Code Dependent
Madhumita Murgia
Pan Macmillan
Pp 336, Rs 699
What does it mean to be human in a world that is rapidly changing thanks to the development of AI, of automated decision-making that both draws on and influences our behaviour? Through the voices of ordinary people in places far removed from the cosy enclave of Silicon Valley, Code Dependent explores the impact of a set of powerful, flawed, and often exploitative technologies on individuals, communities, and society.
The Dilemma of an Indian Liberal
Gurcharan Das
Speaking Tiger Books
Pp 192, Rs 499
In order to elucidate the dilemma of the Indian liberal, Gurcharan Das recounts his own professional and intellectual journey: how and why he became a liberal. He also narrates the story of a nation struggling—still— to become a successful liberal democracy—the late promise and its seeming betrayal, but also the possibility of course correction. Written with insight and scholarship, this is an urgent and illuminating book.
Butter
Asako Yuzuki
HarperCollins
Pp 464, Rs 550
The book is inspired by the real-life case of Kanae Kijima, ‘The Konkatsu Killer’, a Japanese fraudster and serial killer convicted for poisoning three would-be husbands, and is an intense yet fascinating journey of a female protagonist. Drawing from its roots in Japanese culture, Butter by Asako Yuzuki offers a thought-provoking exploration of themes ranging from female liberation to the complexities of desire.
Bhang Journeys
Akshaya Bahibala
Speaking Tiger Books
Pp 176, Rs 299
From 1998 to 2008, Akshaya Bahibala was in the grip of bhang, or ganja—drinking it, smoking it, experiencing the highs and lows of an addict on Puri’s beaches with hippies, backpackers and drop-outs from France and Japan, Italy and Norway. Then he drew back from the edge and tried to make a life, working as a waiter, a salesman, a bookseller. He starts this journal-cum-travel book with startling, fragmented memories of his lost decade.
The Age of Heroes
Mukesh Manjunath
HarperCollins
Pp 208, Rs 399
The Age of Heroes looks at the historical-cultural factors that have produced cult heroes like NT Rama Rao, Chiranjeevi and Pawan Kalyan—and Vijayashanti, who embodies the concept of the female hero. With the growing popularity of Telugu films across the world, especially blockbusters like Bahubali and RRR, Mukesh Manjunath’s book is a timely and fascinating study of Telugu cinema, which entertains an audience close to 100 million globally.
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