Page 10 - Bs Reads

Why the global league of autocrats thrives

One of the great failures of neoliberalism was to assume that all good things would go together

1984: What the women remember

Sanam Sutirath Wazir's The Kaurs of 1984 brings alive the stories of Sikh women caught in the spiral of politics and violence that engulfed Punjab and spread to Sikhs outside state that bloody year

An amble through a forgotten India

Before I Forget is a rare glimpse into the gentle soul of one of India's most accomplished actors and directors, and a look into an era that is now forgotten

How to age wisely

This is a sobering thought in a world where people have the technological means for instant communication but are perennially busy so they make little time to nurture relationships

Bernie Madoff: Thoughts from the jailhouse

For every dollar he stole, Madoff seems to have generated at least one piece of regular paper

AI and tech colonialism

Madhumita Murgia's book examines AI's influence on people and the impact of AI crunching huge amounts of data on their lives

What myths tell us

Lopamudra Maitra's book explores their deeper cultural significance

World wars in Retailville

As Amazon turns 30, Clash is a timely book that explores the fierce rivalry between retail giants Amazon and Walmart, and examines their impact on the retail landscape and customers

The Nagarwala scandal, unreconstructed

Journalists Prakash Patra and Rasheed Kidwai revisit the 1971 SBI scam after reviewing declassified documents, but with underwhelming results

Spin doctoring for the rich and corrupt

All the Worst Humans, a pithy, anecdote-rich memoir by Phil Elwood, has a lot in common with those books. But it tells a story from journalism's shadow side, the realm of high-level public relations

Lone Fox in the twilight

Ruskin Bond has created a treasury of a lifetime's worth of experiences and wisdom with his writing, carving out a space in children's literature

The art of a reformer

When Rukmini Devi was seriously ill, she refused to take medicines tested on animals and opted for Chinese and Tibetan medicines, acupressure and acupuncture.

The rise of skyscrapers

Jason M Barr presents towering buildings in a new light-as a strategic balancing act between costs and revenues to maximise profits, rather than a display of hubris

Robots in your veins

The Singularity Is Nearer follows Kurzweil's 2005 The Singularity Is Near, and several other heraldic works of tech futurism that have become sacred texts to the current generation of AI utopians

The limits of freedom

Joseph Stiglitz's latest book argues for a shift from capital-centric profit motives to a more inclusive and morally grounded approach in economic policy

A capitalist's lament

Ruchir Sharma's book is illuminating and heart-warming in its optimism that despite its many flaws, capitalism remains our 'best hope for economic and social progress

Modernity with Chinese characteristics

Poonam Surie's insightful book invites readers to join her quest to explore how China approaches modernity, leaving much to ponder, like a solitary reverie on a trek

A champion of trade liberalisation

Arvind Panagariya's book offers a rich and fascinating analysis of how protectionism has harmed the country's trade and economy

Fauci on Trump: It's complicated

Dr Fauci has long been circumspect in describing his feelings toward Mr Trump. But On Call: A Doctor's Journey in Public Service, he writes with candour about their relationship

Indian sports beyond the boundary

Nandan Kamath looks at sports like an onion and, through nuanced argument, peels its many layers to provide insight and understanding