Strange Burdens
Sugata Srinivasaraju
Penguin Random House
Pp 336, Rs 699
Strange Burdens is not a biography but a book of political commentary. It examines and analyses Rahul Gandhi’s ideas and leadership since he officially entered politics in March 2004. The narrative here crawls across two decades with the intention of understanding Rahul Gandhi’s politics and predicaments, confusions and contradictions, triteness and triumph, as well as his burdens and benignity.
Unsealed Covers
Gautam Bhatia
HarperCollins
Pp 496, Rs 699
The 2014 election saw the installation of the first majority non-coalition government in decades. The 2019 election saw its return with a greater majority. It is commonly accepted that the NDA years have generated significant contestation within and around various democratic institutions meant to act as checks and balances against majoritarian executive power. One important area of contestation has been the judiciary, particularly the SC.
On the Edge
Ruth Vanita
Penguin Random House
Pp 272, Rs 599
On the Edge is a collection of short stories and extracts from novels centred on the theme of same-sex desire, translated from the original Hindi. The 16 stories featured in the book include classic works by Asha Sahay, Premchand, Ugra, Rajkamal Chaudhuri, Geetanjali Shree, Sara Rai and Rajendra Yadav, among others. It shifts the focus on stories and characters who have, for far too long, remained in the shadows and brings them (and us) into the light.
Bantering with Bandits and Other True Tales of India
Annie Zaidi
Aleph Book Co
Pp 264, Rs 499
This book is a collection of essays that draws upon reportage, travel and personal history. The author looks back over a decade of experience as a reporter covering stories as diverse as the decline of the dacoit menace in Chambal; starvation, particularly among the Sahariyas of MP, and weavers in UP who have lost their livelihood; and discovering that the desperate poverty in Punjab has the underpinnings of an explosive caste dynamic, etc.
Cockatoo
Yashraj Goswami
Pan Macmillan
Pp 256, Rs 499
Twelve captivating stories bound by an unwavering desire for liberation. An unnamed young man trapped within his own existence yearns to escape his plights. Neera, a woman who is getting on in years, embarks upon an unexpected ride down memory lane, sparked by the lively ramblings of her cab driver. The hazy lines between love and friendship perplex Rishabh, an engineering student, catapulting him towards a life-altering decision.
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