Faith, Unity, Discipline: The ISI of Pakistan; Hein Kiessling, Harper Collins, Rs 599.
For years after the Indo Pakistan war of 1947-48, Pakistan’s Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) remained an obscure agency. It was the discovery of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, that brought the spotlight on ISI outside the subcontinent. Kiessling explores the world of Pakistan’s secret service.
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The Parcel; Anosh Irani, Fourth Estate, Rs. 399.
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Madhu was born a boy and is a eunuch by choice. Having lived most of her life in a community of transgender sex workers in Kamathipura in Bombay, Madhu at 40 moves away from prostitution and is forced to beg. Until, a “parcel” arrives.
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A Life in Science; C.N.R. Rao, Penguin, Rs. 499.
What is the kind of commitment it takes to have a successful career in science? How do you deal with the roadblocks? Prof. C.N.R. Rao talks about his own journey in science, including his early years, and provides useful advice to young people looking for a life in science.
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A Bond So Sacred; Usha Rajagopalan, Manipal University Press, Rs. 450.
A satyagrahi, Raman adopts an orphan Kokila and leaves the five-year-old with his mother as he is drawn into the vortex of the freedom struggle. Cut to Independence and Gandhi’s death, he finds himself in a rapidly changing country with no role to play. Kokila, his protégée, meanwhile discovers truths about Raman that she could have never imagined.
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Seven Days of Nectar: Contemporary Oral Performance of the Bhagavatapurana; McComas Taylor, Oxford University Press, Rs. 5,562.
Bhagavatapurana , the 1,000-year-old Sanskrit classic, the source of narratives about Krishna, has for centuries been the basis of oral performances. These events are no longer confined to private homes or temples and have moved on to vast public spaces attracting thousands. What has catalysed the tradition’s staggering growth?
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Sultan of Delhi: Ascension; Arnab Ray, Hachette India, Rs. 350.
Arjun Bhatia, the son of a refugee from Lahore, starts out as an arms smuggler in Uttar Pradesh and eventually becomes the most influential power-broker in Delhi. In this story of ambition, greed and passion, Arjun has to eventually fight for his family and for his soul.