Books

Missing female scientists and reforming the creaking policy machine

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

Books turn over a new leaf with boom in religion and spirituality

This is a trend confirmed by publishers, who are flocking to the segment, though empirical data might take a while to come

Everything, everywhere in one big book

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

Amazon Kindle 11th gen review: Ease-of-use helps rekindle love for reading

If you want a slightly bigger display and a bit more premium feel, you can opt for the more expensive (Rs 14,999) 2022 Kindle Paperwhite, which has a 6.8-inch display

Career-focused content a big draw as Book Fair returns to capital

The festival, which plays host to France as its guest of honour, was inaugurated by 2022 Literature Nobel Laureate, Annie Ernaux

Rewriting Roald Dahl's work: What, why, how and the story behind it

Dahl has long been called out for his antisemitic views, but the recent changes have been criticised on two grounds, one, the extent of the changes and two, the nature of the changes

Despite numerous books, good financial advice hasn't changed in 300 years

Mortimer's success at opening up what was in retrospect an obvious market (who doesn't want to know how to get rich?) encouraged a raft of similar publications

A robust brew

Author shows how the history of coffee is intertwined with histories of colonisation, indentured labour, war, migration, and destruction of tropical forests to meet the demand for cash crops

Life and much death in the Amazon

In "Masters of the Lost Land," Heriberto Araujo investigates a region where land and people are routinely sacrificed to greed and corruption

Bitter medicine for pharma regulation

The Gambian tragedy has raised uncomfortable questions about drug regulation in India. The Truth Pill is a depressing but eye-opening reality check of the regulatory landscape

To catch a crypto-criminal

Greenberg deftly assembles a rogues' gallery of characters who fell prey to this false sense of invulnerability: drug marketers, thick-necked federal agents, globe-trotting libertarians

The professor's chronicle of reforms

Former RBI Governor C Rangarajan's memoir is an analytical supplement to the history of the central bank, and useful in understanding the foundational measures for undertaking deep reforms

Measuring civilisation

The story of humans measuring things is no less than the story of civilisation - a claim that sounds like irritating hyperbole but in this case turns out to be true

A panoramic history of the cell

Pulitzer Prize winner Siddhartha Mukherjee's The Song of The Cell is a beautifully crafted exposition of the author's own lifelong fascination with the subject

The true art of travel writing

History, people, self-deprecation - what makes a good travel book? Here's a look at a few of the essential ingredients

How to be an activist

The Anarchist Cookbook serves as a primer for anyone who wants to engage in activism. Focusing on securing smaller, more manageable goals is the key

Leadership in a time of constant flux

Covid, climate change, misinformation and Fourth Industrial Revolution have created a perfect storm that needs new paradigm for leadership. Faisal Hoque's Lift offers insights into what that would be

Our kind of spy novelist

An anthology, edited by John Le Carre's son, takes us through the bestselling spy novelist's life through a series of revealing, yet delightful, collection of letters

Self-publishing picks up among children, young adults; few go mainstream

Self-publishing picks up among the young; mainstream book deals remain largely elusive

Nobel Prize in Literature 2022: A look at past 10 awardees and their work

With this year's Annie Ernaux, Nobel has now 17 women among its 119 literature laureates