Pan Macmillan India’s Post

“It is like democracies, perhaps, that while visionaries are sometimes necessary to make them, once made they can be managed by mediocrities.” from india after gandhi by Ramchandraguha. The book primarily discusses the period from 1947 to the early 2000s. Initially, I wasn't that motivated to go through this 800-page - mammoth book. However, captivating writing and explaining topics in detail made me indulge in it. For those who don't like reading history (including me), this book is worth it for a short. The author has maintained decency for an average reader through his simple and easy-to-get language. What do I think? -) Though the author has maintained objectivity throughout the whole book when there is conflict between the minority and majority author mostly sided with the minority. -) The author has covered the north-east region which is not that often in post-independence books. -) I think Guha has unequivocally praised Jawaharlal Nehru, and the whole book revolves around only one family. -) Any book you read, it is common that you remember that unforgettable remark or quotation even if decades have passed, from this book it is that, Nehru was bald and started losing hair by their early 20s, I never knew he was bald. Though this is not an earth-shattering discovery, but, it came as a shock. I swear school books don't come halfway.

#RedReadingHub has chosen a gripping mystery set in contemporary India #BringingBackKayKay #DevKothari #WalkerBooksUK for #fiction book of the day - it’s reviewed over on the blog

📚 Available Now! Dive into the thematic brilliance of "The Novels of Arun Joshi: Thematic Patterns" by Dr. Shalini Singh. 📘 Explore the profound ideas and artistic mastery of one of India's leading novelists in English, Arun Joshi. 📖 This insightful analysis delves into Joshi's preoccupation with the dilemmas of twentieth-century humanity and their repercussions. #AstitvaPrakashan #ArunJoshi #ThematicPatterns #AvailableNow #LiteraryAnalysis #IndianNovelists #MustRead #BookRelease #LiteraryCriticism #Bookworms #IndianLiterature

Watch my latest video where I am reviewing Arun Shourie's book "The COmmissioner of Lost Causes". Arun Shourie's book takes readers back to a time of great upheaval in Indian politics. It chronicles the political events of the era, from the Emergency to the rise of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. It exposes the dark truths of bureaucracy and politicians. It also shows how even the biggest and most important events can be the result of someone's mistake. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in Indian politics. It is a well-researched and well-written account of a turbulent period in Indian history. Shourie is a sharp critic of the Indian government, and his book is no exception. He does not shy away from exposing the corruption and incompetence of the bureaucracy and politicians. The book is also a cautionary tale. It shows how even the best-laid plans can go awry when people are driven by greed and ambition. Watch this video, discuss it, and let me know if you want to discuss any other book. https://lnkd.in/gdy3877N

Sharing this wonderful review of The Somnath Cipher. The feeling when your words finds their way to readers who enjoy the world they build is truly special. #TheSomnathCipher #FollowmetoSomnath #TreasuresofIndia #TempleTreasure

This is one of the many fine lines all festivals tread. Unless backed by Big Money/Institution/Individual (which come with their own vested interests), the sponsor focus is on big numbers for a litfest to even take off the ground. Well, how does one do that in (economically) smaller geographies? It's not a major leap of logic to see why some festivals might lose sight of literature & authors while curating their festivals. The constant fight for survival will do that to you. What might help is to have the right advisors and voices within OCs to make sure that wisdoms prevails in curation process. This is something we've tried to do at Almora Literature Festival with a lot of help from Sunita Pant Bansal and Romola Butalia, among others. Do take a look at Almora Literature Festival and let us know (in the DMs, of course) how we're doing!

Content warning: Swear words! ~ The T-Junction ~ A new poem about existential angst, a calf, and me. And yes, summer in Delhi. Please do not read if you find swear words offensive. https://lnkd.in/gUshq46u #poem #poetry #existentialism #existentialangst #philosophy #reflection #literature

🎂 Literary Birthday Alert: Martin Amis 📚 As we approach August, let's celebrate the birthday of one of Britain's most provocative and stylistically brilliant novelists - Late Martin Amis (born August 25, 1949). Amis's 1995 novel "The Information" is a masterclass in satirical prose and a scathing exploration of literary rivalry. Here's why it's worth revisiting: 📖 Title: The Information ✍️ Author: Martin Amis 📅 Published: 1995 🔍 Genre: Literary Fiction/Satire Key Themes: Professional jealousy The price of success (and failure) Midlife crisis in the literary world In our competitive professional landscape, Amis's razor-sharp observations on ambition, envy, and the pursuit of recognition feel more relevant than ever. Notable Quote: 1) "Success revamps you. It must keep you young. Because failure sure makes you old." 2)Last line of the book: "And then there is the information, which is nothing, and comes at night." Other Quotes: "Writers don't lead shapely lives. Shape they give to the lives of others: accountants, maniacs." "Every century we get smaller." "The world was this passage." "They are competing for something there is only one of: the universal." "Success revamps you. It must keep you young. Because failure sure makes you old." "Listening is good, he thought; listening is always good." "All writers, all book people, were Labour, which was one of the reasons why they got on so well, why they didn't keep suing each other and beating each other up." "American resolve, which is like no other resolve, not the steeliest, quite, but always saying that their right to it need never be examined." "We all have names we don't know about and don't want to hear." "We are agreed—come on: we are agreed—about beauty in the flesh. Consensus is possible here." Have you read "The Information" or any of Amis's works? How do you think his insights apply to today's career world? #MartinAmis #LiteraryBirthday #CareerInsights #ProfessionalDevelopment

#bookreview The Somnath Cipher. A book that I bought BLIND. I visited Kunzum Penguin Publishing Group and they had mystery books wrapped in brown paper with only a small description. Bought it to find The Somnath Cipher by Priyanka Narain I would call her The Indian Dan Brown. That’s the feeling I had when I started this book, and when I completed it. She is an investigative reporter on religion and the business of religion and she mixes it up well to deliver an unputdownable historical fiction. The lines blur to me as a reader - what is fact, what is fiction. So many locations, vividly described. It starts with the attack of Mahmud Ghazni and how he plunders the city and temples of Somnath. From there it moves front and back, and side to side, with at least three parallel threads keeping us glued. Do pick up a copy. What I loved were some phrases that I take back into business and writing. 1.  Either be an expert, or have deep connections with experts!!! The expert circle. 2. A half formed idea of a hug hung in the air !!! That awkward pause when you meet someone after a long time and don’t know whether to shake hands, give a hug or a side hug! 3. How does one explain a joke!!!!? The travails of a dad joker! 4. Knowledge dressed in stories was easier to disseminate in a time without books. 5. The only choice you have is: What you choose to do with what has happened to you. 6. A lot of hindu mythology is science masquerading as mythology ! Science dressed up in stories to make it accessible. I hope someone comes up with the Somnath trail, like the one for The Da Vinci code! Jambuvanti caves, Rani ki Vav and other places mentioned in the book. Some parts of the book are incredulous, quite a few twists and suspects! Towards the end, I could not put the book down. Kudos to the author. The Somnath Cipher by Priyanka Narain. #books #reader #leader #outlier