HT Picks: The most interesting books of the week
This week’s HT Picks includes a must-have volume for mountaineers, a book that will interest Bollywood fans, and the English translation of a courageous writer’s memoir
books Updated: Mar 09, 2018 21:37 IST
Hindustan Times
LEGENDARY MAPS FROM THE HIMALAYAN CLUB
The last 90 years have been a glorious period in Himalayan exploration. As explorers from across the globe have attempted to discover the Himalaya, the Himalayan Club has played a pioneering role in chronicling their expeditions for posterity. The accompanying maps, from the Himalayan Journal, are a historical treasure capturing various facets of exploration over time. Legendary explorations like Shipton and Tilman’s route into Nanda Devi Sanctuary, Maurice Herzog’s Annapurna ascent - the first to scale an 8,000 m peak - and Sir Chris Bonington’s exploring routes to Menluntse continue to arouse fascination to this day.
The last decades or two have witnessed fascinating explorations - trail to complete the century-old quest to trace the route of the mighty Brahmaputra river by Harish Kapadia, exploring the unknown Kunzang valley by Group Captain VK Sashindran, ascents and accident on Panch Chuli by AV Saunders and an ascent f Nilkanth by the west ridge by Martin Moran and many others. With some of the routes and climbs documented here yet to be repeated, this book is a tribute to the rich history of exploration and a treasure trove for aficionados.*
BIOSCOPE; A FRIVOLOUS HISTORY OF BOLLYWOOD IN 10 CHAPTERS
A non-linear, light-hearted roller coaster ride of a book, Bioscope presents a quirky history of Hindi cinema through unconventional, curated ‘lists’ that will delight diehard fans and novices alike.
Highlighting ten aspects that give Hindi films their distinctive flavour, the selections - of villainous types and hit pairs, genius compositions and unforgettable lyrics, memorable scripts and filmi fashion from the pre-Independence days right down o the present - pack in trivia, gossip, recommendations and deep insight.
By turns opinionated and emotional - and always superbly entertaining - Bioscope will inspire its readers to immerse themselves in the fascinating world of Hindi cinema.*
SPLIT; A LIFE
Taslima Nasrin is known for her powerful writing on women’s rights and uncompromising criticism of religious fundamentalism. This defiance on her part led to the ban on the Bengali original of this book by the Left Front in West Bengal as well as the Government of Bangladesh in 2003. Although the West Bengal government lifted the injunction after the ban was struck down by the Calcutta High court in 2005, Nasrin was eventually driven out of Kolkata and forced to expunge passages from the book, besides facing a four-million-dollar defamation lawsuit. Bold and evocative, Split: A Life opens a window to the experiences and works of one of the bravest writers of our times.*
*All copy from the book flap
