Erotica, healing, Ruskin Bond on book cart

By IANS, New Delhi : The book case this weekend is packed with action and gripping titles.

Indo-Pak Mushaira to take place this weekend

By Bushra Alvi Razzack for TwoCircles.net, New Delhi: The 51st edition of Shankar Shad Mushaira, an annual meet of poets from India and Pakistan, will...

Odd-even formula: Delhi may shut schools

New Delhi : The Delhi government may declare holidays for schools from the January 1 when the 15-day traffic regulation to curb rising air...

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

निदा फाज़ली उर्फ़ ‘मुझे मालूम था तुम मर नही सकते’

By सिद्धांत मोहन, TwoCircles.net वाराणसी: निदा फाज़ली नहीं रहे. वही निदा जिन्होंने 'होश वालों को ख़बर क्या बेख़ुदी क्या चीज़ है' और 'तू इस तरह...

Lessons in corporate leadership

(IANS Books This Weekend) Whether you want to launch a new business or product, or are keen to know how to climb up the corporate...

Scientist Mani Bhaumik to release children’s book Wednesday

By IANS, New Delhi : Leading physicist and international best-selling author Mani Bhaumik will unveil his first children's book “The Cosmic Detective” in Kolkata Wednesday. Billed as one of the biggest children's titles by Penguin in 2009, which has been designated as the International Year of Astronomy, the book will be launched by West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. According to a communiqué issued by Penguin India here, the author's first book "Code Name God" tried to explain spirituality through science.

BJP’s woman leader assaulted in posh Delhi locality

By IANS, New Delhi : A woman leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged that she was assaulted by a gang of drunk men in a posh locality of south Delhi late Thursday.

A famed policeman gives in to his literary heart

By Darshan Desai, IANS, Lucknow : He has been a police officer for over 30 years, but Vibhuti Narain Rai, well known in Uttar Pradesh for his literary works and social activism, says he has finally got the job he yearned for. In a week's time, 51-year-old Rai will take over as vice-chancellor of the Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University in Wardha, Maharashtra, leaving behind all the frills of being a senior Indian Police Service officer.

No SC relief, for now, on admission quota in Sanskriti School

New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Monday, for now, declined to pass any order on the central government's plea seeking continuation of 60...

Mumbai scribe wins Gujarati literary award

By IANS, Mumbai: Senior Gujarati journalist Hiren Mehta Saturday bagged the Lalit Essay Award 2008 of the Maharashtra Rajya Gujarati Sahitya Akademi, an official said. Akademi president Hemraj Shah said that Mehta, a senior editor with the leading Gujarati magazine Chitralekha, has bagged the prestigious award for his book "Ajab Duniya Andaman-ni." It is an eye-opener account of the several weeks the Mumbai-based Mehta spent in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 2007, and compiled in a book form last year, Shah said.

Jamia Millia, Kashmir University sign MoU to start PG courses on Kashmir, South...

By TCN News New Delhi : Jamia Millia Islamia and Kashmir University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for running...

Narendra Modi, social media and elections

Election fever has gripped the country and it is inevitable to talk about the contribution of the social media in political campaigns, the Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, and the bureaucracy. IANS picks up something from these varied topics. Take a look.

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?

NBT to boost tribal literature in northeast

Agartala : The National Book Trust (NBT) has taken an ambitious plan to boost tribal literature in northeast India, trust chairman Baldeo Bhai Sharma...

Students in literate states lead spike in protests

By Prabhpreet Singh Sood & Prince Singhal States with higher literacy levels report more protests, and nearly half of these protests were led...

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...

Reconnect to cynicism, mystery and miracles (IANS Books This Week)

By IANS, New Delhi : Here are five new books to add to your reading list this week: 1. "Serious Men": Written by Manu Joseph; Published by HarperCollins-India; Priced at Rs.499. Ayyan Mani is just another man in Mumbai, stranded in the "rot" of a good marriage, an unremarkable life and a deadend job as personal assistant to an insufferable astronomer called Arvind Acharya at the Institute of Theory and Research. To breathe some life into the drudgery that has set in, Ayyan weaves an outrageous fiction around his 10-year-old son.

No more copyright on Gandhi’s works – so who preserves them?

By Shweta Srinivasan, IANS, New Delhi : The fate of Mahatma Gandhi's original literary works remains undecided following the expiry of the copyright restrictions on them on the first day of this year, leaving scholars and admirers of his philosophy across the country anxious.

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...

M.J. Akbar’s book about Pakistan is bestseller

By IANS, New Delhi : Indian journalist M.J. Akbar's "Tinderbox: The Past and Future of Pakistan" leads the non-fiction section of the bestseller list this week while

The essence of Malayaliness – contrary images

By IANS, New Delhi : Kerala is many things to many people. While it is "god's own country" for some because of its scenic lushness, others think it an "embarrassment that encourages constant disorder in its politics and economy". As author Shinie Antony writes in a new anthology, "Kerala, Kerala, Quite Contrary" there exist multiple Keralas, all volubly at loggerheads with each other - left or right? Tourism brochures or environmental quicksand? Poised for a global role or rambling rhetoric?

Poetry, Tibet, business on bookshelf

By IANS, New Delhi : The bookcase this week is a finely-nuanced spread of poetry, narrative, drama and business.

Spirituality, fiction and business on bookshelf

By IANS, New Delhi : This weekend, the bookshelf explores some profound truths of life. Browse with IANS.

Translation boom helps India and West exchange new literature

By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS, New Delhi : Millions of vernacular and English language readers across India are cashing in on the boom in translations to access foreign literature. The spotlight this year is on all genres of European literature, especially from France and Britain. The French embassy and the British Council have taken the lead in bringing literary works from the West to India and promote translations of Indian works abroad in collaboration with the exploding tribe of indigenous publishers.

Magris, Mahasweta, Murakami… the Nobel guessing game is on

By Ashish Mehta, IANS, New Delhi : When a small group of scholars in Sweden announce the Nobel Prize in Literature Thursday, what are the chances of the winner being Mahasweta Devi or Sir Salman Rushdie? Any takers for Haruki Murakami or Bob Dylan? The guessing game is on and British betting agency Ladbrokes is offering odds on who will win the 2008 Nobel Prize in Literature.

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

Ismail Hussain memorial harmony award given to Homen Borgohain

By Abdul Gani, TwoCircles.net, Guwahati: Prominent author Homen Borgohain, who returned his Sahitya Akademi recently protesting against the ‘intolerance’, was honoured with litterateur...

A happening year for Indian literature

By NNN-PTI, New Delhi : Be it recognitions at the global level, controversies, visits by high-profile writers, publishers rolling out bestsellers and several new authors spinning stories, Indian literature in 2008 saw them all! Aravind Adiga brought cheers to the nation when his novel "The White Tiger," an ironic take on the new India with its techno-brilliance and IT prowess, bagged the Man Booker Prize beating the likes of Salman Rushdie ("The Enchantress of Florence") and Amitav Ghosh ("Sea of Poppies") among others.

My stories are about class and immigration: African novelist

By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS, New Delhi : Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who won the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction in 2007 for her book "Half of a Yellow Sun", paints snapshots of the roller-coaster called America in her new book, "The Thing Around Your Neck". The collection of 12 short stories has been published by HarperCollins.

World Book Fair: Few takers of Urdu

By TCN Special Correspondent,

Khalid Mustafa Siddiqui Publisher ,Editor, Owner of Popular Urdu Magazines no more

By Ahmed Sohail Siddiqui Janab Khalid Mustafa Siddiqui Publisher ,Editor, Owner of Popular Urdu Magazines HUMA, Pakeeza Anchal and Hindi Monthly Mahekta Anchal left for...

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.

Writer donates 1675 edition of ‘Don Quixote’ to Argentine city

By EFE, Buenos Aires : British writer Julian Barnes has donated to the Argentine city of Azul a copy of the first edition of "Don Quixote" translated into English and dating back to 1675. Azul has been dubbed "Cervantes City" two years ago for actively promoting the works of Miguel de Cervantes. The vice president of the Spanish Mutual Aid Society of Azul, Carlos Filipetti, said that the copy, which he described as a "real gem", is in "impeccable condition".

“We should record our history, our victory” Dalit poet Mercy Margaret

Nikhat Fatima, TwoCircles.net Dalit literature that revolves around the struggles and lives of Dalits first emerged in the 1960s and has seen exponential growth since....

Many women scholars read papers in seminar on Islamic literature

By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net, Bhopal: The Council for Islamic Literature (Majlise-e-Adab-e-Islami), Madhya Pradesh branch of Aalami Rabta-e-Adab-e-Islami, organized 8th All India seminar on "Literary pursuits & samples of Islamic literature of Madhya Pradesh's Ulema, Litterateurs & Sufis" here on Sunday wherein more than two dozen scholars presented their research papers.

Writers are mendicants, says Mexican poet

By IANS/EFE, Alcala de Henares (Spain) : Writers are "members of a mendicant order" and most writers' lives are filled with humiliations and failures, an award-winning Mexican author has said. Mexican poet Jose Emilio Pacheco, who received the Cervantes Prize from Spain's king Juan Carlos Friday, said writers are not given the recognition they deserve. "In all of Spanish literature, no life has been filled with more humiliations and failures than that of the author of 'Don Quixote'," Pacheco said.

Indian publishers find space for Chinese writers

By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS, New Delhi : In the 1980s when China had just opened its doors to reforms, a mother in Nanjing asked her 16-year-old daughter, "Would you like to be a worker, if you have a chance". A reluctant Lijia Zhang did work at a factory for a decade, but has now gone on to write a book in the alien English language that was released in India.

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.

Nine countries at 3rd Fajr International Poetry Festival

By IRNA, Tehran : The closing ceremony of the ongoing Third Fajr International Poetry Festival will be held here on February 28 with the participation of 13 poets from nine countries. At the event, poets from Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt will be honored for introducing Persian poetry to the world. In line with strengthening the international section of the Third Fajr Poetry Festival, a seminar titled 'Poets of Iran and World' will be held in summer.

बीपीएससी का परिणाम जारी, मुस्लिम अभ्यर्थियों का शानदार प्रदर्शन, इस बार ‘100’ बने अफसर

स्टाफ रिपोर्टर।Twocircles.net बिहार लोक सेवा आयोग (बीपीएससी) ने रविवार को बीपीएससी 64वीं संयुक्त प्रतियोगी परीक्षा (सीसीई) का अंतिम परिणाम घोषित कर दिया। मेरिट लिस्ट...

Book release : Anthology for the Refugees

By Mohabbat Seikh, kolkata A book called "Dui Hazar Ekush" ( Twenty First Century)for the Refugees worldwide was released on 5th at Kolktata Press Club. Renown...

Book release: “How to Become A Good Journalist” hits market

By TwoCircles.net news desk, New Delhi: Becoming a good journalist is the dream of a large number of students, who want to make a mark in this field. Catering the requirements of budding journalists a quality book How to Become A Good Journalist has recently hit the market across the country.

US, Britain tried to block Bangladesh’s birth: book

By IANS, New Delhi : The US and Britain tried to persuade a top advocate of Bangladesh to help roll back the country's liberation struggle in 1971, citing future threats from "Hindu majority India", says a book by a former Indian diplomat. But Justice Abu Sayeed Choudhury, who was based in London, not only rejected the Western interventions but personally conveyed the secret American move to then Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi.

Muslim English periodical brings out special issue on AMU alumni

By TwoCircles.net News Desk, Patna: An especial issue of English magazine “Islam, Muslim and the World” on the alumni of the Aligarh Muslim University was released today by Vice Chancellor Prof Abdul Azis in Aligarh.

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

Of history, curries and Mumbai soaps

By IANS, New Delhi : The book case this week is a delight for those who love a good story.

A walk through the history of modern Indian art (Book Review)

By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS, Book: "Manifestations IX: 20th Century Indian Art"; Publisher: Delhi Art Gallery; Editors: Kishore Singh & Shruti Parthasarathy; Pages: 219; Price: Rs.4,750

Young Pakistani author Ali Sethi making literary waves

By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS, New Delhi : The world is growing more interested in literature from Pakistan and Afghanistan because it wants to understand certain events that have taken place in the two countries, says Pakistani author Ali Sethi, 24, one of the youngest literary sensations from the sub-continent.

Artists seeking publicity claim faking of their works: Neville Tuli

By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS, Jaipur : Neville Tuli, chairman and founder of Osian's Connoisseurs of Arts - the country's biggest private art auction house, feels that the lack of authentication of art works in India leads to faking while many artists also claim that their works have been forged to gain publicity. "Works are not authenticated and art still comes without receipts. This allows room for art to be faked. Moreover, many artists like to claim that their works have been faked to seek easy publicity," Tuli told IANS in an interview.

Adiga’s alma mater in Sydney toasts his success

By Neena Bhandari, IANS, Sydney : Students and teachers at James Ruse Agricultural High in north-west Sydney, the alma mater of Indian-Australian author Aravind Adiga, Wednesday celebrated his Man Booker Prize win. "We are very proud of Adiga's wonderful achievement. It is amazing for someone so young at 34 to receive one of the highest awards in literature. It reinforces the view of our school as a wonderful place of learning," James Ruse principal Larissa Treskin told IANS.

Muslims extend help to save Gita Press

Aligarh : Aligarh's Muslim Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) has expressed grave concern over a dragging strike in Gita Press in Gorakhpur...

सीतापुर के समाजवादी नेता मुख्तार अनीस का निधन

78 साल के मुख़्तार अनीस ने उत्तर प्रदेश की राजधानी लखनऊ में अंतिम सांस ली। समाजवादी पार्टी के संरक्षक मुलायम सिंह यादव के करीबी...

Book Review: Issues in Madrasa Education in India

Name of the Book: Issues in Madrasa Education in India Author: Yoginder Sikand Publisher: Hope India, Gurgaon ([email protected]) Pages: 112 Year: 2008 ISBN: 8178711532 Price: Rs. 295 Reviewed by: Nasir Khan

50 Indian authors to descend on London

By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS, London : More than 50 leading Indian writers are to gather in London for a two-week marketing blitz aimed at promoting Indian writing in Britain and British books in India. Organisers of the April 20-22 London Book Festival said the Indian men of letters will include writers, translators, critics and academics such as Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, Vikram Seth, Sunil Ganguly, U.R. Ananthamurthy, William Dalrymple, Pavan Verma, Ram Guha, Urvashi Butalia, Suketu Mehta, Shankar and Amit Chaudhuri.

Arvind Kejriwal: A politics of articulated angst (Book Review)

By M.R. Narayan Swamy, Title: The Disrupter: Arvind Kejriwal and the Audacious Rise of the Aam Aadmi; Author: Gautam Chikermane with Soma Banerjee; Publisher: Rupa; Pages: 225; Price: Rs.295

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.

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"

Historian Nasim Yousaf’s book on Allama Mashraqi released

By TCN News, New Delhi: A book entitled, “Government of British India on Allama Mashraqi and Khaksar Tehreek (Movement): A Select Chronology” has been published and released in the USA. This work of 544 pages is a major contribution toward the historiography of the independence movement and the emergence of two sovereign states — Pakistan and India— in 1947.

Please stop blaming Islam for global terror

By Prof. Akhtarul Wasey for Twocircles.net Islam seems to have become a soft target for the Indian and global media and political leaders, as well....

On 112th death anniv of Sir Syed, Aligarh Movement launches special series

By TCN News, Aligarh: On the 112th Death Anniversary of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, The Aligarh Movement magazine launched educational movement series today at Aligarh Muslim University. Principal of AMU Women’s polytechnic & Social Activist Prof. Shamim Ahmad inaugurated the series and released special edition of the magazine in the auditorium of Women’s Polytechnic Auditorium.

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.

Marathi writer Kavita Mahajan passes away at the age of 51

By Daisy Katta, TwoCircles.net Marathi writer, poet and translator Kavita Mahajan passed away in Pune at the age of 51. The cause of her death...

Book on rise of AAP, Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: A book for the first time has analysed the rise of the AAP and its leader Arvind Kejriwal and the highs and...

Wendy Doniger, Hilary Mantel week’s top authors

By IANS, New Delhi : Wendy Doniger's "The Hindus: An Alternative History" topped the non-fiction section of the bestseller list this week while "Wolf Hall" by Hilary Mantel topped the fiction group. The top 10 in each section are as follows: Non-fiction 1. "The Hindus: An Alternative History" Author: Wendy Doniger Publisher: Penguin Viking Price: Rs.999.00 2. "The Difficulty of Being Good: On The Subtle art of Dharma" Author: Gurcharan Das Publisher: Penguin Allen Lane Price: Rs.699.00 3. "The Idea of Justice" Author: Amartya Sen

Delhi government opposes officers’ quota in Sanskriti School

New Delhi : The Delhi government on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that it wanted to move a plea seeking to support the Delhi...

Doyen of Hindi literature Krishna Sobti dies at 93

New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) Iconic Hindi writer Krishna Sobti, a recipient of multiple awards for her outstanding literary career, died here on Friday....

‘The Museum of Innocence’ bounces back to No.1 position

By IANS, New Delhi : "Becoming Indian" by Pavan K. Varma climbed six steps to become the number one non-fiction book on the bestseller list this week while Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk's "The Museum Of Innocence" bounced back after a month to dominate the fiction section. Non-fiction 1. "Becoming Indian" Author: Pavan K. Varma Publisher: Penguin/Allen Lane Price: Rs.499.00 2. "Victoria and Abdul" Author: Shrabani Basu Publisher: Rupa & Co Price: Rs.395.00 3. "The Difficulty of Being Good: On The Subtle Art of Dharma" Author: Gurcharan Das

Writer-activist from Assam bags Padma Shri

New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) Known for her significant contribution to children's and women's literature, noted writer-activist Eli Ahmed was on Wednesday named a...

Veteran Urdu scribe gets top Maharashtra award

Mumbai : Veteran Urdu journalist and social worker Ansari Aejaz Ahmed has been given the prestigious Maharashtra Urdu Sahitya Academy Award for excellence in...

बदल गई चंबल की सूरत ,अब बन रहा है पर्यटन केंद्र

आकिल हुसैन। Twocircles.net कभी डाकुओं की पनाहगाह रही चंबल घाटी अब टूरिज्म का हब बन गई हैं। ऐसा भी कहा जाता हैं कि हिंदी...

Indira knew of threat to life before Blue Star: Pranab

New Delhi : Indira Gandhi knew her life was at risk when she decided to go for militarily storm the Golden Temple, President Pranab...

Jamia Millia Islamia to collaborate with Jamia Hamdard; two sign MoU

Plans also in the offing to offer meta courses by brining AMU also on board By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter, New Delhi: On the sidelines...

Written by Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, but made in India

By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS, New Delhi : The ever-growing popularity of Indo-Anglian writing and the publishing boom in India have opened the floodgates for English writers from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh as well. Authors from neighbouring countries are increasingly publishing their books in India, which offers them a sizeable audience still hooked to the written word. They have inched their way up the Indian best-seller lists with powerful books that combine gripping narratives, snapshots of socio-political realities, history and commentaries.

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.

Terror, suffering, cricket on bookshelf

By IANS, New Delhi : The book pile this week is serious, sombre and reminiscent of the good times that the country had - at a time when the country fends off fresh wave of terror.

Books written by Muslim writers released at Imphal

By Dr. Syed Ahmed, for TwoCircles.net, Imphal: Two books written by Muslim writers were released on December 2, 2012 at a function organized by Writer’s Union, Manipur (WUM) at Imphal.

India has the right to go after terrorists: Obama

By Arun Kumar, IANS, Washington : Assuring New Delhi of his "steadfast support" in catching the perpetrators of Mumbai terror attacks, US President-elect Barack Obama has said that India has the sovereign right to go after terrorists to protect itself. "Sovereign nations obviously have a right to protect themselves," said Obama, who takes over from President George W. Bush Jan 20, at a news conference in Chicago after rolling out his national security team.

Heal yourself in 20 weeks – here’s how

By M.R. Narayanswamy, IANS, Book: "Perfect Health In 20 Weeks"; Author: Amar Chandel; Publisher: Konark Publishers Pvt Ltd, New Delhi; Pages: 146; Price: Rs.195 Considering the proliferation of health guide books in the market, one may well ask what this slim volume has to offer. In what has been described as a step-by-step guide to 100 percent natural healing, the author comes up with a simple, easy-to-practise regimen that he promises will rejuvenate you in just 20 weeks.

Adab Kids – Books narrating stories of Islamic Luminaries to young learners

By Najiya O, TwoCircles.net They were a group of Keralites working in the IT field in the land of the Nizam.  All had school-going children,...

Sunil Gangopadhyay’s Bengali translation of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ to be released

By IANS, Kolkata : A Bengali translation of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" by late author Sunil Gangopadhyay will be released at the Kolkata Book Fair that begins Jan 29, 2013.

Book review: Urdu Literature and Journalism: Critical Perspectives

By Mohammed Anas for TwoCircles.net, After gifting us insightful glimpses into geniuses of Rabindranath Tagore, Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib, Raghupati Sahay Firaq Gorakhpuri, Faiz Ahmed Faiz and first Dalit Urdu poet Jayant Parmar, Professor Shafey Kidwai of Aligarh Muslim University has explored journalistic conquests of greats like Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Maulvi Mohammed Waqar, etc in his book masterfully written Urdu Literature and Journalism: Critical Perspectives.

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.

Jhumpa Lahiri gets National Humanities Medal from Obama

By Arun Kumar Washington : President Barack Obama presented the 2014 National Medals of Arts and Humanities to Pulitzer Prize winning Indian-American author Jhumpa Lahiri...

Ex-Maharashtra IG smashes India’s “Islamic terrorism” myth in a new book

Book: Who Killed Karkare? The Real Face of Terrorism in India Author: SM Mushrif Price: Rs 300/ USD 25 Pages: 319 Publisher: Pharos Media (www.pharosmedia.com), New Delhi By M Zeyaul Haque, A new book curiously titled Who Killed Karkare? says a nationwide network of Hindutva terror that has its tentacles spread up to Nepal and Israel is out to destroy the India most Indians have known for ages and to remould it into some kind of Afghanistan under the Taliban.

Accepting Sahitya Akademi award with mixed feelings: K.R. Meera

By Preetha Nair New Delhi : Though it's an honour, it’s painful to accept a Sahitya Akademi award at a time when country is witnessing...

Book review: Blinkers Off

By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net

Rumi, myth and cricket on book shelf

By IANS, New Delhi : The book shelf this weekend is mostly meditative and spiritual. 1. "Rumi: A New Translation"; Written by Farrukh Dhondy; Published by Harper Perennial; Priced at Rs.299

How do we fight the stagnation among Muslims?

By Farheen Sultana for Twocircles.net Muslims get excited whenever they hear words such as 'Subhan Allah' and 'Masha Allah' from politicians and actors. 'Oh...

HRD ranks JNU, HCU among top four universities

New Delhi : Jawaharlal Nehru University and Hyderabad Central University, which recently faced controversies, have figured in top four rankings released by the union...

Book Review: Tanazuraat: Perspective of a dissenter

Book: Tanazuraat (Perspectives) Author: Abid Anwar Pages: 160 Price: Rs 100 Publisher: All India Tanzeem Ulama-e-Haq Q-25, Batla House, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi Available at: D-64, Flat No. 10, Abul Fazl Encl. Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 25, Mob. 09810372335 Reviewed by Manzar Imam Qasmi Views can be as different as the number of viewers. And, as veteran journalist M.J. Akbar says, “You can’t trust a point of view.” Sure, you can’t trust any individual viewpoint. For, every one is led by his own ideas that are formed on one’s individual experiences.

#BreakingCaste: Sujatha Gidla shines reading from Ants Among Elephants

By Valli Karunakaran, TwoCircles.net New York City, March 10, 2018 — Sujatha Gidla was among the authors invited to speak at #Breaking Caste, a literary...

Upamanyu Chatterjee gets French award, says new book next year

By IANS, New Delhi : Author Upamanyu Chatterjee, who has been honoured by the French government with the prestigious Officier des Arts et des Lettres (Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters), says he is working on a new book that will hit bookstores late next year. Chatterjee, of "English August: An Indian Story" fame, was given the medal and the citation from French Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont at the French embassy here Thursday for his contribution to contemporary literature.

‘Fault Lines’ is bestseller again (IANS Books)

By IANS, New Delhi : "Fault Lines" by Raghuram Rajan continued to top the non-fiction section of the bestseller list this week while Stieg Larsson's "The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" bounced back to the number one fiction spot. The top 10 in each category are: Non-fiction 1. "Fault Lines" Author: Raghuram Rajan Publisher: Harper Collins Price: Rs.499.00 2. "Witness to Life and Freedom" Author: Pramod Kapoor Publisher: Roli Books Price: Rs.595.00 3. "Keeping the Faith: Memoirs of a Parliamentarian" Author: Somnath Chatterjee

Now, read your favourite book on an MP3, mobile or laptop

By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS, Jaipur : As life hurtles on the fast lane, the publishing industry is opening up new, cost-effective and easier reading formats for literature buffs. The traditional space-eating bookshelves and libraries at home and in public spaces will soon be replaced by audio books, mobile telephone books, e-books and video clips of famous novels, which are available either at the click of a mouse or a dial tone away with the mobile telephony provider - thanks to the new age tech-savvy publishing wizkids.

Book Review: Justice before Reconciliation: Negotiating a ‘New Normal’ in Post-riot Mumbai and Ahmedabad

By Dipankar Gupta, Routledge, New Delhi, 2011, 186 pp., Rs 595, Hard Bound, ISBN 978-0-415-61254-8 By Mahtab Alam,

Orhan Pamuk continues to dominate bestselling chart

By IANS, New Delhi : Meghnad Desai's "The Rediscovery of India" jumped two positions and dominated the non-fiction bestsellers this week while "The Museum of Innocence" by Nobel prize winner Orhan Pamuk continued to retain the No.1 position in the fiction category. The top 10 in each category are as follows: Non-fiction 1. "The Rediscovery of India" Author: Meghnad Desai Publisher: Penguin Allen Lane Price: Rs.699.00 2. "Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India" Author: William Dalrymple Publisher: Bloomsbury Price: Rs.499.00

To Fight Another Day: PoWs and their ingenious escapes

By Vikas Datta, War or military fiction has been an integral part of literature across cultures - be the epics of Homer or Virgil, or closer to home, the great fratricidal war in the Mahabharata, or earlier, the tantalising reference to the Battle of the Ten Kings in the Rig Veda.

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...

‘Princess Diaries’, ‘Tehelka As Metaphor’ top Delhi bestseller lists

By IANS, New Delhi : Meg Cabot's latest and the last in the series - "The Princess Diaries: Ten out of Ten" - captures the reader's attention as it debuts at the top position in the fiction list while veteran journalist Madhu Trehan's "Tehelka As Metaphor" rules the non-fiction chart this week. Non-Fiction 1. "Tehelka As Metaphor" Author: Madhu Trehan Publisher: Lotus Roli Price: Rs.595.00 2."Imagining India: Ideas for the new century" Author: Nandan Nilekani Publisher: Penguin Allen Lane Price: Rs.699.00 3. "The Man From Pakistan"

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.

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.

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...

Foreign publishers have invaded market, say Indian publishers

By Alkesh Sharma, IANS, Chandigarh : Despite a growing domestic market and increasing exports, Indian book publishers are concerned over the "invasion" by their foreign counterparts and have demanded that the government scrap the foreign direct investment (FDI) in the industry. "We demand the government scrap the FDI in the business of publishing to give a breathing space to Indian publishers," Anand Bhushan, advisor and former chairman of the New Delhi-based Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP), told IANS here.
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