Book Releases Oct Nov 17
In a foreign land, by chance
Author: Soma Das
Publisher: Niyogi Books
(Pp 144, ISBN: 978-81-933935-1-2, Rs 295)
The story refers to the Naxalbari period in India, and is situated in the communist Czechoslovakia of 1974 when the iron curtain was still hanging heavy. The resentment of the Crech people to their ruler’s language drew my attention to the handful who dreamt of writing in English in India.
Asian defence review 2017
Author: Vinod Patney
Publisher: KW Publishers Pvt Ltd
(Pp 277, ISBN: 978-93-86288-59-2, Rs 1,080)
The security challenges to a nation have entered an era of unremitting unpredictability and complexity and are being further exacerbated by violent transnational extremism, globalisation, proliferation of technology and by rogue powers. Against this backdrop of a dynamic, ever-evolving, and changing global geopolitical landscape we must eschew traditional beliefs and bring in the concept of convergence to centre stage.
The Patityagramanirnaya A puranic history of some brahman communities
Author: Stephan Hillyer Levitt
Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers
(Pp 485, ISBN: 978-81-208-4097-3, Rs 795)
The edition and translation here was done at the suggestion of Ludo Rocher shortly after he came to teach at the University of Pennsylvania. It treats communities of polluted brahmanas of untouchable status in the Karnataka region of South India. Such groups, however, can be found throughout India with surprising frequency.
India-China border trade A case study of sikkim’s nathu la
Author: Eram Fatma
Publisher: KW Publishers Pvt Ltd.
(Pp 135, ISBN: 978-93-86288-63-9, Rs 400)
Border trade between India and China was closed shortly before the India-China war of 1962. On 16 December 1991, India and China signed a memorandum of understanding on resumption of Border Trade. It was decided initially it would be carried out at one point across the Uttar Pradesh-Tibet border through the Lipulekh pass. This was followed by the reopening of Border Trade in 1992. Two years down the line a second trading point was reopened across Himachal Pradesh-Tibet border through the Shipki La. Later in 2006, Hathu La pass was reopened in Sikkim as per the agreement signed between India and China in 2003.
This work deals primarily with the nature of the border trade across the Nathu La, the expectations the people had from it, and humble for suggestions for attaining them.
The Trade Game: Engaging with Central Asia
Author: Amiya Chandra
Publisher: Pentagon Press, New Delhi
(Pp 326, ISBN: 9789386618092, Rs 995)
This book is a revised extension of the previous edition, India-Central Asia Relations: The Economic Dimension, and delves deeper into the complex and intricate geopolitical, security and economic relationship of India with Central Asia. India considers Central Asia as its “extended neighbourhood”, and has taken various initiatives like “Connect Central Asia” and full membership of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), and views Central Asian Republics (CARs) as an answer to India’s multiple objectives: (a) to maintain its political influence in the region; (b) fulfil India’s energy requirements; (c) to develop a meaningful economic and trade relationship; and (d) contribute in CARs development by expanding its bouquet of goods and services exports in areas where they benefit mutually.
India: Pre and Post-Independence, Indo-China War and Beyond
Author: Major Krishna Chandra Johorey IAS (Retd)
Publisher: Pentagon Press, New Delhi
(Pp 274, ISBN: 9789386618085, Rs 995)
This book is an account of author Johorey’s extraordinary journey of service life, which inspired his younger fellow Bengal Sapper, General Banerjee, to record it in the form of this book. Staying clear of personal matters, this book is a narrative of public events participated by Johorey spanning the period of the late 1930s to mid-1980s. Practitioners of political science, public administration and history would find this book particularly fascinating when events and episodes unknown so far are revealed in its pages. Even for general readers, the narrative would reveal so much more than meets the eye.
The plays of Sankaradeva
Author: Yashodhara Medhi
Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited
(Pp 502, ISBN: 978-81-208-4094-2, Rs 795)
This book gives a faithful representation of the texts of all the six plays of Sankaradeva, in transliteration along with their English translation for the first time.
Saakshi The witness
Author: SL Bhyrappa
Publisher: Niyogi Books
(Pp 447, ISBN: 978-81-933935-5-0, Rs 595)
Saakshi uses the Puranas and Vedanta as well as Gandhian concepts to discuss the meaning of truth and its distortions through greed, sexuality and desire. This powerful novel questions what it means to be a witness – in a courtroom, before the gods, to the lives of others, or finally to one’s self.
The New Girl
Author: Srividhya Venkat
Illustrator: Sayan Mukherjee
Publisher: Pratham Books
(Pp 12, ISBN: 978-93-8665-296-6, Rs 35)
There’s a girl in Mira’s class. Everyone calls her names because she looks ‘different.’ But does everyone has to be the same?
So said the wise
Author: Ashok Dilwali
Publisher: Niyogi Books
(Pp 161, ISBN: 978-81-933935-2-9, Rs 495)
So Said the Wise is a collection of inspirational thoughts from some of India’s greatest minds, combined with stunning photographs. The visionaries included come from many different walks of life, and, by virtue of their scholarship and erudition, have left indelible impressions on our country and indeed on the world.
Too Big! Too Small!
Author/Illustrator: Lavanya Karthik
Publisher: Pratham Books
(Pp 12, ISBN 978-93-8665-268-3, Rs 35)
Shanu is too big for Ammi to lift her. And too small to go to school alone. Take a look at this small story and find out if you are too small to read this book or too big for someone to read it out to you!
Stories With a Difference From the Bhagvata Purana
Author: JP Vaswani
Publisher: Gita Publishing House
The Year 2017 started as Centenary Year of the author, Rev Dada JP Vaswani, who has written more than 100 books in his life span. This is another book from his treasure trove.
The Haunted Library
Author: Tanya Kirk
Publisher: Niyogi Books
(ISBN 978-93-85285-75-2, Rs 450)
Dire warnings transmitted through the pages of an old Bible; a schoolboy imprisoned by a mysterious bookseller; libraries that hide unspeakable secrets; books that control or even possess their readers. The Haunted Library is a new collection of classic ghost stories from the golden age of the genre in the early twentieth century. Each of these stories reveals the arcane secrets and dark psychic traces to be found in occult books, shadowy libraries and other treasure troves of hidden knowledge. Includes work by major figures such as MR James alongside writers – such as Elizabeth Bowen – who are better known as literary novelists.
Jap Sahib: An Interpretation
Author: JP Vaswani
Publisher: Gita Publishing House
Sadhu Vaswani’s lucid, verse-by-verse commentary, explaining the Wisdom enshrined in the immortal verses of Guru Nanak Dev’s Japji Sahib.
Without Prejudice:Epic Tale of a Mumbai Bar Dancer
Author: Devasis
Publisher: Niyogi Books
(ISBN: 978-93-85285-65-3, Rs 450)
Is a woman’s body her own? How far does her freedom extend? What can she do when social traditions, laws of the land and above all, prejudices of individuals, bind her down; make her a slave to her own identity and turn her into a commodity to be bought and sold? How can she turn back the tidal wave of social events set loose by the origins and consequences of various social traditions? These and other questions rise in the mind of the reader who navigates the pages of the novel and follows the life of Pallavi, through her eyes and the eyes of the two men who play pivotal roles in her odyssey – Rajkumar and Roy, characters the author has lovingly sketched, as he takes the reader through a journey in time.
The Driftwood
Author: Pratima Srivastav
Publisher: Niyogi Books
(ISBN 978-93-85285-74-5)
The Driftwood is a sensitive portrayal of the trauma the Joshi family undergoes while carrying on with the mundane task of day-to-day living burying deep the memories of an irreplaceable loss. Running alongside is the life of their neighbours and good friends Dr Arvind and his wife Yashoda who battle the empty nest syndrome only to discover greater heights of callousness and selfishness of their son and the unexpected graciousness of a total stranger. A gripping tale of everyday and not-so-everyday happenings told in a simple lucid style that keeps the reader glued on to the book till the last page.
The Doll that Bommakka Made
Authors: Sheela Preuitt and Praba Ram
Illustrator: Debasmita Dasgupta
Publisher: Pratham Books
(Pp 12, ISBN 978-93-8665-263-8, Rs 35)
This charming cumulative tale celebrates the tradition of hand-crafted dolls, inspired by the South Indian Thanjavur Thalai Atti Bommai. Starting with a little ball of clay, we see the fine dancing doll grow before our eyes. The rhythmic descriptive words, stacked in a delightfully repetitive way, invite children to chant along. The vibrant illustrations complete the vivid imagery.
Comments are closed.