By IANS,
(IANS Books This Week)
New Delhi : This week’s book rack boasts of some heavyweight names. Former speaker Somnath Chatterjee, acclaimed writer Khushwant Singh or former Indian president Rajendra Prasad…take your pick.
1. Book: “Keeping the Faith”; Written by Somnath Chatterjee; Published by Harper-Collins India; Priced at Rs.499
Somnath Chatterjee has had one of the longest innings of any MP in the Lok Sabha, having been elected for the first time in 1971. From 1989 till 2004, he was the leader of the CPI-M in the Lok Sabha, and was speaker from 2004 to 2009.
In this candid, heartfelt memoir, Chatterjee looks back on his eventful three-and-a-half decades in the Indian parliament, capturing all the highs and lows as a nation’s history was shaped and revealing many behind-the-scenes stories for the first time.
2. Book: “Absolute Khushwant”; Written by Khushwant Singh and Humra Quraishi, Published by Penguin-India; Priced at Rs.250
India’s grand old man of letters tells us about his life, his loves and his work. Singh, 95, writes on happiness, faith and honesty. And, for the first time, about his successes and failures; his strengths and weaknesses, his highs and lows.
He tells us what makes him tick and the secret of his longevity. He confesses his fears and what he holds dear. He writes about sex, marriage, worship and death; the people he admired and detested. The book is candid with personal anecdotes and rare photographs.
3. Book: “India: Divided”; Written by Dr.Rajendra Prasad; Published by Penguin-Books India; Priced at Rs.499
The book – a reprint of an old edition – put together by the first president of India in Patna before he was elected to office is an important historical document that sets out his opposition to the proposal for partition that would irrevocably alter the geographical profile of the sub-continent.
The question of the partition of India into Muslim and Hindu zones assumed importance after the All-India Muslim League passed a resolution in its favour in March 1940 in Lahore. Most of “India Divided” was written in prison and was published in 1946, the year before India was partitioned.
3. Book: “Call Me Dan”; Written by Anish Trivedi; Published by Penguin-Books India; Priced at Rs.250
Gautam Joshi is 30 years old with a job in the call centre that his parents think is just one step up from unemployment and in a relationship that his girlfriend Michelle thinks is going nowhere. But Gautam loves his world. He makes more money than his father, and women actually want to go out with him.
Blonde bombshells, friends of friends, strangers in bars – all seem attracted to Gautam. Well not quite. That only happens when they call him Dan. The book is healthy fun where arranged marriages and one-night stands are all part of a young man’s search for love.
4. Book: “Let’s Play”; Introduction by Harsha Bhogle; Published by Penguin-Puffin, Priced at Rs.175
The collection promises high action straight from the sports field. Fancied Orchid School is already 33 for no loss in the three overs before lunch. Can Model School unleash its secret weapon – the nerd of the pack – to win the match.
Two towns, Dilshan and Deewar, have their prides at stake at the annual kabaddi competition when the local baker will actually eat his hat if his town wins. It spurs Dilshan to greater heights.
Hockey, TT, cricket, golf, basketball, winners, losers underdogs – the book tells all their tales. It brings to fore losses and triumphs – funny, racy and at the same time sad.