Stories by women, for women
From the story of Urmila, Sita's sister to life in Iran and the cruel fate of Bollywood's item girls - all these stories on the IANS bookshelf this weekend throw light on the many hues of women and, interestingly, are written by women. Take a look.
Celebrating Kashmiriyat to tales from the battlefield
An ode to the resilience of Kashmiri women, to inspiring stories from the battlefield, to a journey of healing is what IANS has for its readers this weekend. Take a look.
1. Book: The Land I Dream Of; Author: Manisha Sobhrajani; Publisher: Hachette; Pages: 191; Price: Rs.399
‘The Brown Sahebs’: An interesting take on India’s colonial legacy
By Jaideep Sarin,
Book: "The Brown Sahebs"; Publisher: Vitasta Publishing; Pages: 320; Price: Rs.295
American movies and literature are iconoclastic. Hollywood loves to make movies in which the US president gets hijacked ("Air Force One"), or the White House is under siege ("White House Down"). Indian movies and books, by and large play safe, probably afraid of fictionalizing situations which the authorities would frown upon. Thus Anupam Srivastava's "The Brown Sahebs" surprises when its protagonist, Pratap, defaces with provocative poetry the dome of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the majestic residence of India's president.
Environment, philosophy, romance: 13-year-old author brims with ideas
By Azera Rahman, IANS,
New Delhi : Debutante novelist Asmita Goyanka drew a parallel of global warming threatening to destroy the earth with the villain in her novel. At the moment, she is working on two other manuscripts and has her mind filled with ideas for more. For a 13-year-old, that's quite a lot.
Set in a fictitious place, Ujaasnagar, Goyanka's novel "The Mystic Temple" is about five schoolgoing girls who take up a dare to snoop around the relics of an ancient temple and are then faced with this huge responsibility of saving the earth from being destroyed by the evil Malvigo.
Queen’s mother was a ‘ghastly old bigot’: British journalist
By IANS,
London : A well-known British journalist has admitted in a book extracted Sunday that he thought the late mother of Britain's reigning monarch was a “ghastly old bigot”.
Edward Stourton, long-standing presenter of the BBC's flagship radio news and current affairs programme Today, has made the comments in a book on political correctness extracted in The Sunday Times.
In his book, Stourton said the Queen Mother told him about a European summit in the 1990s: “It will never work, you know.”
R.K. Narayan is one of my greatest inspirations: Scottish author
By Sreya Basu, IANS,
Kolkata : Scottish author Alexander Mccall Smith, who has written over 60 books, says he owes his success to noted Indian writer R.K. Narayan, whose works inspired him deeply.
"It was my early days as a writer when I came across Narayan's novel 'The Man-eater of Malgudi'. I read the entire novel at one go and then got engrossed in his other novels. He is one of my greatest inspirations even today when I sit to pen a new novel," Smith told IANS here.
Tips to ease you into the corporate world
By Samini Philip, IANS,
Book: "Making Your First Job Your Dream Job"; Author: Clare Maxfield; Price: Rs.145; Publisher: Wisdom Tree
We have all experienced the fear of the unknown. Entering the corporate world or making a transition to a new job can make even the most confident person feel apprehensive. "Making your first job your dream job" is a valuable book that will guide you step by step about what to expect in a new working environment.
India was once a hub of ancient silk route
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Around 2,000 years ago, a loop of the ancient silk route, called the southern silk road, linked Yunnan province of China to the northeastern parts of India, says travel writer Sunita Dwivedi in her forthcoming book. Titled "In Quest of Buddha: A Journey Along The Silk Road" and to be published by Rupa & Co, it chronicles Dwivedi's journeys along the route in China, Central Asia and India.
Inside a Syrian Malayali kitchen – a gastronomic storm
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Book: "The Suriani Kitchen: Recipes and Recollections from the Syrian Christians of Kerala"; Publisher: Westland Ltd; Author: Lathika George; Price: Rs.450
A traditional Syrian Christian Malayali kitchen captures the essence of a home and the spicy cuisine of the community, which had converted to Christianity when the first missionaries from the West arrived in southern India.
Dig into history, urban war, illicit love
By IANS,
(IANS Books This Week)
New Delhi : Here are five new books to add to your reading list this week:
1. "The Begum's Secret": Written by A.K. Srikumar; Published by Penguin Books-India; Priced at Rs.299.
For Lucknow, the year 1784 might have passed as its predecessor - unsung and cheerless, - but for a significant piece of news. A messenger from Calcutta announced the arrival of the 'Laat Sahib', or the British viceroy of India. The people of the fetid capital of Awadh by the Gomti river were invigorated. It meant employment.
A comprehensive documentation of India-UAE ties
By IANS,
(IANS Book Review)
Book: "India and the UAE: In Celebration of a Legendary Friendship"; Author: Venu Rajamony; Publisher: Indian Expressions Management Consultancy
Ties between India and the Arabian Gulf are now over 5,000 years old. The Gulf is today home to around five million expatriate Indians. Of them, around 1.5 million reside in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and their contribution to that country's development is well acknowledged.
A wasted man with a not-so-wasted life
By Mohita Nagpal, IANS,
Book: "The Nothing Man"; Author: Ajay Khullar; Publisher: Rupa; Price: 195; Pages: 184
Have not left India, will be back when feel safe: Taslima
Kolkata : Controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, who has relocated to the US, on Wednesday said she hasn't left India permanently and would...
Book on Pranab’s contribution to education
New Delhi : A book highlighting the contribution of President Pranab Mukherjee to the field of education will be released here on Wednesday.
"The book,...
Evocative debut tale of social divisions, family dynamics
By Shubha Singh, IANS,
Book: "Evening is the Whole Day"; Author: Preeta Samarasan; Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers; Price: Rs.395
"Evening is the Whole Day" is an absorbing and richly embroidered tale about the life of an Indian immigrant family in Malaysia. The title is drawn from a Tamil song and the story revolves around the dynamics and relationships within lawyer Rajasekharan's family, their hopes, aspirations and disappointments.
New book brings alive women fighters in Indian National Army
By Nirmala George, IANS,
Singapore : They were young women, many in their teens, who had never seen India but were ready to give up their lives to fight for the freedom of a 'motherland' far away.
"Women against the Raj: The Rani of Jhansi Regiment", by American historian Joyce Chapman Lebra highlights the contribution made by hundreds of women of Indian descent, the daughters of poor rubber plantation workers in Malaya, who responded to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's call and volunteered to form the women's wing of the Indian National Army (INA).
After Adiga win, Nambisan in race for Asian Booker
By Maitreyee Boruah, IANS,
Bangalore : One of the five authors shortlisted for the 2008 Man Asian Literary prize that will be announced Thursday, Kaveri Nambisan says she gives precedence to her medical career over her literary pursuits.
"The doctor comes before the writer. I've been at it longer and it is full of challenges," Nambisan told IANS in an e-mail interview ahead of the announcement of the winner of the prestigious award, also known as Asian Booker, in Hong Kong Thursday.
Bikaner princess documents history of her royal home
By IANS,
New Delhi : An inner courtyard with a stunning, multi-layered red sandstone facade, verandahs lined with beautiful marble tables and imposing bronze sculptures on each one of them - the family home of Rajyashree Kumari Bikaner, an erstwhile Rajasthani princess, is a palace that has hosted the then maharajas of Travancore, Palanpur, Patiala and Gwalior.
Now buy a book with your grocery from nearest superstore
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : Imagine picking up a cookbook along with your vegetables for the day from your nearest department store. Over the next two years, India will see publishers thronging retail stores to sell their books, said a senior official of Parragon Publishing India that has pioneered this form of marketing.
Parragon Publishing pioneered the concept in its home base, Britain, 20 years ago and has since been doing so across Europe and the US.
‘The Immortals of Meluha’ is top bestseller (IANS Books)
By IANS,
New Delhi : "Awakening Giants: Feet of Clay" by Pranab Bardhan tops the non-fiction section while Amish Tripathi's "The Immortals of Meluha" is number one in the fiction category of bestsellers this week.
Non-fiction
1. "Awakening Giants: Feet of Clay"
Author: Pranab Bardhan
Publisher: Oxford
Price: Rs.495.00
2. "Before Memory Fades"
Author: Fali S. Nariman
Publisher: Hay House
Price: Rs.599.00
3. "The Honest Always Stand Alone"
Author: C.G. Somiah
Publisher: Niyogi Books
Price: Rs.395.00
4. "Leela: A Patchwork Life"
Of Tata, Bhabha and good old dramatic tales
By IANS,
[IANS book this week]
New Delhi : Some home truths about towering edifices and small pleasures of stories smartly told. The cache this week is a mix of serious non-fiction and fiction:
1. Book: "Tata: The Evolution of a Corporate Brand"; Written by Morgen Witzel; Published by Penguin Books India; Priced Rs.599
On bookshelf, India blooms in all its colours
By IANS,
New Delhi : This weekend, the book shelf is a portrait of India in all its mysterious - yet realistic - shades. Flip through the must-read titles with IANS.
Tale of magical realism, dark but uplifting too (Book Review)
By IANS,
Book: "The Lost Fragrance"; Author: Amit Dasgupta; Published by: Wisdom Tree; Price: Rs.195.
Rediscovering the bold and beautiful in Tagore
By Paloma Ganguly, IANS,
Book: "Novelist Tagore"; Author: Radha Chakravarty; Publisher: Routledge; Price: Rs.595; Pages: 160
Death, spies and thrillers
An exciting week for books with a variety of thrills, chills and spy stories. Take your pick.
1. Book: The Sad Demise of Manpreet Singh;...
Magic, heroism and redemption: C.S. Lewis’ Narnia tales
By Vikas Datta,
Fantastic beings and worlds have always been key elements of literature and works containing them have always relished by readers across ages and cultures. But while these motifs are present in a broad gamut of cross-cultural myths, fables, and epics both sacred and profane, fantasy as a literary genre in itself emerged much more recently than we think. Not even a century has elapsed since the appearance of two of its most famous, path-breaking works - which further burnished their credentials by the standards of our spectacle-oriented society by successfully making the transition to the big screen - as well as inspiring a host of other writers like J.K. Rowling, Rick Riordan Philip Pullman, Lev Grossman and Neil Gaiman. These are the chronicles of the Middle Earth and of Narnia.
A mother’s dilemma, a virtual world, Nepal
The nightmare of being the mother of a 27-year-old, looking at a relationship through the lens of virtual reality and a journey through Nepal are some of the hand-picked gems IANS is treating its readers to this weekend. Take a look.
1. Book: Simi's Mum's Diary: The Daughter of All Battles; Author: Rupa Gulab; Publisher: Amaryllis; Pages: 201; Price: Rs. 175
Australia, India sign MoU for joint research, teaching
Hyderabad: Australia's Deakin University and the Indian School of Business (ISB) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for joint research and teaching.
They will...
Othello and Obama – hear it all from African thinker
By IANS,
New Delhi : Not many have seen a link between Othello, the tragic hero of the eponymous Shakespearean play, and US President-elect Barack Obama in the same breath. But this is what iconic African intellectual and author Ali Mazrui plans to do in a lecture in the Indian capital Thursday.
Mazrui, a contemporary of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who studied with him at Oxford University, is in India to participate in a two-day global conference on “Resurgent Africa” that begins Thursday. The seminar will be inaugurated by Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma.
Rana Dasgupta tops chart with new book
By IANS,
New Delhi : Books on and by US President Barack Obama dominated the bestseller list in the non-fiction category here this week, while "Solo" by Rana Dasgupta went straight to the top of the charts in the fiction category. Here are the top 10 in each group:
Non-Fiction
1. "The Inheritance: The World Obama Confronts and the Challenges to American..."
Author: David E. Sanger
Publisher: Harmony Books
Price: $20.00 (Rs.1,036.00)
2. "Delhi: Adventures in A Megacity"
Author: Sam Miller
Publisher: Penguin Viking
Price: Rs.499.00
3. "Dreams From My Father"
‘Stranger to History’ continues to top bestseller list
By ANS,
New Delhi : Aatish Taseer's book "Stranger to History" continued to maintain its position at the top of the charts in the non-fiction category this week, while "In Other Rooms, Other Wonders" by Daniyal Mueenuddin grabbed the highest position in the fiction section.
The top 10 in each group are:
Non-fiction
1. "Stranger to History"
Author: Aatish Taseer
Publisher: Picador India
Price: Rs.495.00
2. "A Better India A Better World"
Author: N.R. Narayana Murthy
Publisher: Penguin Allen Lane
Price: Rs.499.00
3. "Delhi Adventures in A Megacity"
After creating stir, Jaswant is mum during Jinnah book launch
By IANS,
New Delhi: After creating a storm by his praise of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jaswant Singh Monday clammed up on the subject during the release of his book on the architect of Pakistan.
After a panel of seven speakers praised his book, 'Jinnah - India, Partition, Independence' at the launch function here, Jaswant Singh merely said - "Authors should not speak. They are supposed to be read."
A teacher after your heart, from Ruskin Bond
By Paloma Ganguly, IANS,
Book: "Mr. Oliver's Diary"; Author: Ruskin Bond; Published by Puffin; Price: Rs.150
What, you wonder, can be new in the story of a not-yet-40, bald and a bit lonely teacher at prep school, replete with the antics of juvenile boys, a parrot that screeches "bottoms up", frolicking frogs and a violin-playing headmaster?
But Ruskin Bond, who has more than 30 children's books to his credit, uses all the old tricks to make Christopher Oliver a funny and loveable little hero in the hills of Simla.
Tales of the here and now, told tellingly
By K.G. Sreenivas, IANS,
Book "Turtle Dove: Six Simple Tales"; Author: Divya Dubey; Gyaana Books, Pp 236; Price: Rs. 195
Swathes of the untold lie at the nub of "Turtle Dove: Six Simple Tales". Divya Dubey's book presents a stark yet compelling universe. The mélange of stories sit on the cusp of the familiar yet not so familiar.
Rockets, Mahatma and army: Books to beat the chill
By IANS,
New Delhi : The book cart this week is a year-end holiday treat.
1. Books: "All About Rockets"; Written by S.K. Das, Published by Penguin-India; Priced at Rs.175
A story of deprivation and torture in custody (Book Review)
By M.R. Narayan Swamy,
Title: Colours of the Cage: A Prison Memoir; Author: Arun Ferreira; Publisher: Aleph (Rupa Publications); Pages: 164; Price: Rs.295
Human rights activist Arun Ferreira was waiting to meet some fellow activists at the Nagpur railway station when around 15 people pounced on him and whisked him away in a car. It was the afternoon of May 8, 2007, marking the beginning of a long and painful stay in police and judicial custody for four years and eight months. This is a chilling - and moving -- account of what the young man faced and what life in Indian prison is all about.
Glittering line-up of authors for Jaipur Literary Festival
By IANS,
New Delhi : Bookworms can look forward to a carnival in January when Jaipur will play host to a galaxy of authors like Vikram Seth, Chetan Bhagat, Hari Kunzru, Micheal Ondaatje, Pico Iyer and Patrick French during the fourth edition of the Jaipur Literary Festival.
One of the most colourful events in the city's social calendar, the festival will be held Jan 21-25 at the Diggy Palace.
Orhan Pamuk’s book continues to retain No.1 position
By IANS,
New Delhi : "Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India" by William Dalrymple jumped one position to dominate the non-fiction section of the bestseller list this week while "The Museum of Innocence" by Nobel prize winner Orhan Pamuk retained its No.1 position in the fiction category.
The top 10 in each category are:
Non-fiction
1. "Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India"
Author: William Dalrymple
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Price: Rs.499.00
2. "The Difficulty of Being Good: On The Subtle Art of Dharma"
Author: Gurcharan Das
Are Indians in tune with their culture?
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : The time has come for Indians to introspect whether they are in tune with their culture or not, \"to pause and put a mirror before society to see why dilution, mutilation and modification of culture have taken place against the backdrop of such a distinguished civilisation heritage\", says diplomat-writer Pavan Varma.
Why Lahaul Lamas pray for Minister M.S. Gill
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Book: "Himalayan Wonderland, Travels in Lahaul and Spiti"; Publisher: Penguin/Viking; Author: Manohar Singh Gill (union sports minister); Price: Rs.599
In the summer of 1962, a restless young Indian administrator, Manohar Singh Gill, made an arduous journey from the north Indian plains to the farthest reaches of Indian Himalayas - the Lahaul and Spiti Valley - and spent a year living and working with the people there.
Stories of Akbar, marriage and space: A hearty bouquet
By IANS,
New Delhi : Here are five new books to add to your reading list this week:
1. "Akbar: The Mighty Emperor": Written by Kavitha Mandana, published by Penguin-Puffin, priced at Rs.150.
For Mughal emperor Humayun, the news of the birth of Akbar allowed him a moment of quiet joy in the wilderness of a camp he was confined to. He broke a musk pod and the fragrance wafted across the camp. The father hoped his son's fame would spread through like the scent of musk.
Recent Sikh history: An inside story – IANS Book Review
By Arun Anand, IANS,
Book: "1984: Lessons From History", Author: Harminder Kaur; Publisher: Corporate Vision, Price: Rs.595; Pages: 245
India witnessed a spate of inter-linked tragic events in the year 1984 - Operation Bluestar and the assassination of prime minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh body guards, followed by anti-Sikh riots in capital Delhi and several other parts of the country that shook the conscience and secular fabric of the country.
For A to Z of Hinduism, pick up this gem
(IANS Book Review)
By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS,
Book: "Hinduism - An Alphabetical Guide"; Author: Roshen Dalal; Publisher: Penguin; Price: Rs.999; Pages: 483
Stuff that make Mumbai fabled
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Book: "Mumbai Fables"; Author: Gyan Prakash; Publisher: Harper Collins-India; Pages: 352; Price: Rs.425
History, angling and drama on book-shelf
By IANS,
New Delhi : The book cart this weekend is a load of gripping titles. Flip through with IANS...
A veritable encyclopaedia on Lord Muruga
(IANS Book Review)
By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS,
Book: "Sri Muruga"; Author: Rahul Kabade; Published by: Sri Muruga Publications (Britain); Pages: 194; Price: not stated
Nehru’s ‘Mann ki Baat’
By M.R. Narayan Swamy ,
Title: Letters for a Nation: From Jawaharlal Nehru to His Chief Ministers (1947-1963); Author: Edited by Madhav Khosla; Publisher: Allen...
Typical Earth citizen will soon be Indian: Organizers of new book prize
Hong Kong : By 2030, the average citizen of planet Earth will be an Indian man in his mid-20s. But few people in the...
Jaipur lit fest’s US edition begins Saturday
New Delhi: The Jaipur Literature Festival will open its account in the US with its first overseas edition beginning on on Saturday in Boulder,...
Vyapam : Names of selected candidates removed from law institute’s merit list, RTI reply...
By Siddharth Datta
New Delhi : The Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board, (or Vyapam as it is popularly known), which has conducted admission tests for...
14 Indian diaspora students picked to compete in top US science contest
New York: Fourteen students from the Indian diaspora have been selected to compete for $1 million in prizes at the prestigious Intel Science Talent...
No slumdog this, only a ‘millionaire in rupees’
By Pranay Sharma, IANS,
New Delhi : Diplomat, bestselling novelist and now millionaire? Vikas Swarup, India's deputy high commissioner to South Africa and author of the much acclaimed "Q & A", may be on a roll, but he is still modest.
"It is very gratifying," said Swarup, whose debut novel has been turned into a highly acclaimed movie, "SlumDog Millionaire" by British filmmaker Danny Boyle and whose latest book "Six Suspects" may also turn up as a TV film.
Gay photographer captures life in new book
By IANS,
New Delhi : Photographer Sunil Gupta has a different focus on his camera lens. It pans the life and times of his generation - the happening 70s when alternative sexuality was coming out of the closet and young itinerants were journeying the globe in search of love.
The HIV positive photographer of international repute, who operates from both New Delhi and London, has captured his sexual preferences, life, aesthetics, art and politics in his new book. "Wish You Were Here: Memories of a Gay Life", an anthology of coloured photographs, was released here Friday.
Obama win could be Scottish publisher’s windfall
By Venkata Vemuri, IANS,
London : A Scottish publisher is waiting to get rich quick, thanks to Barack Obama winning the US presidential election.
Jamie Byng, managing director of Canongate Publishing of Edingburgh, bought two books authored by Obama and now expects them to sell in millions.
Canongate originally printed 300,000 copies of "The Audacity of Hope" and "Dreams From My Father" in Britain, and has now ordered another 120,000 copies after Obama’s win. The print order is expected to go up to half a million by the end of the year.
Tehran guarantees Iranian Nobel peace laureate’s safety
By DPA,
Tehran : Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi was safe and there was no need for any international concern over her well-being, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said Monday.
The spokesman was referring to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who Saturday urged Tehran to secure Ebadi's safety after Islamists gathered outside her residence in Tehran last week, accusing her of having sympathy for Israel in the Gaza crisis.
Slumdog is a success for the India story: Vikas Swarup
By Manish Chand, IANS,
New Delhi : Diplomat-author Vikas Swarup is more than a millionaire now. But all the global adulation and limelight that has stalked "Slumdog Millionaire", the movie version of his acclaimed novel "Q and A", hasn't touched him. "It's a success for India and the story of India," says the unassuming diplomat.
"It's a success for India and the story of India," Swarup told IANS in an exclusive telephone interview from London.
Obama’s background makes him pro-Indian: Historian Simon Schama
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : New US President Barack Obama's background makes him pro-Indian and "he is going to do a lot for India before this spring is out", says noted historian Simon Schama.
A professor at Columbia University in the US, British historian Simon Schama foresees a favourable run for India vis-a-vis bilateral ties with the US during Barack Obama's government.
Why? "Obama's background - his mother was a hippy adventurist and his Indonesian link - makes him very pluralistic and very pro-Indian," Schama told IANS in an interview.
Teenager techie set for his fourth book release
By Nabeel A. Khan, IANS,
New Delhi : The twists and turns of dingy lanes in Old Delhi's Kasab Pura take you to a one-room rented accommodation where one of the country's youngest cyber wizards and "ethical hacker" Sahil Khan lives. He is now getting ready for the release of his fourth book.
Sixteen-year-old Sahil has achieved a lot. He has invented nine computer games and written three books on computer sciences, making him one of the youngest people in the country to have published on the subject.
Book captures everyday art by rural Indian women
By IANS,
New Delhi : Pushpa is a sweeper at the international airport in Mumbai, sweating it out for eight hours a day to fend for her family of three. But when at home in a slum, the widow is an artist - she draws rice-flour "kalam", or sacred designs to welcome guests, outside her home in a narrow alley near Santa Cruz.
Lalita, a Yadav housewife at Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan, is rooted to a culture where women have lived behind the veil for years. But she is bound to Pushpa by a thread of colours.
Poetic collection ‘Aa’ina-e-Sukhan’ of Dr. Iqbal ‘Arif’ released in Bhopal
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
An Indian-American love dream in Chennai (Book Review)
By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS,
Title: "Chennaivaasi"; Author: T.S. Tirumurti; Publishers: Harper Collins; Pages 268; Price: Rs.299
Indian American author wins award in US
New York: Indian American writer Nina McConigley is the recipient of the prestigious PEN Open Book Award for her collection of short stories, "Cowboys...
Dharamvir Bharti’s masterpiece, Man Booker winner and others
Those who have read Hindi author Dharamvir Bharti's works must be familiar with one of his masterpieces, "Gunaho Ka Devta". For the first time, this classic novel has been translated into English. This passionate tale of star-crossed lovers, along with a novel by a Man Booker winner and a slew of other stories, is what IANS has for its readers this week. Take a look.
1. Book: Chander and Sudha; Author: Dharamvir Bharti, translated by Poonam Saxena; Publisher: Penguin Viking; Pages: 352; Price: Rs.499
President confers Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards
New Delhi: Veteran M.S. Sathyu, Hindustani classical singer Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, Kathak dancer Uma Dogra and playwright Asgar Wajahat were among the luminaries conferred...
Goodbye America? Not yet
By Manish Chand, IANS,
Book: The Post-American World; Author: Fareed Zakaria; Publisher: Penguin/Viking; Price: Rs. 499.
Don't write an obituary of the American superpower yet. It's not that America is declining, but everyone else is rising - this is the "great story of our times" Fareed Zakaria tells in his new book that goes to the heart of tectonic power shifts to the non-Western world in the 21st century.
Kamila Shamsie’s novel shortlisted for Orange Prize
By IANS,
New Delhi : Pakistan-based Kamila Shamsie's novel "Burnt Shadows" has been shortlisted for the Orange Prize for fiction 2009, its publishers said Tuesday,
A sweeping novel, "Burnt Shadows" is woven around some of the major historical events ranging from the 1945 Nagasaki bombing, the partition of India and Pakistan, the war in Afghanistan and the 9/11 blasts.
The story is one of disasters evaded, loyalties offered and repaid, and love rewarded and betrayed, Penguin Books-India said in a release.
Soul searching time for green journalism
By Joydeep Gupta, IANS,
Book: "The Green Pen: Environmental Journalism in India and South Asia"; Editors: Keya Acharya and Frederick Noronha; Publisher: Sage; Price: Rs.395
Do journalists writing about the environment have special problems? Do they have special opportunities? Should they see themselves as a tribe apart? Where should they draw the line between journalism and activism?
India captured in a billion shades (IANS Books)
By IANS,
New Delhi : At a time when there has been a dramatic surge of interest in India, here comes a coffee table book that captures the country in all its colourful glory, chronicling its culture, heritage, plurality, ethos and its multi-dimensional progress.
Compiled by diplomat Amit Dasgupta, "India For a Billion Reasons" (Wisdom Tree), is driven by the growing interest in India globally, driven primarily by the prediction that by 2040 it would become the third largest economy after the US and China.
Is insurgency in India an excuse for misgovernance?
(IANS Book Review)
By Sarwar Kashani, IANS,
Punjab, industry, social drama on book shelf
By IANS,
New Delhi : Browse through the bookshelf of thought-provoking new titles that blend gripping narratives with hard facts...
Press freedom is a compromised reality in India
By Amit Kapoor
According to the World Press Freedom Index, which measures the level of freedom of information in 180 countries, ranks India at...
Literary journey from Delhi to Afghanistan
Much has been written about Delhi, yet there is much to be written about. A book explores birds, animals and plant species adding a fresh perspective to the Indian capital, whereas another book examines the changing trajectory of Indian policy towards Afghanistan. Take a look.
1. Book: India's Afghan Muddle; Author: Harsh V. Pant; Publisher: Harper Collins; Pages: 194; Price: Rs. 450
Honoured to receive Sahitya Akademi Award: Jerry Pinto
New Delhi : Author Jerry Pinto is delighted to receive the Sahitya Akademi Award 2016, and said he feels honoured that his work...
Understated prose brings out the angst of the immigrant
By Shubha Singh, IANS,
Book: "The Immigrant"; Author: Manju Kapur; Publisher: Random House India; Price: Rs.395
The story is set in the mid-1970s. It is about Nina, a lecturer in Delhi University's Miranda College (like the author), who lives with her mother in strained circumstances, slowly growing older and watching the faint wrinkles appear on her face while her body clock ticks louder.
India’s Aravind Adiga wins Booker for debut novel
By IANS,
New Delhi/London/Sydney : India's Aravind Adiga was the toast of the literary world Wednesday after he won the prestigious Man Booker Prize at a glittering ceremony in London for his debut novel "The White Tiger", set against the backdrop of India's growing wealth gap.
The 33-year-old former journalist, who defied odds and beat hot favourite Sebastian Barry, took home the 50,000-pound ($47,000) prize -- becoming the third debutant to win the award in its 40-year-history and the fifth Indian-origin author to win the prize.
My book will be about optimism and positivity: Anupam Kher
By Subhash K. Jha, IANS,
Mumbai : After "A Wednesday", actor Anupam Kher's career is going great guns. He has just given the nod to British Indian filmmaker Gurinder Chadha's new movie and has also decided to write a book about his experiences as an actor, husband, father and a socially responsible citizen.
The decision to pen his thoughts was prompted after he won the lifetime Teachers' Achievement Award Nov 8.
Indo-Canadian to head chair at top university
By IANS,
Toronto : Indian-origin Sonia Anand has been appointed as head of a new research chair on heart diseases at Canada's top McMaster University at Hamilton near here.
Anand, who is a professor of medicine at the university, will head the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario-Michael G. DeGroote Chair in Population Health Research.
The university Thursday said the new chair "will revolutionise the way we look at heart disease".
The secret of Tintin, 80
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : Fans around the world celebrate Tintin's 80th birthday Saturday just as a British politician-turned-columnist claims he knows things about the Belgian comic-book hero that the rest of us don't.
"A callow, androgynous blonde-quiffed youth in funny trousers and a scarf moving into the country mansion of his best friend, a middle-aged sailor? A sweet-faced lad devoted to a fluffy white toy terrier, whose other closest pals are an inseparable couple of detectives in bowler hats, and whose only serious female friend is an opera diva...
White Tiger raises Nepal’s hackles
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Indian author Aravind Adiga's debut novel "The White Tiger" that went on to win the prestigious Booker prize in 2008, has raised hackles in Nepal over what is being regarded as the belittling stereotyping of Nepalis.
"Many English-educated urban Indians have a distorted view of Nepalis," said an article in the Kathmandu Post daily Sunday, calling the novel "shocking" and "blatantly representing Nepalis".
Bachchan launches Bollywood book despite aversion to name
By Fakir Hassen, IANS,
Macau: Despite his aversion to the term "Bollywood", screen legend Amitabh Bachchan had no hesitation in commending a book bearing the title "Bollywood in Posters" at the start of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards weekend here Thursday.
Film historian S.M.M. Ausaja put together the weighty volume which carries posters from the start of Indian cinema, as Bachchan preferred to refer to it, even as he commended Ausaja, without mentioning the title of the book.
Pick on history, diaspora and adventure this weekend (IANS Books This Week)
By IANS,
New Delhi : The reading cart flaunts a heady mix of history, romance, diaspora and hope this weekend.
1. "The Pleasure Seekers": Written by Tishani Doshi; Published by Penguin Books-India; Priced at Rs.499.
It all started in August 1968 when Babo became the first member of the Patel family to leave "Madras" and fly to London to further his education. His father should have known there would be trouble. But off Babo went, and now here he is, in a flat off the Finchley Road, untraditionally making love to a cream-skinned girl from Wales, Sian Jones.
A peep into Pakistan, specially for Indians
By Rahul Dass, IANS,
Book: "Pakistan - Identity and Destiny"; Author: Javed Jabbar; Publisher: Har-Anand; Price: Rs.495; Pages: 191
Book release, Kathak recital liven up Darbar Hall
New Delhi : The high marbled dome of the Darbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan reverberated with music and some scintillating Kathak dance - watched...
A peek into the world of memoirs and success stories
From establishing a successful career in a small village in Kerala to offering answers to relevant questions in the wake of the aging population...
Transform your life with 12 holistic principles (Book Review)
By Kul Bhushan,
Title: Feeling at Ease with Yourself; Author: Rajiv Parti; Publisher: Konark Publishers
Always running to catch up! Huffing non-stop to climb up! Over stretched at work. Overloaded with information. Overweight with little or no exercise. Living today takes a heavy toll.
Varun Gandhi’s immature offering butchers poetry (Book Review)
By Shilpa Raina,
Title: Stillness; Author: Feroze Varun Gandhi; Publisher: Harper Collins; Pages: 206; Price: Rs.399
In today's day and age, it wouldn't be wrong to...
Delhi HC notice on plea on Akademi awards
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the central government and Sahitya Akademi on a plea against the return...
India has come to world’s top table: journalist Daniel Lak
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : If 1991 was India's wake-up call, then today India is out of bed and on its way to office, says senior British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) journalist Daniel Lak.
But he hastily adds: "Metaphors aside, it means that India has arrived at the world's top table and is awaiting due recognition." His book "India Express" analyses the country's potential role as "Asia's America".
Goa faces neglect behind scenic facade: book
By IANS,
Panaji : Domestic violence is "fairly common" in Goa. One-third of its women suffer from anaemia, and one-fourth are undernourished, says a new book that for a change takes the focus away from the state being a sun-and-sand tourist haven.
Titled "Picture-Postcard Poverty", the book takes a look at what it calls the "unheard voices, forgotten issues from rural Goa". It argues that critical issues of concern are often overlooked in the state.
No peace with terrorists who burnt my Mumbai: Rushdie
By IANS,
London : Indian-origin writer Salman Rushdie says he is "desperately upset" by the terrorist attacks on Mumbai - his place of birth - and strongly disagrees with the view that peace ought to be made with Taliban militants in Afghanistan.
"I do think of Bombay as my hometown," he told the Daily Telegraph in an interview.
"Those are the streets I walked when I was learning to walk. And it's the place that my imagination has returned to more than anywhere else.
Book on Saiyid Hamid to be released by Vice President of India
By TwoCircles.net news desk,
New Delhi: The Vice-President of India, Mr. Hamid Ansari, will release today a book on Saiyid Hamid, a highly respected elder of the Indian Muslim community, at a function at the India Islamic Culture Centre in New Delhi.
An endearing look at Sikhs everywhere
By Shubha Singh, IANS,
Book: "Sikhs Unlimited"; Author: Khushwant Singh; Price: Rs.495; Publisher: Rupa
Did Chandigarh lose out to Bangalore as the e-capital of India due to then prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao's insistence that since Punjab had the benefit of the Green Revolution the next revolution should go to a southern state?
Three held in Pakistan with pirated editions of Jaswant’s book
By IANS,
Lahore : Three people have been arrested for selling pirated editions of former Indian minister Jaswant Singh's book "Jinnah: India, Partition, Independence" in this Pakistani city, authorities said.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) raided two shops in Defence Housing Authority and arrested three people for selling the pirated editions of Jaswant Singh's book, Daily Times reported Friday.
A countrywide crackdown has been launched on publishers and bookstores selling fake editions of Jaswant's book.
Nobel for literature to be announced Oct 8
By DPA,
Stockholm : The 2009 winner of the Nobel Literature Prize will be announced October 8, the Swedish Academy confirmed Friday.
The announcement next Thursday will be a first by new permanent secretary Peter Englund, who earlier this year succeeded Horace Engdahl.
French author Jean-Marie le Clezio won last year's prize.
The Swedish Academy's announcement fills in the remaining blank in the Nobel week calendar - as other institutions that award prizes for medicine, physics, chemistry and peace as well as economics had earlier confirmed their dates.
Pakistan releases book on ‘humour’ in Sindhi
By IANS,
Karachi: Pakistani author Imtiaz Abro's book 'In a lighter vein' - the first book on humour in Sindhi language after a gap of 15 years - has been released by the Matiari provincial government.
The societal characters such as grooms, brides, poets, writers, married men, artists and politicians drawn in the form of caricatures are reflective of Abro's live diction.
His father, Shaukat Abro, was also a renowned literary icon.
Fatima Bhutto’s book remains on top
By IANS,
New Delhi : "Songs of Blood and Sword" by Pakistani writer Fatima Bhutto is still the number one non-fiction bestseller while Jeffrey Archer's "And Thereby Hangs a Tale" dominates the fiction list.
The top 10 bestsellers in each category are:
Non-fiction
1. "Songs of Blood and Sword"
Author: Fatima Bhutto
Publisher: Penguin Viking
Price: Rs.699.00
2. "The Big Short"
Author: Michael Lewis
Publisher: Allen Lane
Price: Rs.599.00
3. "Freefall"
Author: Joseph Stiglitz
Publisher: Allen Lane
Price: Rs.499.00
Of Dilli, spies, tiger hunts and Ramayana
By IANS,
(IANS Books This Week)
New Delhi : Let your hair down this weekend with an exciting pile of books.
From Akbar to Salim, an epic adventure
By Shubha Singh, IANS,
Book: "Empire of the Moghul: Ruler of the World"; Author: Alex Rutherford, Publisher: Headline Review; Price: Rs.495; Pages: 416
A great read on a great saint
By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS,
Book: "Paramhansa Yogananda: A Biography"; Author: Swami Kriyananda; Ananda Sangha Publications, pp 275, Rs.195
Cycle of commerce and debt on weekend book pile
By IANS,
New Delhi : The bookshelf this week is pragmatic with matters of business, money and battle against corruption winning over lighter reads... Browse with IANS.
Change is an idea in Chanakya’s new manifesto (IANS Book Review)
By IANS,
Book: "Chanakya's New Manifesto: To Resolve Crisis Within India"
Publisher: Aleph Book Company
Price: Rs 295
Pages: 244
By Madhusree Chatterjee
An unbelievable account of Rajiv Gandhi’s killing
By M.R. Narayan Swamy,
Title: Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi: An Inside Job? Author: Faraz Ahmad; Publisher: Vitasta; Pages: 312; Price: Rs.495
This is as incredulous an...
Indians would rather spend on shoes, not books: Publisher Ashok Chopra
By Shilpa Raina,
New Delhi : The Indian publishing industry is keeping the written word alive in different formats but the gradual decline in readership...
Of economic inequality and homelessness
Many fault lines criss-cross Indian society today because of economic inequality, short-stories of the scattered Kashmiri Pandit community who are tourists in their own homeland and a few light-hearted love stories: take a look at what the IANS bookshelf has to offer this week.
1. Book: Looking Away; Author: Harsh Mander; Publisher: Speaking Tiger; Pages: 418; Price: Rs.495
‘Modi, a man mesmerised by own persona’ (Book Review)
By M.R. Narayan Swamy,
Title: How Modi Won It, Notes from 2014 Election; Author: Harish Khare; Publisher: Hachette India; Pages: 242; Price: Rs.599
Man is wise in hindsight. This is certainly true for journalists. Harish Khare, editor and commentator who was also media adviser to former prime minister Manmohan Singh, comes up with his own analysis of what went wrong with the Congress and how Narendra Modi simply crushed the Grand Old Party to lead the BJP to a historic Lok Sabha win.
Sri Lanka peace process R.I.P.
By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS,
Book: "My Belly is White"; Author: Austin Fernando; Publisher: Vijitha Yapa Publications, Colombo
This is a revealing book on Sri Lanka's now dead peace process, written by one who was in the thick of it all. Austin Fernando was Defence Secretary when Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe signed the Norway-brokered ceasefire agreement (CFA) with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in February 2002. In no time, critics, dominantly from the Sinhalese majority, began to accuse the government of betrayal.
Pope will visit Israel in May, says Olmert
By DPA,
Jerusalem : Pope Benedict XVI will pay an official visit to Israel in May this year, outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced Sunday.
"The entire Israeli government welcomes the visit," Olmert's spokesman Mark Regev said.
A detailed itinerary of the pope's visit is not yet available.
It would be the third visit of a reigning pontiff to Israel since the state was created in 1948.
‘Before Memory Fades’ is hot seller (IANS Books)
By IANS,
New Delhi : Fali S. Nariman's "Before Memory Fades" has bounced back to the number one spot among non-fiction books this week while "The Immortals of Meluha" by Amish Tripathi continues to dominate the fiction category in the bestseller list.
The top 10 in each section are:
Non-fiction
1. "Before Memory Fades"
Author: Fali S. Nariman
Publisher: Hay House
Price: Rs.599.00
2. "The Honest Always Stand Alone"
Author: C.G. Somiah
Publisher: Niyogi Books
Price: Rs.395.00
3. "Awakening Giants: Feet of Clay"
Author: Pranab Bardhan
A horror story on Sri Lanka’s war (Book Review)
By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS,
Book: "Still Counting the Dead"; Author: Frances Harrison; Publishers: Portobello Books; Pages: 259; Price: Rs.399
Testing times in jail penned in a book
New Delhi: Life's unpredictable nature hit Chetan Mahajan right in the face when he ended up spending a month in Bokaro's Chas jail instead...
Exhibition, book celebrate Urdu’s trailblazing woman writer
New Delhi: She was among the first generation of educated Muslim women to speak fearlessly about a woman's body and rights, yet Rashid Jahan's...
Of partnerships and mysticism
Unfolding different perspectives of viewing the strategic partnership between India and the US is what IANS books brings to you this weekend. Also, an interesting way to look at Sufi mysticism is in the offering. Take a look.
1. Book: India-US Partnership: Asian Challenges and Beyond; Editor: P.P. Shukla; Publisher: Wisdom Tree; Pages: 194; Price: Rs. 795
Gender empowerment must start at home: Kerala CM
Thiruvananthapuram: Gender empowerment should start from our homes to achieve our goals at the societal level, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said on Saturday.
"We...
My writings are experiences of liberation: French author
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : For French novelist Arno Bertina, writing is not about expressing a state of mind but about plotting stories on the freedom crusades of those in chains.
Bertina, a poet and an author of repute, engages with the displaced and the homeless in his native country and worldwide.
"I write for the sake of writing and all my writings are somehow experiences of liberation and I try to make up stories with freedom as the main theme," the 35-year novelist told IANS in the capital over coffee.
Mumbai attacks an ‘act of war’ by Pakistan: Rushdie
By IANS,
London : Describing the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai as an “act of war” by Pakistan, author Salman Rushdie has called for a fundamental change in the way the West deals with terrorism - beginning by scrapping aid to Pakistan.
In an interview published Saturday - the 20th anniversary of global protests over his novel "The Satanic Verses" that forced him to go underground for long - the Indian-born author also criticised “liberal opinion” in Britain for ignoring the problem of terrorism.
Book on Rajnikant to be released as audio cassette, CD
By IANS,
Bangalore : Capturing the struggling days and the "mysteries behind the persona" of Tamil superstar Rajnikant, a Kannada book about the actor will soon be released in audio cassette and CD format, officials of an audio company said.
The book, titled "Vikshiptha Vichithra", was brought out three years ago on the eve of the release of Rajnikant's blockbuster film "Sivaji" directed by Shankar.
The contents of the book were also serialised in Kannada's leading daily Vijaya Karnataka, in which the author, Mahesh Devashetty, works as a senior sub-editor.
All my works are personal alchemy: Booker prize winner
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi, Dec 25 (IANS) Hilary Mantel, the author of "Wolf Hall" which won the Man Booker prize for 2009, feels "there is always a danger with historical fiction that it may fall short as both literature and history".
"So, when I took on this project I knew that it was going to be a very difficult thing to do. But ha! who is interested in what's easy? But I was exhilarated by the way 'Wolf Hall' was received. I believe all my books are a kind of alchemy at a personal level," Mantel told IANS in an e-mail interview.
Sufism, America, Nano, poetry to tease the intellect
By IANS,
(IANS Books This Week)
New Delhi : The bookcase is exciting, funny and offbeat this weekend.
History, publishing, arts, Lokpal on shelf
By IANS,
New Delhi : Enjoy this weekend with exciting and quality books on the shelf.
1. "The Yellow Emperor's Cure"; Written by Kunal Basu; Published by Pan Macmillan; Priced at Rs.1123
Shringara, India, Karachi on weekend book cart
By IANS,
New Delhi : Enjoy a lazy autumn weekend with a shelf of gripping new titles... Browse with IANS.
Off to new boom town, with Mark Tully
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Book: "Non Stop India"; Author: Mark Tully; Publisher: Penguin India; Price: Rs.499; Pages: 357
US techno-spy takes on Iranian black hole terror
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Book: Dark Rising; Author: Grieg Beck; Publisher: Pan Macmillan; Price: Rs.350 (Indian Edition); Pages Rs 470; Genre: Adventure
Windows into Pakistan: Four debut novels
By Vikas Datta
It is frequently described as the most dangerous place in the world. With suicide bombings and shootings, terrorists camping on its...
Book in Urdu on heroes of ‘First War of Independence’
Book: Jang-E-Azadi Ke Sarkhail
Language- Urdu
By Dr. M Waseem Raja,
The book by Dr. Mohammad Shahid Siddique entitled “Jang-e-Azadi ke Sarkhail” published by Educational Publishing House is very timely, informative and a documented work which deals with revolt of 1857. In this book Dr. Shahid has tried to bring out the detailed biographical sketches of the prominent freedom fighters who fought the first war of independence during the revolt of 1857. He widely consulted the source material on the theme and brought out the detailed descriptions of the contribution by the Indian native princes, commanders and those brilliant warriors have been portrayed.
The rot that is India’s prison system (Book Review)
By M.R. Narayan Swamy,
Title: The Bad Boys of Bokaro Jail; Author: Chetan Mahajan; Publisher: Blue Salt/Penguin Books; Pages: 213; Price: Rs.250
What happens when a 42-year-old, overgrown yuppie, with one MBA degree from India and one from the US, and one who has lived in America for seven years, is sent to jail in notoriously corrupt Jharkhand for no fault of his? If it is Chetan Mahajan, he keeps a diary, meticulously noting down the goings on in the Bokaro Jail, including the sordid corruption. This is a serious book written lucidly, a commentary on all that is wrong with India's prison and judicial system that is so often brazenly biased against the poor.
Secrets of the dominant Hindu Goddess (Book Review)
By M.R. Narayan Swamy,
Title: 7 Secrets of the Goddess; Author: Devdutt Pattanaik; Publisher: Westland Ltd; Pages: 259; Price: Rs.395
Title: Shikhandi and Other Tales They Don't Tell You; Author: Devdutt Pattanaik; Publisher: Penguin Books; Pages: 179; Price: Rs.299
India’s World Cup story: A faithful catalogue (Book Review)
By Sirshendu Panth,
Book: Cricket World Cup: The Indian Challenge; Author: Ashis Ray; Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing India Pvt. Ltd; Pages: 202; Price: Rs.499
This is a...
Is there a god? The debate continues (Book Review)
By M.R. Narayan Swamy,
Title: On Religion; Author: Khushwant Singh (with Humra Quraishi); Publisher: Rupa; Pages: 206; Price: Rs.250
Title: 50 Spiritual Appetizers; Compiled and Edited by: Vinod Dhawan; Publisher: Partridge (A Penguin Random Book Company); Pages: 204; Price: Not given
Voices from Sri Lanka, a memoir, ethical musings and a fictional tale
Crisp and sharp reportage of how Sri Lankans are returning to their normal lives after 30 years of civil war, a message of love and inspiration for readers through a brave memoir, dealing with important ethical issues of our time and a work of fiction - IANS Books This Weekend is a balanced lot. Take a look.
Book: Sri Lanka: The New Country; Author: Padma Rao Sundarji; Publisher: Harper Collins; Pages: 322; Price: Rs. 499
Why this 1949 love story is relevant in today’s times (Book Review)
By Shilpa Raina,
Title: Chander and Sudha; Author: Dharamvir Bharati translated by Poonam Saxena; Publisher:Penguin Viking; Pages: 351; Price: Rs.499
It is almost impossible to imagine...
Centre trying to subvert spirit of Nehru memorial library: Congress
New Delhi : The Congress on Wednesday condemned what it said were efforts by the BJP government to "subvert and dilute" the essential...
Book review: Islam in Post-Modern World
By Yoginder Sikand,
The title of this book is, admittedly, somewhat misleading. What exactly is 'post-modern', a term that the book purports to address, but nowhere does it define what the author means by it? Can one talk of a 'post-modern' world when for vast numbers of people 'modernity' (whatever that may mean) itself seems far out of reach? That said, this immensely absorbing set of essays, the latest of Asghar Ali Engineer's writings on socially engaged understandings of Islam, is a must for scholars of Islam as well as for the general reader.
George Orwell book sold for $128,000
By DPA,
London: The first edition of a George Orwell book signed by the author has fetched 86,000 pounds ($128,000) at an auction.
The 1930s edition of the semi-autobiographical novel "Down and Out in Paris and London" was impeccably preserved, and still had its dust cover, a spokesman for the Lewes auction house said Thursday.
The book, which contains a dedication to Orwell's agent dated Christmas Eve 1932, was expected to bring in a maximum of 3,500 pounds.
"I would be shocked if it isn't a record," the spokesman said.
Powerful expose on culture of international aid
By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS,
Book: "International Organizations and Civilian Protection"; Author: Sreeram Chaulia;
Pages 263; Publisher: I.B. Tauris
Inside some countries and contradicting capitalism
An anthology of Sri Lankan literature, getting to know Tibet better, unraveling paradoxes about capitalism and a journalist's account of terrorism - the IANS...