Hi all,
As we get assaulted every day with more and more disparaging news, its time to take a break! As schools finish the first round of assessments, it is time to take an Olympic size break, and celebrate the human spirit!
Some lovely books celebrating the Olympic spirit, some quizzes, some introducing our stars at the Games, it is time to re-introduce our children to the endurance of the human spirit.
For those of you interested in development issues and how our Shining India is impacting political and ecological sustainability here’s a Saturday evening Panel discussion. “Churning the Earth- The Making of Global India” is a book written by Ashish Kothari and Aseem Shrivatsava (we reviewed it in our last mailer – http://www.twistntales.blogspot.in/2012/07/read-while-we-all-wait-for-rain.html A panel discussion with Mr. Ravi Pandit, Mr. Rajas Parchure and Mr. G.M. Pillai will be held at ICC Towers, on the 4th of Aug, Saturday from 5 to 8pm. Check our blog (http://twistntales.blogspot.in/2012/07/churning-earth-event-at-icc-towers.html) for event details. The discussion being organized by Centre for Environment Education (www.ceeindia.org) , Parisar (www.parisar.org) , Janwani ( www.janwani.org) , Manthan, MCCIA and Kalpavriksh (www.kalpavriksh.org) promises to be lively and interesting. Both the authors will be present and will take part in the panel discussion. The book is available at twistntales and will also be available at the venue.
Meanwhile, at the Store, lots of new books, new titles in Amar Chitra Katha (including new titles on Dr.Salim Ali and Tenzing Norgay) – fans of ACK, please rush – Naren, are you reading this? Also, new titles in our Tulika and Pratham collection. Lakshmi and other teachers at Akansha, TFI foundation, Doorstep School, lots of new titles, in English, Hindi and also in Marathi – this is a good time to come to pick for your classes.
Apart from that, an eclectic collection of titles in Cinema, Social Sciences and Feminist writings from Stree, Orient Blackswan, Women Unlimited etc. Do come in and check it out!
And of course, in twistntales tradition, some WOW books ;-)
Some new and news-making books reviewed for you:
‘Turning Points: A Journey Through Challenges’ by A.P.J Abdul Kalam @ Rs.199/- (pgs 181)
A.P.J Abdul Kalam, our Bharat Ratna, is also a prolific author. His book Wings of Fire has sold more than a million copies and what is more heartening is that it has made a positive impact in the lives of many Indians, helping them change their lives for the better. The story of Turning Points takes off from where Wings of Fire ended. It brings together details from his career and Presidency which are not generally known as he speaks out for the first time on certain points of controversy. Kalam states that he writes because his story echoes the concerns, anxieties and aspirations of many Indians. And it is true because he too started his life from the lowest step like any one of us, and from a job as a senior scientific assistant gradually his responsibilities increased till he finally became the President of India in 2002. Turning Points originated when while going through his daily diary, Kalam noticed that there had been seven turning points or challenges that he faced and overcame to be India’s foremost leader and visionary.
‘Pax Indica: India and the World of the 21st Century’ by Shashi Tharoor @ Rs. 799/- (pgs 448)
In this lively, informative and insightful book, Tharoor surveys India’s International interests and explains that as a major power India can and must play a role in helping shape the global order. He demonstrates how in the international system of 21st century, with it’s networked partnership, India is well qualified to help write rules and define norms that will guide tomorrows world. He studies India’s major international relations in detail, evokes the country’s soft power and offers his thoughts on a new ‘grand strategy’ for the nation, arguing that India must move beyond its primary focus of domestic development/transformation to assume global responsibility. The book is named Pax Indica, not for global domination like Pax Romana, but a ‘Pax’ for the 21st century, a peace system which will help promote and maintain a period of cooperative coexistence in its region and across the world. Stimulating and engaging Pax Indica is a must-read for students and professional alike.
‘Physics of the Future – The inventions that will transform our lives’ by Michio Kaku @ Rs. 499/-
Internationally acclaimed physicist Dr. Michio Kaku holds the Henry Semat Chair in Theoretical Physics at the City University of New York. He is also a bestselling author of the books ‘Hyperspace’ and ‘Parallel Worlds’. Science plays a major role in shaping the future. Michio Kaku in his quest to understand all physical laws of the universe in a single coherent theory (inspired by Albert Einstein) and the desire to see the future he decided to talk to people who really know- the visionaries who are already inventing the future in their laboratories. Based on interviews with over 300 of the world’s top scientists, Kaku gives us an insider’s perspective on the scientific advances that are being achieved today. Soon we’ll be able to take elevators to space, have DNA scanners like the ones we saw yesterday in ‘Star Trek’ and change the shape of objects- and all still within the known laws of physics. A mind bending and fascinating book which doesn’t tell us the shape of things to come, but shows them as they are already happening.
‘Rajini’s Punchtantra: Business and Life Management The Rajinikanth Way’ by P. C. Balasubramanian and Raja Krishnamoorthy @ Rs. 95/- (pgs 124)
Rajinikanth’s punch lines hold a special place in the hearts of millions of people from different spectrums of life. In this book P.C. Balasubramanian (founder of Matrix Business Services India) and Raja Krishnamoorthy (director of TalentMaximus India) attempt to interpret some of Rajinikanth’s most famous punch lines and demonstrate how each of them can be adapted as a motto for any business model or in any situation in life! Using punch lines like ‘En vazhi thane vazhi’ (Translated as: My way is a unique way!) the authors highlight the relevance of Rajini’s punch lines in areas such as governance, leadership, motivation, responsibility, commitment and so on. A Management guide and an inspiring book with an innovative twist, Rajini’s Punchtantra highlights thirty mantras for business and life. So if you want to punch out all the troubles of business and life the Rajinikanth way, then this is the handbook for you!
‘Bhiwani Junction’ by Shamya Dasgupta @ Rs. 250/- (pgs 200)
Shamya Dasgupta’s love for Boxing has made him chase the story of the sport from Hisar and Howrah to Beijing and Bhiwani. Though he trained a little once upon a time, he was too afraid to actually fight a bout, but as a sports journalist even though he can’t be a boxer, he can write about it! He traces the roots of Boxing in India to Havana, Harlem and Haryana, where people are natural born boxers. He explains how Vijendra Singh’s Bronze medal in Beijing has changed the fortunes of an entire sport in India. But he questions whether it was Vijendra who transformed Indian boxing or his birthplace, Bhiwani? But even if boxing has emerged as a prevailing sport in India recently, it has had a long and meandering history filled with associations of nationalism and decades of Indian rule and misrule. There have been many boxing centers in the country beginning with Bombay and Calcutta. The Indian Army has had a long conflicted history with the sport. Blood, sweat, tears and a healthy dose of conspiracy: the story of Indian Boxing is dramatic and inspiring.
‘The Man Who Tried to Remember’ by Makarand Sathe (trns. by Shanta Gokhale)@ Rs. 399/- (pgs 237)
‘The Man Who Tried to Remember’ is humorous narrative of a man named Achyut Athavale, a retired economist and a well known figure in Pune. At one Public event things go horribly wrong when a speech given by Achyut causes a riot in the city. In despair he moves into a home for the elderly located in rural India. There Achyut leads a troubled and bizarre life. He suffers temporary memory loss and murders another inmate. While in the city the, Hindi film industry and several political figures campaign to assert Achyut’s innocence. ‘The Man Who Tried to Remember’ is a derisive and witty story, which explores the realms of causation and memory. Makarand Sathe is an architect by profession and has been writing plays, articles and films in Marathi for two decades. His Three-Volume Socio-Political History of Marathi Theatre was published to acclaim in 2010.
‘Sky Train: Tibetan Women on the Edge of History’ by Canyon Sam @ Rs.350/- (pgs 348)
Canyon Sam is a Chinese-American writer, performance artist and activist from San Francisco. While planning to stay in China for a year, she instead lived and traveled in Tibet until finally she reached Dharamsala, the Tibetan capital-in-exile. She was a grassroots activist in for Tibetan Independence in mid 1980s to early 1990s. The last six decades have been one of the most difficult periods Tibetans have ever faced. This book recounts Tibet’s recent past through the lives of four Tibetan women. It also makes the reader understand the pain of the experiences of those who lived through the nightmare of the imposition of the Chinese rule. It also shows us a striking image of Tibet as it has absorbed the impact of the new railway line from Beijing- referred to as the Sky Train- an event fraught with drawbacks and potential benefits. Not only does this book pay tribute to the courage and resilience of Tibetan Women and observing conditions in Lhasa but it also gives inspiration to others to hold strong against destructive emotions like anger and hatred.
‘Making News, Breaking News, Her Own Way’ Stories by winners of The Chameli Devi Jain Awards for Outstanding Women Mediapersons Ed. by Latika Padgaonkar & Shubha Singh @ Rs. 250/- (pgs 321)
The Indian media has witnessed exponential growth since the economic reforms in 1991. Deregulated growth, ongoing investments, and a flush of advertising released a pent up demand for more and varied media outlets in all languages and genres. One of the propagators of that process was the Indian woman media person who has surged ahead in numbers and professional excellence. ‘Making News, Breaking News, Her Own Way’ is about the lives and work of some of the most outstanding woman journalists of our time who redefined and gave a whole new meaning to what constitutes news, in terms of values and themes. From covering only flower shows and beauty pageants they have come a long way where no area is a forbidden territory. From all four corners of India, in different languages, these gallant women have exposed corruption, child labor, caste massacres and have fought against autocracies committed against women. The Chameli Devi Jain Awards for Outstanding Women Media Person have recognized and respected these simple and yet extraordinary women whose spectacular endeavors and stories have been a catalyst to change in our Society. The book comprises of compelling stories of reportage by journalists like Usha Rai, Barkha Dutt, Shahnaz Anklesaria Aiyar and India’s first women photographer, Homai Vyarawalla, who captured a whole era of great historical change through her lens.
‘Stupid Guy Goes to India’ – A graphic novel by Yukichi Yamamatsu @ Rs. 395/- (pgs 230)
‘Stupid Guy Goes to India’ is graphic novel by Yukichi Yamamatsu, based on his travels to India in 2004. Having never before left Japan the 56-year-old artist came to India equipped with his formidable art skills, a missionary zeal for spreading Japanese comic’s culture and a keen pair of eyes. Though he goes through hell, he comes very close to success in his madcap mission to sell Hindi translations of Samurai Manga on the mean bazaar streets of Delhi. ‘Stupid Guy Goes to India’ is adventurous, hilarious and brutally honest in looking at India as it presents itself to foreign visitors.
‘Great Arc – How India was mapped’ by John Keay @ Rs. 299/-
When pressed by the question of how Mt. Everest was named so, the author, John Keay’s research unraveled one of the greatest feats undertaken in history. Begun in 1800, the Great Indian Arc of the Meridian was the longest measurement earth’s surface ever to have been attempted. The survey, which spanned 1600 miles and was perfect to every inch, took fifty years to complete. It also cost more lives than most contemporary wars and involved equations more complex than any during the pre-computer age. It was a dangerous mission as it involved traveling through jungles, floods and surviving local epidemics. The greatest difficulty was in carrying the arc from the southern tip of India up to the frozen waters of the Himalayas. Originating from the minds of William Lambton and George Everest, this endeavor not only defined the geography of India as we know it today but also significantly increased our knowledge in understanding the shape of the earth.
‘Steve Jobs: Genius by Design’ (A Garphic novel) by Jason Quinn and Amit Tayal @ Rs 195/- (pgs 102)
Steve Jobs, the man who not only created the greatest computers but revolutionized the world of computers, movies, music and telecommunications. Campfire Graphics Novels, under their Heroes Section have published the story of how Steve Jobs changed the world we live in today. A fun read and equally enlightening on the story of passion, innovation and the creative genius of Steve Jobs.
‘Kitnay Aadmi Thay? : Completely Useless Bollywood Trivia’ by Diptakirti Chaudhari @ Rs. 275/- (pgs 301)
This is a book for Bollywood fans! If you love Disco Dancer or feel even a little chocked (or cry) while watching Amitabh die in Deewar or if you have film magazines from a decade back- then this is a book for you! This book has no index and is separated into eight logic-less sections which will blow your mind! Filled with almost 50 lists and 500+ entries, it is a dictionary of pointless Bollywood gyaan. And if ever you are missing your favorite Bollywood film- fast, action-packed, mad, full of colorful characters and a little bit of everything- then keep this book close.
‘Tamarind City: Where Modern India Began’ by Bishwanath Ghosh @ Rs. 295/-
‘What makes Chennai unique’, says Ghosh, ‘The marriage of tradition and technology’. In this city Tradition is worn around the year and at the same time it is a city which is modernized with industrial development and the standard of living. Ghosh wears a reporter’s cap and explores the city which he calls home. He roams around historic sites and neighborhoods and talks to a wide variety of people identifying the culture, the history and the life giving phenomenon of this city. He also highlights the Periyar and MGR, the two people who redefined the political history of Tamil Nadu. The book is an evocative painting of Chennai drawn without judgment and without reservation- sometimes with humor, sometimes with irony- but always with love.
“The Drunkard’s Walk: How randomness rules our lives.” By Leonard Mlodinow @ Rs. 399/- (Pgs 252)
Faintly reminiscent of Gladwell’s style, this engaging book shows how random events affect our lives, if not rule them. In spite of the title, this book has barely a mathematical formula in it. Mlodinow covers various aspects of randomness by way of small stories and snippets from various incidents, explicating them to reveal how randomness bites.
There is also a thread running thorough out on the history and the characters involved in the development of this field. Significant time is also devoted to explaining how people can filter information and draw poor conclusion due to randomness. If you are even slightly inclined to mathematics this will be an interesting read.
Some new Titles from Orient Black Swan / Permanent Black Publishers:
‘Censorship and Sexuality in Bombay Cinema’ by Monika Mehta @ Rs. 750/-
‘Women writing gender’ by Meera Kosambi @ 795/-
‘Creating Capabilities’ by Martha C Nussbaum @ Rs. 595/-
“The Flaming feet and other essays – the Dalit Movement in India” Ed. by Prithvi Datta Shobhi @ Rs. 350/-
‘Modern Migrations’ by Maritsa Poros @ Rs. 625/-
‘Working the night shift – women in India’s Call Center Industry’ by Reena Patel @ Rs. 325/-
‘3, Sakina Manzil and Other Plays’ by Ramu Ramanath
Other New Arrivals:
‘Amul’s India: Based on 50 Years of Amul Advertising by daCunha Communications’ @ Rs. 299/-
‘Portraits From Ayodhya: Living India’s Contradictions’ by Scharada Dubey @ Rs. 295/-
‘The 6 Most Important Decisions You’ll Ever Make’ by Sean Covey @ Rs. 499/-
‘The Best of Quest’ Ed. by Laeeq Futehally, Archal Prabhala & Arshia Sattar @ Rs. 695/-
‘Ships That Pass’ by Shashi Deshpande @ Rs. 295/-
‘Days of Gold and Sepia’ by Yasmeen Premji @ Rs.399/-
‘My Magical Palace’ by Kunal Mukherjee @ Rs. 399/-
‘Leadership by Example: The Ten Key Principles of All Great Leaderes’ by Dr. Sanjiv Chopra with David Fisher @ Rs. 199/-
‘Good Works! : Marketing and Corporate Initiatives That Build a Better World… & the Bottom Line’ by Philip Kotler, David Hessekiel & Nancy R. Lee @ Rs. 499/-
‘The Reinventors: How Extraordinary Companies Pursue Radical Continuous Change’ by Jason Jennings @ Rs. 699/-
‘Seriously Strange: Thinking Anew About Psychical Experiences’ Edited by Sudhir Kakar & Jeffrey J. Kripal @ Rs. 499/-
‘March of the Aryans’ by Bhagwan S. Gidwani @ Rs. 599/-
‘The Taj Conspiracy’ by Manreet Sodhi Someshwar @ Rs. 250/-
‘The 5 Essential People Skills: How to Assert Yourself, Listen to Others and Resolve Conflicts’ by Dale Carnegie @ Rs. 450/-
‘In The Hot Unconscious: An Indian Journey’ by Charles Foster @ Rs. 250/-
‘Another Country’ by Anjali Joseph @ Rs. 499/-
‘Great Leaders Grow: Becoming a Leader for Life’ by Ken Blanchard & Mark Miller @ Rs. 150/-
‘The Tattooed Fakir’ by Biman Nath @ Rs. 299/-
‘The Templar Conspiracy’ by Paul Christopher @ Rs. 299/-
‘The Chronicles of Egg: Deadweather & Sunrise’ by Geoff Rodkey @ Rs. 250/-
‘How Will You Measure Your Life?’ by Clayton M. Christensen, James Allworth & Karen Dillon @ Rs. 399/-
‘The Ultimate Olympic Quiz Book’ by Suvam Pal @ Rs. 199/-
‘Blooms of Darknes’ by Aharon Appelfeld @ Rs. 350/-
‘The Ares Decision’ by Robert Ludlum & Kyle Mills @ Rs. 350/-
‘Bombay Girl’ by Kavita Daswani @ Rs. 199/-
‘The Chocolate Box Girls: Summers Dream’ by Cathy Cassidy @ Rs. 250/-
‘The Rhythm of Riddles: Three Byomkesh Bakshi Mysteries’ by Saradindu Bandyopadhyay @ Rs. 199/-
‘Goat Days’ by Benyamin @ Rs. 250/-
‘Just married, Please Excuse’ by Yashodhara Lal @ Rs. 199/-
‘Geronimo Stilton Saves the Olympics’ (Graphic Novel) from Papercutz publishing house @ Rs. 300/-
‘Mumbai Noir’ Ed. By Altaf Tyrewala @ Rs. 350/-
Enjoy your books!
See you at the Store,
From the team at,
twistntales
twistntales,
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