This fascinating piece of fiction from the Portuguese master has to, in my humble opinion, rank amongst the top of the pile of his ingenious and enviable works. This poignant, persuasive and almost polemic narrative describes the journey of an endearing Solomon a pachyderm, who after being anointed as a wedding gift for the archduke … Continue reading The Elephant’s Journey – Jose Saramago

Mikhail Bulgakov proves in a searing and stark manner that more creativity is repressed and stifled, the more it will unshackle itself to transform into a medium that is powerful and picturesque. “The Heart of a Dog”, penned by the Russian author-cum morphine addicted doctor, bears ample testimony to this fact. Full of rambunctious nonsense … Continue reading The Heart of a Dog – Mikhail Bulgakov

Along with Yevgeny Zamyatin’s “We”; Aldous Huxley’s “A Brave New World” and George Orwell’s “1984”, Arthur Koestler’s “Darkness at Noon”, has to be one of the most dystopian of novels ever penned in the history of literature. Artfully cynical, lastingly bleak and thoroughly provocative, this book has rightly been described as “one of the few books … Continue reading Darkness At Noon – Arthur Koestler

In a country where the faint stirrings, resounding echoes and silent consternations involving sport have been the dominant, if not exclusive preserve of cricket, an unlikely sport staked a claim for recognition and a clamour for reverence in the year 2008. When a young Adonis punched, jabbed and jived his way to a bronze medal … Continue reading Bhiwani Junction – Shamya Dasgupta

Aldo Leopold, the American ecologist, forester, scientist and environmentalist once remarked thus: “nothing could be more salutary at this stage than a little healthy contempt for a plethora of material blessings”. Philip Connors in his occupation as a ‘fire look out’ in the serene wilderness of the Gila mountains experienced first hand the splendid and … Continue reading Fire Season: Field Notes from a Wilderness Lookout – Philip Connors

Orphaned at a ridiculously tender age, Herbert Sutcliffe progression from an inveterate cricketer at his home town of Pudsey, to England and Yorkshire's immortal stalwart puts many a fairy tale to shame. Alan Hill in his unique and extremely readable style, breathes beautiful life to this tale in his inspiring biography. Immaculate in attire, implacable … Continue reading Herbert Sutcliffe: Cricket Maestro by Alan Hill

Winston Churchill once famously remarked "The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries." Combining a delectable mix of irreverent wit, dollops of common sense and precocious statistics, Ha-Joon Chang delivers a veritable tour de force scything wide open some of the … Continue reading

Employing bold candour and brazen wit, Michael Lewis regales his reader about the new culture spawning the financial spectrum across the globe - a culture of uninhibited and vulgar greed. Manifesting itself in myriad ways such as Leveraged Buy Outs ("LBO"); collaterised mortgages and hostile takeovers, the unashamed purveyors of this culture remorselessly plough along … Continue reading

Jonas's world is orderly, patterned and gloriously stereotypical. In his settlement, structure represents substance. Days, nights and hours are established mores with specific programmed patterns. Jonas, oblivious of human emotions and bereft of all passions finds his very utopian existence jolted, when at a ceremony to commemorate his Twelfth Birthday, he is selected by the … Continue reading The Giver (The Giver #1) by Lois Lowry

A Companion Guide to the Newbery Medal winning book "The Giver", "Gathering Blue" portrays a Dystopian Picture of three talented artists whose innovative genius is collectively shackled and suppressed to suit the needs of an elite band of members. While Kira is a wizard with weaving magical fabrics using dye and colour, Thomas is a … Continue reading Gathering Blue (The Giver #2) by Lois Lowry