Soul And Sword
Hindol Sengupta
Penguin Random House
Pp 352, Rs 599
The book traces the journey of political Hinduism from events that are critical to its self-narration, that is, early Indian resistance to invasions, to intellectual definitions by 19th-century litterateurs and more contemporary electoral politics. It tries to understand the context and historical sources used to construct and promote political Hinduism’s world view.
Tyranny of the Minority
Steven Levitsky & Daniel Ziblatt
Penguin Random House
Pp 384
In this razor-sharp analysis, the authors offer a coherent new framework for understanding the dangerous times we live in. They draw on a wealth of examples—from the Capitol riots to Edwardian Britain, from 1930s France to present-day Thailand—to explain why political parties turn against democracy, and how to see when this will happen. They offer an urgent warning about right-wing efforts to undermine the very foundations of the American political system. Multiracial democracy is something few societies have ever achieved—but even the prospect of this change can spark an authoritarian backlash whose dangerous effects will resonate long into the future.
Emilie and Subhas
Krishna Bose
Niyogi Books
Pp 104, Rs 295
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s relationship with his wife, Emilie Schenkl, is one of the least-known aspects of the leader’s life. Emilie was especially close to Netaji’s nephew Sisir Kumar Bose, whom she first met in Vienna in the late 1940s, and after his marriage in December 1955 she also formed a close friendship with his wife Krishna. This book, illustrated with 48 photographs from archives and family albums, is a unique record of Emilie’s life of fortitude and her love story.
What You Are Looking for is in the Library
Michiko Aoyama
Penguin Random House
Pp 204
For fans of The Midnight Library and Before the Coffee Gets Cold, this feel-good Japanese book shows how the perfect book recommendation can change a life. What are you looking for? So asks Tokyo’s most enigmatic librarian, Sayuri Komachi. But she is no ordinary librarian. Sensing exactly what someone is searching for in life, she provides just the book recommendation to help them find it. In this uplifting book, we meet five visitors to the library, each at a different crossroads.
Cool
Swapan Seth
Simon & Schuster
Pp 112, Rs 999
Cool is a book of lists that mirror the author Swapan Seth’s eclectic taste across categories—from boltholes to exotic hideaways. It is a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown.
All books available as e-books
