An original analysis of who was responsible for Mahatma Gandhi's death, a
reader-friendly guide spanning 40 years of the cricket World Cup and
getting to know the incredible geography of India - the IANS book stack
this weekend is a power house of information. Take a look.
1.
Book: The Death and Afterlife of Mahatma Gandhi; Author: Makarand R.
Paranjape; Publisher: Random House India; Pages: 331; Price: Rs.599
With
the cover presenting an image of the vast crowd around the gun carriage
bearing the body of Mahatma Gandhi, who was assassinated Jan 30, 1948,
this book is an "explosive and original" analysis of the Father of the
Nation.
Penned by critic and poet Makarand R. Paranjape, the book
tries to answer questions like: "Who is responsible for the Mahatma's
death?"
The author says in the prologue that the book is an
attempt to understand not only Gandhi's life and message but also the
idea of India enquiring into the
meaning of his death.
A must
read for those interested in knowing about the life of the man who, in
the days leading up to his assassination by Nathuram Godse, "repeatedly
declared
that he would rather die than countenance the destruction of the sacred freedom that so many had sacrificed so much for".
2. Book: The Cricket Fanatics's Essential Guide; Author: Vimal Kumar, Publisher: Hachette India, Pages: 202; Price: Rs.225
Cricket
is not just a game, it's a religion. Every four years, new gods are
created on the field. Each World Cup kicks off pitched battles and fan
frenzy, with every match, every player and every run being analysed with
fervour and recorded with vigour.
This reader-friendly essential
guide is full of facts, statistics and details spanning the 40 years of
the World Cup and its memorable matches and players.
With the 2015 World Cup beginning Feb 15, this is a must-have guide for the lovers of the game.
3. Book: "The Incredible History of India's Geography" Author: Sanjeev Sanyal; Publisher: Puffin; Pages: 256; Price: Rs. 250
Could
you be related to a blonde Lithunian? What if ostriches once roamed in
India? Answers to questions like these are in this book, where you will
find things you never expected. From the time of continental drift to
the sophisticated cities of the Harappan civilisation, this book delves
deep into these subjects to offer information to young adults.
4. Book: Recasting India; Author: Hindol Sengupta; Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan; Pages: 240; Price: Rs. 499.
It's
been 23 years since India opened its economy, yet its people are still
struggling with staggering levels of inequality. A third of its citizens
lack adequate food, education and basic medical services - while the
country has one of the fastest growing lists of billionaires in the
world.
India has launched a mission to Mars, yet there are more
mobile phones in the country than toilets. Anywhere else, the locals
would be pounding at the billionaires' gates. So why no Arab Spring in
India?
The author argues that the only thing preventing civil war
is the explosion of local entrepreneurship across the country. In this
book, the author introduces a colourful cast of civic-minded
entrepreneurs selling everything from low-cost sanitary napkins to call
centre services to cell phone apps for the masses without an internet
connection.
While many of their operations are a far cry from the
giant companies owned by India's ruling class - most are not even
listed on the stock market - they are drastically changing the country's
politics, upending the caste system and creating a "middle India" full
of unprecedented opportunities.
