What a riveting read this well-researched, well-written book is – and, by the way, let me give you its full title, before we go any further: “If – The Untold Story of Kipling’s American Years.” Mr. Benfey shines a light on the years that Rudyard Kipling and his young family …
What a delight it is to meet up again with Captain Sam Wyndham of the Calcutta CID and his Sergeant and friend, Surrender-Not Banerjee. There are 2 story lines in “Death in the East”, going back and forth between London in 1905 and Assam in 1922. 1905 forms the back-story …
Oh, the joy of discovering that the ace investigating team of Inspector Chopra (retd) and his trusty sidekick, Ganesh, the baby elephant, are back in business. This 4th adventure of this crack Mumbai team is every bit as delightful as the preceding novels. Like every reader, I’m quite sure, I …
The Billionaire Raj, a “journey through India’s new gilded age” as the cover promises, is a totally engrossing read. It is especially fascinating for Indian residents, like myself, but Mr. Crabtree writes in such an inclusive way that even people unfamiliar with this extraordinary country will be informed, entertained and …
I first read this extraordinary book about the state of one of India’s most sacred rivers a year ago, and was bowled over by the research as well as the empathy the writer shows towards India. Although lamenting the damage done to the Ganga/Ganges – this most holy & revered …
What a joy this biography is. An absolute delight to read and oh-so interesting to learn about a fascinating historical figure, about whom I was – admission time – hitherto woefully ignorant. The life of Farzana, known as Begum Samru, is a classic rags-to-riches story, told with verve and much …
Having just read “This United State”, moving straight to “Dragonfire” was another disturbing look at what could happen in the ambitious world of politics in which we live. What made this book even more fascinating is that it centres on a part of the world where I live, Asia, and …
For those of you who don’t know me, I’m not much of a cook. Translation: I hardly know how to boil an egg. So I am totally not the kind of person to seek out cookbooks, but “Masala Dhaba” is totally different. Trust me. Firstly, it is written by Michael …
“Like an old man, which I am, I found myself yearning for the time, no, not the time, for the life that has gone by. Not my own biological, chronological life, but the life of the place where I was born.” These words, written by a distinguished Hindi author, Vishwanath, …
