Highlights of books read by S during the first few months of this year :
| Joseph Anton | Salman Rushdie | A mesmerising book, both in content and in form. I devoured it, reading it straight through. My respect for Salman Rushdie went up. Was also moved by all the people who stood up for him and what was happening to him. And it brought to the forefront something we take for granted: freedom of expression. | |
| Beyond the Beautiful Forevers | Katherine Boo | Boo shows us, with no gloss, a large section of our country -- what everyday life in the slums is like. Her reporting is caring but unvarnished and therefore hard to bear. Kudos for her unstinting work -- especially as a white, foreign woman. | |
| India Rising | Oliver Balch | A book that did not receive much notice in the plethora of India-related publications. Much better written and researched than, say, Akash Kapur's book, which got a lot of praise. | |
| Where Underpants Come From | Joe Bennett | Living in New Zealand, Bennett wonders how his undies, made in China, can be as low as $8.59. And thus begins this travel tale… | |
| Bespoke | Richard Anderson | Interesting look into the world of bespoke tailoring and Savile Row. | |
| Something Wholesome | Eric Newby | Who knew Eric Newby had such an interesting history before he became an acclaimed travel writer? A hilarious and vividly descriptive tale of his apprenticeship to his family firm as a commercial salesman in the world of haute couture ! |
