The Great Game in Afghanistan: Rajiv Gandhi, General Zia and the Unending War
By Kallol Bhattacherjee
This is a tragic tale of misunderstanding leading to betrayal, played against the background of a well-intentioned, highly-reputed, professional American diplomat, personally selected for the key, high-profile New Delhi posting by the then president of the United States, Ronald Reagan, being officially certified as ‘mentally deranged’ to cover up the deceit that led to a serious erosion in relations between the country the Ambassador, John Gunther Dean, represented and the country to which he was accredited.
In the Shadow of the Devi: Kumaon Of a land, a people, a craft
By ManjuKak Niyogi
The most detailed and carefully researched part of this book concentrates on the craft traditions of Kumaon, particularly wood carving. Kak has obviously spent a number of years delving into the aesthetics and lore of this important art form, which is gradually disappearing. The ornate windows, door frames and balconies that overlook the narrow streets of Almora and decorate remote village homes provide a contrast to the rustic simplicity of the architecture.
Life after MH370: Journeying Through A Void
By K.S. Narendran
How does one deal with the loss of a loved one when there is no knowledge of the what, how and why? Three years after the Malaysian Airlines flight MH 370 disappeared, we are still left with these questions.
The Purveyors of Destiny: A Cultural Biography of the Indian Railways
By Arup K. Chatterjee
From horse-drawn carriages, palanquins and boats, over time man has moved to faster methods of travel—first the railways and finally air. Space travel too fires the imagination of the wander-lust soul and may one day become a reality.