Book Reviews

Departure(s): Julian Barnes' final novel reflects on endings and memory

The book meditates on the blurred lines between fact and fiction, only to arrive at a semi-conclusion that both are governed by memory

Sheher Mein Gaon: How Delhi's urban villages navigate conflict, change

Ms Chauhan demonstrates how the character of these spaces has been changed by the forces of urbanisation

Island on Edge questions the cost of Great Nicobar development push

The NGT's clearance for the Great Nicobar project highlights a widening gap between procedural environmental safeguards and the lived ecological and cultural costs on the ground

The Land and the Shadows: Perumal Murugan's theatre of life explored

Throughout the book, and particularly in the first half, Mr Murugan talks about how cinema is tied in the fabric of Tamil society through anecdotes and his own analysis of certain phenomena

Vaccine Nation: Uncovering the fascinating story behind lifesaving jabs

A little jab that protects us from some of the deadliest diseases has a fascinating backstory. Ameer Shahul does an admirable job of uncovering compelling ones in his book

The War Within a War: How Vietnam shaped the civil rights movement

A new history shows how the Vietnam War became a frontline of America's civil rights struggle, exposing deep racial injustice within the US military

Rebellion in Verse: Devotion as a social disruptor in Tamil Bhakti movement

Raghavan Srinivasan reclaims the Tamil Bhakti saints as radical poets who challenged caste, ritual authority and hierarchy through powerful Tamil verse

Tell My Mother I Like Boys: Suvir Saran's honest, heartbreaking memoir

As an openly gay man, Suvir Saran's memoir weaves his personal struggles to find love and belonging with reflections on policy, resulting in a memoir that is brutally honest and partly heartbreaking

Tatyasaheb: Reading Bombay's past through the life of an entrepreneur

A biography of a Mumbai businessman written by his great-granddaughter is more than an anecdote-rich story of entrepreneurship

Busy women: Are women's contributions at home and work truly recognised?

Shinjini Kumar's book asks whether women's contributions within and outside home are being recognised and understood. The answers are surprising

Whither Human Rights in India: A layered account of liberty's erosion

At a moment when the so-called fringe has become the mainstream, this book offers a layered account of the erosion of liberty and the severity of our times

The Oak And The Larch: Russian history through a prism of woods and trees

A new book traces how Russia's forests shaped its history, literature and power - from religious exiles and empire-building to gulags, nationalism and climate change

RARE: The 'RJ' commandments, beyond hot investing tips and market noise

This book on understanding the mind of one of India's most famous strategic investors is a valuable read - but not if you are looking for a hot tip

Keeladi's discoveries remind us that evidence, not ideology, makes history

As new archaeological finds challenge the dominant narrative of India's antiquity, replacing dogma with pragmatism is the only way to understand the past

Designed to Win: How Tata Elxsi found its niche in India's IT landscape

How the Tata company went from being a loss-making firm to becoming a front-runner in design and technology in India and globally

Hated by All the Right People: Book traces evolution of Tucker Carlson

From the bow-tied beau ideal of the Washington establishment to the Maga conspiracy theorist-in-chief, Tucker Carlson's biography traces his journey

Let Only Red Flowers Bloom: How Xi is remodelling Chinese identity

His programmes are not only questioning but even verifying loyalty, with the ideal of Chinese women shifting in the face of dwindling population

Indian Politics and International Relations: Great power begins at home

How the evolution of India's political development is having an impact on its external projection

Comrades and Comebacks: Why the Left still matters in India today

India needs Left ideas of equality and humanism now more than ever, argues Saira Shah Halim in her book

Games Hospitals Play: Unhealthy truths about private medicine in India

Overtreatment, health check-ups as money-spinners, and tricky referrals - Abantika Ghosh's book is a helpful guide on how to navigate the complex web of medical care in India