BOOK REVIEW

Our nocturnal friends, the pygmy owlets and shriek owls, are alas, fewer now than when we moved in first two decades ago

Eminent historian Romila Thapar's collection of essays urges us to confront the past critically for a more inclusive and enlightened future

In The Long Reckoning, Black unites his areas of expertise in international affairs and the environment to explore a landscape littered with the detritus of war

From fiscal policy to fixing India's steel frame, here is a summary of book reviews from the pages of Business Standard this week

Sam Miller views history through the prism of societies on the move

"Transforming the Steel Frame" is treatise on civil service reforms in India. It has some revolutionary ideas that look good on paper, but could be politically disastrous unless implemented with care

Shobhaa De's book oscillates between the sombre and serious and is delightful in its description of everything Bengali

Social mores cannot be changed by fiscal fiats, but gender budgeting is a starting point, argues Lekha S Chakraborty in her book, which could serve as a useful primer to guide policymakers

Here is a summary of book reviews by Business Standard writers in the past week

From prejudice to working conditions that are stacked against them, "Lab Hopping" examines the key issues facing women in STEM, backing its assertions with data and anecdotes

If the internet is the fictional doctor and scientist Bruce Banner, furtive and a little troubled but basically benign, meganets are Incredible Hulks, snarling and uncontainable

Many books have been written on P V Narasimha Rao, but the latest one is unique because of the author's proximity to the PM

Mayur R Suresh's book delves into the myriad ways terror accused and the justice system interact in a trial, and is replete with stories of human foibles, quirks, unlikely friendships, and anxiety

"The Party Leads All" offers an in-depth perspective on the changes underway under Xi Jinping and how they could affect China in the long term

How the CIA's daily presidential briefings have shaped history over the past 75 years is recounted in Current Intelligence, although with some notable events missing from the narrative

Historically, encyclopaedias have been thick tomes for a reason: They are made to encompass all knowledge, leaving nothing to guesswork

Through the stories of four men and their business empires, Nandini Vijayaraghavan's book takes a hard look at the business environment and culture in India and the unpleasant reality of rivalries

Divya Khanna's book makes a case for a more humane and engaging corporate culture. She argues our status consciousness and competitiveness make our careers a collection of shorter sprints

India's Presidents were never intended to be rubber stamps, but could they manoeuvre things to strike fear into the heart of a Prime Minister?

A collection of essays brings out the various challenging facets of Sri Lankan politics and its foreign policy, constantly attempting to balance the pulls and pressures of its geopolitical environment