‘Conversations With Waheeda Rehman’ : The endearing story of a remarkable actress (Book Review)
By Vikas Datta,
Book: Conversations With Waheeda Rehman; Author: Nasreen Munni Kabir; Publisher: Penguin-Viking; Pages: 227; Price: Rs 499.
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.
‘The Road to Mecca’ that I took
A book review that seeks to decipher two pilgrimages on the same path separated by a century
By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net,
Spirituality is what separates humans from other living beings. I have been a seeker for the last few years. I have read a number of books, visited graves of saints, made ablutions at Haridwar and toured the ghats of Banaras; I have sat in the qawwali mehfils and even seen dervishes dance.
Benazir Bhutto’s book launched in Moscow
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Russian version of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto's book, "Reconciliation - Islam,Democracy and the West" was launched in Russia to mark the first anniversary of her martyrdom.
According to a message received here from Moscow a large number of Russian scholars, journalists, students and Pakistanis attended the function on Friday.
Dr. Tariq Chaudhry, a Pakistani businessman in Moscow, who arranged translation and publication of the Russian version of the book also spoke on the occasion.
Spotlight on Chinese PLA (Book Review)
Title: China's Military Power: A Net Assessment; Author: Maj Gen G.D. Bakshi (Retd); Publisher: Knowledge World, New Delhi; Pages: 380; Price: Rs.900
China is increasingly...
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.”
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...
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...
Migration is the reality of my times: Amitav Ghosh
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : The characters and setting may be different, but his latest "Sea of Poppies" like his other works also focuses on migration, which is the reality of "the Asian times", says India's bestselling contemporary author Amitav Ghosh.
"Sea of Poppies", which was launched Monday and hit bookstores across India in the first week of the month, is the first of a trilogy set just before the Opium wars. It is about an old slaving ship, the Ibis, which sails across the Indian Ocean with its motley crew of sailors, stowaways, coolies and convicts.
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.
Church-affiliated Goa group publishes anti-Israeli book
By Mayabhushan Nagvenkar, IANS,
Panaji : Portraying Israeli tourists as a bunch of promiscuous, stingy, drug addicts and peddlers, a new book published by a church-affiliated organisation in Goa is likely to ruffle many feathers.
The 96-page work, "Claiming the right to say no: a study of Israeli tourist behaviour and patterns in Goa", has been authored by 11 seminarians or priests-in-grooming. It has been published by the Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP), an arm of the Roman Catholic church in the state.
Barack Obama has three books on bestseller list
By IANS,
New Delhi : US president-elect Barack Obama has three books among the top 10 bestsellers in the non-fiction category this week in India. Aravind Adiga's "The White Tiger" stays atop the list in the fiction category.
The top 10 in the non-fiction and fiction lists are:
Non fiction
1. "Imagining India: Ideas for the new century"
Author: Nandan Nilekani
Publisher: Penguin Allen Lane
Price: Rs.699.00
2. "The Secret"
Author: Rhonda Byrne
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Price: Rs.550.00
3. "Dreams from My Father"
Author: Barack Obama
Publisher: Canongate
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.
सदमा : मौलाना वहीदुद्दीन खान नही रहे
स्टाफ़ रिपोर्टर।Twocircles.net
मशहूर इस्लामी विद्वान पद्म विभूषण मौलाना वहीदुद्दीन खान का 96 वर्ष की आयु में निधन हो गया हैं। मौलाना वहीदुद्दीन खान कुछ...
Seven senior secondary students of Delhi school participate in international conference on Psychology
By TCN News,
New Delhi: Seven senior secondary students of New Horizon School, a minority unaided school, participated in an international conference on Psychology...
यादगार निशानियों के साथ ख़त्म हुआ साहित्य का इंटरनेशनल उत्सव
अफ़रोज़ आलम साहिल, TwoCircles.net
किशनगंज : बिहार के किशनगंज में चल रहे पहला ‘सीमांचल इंटरनेशनल लिटरेरी फेस्टिवल’ आज इस उम्मीद और अपने कई यादगार निशानियों...
Inspiring journeys, countless stories
By IANS,
Insatiable ambition, indomitable courage, political frankness and an adman's curiosity - the IANS bookshelf this weekend has an envious collection for its readers....
The legacy of the Shankar-Shad Mushaira
By Bushra Alvi Razzack for Twocircles.net
Delhi: Dilliwalas can never get enough of Urdu poetry. In spite of inclement weather, Urdu lovers converged in...
‘Sufis of Punjab’ – Building bridges across borders
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Book: "The Sufis of Punjab"; Edited by Muzaffar Ali, Anoo C. Nayar and Syeda Bilgrami Imam, Publisher: Rumi Foundation, Price: Rs.1,895, Pages: 208
Sudeep Chakravarti unravels northeast’s bloody history in new book
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Dalrymple’s book stays atop bestseller chart
By IANS,
New Delhi : William Dalrymple's "Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India" continued at the number one position in the non-fiction section of the bestseller list this week while "Wolf Hall" by Hilary Mantel bounced back to dominate the fiction category.
The top 10 in each section 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 Hindus: An Alternative History
Author: Wendy Doniger
Publisher: Penguin Viking
Price: Rs.999.00
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...
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
Now, 53 historians protest against ‘highly vitiated’ atmosphere in India
New Delhi : After writers and artistes, 53 historians on Thursday protested against the 'rising intolerance' and "highly vitiated atmosphere in the country,...
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
‘पाश’ की पुण्यतिथि : दो कविताएं
सिद्धांत मोहन, TwoCircles.net
जालंधर में जन्मे अवतार सिंह संधू 'पाश' भारतीय साहित्य में एक ऐसा नाम रखते हैं, जहां से कविता और क्रान्ति - दोनों की - की परस्पर मजबूती साबित होती है. यह एक तथ्य ही है कि पाश अपने विचारों में वाम से प्रभावित थे लेकिन पाश की कविता की सबसे बड़ी खासियत यह है कि यह भारत के हरेक तबके और हरेक वर्ग के साथ खड़ी है.
No question of taking back Sahitya Akademi award: Bengali poet
Kolkata : Bengali poet Mandakranta Sen, who recently gave up her Sahitya Akademi award, on Friday refused to take it back, saying though...
Innovation, reunions, expatriates and Gandhi: A sober weekend
By IANS,
New Delhi : Catch up on your reading with five interesting titles this weekend:
1. "Innovate: 90 Days to Transform Your Business": Written by Rekha Shetty; priced at Rs.299; published by Penguin Portfolio.
A daily implementation schedule, "Innovate..." is a step-by-step self-help workplace manual. Here is a typical 90-day pep-up pill to enhance productivity, profitability and set the ball rolling for innovations in the boardroom as the writer guarantees.
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
Bengali literature has bright prospects, says Sunil Gangopadhyay
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bengali literature has bright future, with growing readership in both Bangladesh, India and wherever the Bengali-speaking diaspora resides, India's best known Bengali poet and litterateur Sunil Gangopadhyay said.
He visited Madaripur, his birth place in Bangladesh's Faridpur district, to open a three-day "Sunil Mela", a literary fair that ended Sunday, to celebrate his 75th birthday, BSS news agency reported.
Sunil Literature Practice and Research Centre organised the fair in his ancestral home at Purba Maijpara village under Kalkini Upazila (sub-district).
Book Review: Khaki & Ethnic Violence in India
By Mahtab Alam, TwoCircles.net,
Name of the book: Khaki & Ethnic Violence in India
Author: Omar Khalidi
Publisher: Three Essays Collective
B-957 Palam Vihar, Gurgaon, Haryana-122 017, India
Phone: +91 98681 26587, +91 91863 44843
Year: 2010 (2nd and Revised edition)
Pages: 196
Price: Rs. 300/-
Love laced stories and emotional sagas
A woman hopelessly falls in love with a suave hotelier; her good-looking best friend enters and she realises how fickle the heart can be. Another woman finds unexpected friendship and experiences love in strange situations and a couple go through a turbulent phase of their life. All these stories reflect contemporary tales of love. Take a look at the IANS bookshelf.
New award for best South Asian fiction
By IANS,
New Delhi: South Asian literature is trying to position itself globally with a new award from India being announced Tuesday for the best fiction on the region.
The first winner of the award known as the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature, which carries a purse of $50,000, will be announced in January 2011.
Stories of women’s empowerment, a werewolf
A book analyses the drivers of change and the repercussions of present-day gender revolutions, a man in today's Kolkata meets a man who claims to be a werewolf. Some light and some heavy dosage, the IANS bookshelf this weekend has reality meeting fantasy. Take a look.
1. Book: Half A Billion Rising; Author: Anirudha Dutta; Publisher: Rainlight; Pages: 247; Price: Rs.395
Divorce, India, partition on bookshelf
By IANS,
The book case this weekend is lighthearted and peppy - matching the mood as a new year begins.
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.
दिल्ली में पहला लिटरेचर फेस्टिवल,अपने अधिकारों के लिए दलित लेखकों ने बुलन्द की आवाज़
आसमोहम्मद कैफ TwoCircles.net
दिल्ली-
3-4 फरवरी को राजधानी के विश्वविद्यालय परिसर में किरोड़ीमल कॉलेज में दलित लिटरेचर फेस्टिवल का आयोजन किया गया.देश मे ऐसा पहली बार...
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...
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...
First Kovalam Literary Festival to be star-studded affair
By IANS,
New Delhi : Book lovers in Kerala are in for a treat as the first Kovalam Literary Festival is set to get off to a star-studded start at the sprawling Taj Green Cove on the picturesque Kovalam beach next month.
The festival, which begins Oct 6 and ends Oct 8, is an attempt to give readers in Kerala, one of the most literate states in the country, an opportunity to hear their favourite authors read extracts from their new books and interact with them, said a spokesperson for Noctilucent, the event management firm handling the event.
AMU organises seminar on life and works of Ismat Chugtai
By TCN News,
Aligarh: The Women’s College, Aligarh Muslim University, is organising a two-day seminar to celebrate the works and life of Urdu literary giant...
New publishing venture Gyaana Books launches first titles
By IANS,
New Delhi : Gyaana Books, a new publishing venture based in the Indian capital, has unveiled its first books in association with Writer's Side and bookmeabook.com
Founded by Divya Dubey, a former publishing editor, Gyaana was formally launched by noted poet and writer Keki Daruwalla at the India International Centre.
Chronicling iron women at helm of India’s business empires
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Book: "Corporate Divas"; Author: Sonia Golani; Publisher: Penguin India; Pages: 227; Price: Rs 250
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...
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...
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.
Kerala leaders break silence over book on Amritanandamayi
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala politicians Saturday broke their silence over a controversial book on hugging saint Mata Amritanandamayi.
CPI-M state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said the government...
Sam Miller’s adventure continues to lure book lovers
By IANS,
New Delhi : "Delhi: Adventures in a Megacity" by Sam Miller and "The White Tiger" by Aravind Adiga maintained their respective positions atop the non-fiction and fiction bestseller lists this week. A list of the top 10 in each category:
Non-fiction
1. "Delhi Adventures in a Megacity"
Author: Sam Miller
Publisher: Penguin Viking
Price: Rs.499.00
2. "The Inheritance: The World Obama Confronts and the Challenges to American..."
Author: David E. Sanger
Publisher: Harmony Books
Price: $20.00 (Rs.1009.00)
3. "Curfewed Night"
Author: Basharat Peer
Extremism is taught in school textbooks: AAP lawmaker
New Delhi : Aam Aadmi Party legislator from Palam Bhavna Gaur on Wednesday said that extremism is taught in school textbooks and the Delhi...
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
Indian author’s book Prachanda’s gift to UN chief
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : As UN chief Ban Ki-Moon arrives in Kathmandu on a whirlwind two-day visit Friday, Nepal's first Maoist Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" has lined up an unusual gift besides hosting a sumptuous banquet in his honour.
The UN secretary general and his entourage will be gifted copies of "Prachanda: the unknown revolutionary", the first biography in English offering intimate glimpses into the virtually unknown personal life of the formerly underground guerrilla, penned by Indian journalist Anirban Roy.
Rare books on Islam, Buddhism a hit at South Asian stalls
By Shweta Srinivasan, IANS,
New Delhi : Works on Islam and Buddhism are a big hit at stalls put up by publishers from South Asian countries at the World Book Fair here. Many avid book readers and scholars are happy to have spotted rare books that are not easily available in India.
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...
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.
Book review: Communalism, Caste and Hindu Nationalism
Book Review
Name of the Book: Communalism, Caste and Hindu Nationalism—The Violence in Gujarat
Author: Ornit Shani
Publisher: Cambridge University Press, New Delhi Year: 2007 ISBN: 978-0-521-72753-2
Reviewed by: Yoginder Sikand
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.
Dutch honour for Assam writer Indira Goswami
By NNN-PTI,
Guwahati, India : Noted litterateur Indira Goswami has been conferred with the Netherlands' prestigious Principal Prince Claus Award for her work in Indian culture and its development, but the writer is all the more happy for another reason.
The 2000 Jnanpith Award winning writer, the first Indian to win the Euro one lakh (approximately Rs 64 lakh) award, had a dream of setting up a hospital in her native village in Assam's Kamrup district.(One Lakh:100,000)
Of urban angst, riots, mutiny and epic love
By IANS,
(IANS Books This Week)
New Delhi : Relax with a cache of stimulating books this weekend.
Indian origin journalist’s book nominated for British literature prize
By IANS,
London : The Times journalist Sathnam Sanghera is the latest British-Asian to blaze a literary trail as his book on the travails of his Sikh immigrant family has been short listed for the biography prize at the British Costa Book Awards for 2008.
The book began as a letter to his mother explaining why he was not ready for an arranged marriage. Sanghera started looking for possible objections from his parents to his decision and that led him to forage his family history from when his parents came to Britain from rural Punjab in India.
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).
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...
Indian origin author scripts tale of migrants and myths
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
In his new novel, "The Mythologist", San Francisco-based Indian origin author Vamsee Juluri has captured the inner chaos of a young migrant in the US who has grown up in the movie studios of Chennai with dreams of grandeur.
Read about gods, philosophy, Indian ethos and a curse
By IANS,
New Delhi : The book case is crowded with contrasts this weekend with serious treatises vying for attention with works of fiction.
1. "The Little Book of Hindu Deities: From the Goddess of Wealth to the Sacred Cow": Written by Sanjay Patel; Published by Penguin Books-USA, Priced at Rs.299.
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.
Bangalore journalist’s article on Ramadan selected for international award
By TwoCircles.net News Desk,
New Delhi: Bangalore-based journalist Biju Abdul Qadir’s article on Ramadan has been selected for the top three international awards for the best writings on Ramadan this year by Sheikh Yusuf al-Qardawi's IslamOnline website.
Qadir’s article has originally been published in the October 2009 issue of the Young Muslim Digest -- an Islamic monthly published from Bangalore since the past 30 years. Qadir is Executive Editor of the periodical. Biju Abdul Qadir is also Managing Editor of IQRA Publications, Bangalore.
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,
In a first, farm widow inaugurates top Marathi literary meet
Yavatmal (Maharashtra), Jan 11 (IANS) In a first, farm widow Vaishali S. Yede on Friday evening inaugurated the controversy-ridden 92nd Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya...
सदमे में एएमयू : 4 दिनों में 10 प्रोफेसर्स की मौत
स्टाफ़ रिपोर्टर।Twocircles.net
"एहसान सर के मौत की खबर सुनकर बहुत तकलीफ हुई," अलीगढ़ मुस्लिम विश्वविद्यालय के थियोलॉजी विभाग के प्रोफेसर डॉ० एहसानुल्लाह की स्टूडेंट...
Sobhraj readies to sue Dhondy over ‘Bikini Murders’
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Within 48 hours of launching his new book "The Bikini Murders" in New Delhi, author and screenplay writer Farrukh Dhondy is all set to get the kind of controversy needed to make the book a bestseller. His "old friend" Charles Sobhraj, who according to media reports is the prototype of the Saigon-born hero in Dhondy's book, is readying to sue the author.
"My French and British lawyers are reading the book," Sobhraj told IANS Sunday in Kathmandu's Central Jail, where he is serving a life sentence for the murder of an American tourist in 1975.
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.
Book release: Sir Syed, Azad Aur Hindustani Musalman
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: At an impressive ceremony, Padmashri Prof. Qazi Abdus Sattar released the book ‘Sir Syed, Azad Aur Hindustani Musalman’ penned by Dr. Arif-ul-Islam, who is Associate Professor in Statistics Department of Aligarh Muslim University, (AMU), at the Arts Faculty lounge of the university, at Aligarh.
Indian writer Pankaj Mishra wins $150,000 Yale literary prize
By Arun Kumar,
Washington: Indian writer Pankaj Mishra is one of eight writers from seven countries winning a $150,000 Yale University prize each in...
‘Stranger to History’ still leads bestseller list
By IANS,
New Delhi : Aatish Taseer's book "Stranger to History" continued to dominate the bestseller list in the non-fiction category for the third week while Paulo Coelho was the new author atop the fiction list, with his latest "The Winner Stands Alone". 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. "Dreams from My Father"
Author: Barack Obama
Book on the lethal use of pellet guns released in Kashmir; lethality of the...
By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCicles.net
Srinagar : Kashmir - Scars of Pellet Gun: The Brutal Face of Suppression, the book...
2015: When I look back
By Mohammad Anas,
Fresh year is ahead but I am petrified of lies,
Like result of last year's devastation upon my eyes.
Poisonous hooch in India...
Fascinating post-mortem of Indian Left
By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS,
Book: "Leftism in India 1917-1947"; Author: Satyabrata Rai Chowdhuri; Publisher:Macmillan; Price: Rs.375
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.
Rediscovering the bold and beautiful in Tagore
By Paloma Ganguly, IANS,
Book: "Novelist Tagore"; Author: Radha Chakravarty; Publisher: Routledge; Price: Rs.595; Pages: 160
‘Super Power?’ is No.1 fiction tome
By IANS,
(IANS Books)
New Delhi : Raghav Bahl's "Super Power?" topped the non-fiction section in the bestseller list this week while "Secrets and Sins" by Jaishree Misra climbed several notches to the number one spot in the fiction category.
The top 10 in each section are:
Non-fiction
1. "Super Power?"
Author: Raghav Bahl
Publisher: Penguin/Allen Lane
Price: Rs.699.00
2. "Besieged: Voices from Delhi 1857"
Author: Mahmood Farooqui
Publisher: Penguin Viking
Price: Rs.699.00
3. "Fault Lines"
Author: Raghuram G. Rajan
My debut novel is the story of an Indian housewife: Bubbles Sabharwal
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : Delhi-based theatre personality Bubbles Sabharwal's debut novel "Tomorrow's Promise", a complex psychological canvas of a triangular relationship, is the outcome of a personal tragedy. She wrote the manuscript sitting in a Delhi hospital where her father was being treated.
The novel narrates the story of Shirin Bhatia, a quiet and docile housewife, whose orderly existence turns topsy-turvy when her husband Kabir introduces her to his colleague Udayn Batra.
Correct grammar way to first job
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Book: "You're Hired: How you get that job and keep it too"; Author: Nasha Fitter; Publisher: Penguin India-Books; Price: Rs.199
Applying for jobs, but don't seem to hear back from prospective employers? Maybe you're making a mistake somewhere in your application. Does your application read anything like this?
AMU students launch a monthly literary magazine- The AMUSE
By TCN News
Aligarh: Now students of Aligarh Muslim University have a magazine of their own for their creative output. The AMUSE short for...
Arundhati Roy’s new book tops bestseller list
By IANS,
New Delhi : Arundhati Roy's new book "Listening To Grass Hoppers: Field Notes on Democracy" topped the non-fiction category of the bestseller list this week while "The Wish Maker: A Novel" by Ali Sethi dominated the fiction list.
The top 10 in each section are:
Non-fiction
1. "Listening To Grass Hoppers: Field Notes on Democracy"
Author: Arundhati Roy
Publisher: Penguin Books
Price: Rs.499.00
2. "Branding India: An Incredible Story"
Author: Amitabh Kant
Publisher: Collins Business
Price: Rs.499.00
3. "The Caged Phoenix: Can India Fly?"
Modinomics: Deciphering the Gujarat development model (Book Review)
By Gyanendra Kumar Keshri, IANS,
Title: ModiNomics - Inclusive Economics, Inclusive governance; Author: Sameer Kochhar; Publisher: Skoch Media; Pages: 241; Price: Rs.1,095
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra...
Jahangirabad Institute of Technology organises workshop for teachers on improving school education
Barabanki: Jahangirabad Institute of Technology (JIT) organised a teaching workshop for senior officials and headmasters of all the major schools of Uttar Pradesh to...
Asma Saleem awarded Sahitya Akademi’s award for translation
By TCN News
Panaji, Goa: Prominent scholar and litterateur Mrs. Asma Saleem was awarded Sahitya Akademi’s award for her Urdu translated book Safar at a ceremony in Panaji on August 20.
The Sahitya Akademi translation awards presentation ceremony was held at the Kala Academy’s Dinanath Mangeshkar hall. The welcome speech was delivered by the secretary of Sahitya Akademi, Mr Agrahar Krishnamurti. The president of Sahitya Akademi, Mr Sunil Gangopadhyay presided over the function.
A journey from cyberspace to social change
From the gutsy tale of Malala Yousafzai who stood up to the Taliban, to the role played by cyberspace in today's lives -- IANS bookshelf this week has all this and more on offer. Take a look.
1. Book: Picture Abhi Baaki Hai, Author: Rachel Dwyer, Publisher: Hachette India, Pages: 258, Price: Rs.499
How a book sparked of a Cold War battle
By Vikas Datta
Title: The Zhivago Affair: The Kremlin, the CIA, and the Battle Over a Forbidden Book; Authors: Peter Finn and Petra Couvee;...
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.
Dhondy book lands as ‘evidence’ in Charles Sobhraj case
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : While Nepal's book stores are yet to start stocking Farrukh Dhondy's recently published potboiler about a serial killer, "The Bikini Murders" is already on its way to one of the most important places in the Himalayan republic - the Supreme Court.
Dhondy's book has been submitted to the office of Nepal Attorney General Raghav Lal Vaidya by the lawyers hired by the family of an American tourist who was killed in 1975.
An anthology on today’s India (Book Review)
By M.R. Narayan Swamy,
Title: Kaw Caw Silly point: A Wonky look at Contemporary India; Author: M.K. Kaw; Publisher: Konark Publishers: Pages: 270; Price: Rs.250.
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.
Poem: Political Iftar
By Dr. Mustafa Kamal Sherwani
Count all the known 'BEARDS' with utmost care,
Seduce them all into our Party's voting share.
Give them the title of 'ULEMA' of high esteem,
As they come, like an army of locust, it must seem.
Manage to make them sit in separate rows,
To send a strong message to our foes.
For us, all of them are a great asset,
Their every motion must be recorded in cassette.
The 'LONGER BEARDS' must occupy central places,
From all sides,the media must cover their faces.
On this gullible community is resting our hope,
Javed Habib: A Character of Greek Tragedy
By Urdu Media Monitor,
جاوید حبیب : ہجوم سے تنہائی تک
Javed Habib: Hujoom se Tanhai Tak
Compiled by: Masoom Moradabadi
Reviewed by: M Ghazali Khan
Published by: Khabardar Publications, Z-103 Taj Enclave, Gita Colony, Delhi 110031, Email [email protected], Mobile: 09810780563
If you were asked to name a personality who studied at AMU, was a selfless activist, fearless and gifted orator as well a writer, launched a newspaper but had to stop it, lived an austere saintly life and could not earn even as much as to be able to buy a basic four wall residence, you would be excused to think of Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar or may be Maulana Hasrat Mohani.
Two humble servants of Jesus (Book Review)
By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS,
Book: "The Mother and The Sister"; Author: Cyriac Thomas; Publisher: Konark; Pages: 195; Price: Rs.595
A mixed bag of health, sports and entrepreneurial journey
A peek into the life of the "King of Good Times", a must-have guide for football fanatics, tips for the perfect weight regime to an entrepreneur's successful journey - IANS book stack this week offers a concoction of lifestyle, wellness and sports!
Government plans award in Maratha freedom fighter’s memory
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : The government is planning to set up an international award for agricultural innovation in the memory of the founder-member of the Ghadar Party, Pandurang Khankhoje, a revolutionary-turned-farmer from Maharashtra, former union minister Vasant Sathe said.
Khankhoje also helped Mexico, his adopted country, set up 30 agricultural universities.
In fine print: Delhi, relationships and thrill
By IANS,
(IANS Books This Week)
New Delhi : Fact, fiction, fun and adventure sprinkle excitement on the bookshelf this week.
Of an Indian double agent: A true-to-life thriller (Book Review)
By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS,
Book: "Escape to Nowhere: Story of an Indian Espionage Agent"; Author: Amar Bhushan, Publisher: Konark Publishers; Pages: 332; Price: Rs.299
Decoding the Mahatma, World Cup trivia, geography
An original analysis of who was responsible for Mahatma Gandhi's death, a reader-friendly guide spanning 40 years of the cricket World Cup and getting to know the incredible geography of India - the IANS book stack this weekend is a power house of information. Take a look.
1. Book: The Death and Afterlife of Mahatma Gandhi; Author: Makarand R. Paranjape; Publisher: Random House India; Pages: 331; Price: Rs.599
‘Our notion of happiness responsible for our suffering’
By IANS,
New Delhi : “If we practise looking deeply, we will see that our notion of happiness may be responsible for our suffering. That is why Buddha advises us to look again deeply into the nature of our desires. We suffer because of them,” says Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, Nobel prize nominee and peace-maker, in his new book “Under the Banyan Tree: Overcoming Fear and Sorrow”.
The insightful book, divided into 10 chapters, transcribes his visit to India in 1996, shows the way to be free, happy and to live in the present.
रोटी-दाल… या फिर अबीर गुलाल?
भारत…
यहां तो हर दिन होली है!
आतंकी खेलते हैं बेगुनाहों के खून से
और ‘देशभक्त’ व ‘दंगाई’ अपनों का ही
लाल रंग बेरंग पानी में बहा देते...
Literary Associations of Metropolitan Washington released Nuzaira Azam’s new novel Anahita ki Janam Basti
By Zafar Iqbal
Presiding over book releasing ceremony honoring Nuzaira Azam for her second novel, Anahita Ki Janam Basti, eminent scholar Professor Satyapal Anand said that...
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...
Fatima Bhutto’s book tops bestseller list again
By IANS,
New Delhi : In a super run for late Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto's niece Fatima Bhutto, her "Songs of Blood and Sword" completes a month on top of the non-fiction list while Amish Tripathi's "The Immortals of Meluha" dominates fiction this week.
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
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
A bookshelf with love, cricket and Buddhism
By IANS,
New Delhi : Go through a pile of page-turners this weekend.
1. "The Shadow of the Buddha"; Written by Matteo Pistono; Published by Hay House; Priced at Rs.299
An epoch-making Urdu bibliography
By Dr Omar Khalidi
Dr. Anwar Moazzam, former professor of Islamic Studies at Osmania University in Hyderabad, Deccan, India and Ashhar Farhan, an info-technologist and entrepreneur has compiled a massive, epoch-making bibliography of works in social sciences in Urdu. Dr. Moazzam launched the project way back in 1976, under the auspices of Indian Council for Social Science Research and National Council for the Promotion of Urdu Language, both institutions funded by the union government of India in New Delhi.
African women writers take a new turn
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : Epic tales of jungle safaris and human rights repression in Africa are making way for a new kind of contemporary literature in a changing continent where women are becoming an increasingly vocal force in influencing literary trends.
Literary pundits are describing the current phase in contemporary African fiction as the "time of boom".
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
पढ़िए गौहर रज़ा की वह ग़ज़ल, जिसके लिए जी न्यूज़ ने उन्हें देशद्रोही साबित...
TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
नई दिल्ली: शायर गौहर रज़ा भी मुल्क में फ़ैली देशद्रोह की फिज़ा से अछूते नहीं रहे. हालांकि यह फिज़ा मुल्क में जितनी...
President Pranab Mukharjee applauds Jamia’s translation project
By TCN News,
New Delhi: Professor Talat Ahmad, Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) presented 14 publications of Tagore Research and Translation Scheme (TRTS), Department...
Poetic collection ‘Aa’ina-e-Sukhan’ of Dr. Iqbal ‘Arif’ released in Bhopal
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
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.
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.
US-based Indian author debuts with record advance
By IANS,
New Delhi : Sarita Mandanna, a US-based Indian author, has created ripples in the publishing world as her "Tiger Hills" has received the largest advance Penguin India house has so far paid for a debut novel.
David Godwin Associates Ltd., the Britain-based literary agency, has sold "Tiger Hills" to Penguin Books-India for an undisclosed amount.
David Godwin Associates spokesperson Sophie Hoult refused to divulge the exact amount but said the deal was in seven figures.
Hope women find courage through my books: Author Madhuri Banerjee
By Somrita Ghosh
New Delhi : Is it taboo for women to talk about sex, their hidden desires or having extra-marital affairs? No! It...
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?
क्या ये प्रेमचंद हमारे ज़माने की ज़रूरत नहीं हैं?
वैसे, हमारे वक़्त में प्रेमचंद का क्या काम? ज़ाहिर है, ऐसा लग सकता है. प्रेमचंद का इंतक़ाल 1936 में यानी आज से 81 साल...
Book Review: A brief history of Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat
Majlis-e-Mushawarat: Ek Mukhtasar Tareekh AIMM
Author: Mohammad Ilmullah
Pages: 198
Publisher: Pharos Media & Publications Pvt. Ltd, D-84 Abul Fazl Enclave - 1, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi-110025,...
Is insurgency in India an excuse for misgovernance?
(IANS Book Review)
By Sarwar Kashani, IANS,
Book Review: Aurangzeb Revisited
By Yoginder Sikand, TwoCircles.net,
Name of the Book: The Ulama, Islamic Ethics and Courts Under the Mughals—Aurangzeb Revisited
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.
Short stories, self-help and seduction
Overcoming emotional obstacles can be achieved only when one liberates the soul or learns new lessons of life from Mahatma Gandhi's principles. On the other hand, there are women who who will go to any length to fulfill their desires. All this and more is at the IANS book stack this week. Take a look.
1. Book: Leadership: The Gandhi Way; Author: Virender Kapoor; Publisher: Rupa; Pages: 122; Price: Rs. 195
Adventure, identity and Africa on bookshelf
By IANS,
(IANS Books This Week)
New Delhi : Warm up this week with a pile of exciting and diverse books ranging from history and identity to magic realism.
Unveiling an amazing India through stamps (Book Review)
By Shubha Singh,
Book: Post Haste: Quintessential India; Author: B.G. Verghese; Publisher: Tranquebar Press; Pages: 384; Price: Rs.1,295.
The early forms of communication were smoke...
Dalai Lama, sports, Delhi on book cart
By IANS,
New Delhi : Settle in with a book from the colourful shelf this weekend.
1. "Upwardly Mobile"; Written by Ranjini Manian; Published by Penguin India; Priced at Rs.250
A story of Manipur when it started to simmer (Book Review)
By M.R. Narayan Swamy,
Title: On A Clear Day You Can See India; Author: C. Balagopal, Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers India; Pages: 203; Prices: Rs.299