Jacinda Ardern's memoir is a moving account of a career built with care")
