If you’re looking to explore some of the lesser known pathways of history, this is a fantastic book to pick up. 6-page pops of by-lanes from before and during the Raj make up the first two sections. The third is a commentary for the times we live in – inclusivity and hyper-nationalism in a complicated fabric.
Imagine, in about 4.5 sq km in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry, there are around 30 communities! An absolute melting pot of different religions and socio-cultural customs and practices. Communities that can trace their origins from Portugal and Yemen to Kutch and the Indus Valley. I am a little biased because Kochi is my hometown, but even beyond that, it’s a fascinating read.
A timely read, as fascism threatens a sequel across the globe. The book provides a fantastic view of Germany between 1930 and 1945 as it follows Hitler’s dream of establishing a Reich that would last a thousand years. It lasted only twelve, but his iron will, determination and political astuteness that helped him outplay all manners of man, is a masterclass in strategy and self deception!
Arundhati Roy, John Cusack Given that Ms.Roy is one of the authors, it is only fair to expect a fair amount of radical thought in the book. In just over a hundred pages, it does just that, helped by John Cusack, Edward Snowden and Daniel Ellsberg, who is described as the Snowden of the 60s. […]
Manu S Pillai Absolutely fantastic, and the strange thing is, if you had asked me when I was even at about page 400 (out of 555) I probably would have used milder adjectives. I also wouldn’t have thought (at that point) that I was likely to change my opinion later because knowing the direction, I […]