A friend told me she tried reading it three times but couldn’t finish it. With those words echoing in my ears, I hesitantly downloaded Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude on my Kindle - determined to read it before watching the Netflix adaptation (which, they say, stays true to the book). Set in... Continue Reading →
My first brush with perfumes was not through my mother's vast collection of exotic-looking bottles but through my maternal grandmother. She was a deeply religious woman who would spend hours in prayer each morning. Her ritual began with bathing the gods that resided on a low table, adorning them in bright, shiny silks with intricate... Continue Reading →
One of the most endearing memories of my hometown that remains perpetually etched in my mind is of a Muslim man offering prayers at the entrance of a Hanuman temple on a hospital campus for the well-being of his family member. This occurred during a visit to Banaras, where my parents lived and worked at... Continue Reading →
🎉 Happy Birthday, Tintin! 📚✨ As I reflect on the day when the first Tintin comic series was published, I find myself transported back to the days of my childhood, where each adventure unfolded in vibrant panels, capturing my imagination. Today, I continue to savor Tintin's escapades, revisiting one comic book at a time. In... Continue Reading →
The magic of books captured my heart in childhood through the vibrant pages of Amar Chitra Katha stories, opening the gateway to a lifelong literary voyage. Those early encounters with mythical tales, and their captivating illustrations, sowed the seeds of my fascination with narratives that transcend time and culture. It was a portal that transported... Continue Reading →
The idea of first lines in literature has always intrigued me, they are like the opening notes of a raga, a teaser of an ad campaign, or a movie trailer. First lines set the tone for what readers can anticipate, serving as gateways to the rich imaginative worlds – a promise of the journey ahead... Continue Reading →
The Nutmeg’s Curse, written by the master storyteller Amitav Ghosh, can be aptly described as an epic spice journey – an exploration of climate change told through the lens of a small fragrant nut. Continuing the narrative of a planet in crisis from his previous work, The Great Derangement, he takes us on an enthralling... Continue Reading →
Book 1 - 2023 Kohinoor - The Story of the World’s Most Infamous Diamond - William Dalrymple and Anita Anand The ownership controversy erupts every time there is a chance of public sighting of this infamous diamond. And with the coronation of the new King of England, it was appropriate to dive deep into the... Continue Reading →
One famous author recently announced the print date of his new book, 4th in the series. While the book release is still some time away, the pre-orders have already opened. And it was pretty heartening to note that pre-orders started with independent book stores. For the last few years, most of the pre-orders of books... Continue Reading →
Written by a journalist author who is loved and hated in equal measure by the public, who courts controversies through his written words, the book The Twice-Born by Aatish Taseer is probably last in the series of both his fiction and non-fiction writings inspired by Indian subcontinent. A book based on my hometown Banaras, the... Continue Reading →
"But I too hate long books: the better, the worse. If they're bad they merely make me pant with the effort of holding them up for a few minutes. But if they're good, I turn into a social moron for days, refusing to go out of my room, scowling and growling at interruptions, ignore weddings... Continue Reading →
A little late to the party, but I loved the book The Ride Of A Lifetime by Robert Iger of Walt Disney fame. The Ride Of A Lifetime is not just a memoir of Iger's professional journey but also of his life's lessons and experiences. And he shares it all - if you want a... Continue Reading →
