Hi!   These days, every time I sit down to write a new post on books that I have read, I learn anew the plight of columnists. They have to churn out articles on novel themes unceasingly, week after week. I take heart in the knowledge that for me this is a self-inflicted injury, in an attempt to sate the desire for written word. While, for many columnists it is perhaps a means of livelihood. But the moment I browse through the collection of my book reviews, I am charged with vigour. I experience once again the joys these books provided when I read them first. Ideas sprout spontaneously and the only task of carving these thoughts in words remains. This is arduous but fulfilling too, particularly if in the end I find that my words to some extent reflect the picture I had in min d.     It’s an enviable skill to be able to say in unambiguous and simple words what one wants to say. For long I harboured an ill-conception that a skilful writer can effortlessly produce a p...

                                                                                                                                                 Language   Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style Benjamin Dreyer     ‘Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout with some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neithe...

                                                                                                                                                            Science   Seven Clues to the Origin of Life: A Scientific Detective Story A.G. Cairns-Smith               Darwin, in the final paragraph of his iconic book 'On the Origin of Species' composed a few lines of ethereal beauty. In a book that is not, otherwise acclaimed for its lyrical quality and sublime prose, these words never fail to move me profoundly even after I h...

                                                                                                                                                            History   The Anarchy-The East India Company, Corporate Violience, And the Pillage of An Empire William Dalrymple   William Dalrymple has written many books on recent Indian history. All are highly readable. They do not present history as a collection of dry-as-bone facts but read like a finely told story. These are meticulously researched and provide verifiable references. Thu...

                                                                                                                                                                      Memoir   Istanbul: Memories & The City Orhan Pamuk                         A city is built not only of bricks and mortar but also by its people and their lives, their aspirations and their character. At the same time, destiny of its people is not independe...

                                                                                                                                                                                                        Novel   Dark Circles Udayan Mukherjee   Udayan Mukherjee had a two-decade long career as a television anchor and editor. This is his first novel. I read a couple of good reviews of ...