‘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.
Books in Urdu on Tagore released
By TCN News,
New Delhi: Prof. S.M. Sajid, Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia released four books published as part of Tagore Research Translation Scheme (TRTS) in the Book Release Function organized by the Department of Urdu, Jamia Millia Islamia on February 28, 2014.
बिहार की लाईब्रेरी, जो इमारत समेत गायब हो गयी
अफ़रोज़ आलम साहिल, TwoCircles.net
बेतिया (बिहार): बिहार के पश्चिमी चम्पारण के बेतिया शहर की सज्जाद लाईब्रेरी अपनी दुर्दशा पर रो रही है. यहां किताबों का...
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.
Nehru in AMU
By Dr Mohammad Sajjad,
During his tenure as the first Prime Minister of India, notwithstanding the immense charisma of Nehru, he was seen with...
Orhan Pamuk, Meghnad Desai top bestselling authors
By IANS,
New Delhi : Nobel Prize winning writer Orhan Pamuk's "The Museum of Innocence" tops the fiction list this week while Meghnad Desai's "The Rediscovery of India" leads the books in the non-fiction bestsellers.
Here are the top 10 in the non-fiction and fiction categories:
Non-Fiction
1. "The Rediscovery of India"
Author: Meghnad Desai
Publisher: Penguin Allen Lane
Price: Rs.699.00
2. "The Difficulty of Being Good: On The Subtle art of Dharma"
Author: Gurcharan Das
Publisher: Penguin Allen Lane
Price: Rs.699.00
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.
ऐतिहासिक खुदा बख्श लाइब्रेरी का एक हिस्सा टूटने की कगार पर, सीएम से बचाने...
स्टाफ़ रिपोर्टर ।Twocircles.net
इंडियन नेशनल ट्रस्ट फॉर आर्ट एंड कल्चरल हेरिटेज (INTACH) के सदस्यों ने शनिवार को मुख्यमंत्री नीतीश कुमार से अपील की है...
Over 400 artistes condemn attacks on writers
New Delhi: Over 400 Indian artistes on Tuesday condemned the attacks on writers in India and expressed concern over the alarming rise in intolerance...
Jaswant Singh is again top author of the week
By IANS,
New Delhi : Expelled Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jaswant Singh's controversial book "Jinnah: India, Partition, Independence" continued to retain the No.1 position in the non-fiction section of the bestseller list this week while "The Wish Maker: A Novel" by Ali Sethi topped the fiction category for the fourth week in a row.
The top 10 in each section are:
Non-fiction
1. "Jinnah: India, Partition, Independence"
Author: Jaswant Singh
Publisher: Rupa
Price: Rs.695.00
2. "The Idea of Justice"
Author: Amartya Sen
Publisher: Penguin Allen Lane
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.
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).
Ahmed Rashid, Amitav Ghosh Delhi readers’ top choice
By IANS,
New Delhi : Pakistan journalist Ahmed Rashid's investigation on the impact of Al Qaeda on Pakistan and its surrounding areas tops the non-fiction list while Amitav Ghosh's "Sea of Poppies" continues to rule the fiction chart.
The top 10 in the non-fiction and fiction lists are:
Non-Fiction
1. "Descent Into Chaos"
Author : Ahmed Rashid
Publisher : Allen Lane
Price : Rs.495.00
2. "The Post-American World"
Author : Fareed Zakaria
Publisher : Penguin Viking
Price : Rs.499.00
3. "The Secret"
Author : Rhonda Byrne
Publisher : Simon & Schustar
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.
Book case: Read of courage, karma, radio and economics
By IANS,
New Delhi : Serious and heavy, the books this weekend tease the intellect.
1. "Dream Chasing"; Written by S.B. Mishra; Published by Roli Books; Priced at Rs.250
Will bring in foreign faculty to improve higher education in Northeast: Minister
By Sujit Chakraborty
Agartala/Guwahati : The government will bring in foreign faculty to improve the quality of higher education in the northeastern region, union Minister...
Indian publishing in focus at London Book Fair
By IANS,
Neemrana (Rajasthan) : The Indian publishing industry will be the focus of the 2009 London Book Fair this April, with 40 Indian writers being invited to the event, and Amartya Sen being the keynote speaker at the opening.
The Indian writers - mostly big names in English and vernacular writing - will showcase the diversity of literary and linguistic genres across the country, said representatives of the British Council India and the London Book Fair at a literary workshop at the Neemrana Fort Palace in Rajasthan Tuesday.
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...
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
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?
An Indian’s poem that resonates with Clinton, 14 years on
By IANS,
New Delhi : Fourteen years ago, Anasuya Sengupta, a student of Lady Shri Ram college, had recited a poem written by her before the then US first lady Hillary Clinton when she came to India on her first official visit.
Clinton was so impressed that a chapter in her 2003 autobiography "Living History" was inspired by the poem. The chapter is called "Silence is Not Spoken Here".
On Monday, Anasuya -- now an activist for women's rights -- was present at Delhi University's Convention Hall, where Clinton came visiting as US Secretary of State.
Dubai, cricket and drama on bookshelf
By IANS,
New Delhi : Sift through a book case of an exciting variety this weekend.
1. "Dubai, The Making of a Megapolis", Written by Pranay Gupte; Published by Penguin India; Priced at Rs.699
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"
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.
New education policy to be cooperative federalist: Smriti Irani
New Delhi : Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani on Friday said the new education policy which is under consideration will be cooperative...
Chandamama’s Ramayana on stalls with rich visuals
By IANS,
Bangalore : Chandamama India, the publishing house of the popular Chandamama range of children's magazines, Thursday offered its young readers epic Ramayana richly laden with colourful illustrations.
According to the publishers, 'Ramayana - An Epic Journey' is the first of its kind attempt when the great Indian mythological saga has been published as a single book with illustrations.
The book was released by management and spiritual guru Swami Sukhbodhananda. "The book has a touch of contemporary world," he said. It is a 430-page book with hand drawn illustrations.
How Muslims Received OBC Quotas in Karnataka: Understanding Historical Background and Legal Challenges
TCN News
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at a campaign rally in Rajasthan’s Tonk-Sawai Madhopur Lok Sabha constituency on April 23, had accused...
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
SAARC writers to debate terrorism at Agra literary fest
By IANS,
New Delhi : Nearly 60 writers, poets and scholars from eight south Asian countries will debate and discuss terrorism, ethnic angst and popular culture at the SAARC Festival of Literature in Agra March 12-16.
Thirteen writers from Pakistan and eight from Afghanistan will attend the festival, organised by Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature (FOSWAL).
UP Govt. forms committee for ensuring participation of minorities in government services
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
Lucknow: In a significant move, the Uttar Pradesh government has formed a three member committee for ensuring participation of minorities...
Life and longing of a Mappila poet: On Ajmal Khan’s The Mappila Verses
Zeeshan Husain, TwoCircles.net
The story of India for the past three decades has been stuck somewhere between poverty and religious fanaticism. There is, on a...
‘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.
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
Saudi woman receives award for promotion of Urdu
By Mohammed Shafeeq
Hyderabad: Sameera Aziz, a media personality and writer, has become the first woman from Saudi Arabia to be recognised for her work...
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...
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.
One of India’s greatest spiritual classics gets a new print (Book Review)
By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS,
Title: Autobiography of a Yogi; Author: Paramhansa Yogananda; Publisher: Penguin-Ananda; Pages: 511; Prices: Rs.225
This is not a new book. Indeed,...
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.
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.
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.
Great Iranian poet’s book available in Greek
By IRNA,
Tehran : The masterpiece of world literature Masnavi Molavi by the Persian mystic and poet Molana Jalal ad-Din Molavi has been translated into Greek.
The valuable volume was translated into Greek by Lina Mystakidou and was published by the Greece's Sidres Publications.
The 788-page book is sponsored by Iran’s cultural office in Greece.
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.
Shaam-e-Sher: Reinvigorating Urdu among youth
By Akanki Sharma
New Delhi : In today's digital era where technology has almost swamped art in all its forms, has Urdu literature once famous...
Creativity at its best – made in prison
By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS,
Book: "Captive Imagination"; Author: Varavara Rao; Publisher: Penguin/Viking: Pp 193; Price: Rs.350
Fatima Bhutto’s book stays on top
By IANS,
New Delhi : "Songs of Blood and Sword" by Fatima Bhutto, niece of late Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, remains on top among non-fiction bestsellers this week while prize-winning author Rana Dasgupta's "Solo" dominates the fiction list.
The top 10 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. "Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India"
Many doses of fiction
Contemporary tales of fiction dipped in different genres is what IANS bookshelf is stacked with this weekend. Take uour pick.
1. Book: Shaping the World, Women Writers on Themselves; Edited By: Manju Kapur; Publisher: Hay House; Pages: 275; Price: Rs.399
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.
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.
Jaipur Literature Festival begins with Indian poetry
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Jaipur : The Jaipur literature festival, boasting of over 200 authors of national and international repute and with its focus on Dalit writings, took off to packed audiences at a royal palace here Thursday.
The fifth DSC Jaipur Literature Festival began at the Diggi Palace with a recitation of the English translation of ancient Indian poetry by noted poet and scholar Arvind Krishna Malhotra.
New book reveals India’s ‘hidden hand’ in Sri Lanka war
By IANS,
New Delhi : India played a critical, albeit covert, role in the success of Sri Lanka's war against the Tamil Tigers, with the Indian Navy providing vital intelligence in locating and destroying at least a dozen LTTE rogue vessels laden with arms, says the first such detailed account of the operation.
Preamble turns storybook, thanks to grandma Leila Seth
By Paloma Ganguly, IANS,
Book: "We, The Children Of India"; Author: Leila Seth; Publisher: Puffin; Price INR.150
What's the most important book of India? It's the Constitution, silly, and its goals are contained in the first long sentence, the Preamble. Any child who has gone through super grandmom and former chief justice Leila Seth's latest offering can tell you that.
Divorce, India, partition on bookshelf
By IANS,
The book case this weekend is lighthearted and peppy - matching the mood as a new year begins.
Caught in narrative: gritty saga of Indian tele-news media
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Book: "Newsroom Live"; Author: Prabhat Shunglu; Published by: Om Books International; Pages: 310; Price:Rs.195
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
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.
Miyan Modi
A poem for the anniversary of Gujarat genocide of 2002.
By Asma Anjum,
Dark clouds gather
Choking smoke fumes
We run for cover as they howl
He is coming, he is coming.
National seminar on Prof. Abdul Qavi Desnavi on Apr. 1-2 in Bhopal
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Hindi translation of ‘My Story… Our Story’ launched
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,
New Delhi: ‘Parwaz,’ the Hindi version of ‘My Story… Our Story,’ the autobiography of eminent feminist and writer Flavia Agnes, was launched yesterday at a seminar in Kanpur. Noted journalist Nasiruddin Haidar Khan has done the translation.
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.
Telugu Translation of Kashmir Anthology Released in Hyderabad
Nikhat Fatima, TwoCircles.net
An anthology of 30 essays penned by different activist authors and political journalists across India translated into Telugu titled ‘Kashmir Bahiranga Cherasala’...
Sikh detective unravels peculiar murder
By Shubha Singh, IANS,
Book: "Inspector Singh Investigates: A Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder"; Author: Shamini Flint; Price: Rs.295; Publisher: Piatkus
Shamini Flint's novel sets the scene for a new series of detective novels starring Singapore Police's inspector Singh.
A Malaysian playboy businessman is murdered and his Singapore-born ex-model wife is charged with the crime. Inspector Singh is sent to Kuala Lumpur to track the murder investigation and ensure that Chelsea Liew gets a fair trial.
Fatima Bhutto’s book still on top
By IANS,
New Delhi : "Songs of Blood and Sword" by Fatima Bhutto, niece of late Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, is the top non-fiction bestseller for the third consecutive week while Amish Tripathi's "The Immortals of Meluha" dominates the fiction list.
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. "Becoming Indian"
Author: Pavan K. Varma
Publisher: Penguin/Allen Lane
Price: Rs.499.00
Cultural Assimilation or Self-Assertion? The Intellectual Divide in Bengali Muslim Society
Mirza Mosarraf Hossain, TwoCircles.net
Imperialism is an undeniable reality in the world, with dominant, majority groups historically oppressing weaker, minority communities. However, imperialism is not...
Cricket ‘certainly better’ than sex: Harold Pinter
By IANS,
London : British playwright and Nobel laureate Harold Pinter, who died this week, said in his last interview he thought cricket was better than sex.
“I tend to think that cricket is the greatest thing that god created on earth - certainly greater than sex, although sex isn't too bad either,” he said in the interview, published by the Guardian newspaper Saturday.
Cricket was the subject of the interview, given to the Guardian in October amid failing health. Pinter, one of the greatest post-War playwrights, died Thursday at the age of 78.
Hemingway’s works to be available in digital form
By IANS,
Havana : Some 3,000 documents belonging to Nobel laureate US author Ernest Hemingway, one of the 20th century's most influential writers, will be available in digital form, starting Jan 5 - thanks to a project by Cuba's Hemingway Museum here.
The collection under the project contains, apart from his literary works, unedited texts and even insurance policies taken out by the author, EFE news agency reported Wednesday.
Ordinary man who becomes catalyst of change
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Book: "The Book of Answers"; Author: C.Y. Gopinath ; Publisher: Harper Collins; Price: Rs.499
Obituary to Ambedkarite poet and writer, Ketan Pimpalapure
By Yogesh Maitreya, TwoCircles.net
Mr. Ketan Pimpalapure, a poet, writer and journalist died in the month of July 31st, 2015. He was...
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.
आखिर क्यों लोगों के दिलों में बसते थे मौलाना वली रहमानी!
न्यूज़ डेस्क । Twocircles.net
ऑल इंडिया मुस्लिम पर्सनल लॉ बोर्ड के महासचिव हजरत मौलाना वली रहमानी साहब का शनिवार को देहांत हो गया। उन्होंने...
दादरी
(Courtesy: indianexpress)
By नदीम ज़फ़र, TwoCircles.net
“अख़लाक़" मर गया
हिंदुस्तान का !
पड़ोसी का हक़?
छोड़िये,
लेकिन,
ज़िंदा रहने का हक़
तो दिया हुआ था,
संविधान का I
सब को गाये...
Seminar on Tribal literature and Tribal poet meet to grace Sahitya Akademi’s ‘Annual Festival...
By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
New Delhi: This year, Sahitya Akademi’s ‘Annual Festival of Letters’ will feature a seminar on Oral and Tribal literature and...
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...
IGNOU VC bats for Urdu software
Aligarh : Urdu has played a vital role during India's freedom struggle and became instrumental in uniting Indian society "but still Urdu has failed...
Books on Islam, Muslim personalities and Urdu at Patna Book Fair
By Manzar Bilal, TwoCircles.net,
NSE, BHU join hands for degree programmes
Mumbai : The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has signed an agreement with the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, to launch two new streams --...
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.
Now, protests in Mumbai, Aligarh against UGC decision to end non-Net scholarships
By Yogesh Maitreya, Twocircles.net
Mumbai: Students from various universities and colleges in Mumbai and Aligarh Muslim University joined their counterparts in Delhi to protest against...
Philosophy seeped in spirituality basis of Karan Singh’s new book
By IANS,
New Delhi : Karan Singh, president of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), says the essence of his life is a multi-dimensional quest for the divine and this forms the basis of his new book "I Believe - A Philosophy for the Global Society".
"I Believe" is a compilation of Singh's reflections on a variety of subjects like politics, human relationships, economy, science and religion in context of the socio-cultural evolution of India as a spiritually mature nation, placed in a global environment.
A born rebel who died a lonely death (Book Review)
By M.R. Narayan Swamy,
Title: The First Naxal: An Authorised Biography of Kanu Sanyal; Author: Bappaditya Paul; Publisher: Sage Publications; Pages: 249; Price: Rs.550
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
Adiga, Nilekani begin New Year atop bestseller charts
By IANS,
New Delhi : The roar of the tiger is once again heard this week as Aravind Adiga retains the top spot on the bestseller list in the fiction category with his Booker Prize winning novel as does Nandan Nilekani in the non-fiction category with "Imagining India...".
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. "Outliers: The Story of Success"
Author: Malcolm Gladwell
Publisher: Allen Lane
Price: Rs.399.00
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.
Chronicling an America on wheels of change
By IANS,
(IANS Book Review)
Book: "Looking for America"; Author: Avirook Sen; Publisher: HarperCollins-India; Price: Rs.299
By Madhusree Chatterjee,
Kashmir, cancer, Buddha and writers – captured in print
By IANS,
New Delhi : The book cache this week is a mix of tomes that is thought-provoking as well as fun.
1. Book: "Nehru's Kashmir"; Compiled by Sati Sahni (photographer);
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 was keen to retain, and not evict, IBM in 1977: Book
By Arvind Padmanabhan, IANS,
New Delhi : Contrary to the general perception that India had forced US IT giant IBM to exit the country in 1977, evidence shows that the government was not only keen to retain the company but had also held secret parleys for that with the company's top brass in the US, says a new book.
The closed-door talks with IBM were piloted by the then Electronics Commission led by senior technocrat N. Seshagiri, says the detailed account of the IBM era in the book, entitled "The Long Revolution: The Birth and Growth of India's IT Industry".
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...
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
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...
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...
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
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
Books: ‘Communalism Explained! – A graphic Account’ launched
By TCN Special Correspondent,
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.
Why spirit can never be conquered (Book Review)
By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS,
Title: Living Courageously; Author: Lipa Rath; Publisher: Power Publishers; Pages: 116, Price: Rs.250.
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
Book review: Sufism: The Heart of Islam
By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net
Sufism is much misunderstood by both Muslims and non-Muslims alike. While Muslims think that Sufis are innovators in the religion and qabr-parast (grave worshipper) and therefore unacceptable, non-Muslims think that Sufism offers a peaceful alternative to violent face of Islam and therefore acceptable to them. The truth is somewhere between these two extremes and as Sadia Dehlvi aptly states in her book “Sufism: The Heart of Islam” it is “the spiritual undercurrent that flows through Islam.”
Bebyda Khatun receives National Anganwadi award for 2011-12
By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,
Delhi: Bebyda Khatun, an Anganwadi worker, received the National Award for the year 2011-12 from the Minister of Women and Child...
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.
IIIT to be set up in Tripura
Agartala : An Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) would be set up in Tripura to encourage the youth to study job-oriented courses within...
In quest of a larger Bengali identity
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Book: "Land of Two Rivers: A History of Bengal from the Mahabharata to Mujib"; Author: Nitish Sengupta; Publisher: Penguin India; Price: Rs.650; Pages: 639
‘Religious Identity has never been a barrier for acquiring knowledge in India’
By Syed Muhammad Raghib and Abhay Kumar for TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: Akhlaque Ahan is an associate professor of Persian...
Nostalgia, homeopathy, advertising on book shelf
By IANS,
New Delhi : Narratives, dramas and the good life -- the book cart this week is a delight for those with a dreamy side.
Sonia achieved double win in 2004, says ‘biography’ author
New Delhi : Congress president Sonia Gandhi achieved a "double win" in 2004 by choosing Manmohan Singh to be prime minister as she silenced...
Ghalib’s haveli
Text and photos by Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net
hoga koi aisa bhi ke Ghalib ko na jaane
shayar to voh achha hai pe badnaam bahut hai
Will there be any one who doesn’t know Ghalib;
though he is a good poet but ill-reputed.
This is what Mira Asadullah Khan ‘Ghalib’ [1797-1869] said about himself. Known by his pen-name, Ghalib is the most famous Urdu poet of all times. His popularity continues to win him fans from each generation.
Spirituality, fiction and business on bookshelf
By IANS,
New Delhi : This weekend, the bookshelf explores some profound truths of life. Browse with IANS.
Nariman’s ‘Before Memory Fades’ is bestseller again
By IANS,
New Delhi : "Before Memory Fades" by Fali S. Nariman again topped the non-fiction section of the bestseller list this week while Amish Tripathi's "The Immortals of Meluha" was number one in the fiction category.
The top 10 bestsellers in each category are:
Non-fiction
1. "Before Memory Fades"
Author: Fali S. Nariman
Publisher: Hay House
Price: Rs.599.00
2. "Leela: A Patchwork Life"
Author: Leela Naidu & Jerry Pinto
Publisher: Penguin Viking
Price : Rs.450.00
3. "Birds & Butterflies of Delhi"
Author: Mehran Zaidi
Where to take the kids? Now you know
By Paloma Ganguly, IANS,
Book: "Must for Mums Delhi"; Author Rina Mehta; Publisher: Oxford and IBH; Price: Rs.210
Summer is upon us and, in no time, so will the school holidays be. So, all Delhi moms - and exceptional dads - who are beginning to sweat at the thought of keeping the children busy, here's an idea: go buy this handbook.
Having done the rounds of Mumbai and Bangalore, the latest in the "Must For Mums" series now comes packed with information on what the Indian capital and its satellite towns have to offer to their kids.
UAE children read over million books in charity campaign
By Aroonim Bhuyan, IANS,
Dubai : The count is out. And a total of 1,323,218 books were read by children between the ages of three and 14 in the course of a two-week campaign in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) aimed at helping the education of children in developing nations.
What is that again, you would say.
Well, the idea is simple, novel, challenging, innovative and exemplary.
After Holocaust, next book on US election: Sam Bourne
By Azera Rahman, IANS,
New Delhi : Renowned author and British journalist Jonathan Freedland - whose pen name is Sam Bourne - plans to weave his next book around the US election campaign.
Having covered the polls this time when Barack Obama had his historic victory, he has enough matter in his hands to pad up his next bestseller.
"I am writing this in Chicago, after seeing Obama celebrate his election as president of the United States. My next novel will be set during a US election campaign," Freedland, 41, told IANS in an e-mail interview.
Pamuk, Desai top bestselling authors again
By IANS,
New Delhi : Meghnad Desai's "The Rediscovery of India" continued to dominate the non-fiction section of the bestseller list this week while "The Museum of Innocence" by Nobel prize winner Orhan Pamuk retained the No.1 position in the fiction category.
The top 10 in each category are:
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
#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...
Vivid tale of Guyana and its nostalgic Indians
By Shubha Singh, IANS,
Book: "The Sly Company of People Who Care"; Author: Rahul Bhattacharya; Publisher: Picador; Price: Rs.495, Pages: 280.
Book Review: A Necessary Engagement—Reinventing America’s Relations With the Muslim World
By Yoginder Sikand, TwoCircles.net,
Name of the Book: A Necessary Engagement—Reinventing America’s Relations With the Muslim World
Author: Emile A. Nakhleh
Publisher: Princeton University Press, Princeton & Oxford
Year: 2009
Pages: 162
Price:
ISBN: 978-0-691-13525-0
Reviewed by: Yoginder Sikand
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.
Celebrating women’s power through extraordinary tales
(March 8 is International Women's Day)
A woman's ability to fight back is her biggest strength. As we will celebrate the many facets of women ahead of International Women's Day that falls March 8, the IANS book stack offers you extraordinary tales of triumph and memories. Take a look.
Fairy tales and religious myths not good for children?
By IANS,
London : It is a form of child abuse to teach religious myths to young children who are also likely to suffer negatively by reading tales of witchcraft and wizardry like Harry Potter, argues Britain's leading atheist and popular science writer, Richard Dawkins.
Dawkins is planning to conduct research on both the themes as he believes that while fairy tales may impact on children's rationality, they should be cautioned against "unscientific" religious myths.
Follow nature’s trail to solve universe’s mystery: Scientist-author
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : If the universe seems mysterious to you, try becoming a 'cosmic detective'! For, nature has left behind many clues to unravel its mystery, says US-based award-winning scientist Mani Bhaumik who has just penned a children's novel on the subject.
"The study of the universe is a mystery - fortunately nature has left behind some telltale clues around us and like a detective we can pick up the clues and follow the trail to solve the mystery," Bhaumik told IANS in an informal chat in the capital.
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.
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.
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...
Rana Dasgupta’s new novel about failed man, failed nation
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : It could well be a leaf out of "One Hundred Years of Solitude" or even "Arabian Nights", say critics. British Indian writer Rana Dasgupta's new novel, "Solo", is about the life and daydreams of a 100-year-old man.
Slated for release in India in February 2009 by Harper Collins, the book is not set in the fictional Macondo as in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's magnum opus, but in war-torn Bulgaria of the early 20th century.
Book on legendary Indian singer Tansen published in Poland
By EuAsiaNews,
Warsaw : After the publication of a number of books on Urdu poetry in Polish in the last four years, now a book on legendary Indian classical singer Tansen has hit the stalls in Poland's capital.
Tansen regarded as one of the greatest classical singers of medieval times during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar prompted Janusz Krzyzowski, a well-known Polish Indologist to write a book on him.
Previous winners of the Nobel Peace Prize since 1998
By DPA,
Stockholm : The Nobel Peace Prize is regarded as the top award for efforts towards a more peaceful world and prominent laureates include Mother Teresa (1979), the Dalai Lama (1989) and Nelson Mandela (1993).
The award is handed out by a committee of the Norwegian parliament and the winners since 1998, including the citations given by the academy, were:
2008 - Martti Ahtisaari, Finnish ex-president and veteran peace broker was awarded the prize, with the Nobel Committee citing his efforts to solve conflicts on several continents and over three decades.
Islamic finance, Bollywood and S.D. Burman
The roots of Islamic finance lie in the foundations of Islam and Sharia law, fragmented memories of musician and composer S.D.Burman's life and interesting titbits from the lives of Bollywood directors: the IANS bookshelf this week is buzzing with stories from different genres. Take a look.
1. Book: Decoding Bollywood: Stories of 15 Film Directors; Author: Sonia Golani; Publisher: Westland; Pages: 185; Price: Rs. 250
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,...
Two Muslims writers selected for Sahitya Akademi Award 2015
By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
New Delhi : Two Muslim writers have been selected among others representing 23 Indian languages for this...
Rukmini Devi breached gender barriers through Bharatanatyam
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Book: Rukmini Devi - A Life; Author: Leela Samson; Publisher: Penguin-Viking; Price: Rs.500.
In 1935 Rukmini Devi brought the ancient dance form Sadir, later known as Bharatanatyam, back to life on the Indian stage with a performance in Chennai. Sadir till then had been confined to the temple precincts and was the 'preserve' of devdasis.
The renowned Bharatanatyam danseuse established her dance school, Kalakshetra, in Chennai the following year - an example of women's empowerment, lending them a voice at a time when culture was a male bastion.
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...
Dr.Ambedkar’s views on minority rights, democracy and Hindu majoritarianism
By Badre Alam & Sanjay Kumar for TwoCircles.net
Editors: Prof. Christophe Jaffrelot and Dr Narender Kumar
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Pages: 263
Price (Hardbound): Rs 850
Professor Christophe Jaffrelot...
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.
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.