Decoding the Mahatma, World Cup trivia, geography

An original analysis of who was responsible for Mahatma Gandhi’s death, a reader-friendly guide spanning 40 years of the cricket World Cup and getting to know the incredible geography of India – the IANS book stack this weekend is a power house of information. Take a look.

1. Book: The Death and Afterlife of Mahatma Gandhi; Author: Makarand R. Paranjape; Publisher: Random House India; Pages: 331; Price: Rs.599

With the cover presenting an image of the vast crowd around the gun carriage bearing the body of Mahatma Gandhi, who was assassinated Jan 30, 1948, this book is an “explosive and original” analysis of the Father of the Nation.

Penned by critic and poet Makarand R. Paranjape, the book tries to answer questions like: “Who is responsible for the Mahatma’s death?”

The author says in the prologue that the book is an attempt to understand not only Gandhi’s life and message but also the idea of India enquiring into the
meaning of his death.

A must read for those interested in knowing about the life of the man who, in the days leading up to his assassination by Nathuram Godse, “repeatedly declared
that he would rather die than countenance the destruction of the sacred freedom that so many had sacrificed so much for”.

2. Book: The Cricket Fanatics’s Essential Guide; Author: Vimal Kumar, Publisher: Hachette India, Pages: 202; Price: Rs.225

Cricket is not just a game, it’s a religion. Every four years, new gods are created on the field. Each World Cup kicks off pitched battles and fan frenzy, with every match, every player and every run being analysed with fervour and recorded with vigour.

This reader-friendly essential guide is full of facts, statistics and details spanning the 40 years of the World Cup and its memorable matches and players.

With the 2015 World Cup beginning Feb 15, this is a must-have guide for the lovers of the game.

3. Book: “The Incredible History of India’s Geography” Author: Sanjeev Sanyal; Publisher: Puffin; Pages: 256; Price: Rs. 250

Could you be related to a blonde Lithunian? What if ostriches once roamed in India? Answers to questions like these are in this book, where you will find things you never expected. From the time of continental drift to the sophisticated cities of the Harappan civilisation, this book delves deep into these subjects to offer information to young adults.

4. Book: Recasting India; Author: Hindol Sengupta; Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan; Pages: 240; Price: Rs. 499.

It’s been 23 years since India opened its economy, yet its people are still struggling with staggering levels of inequality. A third of its citizens lack adequate food, education and basic medical services – while the country has one of the fastest growing lists of billionaires in the world.

India has launched a mission to Mars, yet there are more mobile phones in the country than toilets. Anywhere else, the locals would be pounding at the billionaires’ gates. So why no Arab Spring in India?

The author argues that the only thing preventing civil war is the explosion of local entrepreneurship across the country. In this book, the author introduces a colourful cast of civic-minded entrepreneurs selling everything from low-cost sanitary napkins to call centre services to cell phone apps for the masses without an internet connection.

While many of their operations are a far cry from the giant companies owned by India’s ruling class – most are not even listed on the stock market – they are drastically changing the country’s politics, upending the caste system and creating a “middle India” full of unprecedented opportunities. IANS