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Off
the shelf
The world of sati
V. N. Datta
Immolating Women: A Global History of Widow Burning from Ancient Times
to the Present
by John Fisch, translated from German by Rekha Kamath Rajan.
Permanent Black, Delhi.
Pages vii + 610. Rs.795.
A big and wide-ranging work of
global dimension on sati— provocative and challenging, this book
contains a formidable 60-page bibliography based on primary and
secondary sources. The book also has a special section on tables, maps,
illustrations and a broad survey of the sources used on sati by scholars
in different parts of the world.
She created her own
path
M Rajivlochan
Indira Gandhi
by Inder Malhotra.
National Book Trust, New Delhi. Pages 198. Rs. 65.
Hit
the Left from the left and the Right from the right—and, just to keep
everyone off-balance, once in a while, inverse the hits. This simple
strategy enabled Indira Gandhi to become one of the most successful
politicians of modern India. She further consolidated her position by
having faith in the Indian people and genuinely being concerned about
the well-being of the common person.
No
causes for hate
Harsh Desai
Terrorist
by John Updike
Alfred A. Knopf.
Pages 310. Rs 951
For many
years John Updike was one of my favourite authors. After being
introduced to him through his best selling Couples I loved his
‘Bech’ books and the ‘Rabbit’ books and his short stories,
particularly Pigeon Feathers. I came to idolise the suburban
America that Updike so lovingly described.
Melville: Shakespeare
in prose
Darshan Singh Maini
Herman Melville,
that 19th Century American novelist could, at his best, be compared with
Shakespeare in the power of his range and vision. He wrote a number of
romances such as Piere or The Ambiguities, Moby Dick,
White Jacket, The Confidence Man & Billy Budd. Of
these, the best-known book is, of course, Moby Dick.
Understanding the
Gurus’ word
A scholar who has worked
consistently in the field of Sikh studies, Dr Harnam Singh Shan is a
prolific author. His two recent books, Sri Guru Granth Sahib: The
Unique and Universal Scripture of the World and So Said Guru
Angad Dev are both good examples of his blend of scholarship and
devotion.
Eyewitness accounts
Kaviti Soni Sharma
Civil Disobedience Movements in
India
India’s Case for Freedom
by C V H Rao. Frog Books, Mumbai. Rs 250 each.
The two
books under review were first published in 1945. The author was a
veteran journalist of the pre-Independence era who had the privilege of
interacting with the leaders of the Independence Movement and has
provided an excellent eyewitness description of the political drama that
unfolded.
Darker
side of human nature
Kanwalpreet
A World Lost and Other Stories
by R.P. Sisodia.
Sterling. Pages 248. Rs 150.
We
all have our moments of glory, fame and achievement. But there are
moments when we feel that life has not been kind to us. That is the time
when seeds of jealousy are sown that leads us to do strange things. We
tend to blame human nature with all its vices with the mask of
civilisation disguising them most of the time. But we forget that there
are times when circumstances are beyond our control.
Capital’s green
guide
Rajnish Wattas
Trees of Delhi
by Pradip Krishen
Dorling Kindersley, Delhi Tourism.
Pages 360. Rs 799
As urban
environmental degradation issues take centre place, the comprehensive
user-friendly field guide Trees of Delhi fills a long-standing
vacuum. Earlier attempts on the subject include a 1968 publication by
the School of Planning and Architecture; which though useful, was
woefully inadequate. Other ‘Garden Cities’ like Bangalore and
Chandigarh too have inspired books such as Blossoms of Bangalore
and Trees of Chandigarh documenting their tree wealth.
SHORT TAKES
Folk tales &
soldiers’ heartbeats
Randeep Wadehra
Love Stories of War Heroes
by Col Gopal Purdhani
Sterling, N. Delhi. Pages: x+155. Price: Rs 100
Love dwells
in places strange as well as mundane. Nothing can be more mundane than a
human heart. But what if that human heart belongs to a soldier who is
giving battle to enemy and death both? Suddenly, the quality of love
soars. It is this heightened sentiment that runs through the pages of
this book.
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Tales from Sri
Lanka
by Manel Ratnatunga
Sterling, N. Delhi. Pages: 207. Price: Rs 250
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Maharaja and the
Kohinoor
by Avtar Singh Gill
Jaswant Printers, Ludhiana. Pages: 128 + Annexure. Price: Rs 150
Books received: Hindi
Confetti
Old cure
S. NIHAL SINGH
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