tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81233264059259587982024-01-31T15:04:24.650+05:30BookWiseNews about the world of books and publishing from IndiaBookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.comBlogger3121125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-4727563210999248772011-09-26T21:36:00.000+05:302011-09-26T21:36:05.708+05:30Akhtar's book launch called off<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
Close on the heels of Shoaib Akhtar's book launch function being cancelled in Mumbai, another function which was to be attended by the Pakistani speedster on Tuesday for promotion of his controversial biography has also been called off.<br />
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The launch of the book was to be hosted by Landmark and HarperCollins Publishers India in the evening but has now been called off, a communication from the organisers said on Monday without giving any reason.<br />
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Sources said that the event has been cancelled because of unforeseen circumstances.<br />
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Two of Akhtar's promotional events in Mumbai had been cancelled though no official reasons were given.<br />
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Former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar was to release Akhtar's biography " Controversially Yours" at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) premises on Sunday.<br />
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Full report <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/top-stories/Promo-event-of-Akhtars-book-in-Bangalore-called-off-also/articleshow/10129828.cms">here</a> <i>Times of India</i><br />
</div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-11999461979184392402011-09-26T20:36:00.000+05:302011-09-26T21:38:12.372+05:30Controversy claims Shoaib book launch<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
The scheduled release of Shoaib Akhtar’s book in Mumbai on Sunday has been cancelled, with the organisers giving no reasons. Former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar was to release Akhtar’s autobiography ‘Controversially Yours’ at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) premises. “The event has been cancelled,” confirmed a CCI official, without assigning any reason.<br />
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According to sources, the sudden cancellation may be because of less than flattering remarks about Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid in the book. Akhtar has made many controversial claims, such as Tendulkar did not have the ability to finish matches in the initial stages of his career. Meanwhile, a protest was held in suburban Dahisar on Saturday against Akhtar, for his comments on Tendulkar. Protesters carried Akthar’s posters on donkey-backs.<br />
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Full report <a href="http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Controversy-claims-Shoaib-book-launch-in-Mumbai/851341/">here</a><i> Indian Express</i><br />
</div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-80925560754593398612011-09-26T19:51:00.000+05:302011-09-26T21:52:37.771+05:30Huawei to embed Bhagat’s books<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
Huawei will embed books from Indian author Chetan Bhagat in its MediaPad tablet, as a part of a deal under which Bhagat also becomes the company’s brand ambassador in India. Bhagat, who is expected to launch his new book <i>The Revolution 2020</i> on October 7th, will be associated with the promoting the tablet, but Huawei tells the Economic Times that it will “consider the possibility of Chetan creating content for the brand, for instance, writing short stories that will be available for Huawei device users.”<br />
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For a books publishing industry still coming to grips with digital delivery of books, this does set a rather useful precedent, though one can’t be sure of whether such an offer will be open to other writers as well: Bhagat has mass appeal, and his books are positioned and priced to appeal to a readership that wants content that is easy and not high-brow. He is fairly active (and provocative) on Twitter, and has over half a million followers.<br />
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Full report <a href="http://www.medianama.com/2011/09/223-chetan-bhagat-mediapad-huawei/">here</a> <i>Medianama</i><br />
</div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-54650857453448399512011-09-26T19:38:00.000+05:302011-09-26T21:41:04.913+05:30NCP, Sena lock horns over Akhtar book<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
Worried that the Sharad Pawar-led NCP may steal a march over the Shiv Sena in connection with Shoaib Akhtar's autobiography which reportedly contains controversial remarks about Sachin Tendulkar, Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray asked Dilip Vengsarkar to keep away from the book release function.<br />
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Akthar's autobiography was to be released at a function in Mumbai on Saturday. However, the event was cancelled even as the 'Rawalpindi Express' gave interviews to the electronic media about the book.<br />
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Akhtar has lashed out against his own team members in the book and is understood to have made remarks about the Indian batting master, who he claimed was afraid of his bowling as the delivery speed was over 150 kph. Uddhav is believed to have sent instructions to Vengsarkar to keep away from the controversial cricketer as Akhtar's remarks against Tendulkar have triggered a global backlash. Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has ridiculed the remarks and said it was an attempt to market his book before its official release on Sunday.<br />
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Full report <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/NCP-Shiv-Sena-lock-horns-over-Akhtar-controversy/articleshow/10119966.cms">here</a> <i>Times of India</i><br />
</div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-7876548443340682842011-09-26T18:49:00.000+05:302011-09-26T21:50:33.419+05:30Now, Gandhi Katha in paperback<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
Good news for those who savoured every word of the favourite lecture series, Gandhi Katha - it is now not only available in paperback, but in three languages too. Based on the popularity of renowned Gandhian, Narayan Desai's lecture series, a book on Gandhi Katha was launched on Sunday at the Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA). The book was released in English, Hindi and a second version of the Gujarati edition was re-launched.<br />
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The idea of converting the lecture series in the form of a book was that of Narayan Desai, reveals AMA president, Pankaj Patel. "We had organised Desai's lecture series in December 2005. Later Desai expressed his wish to transcribe and translate the audio series into books and we took up the task."<br />
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Patel added that the Gujarati version of the book which was earlier launched was quite a hit and it proves that the interest of the people in knowing more about Gandhi has not dipped. "1000 copies were booked soon after the edition was launched. Gandhiji's holistic approach and non violent means will continue to help the people for generations."<br />
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Full report <a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_now-gandhi-katha-in-paperback_1591701">here</a> <i>DNA</i><br />
</div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-30772535766656588902011-09-26T13:43:00.000+05:302011-09-26T21:45:31.442+05:30Akhtar's autobiography must inspire others!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now that Pakistan pace ace Shoaib Akhtar's book, <i>Controversially Yours</i>, is virtually assured of bestseller status, will other players take inspiration to write autobiographies? Here are some title suggestions... </span><br />
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Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar's recent and controversial autobiography made me think. If he can 'write' a book, why not Indian Test cricketers?<br />
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Here are suggestions for autobiography titles:<br />
The Great Wall of India, My Very Very Special Story, Viru's Gunning for a Six, Yuvi's Six Appeal and Saving for a Raina Day.<br />
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The English way<br />
At least nine cricket books were written after England regained the Ashes in 2005. I wonder how many will be written after Andrew Strauss' men dethroned India to reach the No 1 Test ranking. Some zany ideas for autobiography titles for them: Eat, Pray and Cook, It Rings a Bell, My Broad, Broad Ways, Swann Song, Waltzing with Strauss, Fox Trott and Flint off his game?<br />
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Some ideas for Australian Test cricketers: Fast bowler Trent Copeland getting a wicket off his second ball in Test cricket at Galle inspired me with this novel notion. Why not title his biography, Cope Lands a Winner? Then I saw Peter Siddle in the Australian dressing room sitting between Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey. The title of his bio/ghosted autobiography sprung to my mind: Siddle in the Middle. <br />
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</div><div>Full report <a href="http://www.mid-day.com/sports/2011/sep/260911-sports-Akhtars-autobiography-must-inspire-others.htm">here</a> <i>Mid-day</i></div></div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-26182344988874399332011-09-26T09:55:00.004+05:302011-09-26T21:58:06.722+05:30'Love is when I can't pay attention in class'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
Presenting an excerpt from Penguin's latest book by Ludhiana-based Chanchaldeep Singh Sandhu.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAnfAZsOC3Y03yOaAi8pt1pvm7I9k4uMDmyR5d7XPNcik0IvtcpTdQ22QiLCPRDld_93L3waL6Iwhk6m7lMMfqRpnnIZjmzTDojapqijJRPPhBYcx-CaHHDsvHfHulMv3F49yJhW6uTG5o/s1600/inever.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAnfAZsOC3Y03yOaAi8pt1pvm7I9k4uMDmyR5d7XPNcik0IvtcpTdQ22QiLCPRDld_93L3waL6Iwhk6m7lMMfqRpnnIZjmzTDojapqijJRPPhBYcx-CaHHDsvHfHulMv3F49yJhW6uTG5o/s1600/inever.jpg" /></a></div>Penguin India's new series of 'mass market books' aims to target the youth by bringing out novels inspired by today's environment and situations at work or at college, different challenges they face in their love lives and relationships.<br />
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Debutante author Chanchaldeep Singh Sandhu's <i>I Never Thought I Could Fall in Love</i> is the story of a boy who did not know what he was capable of doing in life until he fell in love.<br />
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Here is an <b>excerpt </b>from the book:<br />
Next morning, Sid came and insisted that I get ready to attend class. I resisted a lot, but he forced me to come with him to college. After so many days, I got dressed in clean and ironed clothes, after having showered and combed my hair. It felt I good. I liked my bearded look. I smiled at myself and followed Sid to college. As I entered class, I looked at Monica. She was wearing a yellow suit and looked as beautiful as ever. She looked at me; our eyes met for a few seconds but then the teacher came inside and the moment was broken. I hurriedly took a seat and became conscious that I was sitting next to Mickey.<br />
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Full report <a href="http://www.rediff.com/getahead/report/book-excerpt-i-never-thought-i-could-fall-in-love/20110926.htm">here</a> <i>Rediff</i><br />
</div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-29031918205608481862011-09-25T21:46:00.000+05:302011-09-26T21:47:21.391+05:30Akram tears into Shoaib Akhtar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram on Saturday ridiculed Shoaib Akhtar and his controversial biography, which has made several tall claims, saying the pacer was a "problem" when he was an active player and remains just that even in retirement.<br />
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Akram pooh-poohed Shoaib's claims of making Sachin Tendulkar uncomfortable with his pace in the Faisalabad Test in 2006 and also rejected some of the other allegations he has made in the book titled 'Controversially Yours'.<br />
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"I remember Sachin's one innings when he was 16 and touring Pakistan. Sialkot Test was Sachin's 4th Test. He made his debut in that series. There was a lot of grass on the pitch. Waqar and I bowled very fast. Waqar, I think, was 19 and Sachin was 16.<br />
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Full report <a href="http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-24/top-stories/30197598_1_shoaib-akhtar-wasim-akram-rawalpindi-express">here</a> <i>Times of India</i><br />
</div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-41806007067375365142011-09-25T17:47:00.000+05:302011-09-26T21:48:56.772+05:30Shoaib Akhtar turns back the clock!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
A new chapter to the history of one of the most controversial cricketers to ever grace the game was added as Shoaib Akhtar’s autobiography was launched in India on Friday.<br />
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Akhtar is supposedly the fastest bowler that the game has ever seen and is best remembered not only for bowling missiles that had stumps after stumps flying all around the ground but also for his antics off the field which included fights with the PCB, many disciplinary hearing and suspensions. His long run up to the bowling crease was as talked about as his driving around in an expensive sports car when on tour. He was the ultimate ‘Rawalpindi Express’!<br />
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But all this is about to change with the release of ‘Controversially Yours’. This is what he will always be remembered for from now onwards.<br />
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From the excerpts that have been released to the media, the book marks Akhtar’s journey from an economically deprived childhood, when his family couldn’t even afford new clothes for Eid, to breaking into the Pakistani team, to becoming the man that broke the 100mph barrier.<br />
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Full report <a href="http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/8140/controversially-yours-shoaib-akhtar-turns-back-the-clock/">here</a> <i>Express Tribune</i><br />
</div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-46759036264710990242011-09-25T12:09:00.000+05:302011-09-25T12:09:27.750+05:30New written worlds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
Egyptian writer <b>Mansoura Ezeldin</b> and Yemeni poet and novelist Ali Al Muqri hail from a region known for repressive regimes and rocked recently by people's upheavals for change. In New Delhi as panellists at The Hindu Lit for Life conclave, they talk to Subash Jeyan on what it means to be a writer, to engage in their own different ways with the issues important to them...<br />
Writing is a way to freedom and a weapon against the many injustices in society. Yet, she insists, a writer is not a mere spokesperson for his/her nation or people. Meet Mansoura Ezeldin.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLNvLFOoNhDDeKtOmIptUva6fkqWBcdapW0g4VkNSWXaeWpao_hykwFuPaX_97PUaT0pLrbnq75wNJaccTW9c36EJCXofoGqb3KrPEDYn32E7UPNFWoF2krRw_ZgneJFCeAvw73l-cyx7/s1600/manoura-hindu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLNvLFOoNhDDeKtOmIptUva6fkqWBcdapW0g4VkNSWXaeWpao_hykwFuPaX_97PUaT0pLrbnq75wNJaccTW9c36EJCXofoGqb3KrPEDYn32E7UPNFWoF2krRw_ZgneJFCeAvw73l-cyx7/s1600/manoura-hindu.jpg" /></a></div><b>Tell us about your work with Akhbar al-Adab... and the contemporary literary scene in Egypt today…</b><br />
I was the book review editor at Akhbar al-Adab literary newspaper till last month. I have taken a year off to finish my new novel because I wanted to devote all my time to writing. The contemporary literary scene in Egypt is really rich. Since 2002, we've been having a flourishing period; many bookstores have opened and many independent publishers support daring experimental writing, and we have a good readership compared to the 1980s and 90s. Egyptian literature, especially that written by the new generation, is daring and breaches many taboos and also beautifully written at the same time.<br />
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<b>How are contemporary women writers in Egypt contributing to social change? What are some of their predominant concerns?</b><br />
Egyptian women in general were in the forefront of demonstrations during the revolution. And many Egyptian women writers were with them. Women writers also play an important role through their novels and essays and columns in newspapers. There are many female political and social activists who are fighting now for a secular, democratic country. Many of them, including myself, don't want the Muslim Brotherhood or the Salafists to come to power. Because a possible victory of the Muslim Brotherhood will worsen Egyptian women's position as they have a backward, negative image of women. But I'm not afraid of them. Fear gets you nowhere. We're fighting a battle for building a new democratic country and in such a battle fear is the worst enemy.<br />
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Full interview <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/arts/magazine/article2475924.ece">here</a> <i>Hindu</i><br />
</div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-12001990228239407542011-09-25T12:03:00.001+05:302011-09-25T12:04:37.989+05:30'Indian English writers get fewer readers'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Writer Anita Nair inaugurated the Indian Ruminations literary festival in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.<br />
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Nearly 70 delegates, including writers and poets from around the country, are participating in the two-day event, organised by online Indian English writers' journal Indian Ruminations.<br />
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The theme of the festival is ‘Exploring Indian Alternatives in Reading and Writing.'<br />
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Ms. Nair said although more and more young talents were coming up, Indian English writers did not get acceptance like foreign writers in India. “I think the whole idea of contemporary Indian English writing is a misnomer. A large section of people, especially the academia, do not recognise Indian writers post 1960s. Although Indian English writers are accepted elsewhere, in our own country we have fewer and fewer readers,” she said.<br />
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Additional Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar delivered the presidential address. Mr. Jayakumar said world writers were edging native writers out of the shelf in Kerala as world literature invaded the Malayalam literary space. “The space that is taken away does not belong to established writers but the struggling young writers of Kerala,” he said. Mr. Jayakumar said that with the advent of the Internet and blogging, the hierarchies of publishing had been shaken and the publishing business had become more democratised. “Our publishers should take up the responsibility of familiarising our writers to the world. Having good translations is equally important. Translation has to be encouraged and promoted as a highly paid profession,” Mr. Jayakumar said.<br />
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Full report <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/article2482161.ece">here</a> <i>Hindu</i></div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-7833425391350392282011-09-25T11:52:00.000+05:302011-09-25T12:54:29.509+05:30Mamoni's health deteriorates<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Friends, fans and family members started to pour in at the Gauhati Medical College Hospital with their fingers crossed on Saturday as Jnanpith award-winning writer Mamoni Raisom Goswami's health deteriorated further since Friday night.<br />
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The litterateur was shifted to the hospital's Intensive Care Unit (ICU) from her cabin on Wrdnesday due to a lung infection. Though her health remained stable for next 24 hours, a convulsion on Friday night caused the deterioration. Currently, she is said to be in a critical stage.<br />
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State health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma rushed to the hospital on getting the news. Meanwhile, Ulfa pro-talks faction members also wished for her recovery.<br />
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"She has been in coma since February and her brains cells are not responding accurately. Convulsions on Friday night worsened her situation further. She is now on ventilator and her condition is very critical. Lets hope for the best," said A K Adhikari, surgeon at GMCH.<br />
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Full report <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Mamonis-health-deteriorates/articleshow/10113034.cms">here</a> <i>Times of India </i></div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-32272826262808214892011-09-25T11:30:00.000+05:302011-09-25T11:30:50.498+05:30'TCS deserved to go public much earlier'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMsFuQZX4WSc78V0dbx8dH0McPj3iVQ2bY5n8e3Y1VZZqAX_1nQJJi09gySp0t4AttU3u_0nVU6yFjXaWz_giC8M6ZRalJpZLH558mPt9cT8y-0x2SJtx70dWdfts1H97gwUgL5m9W5Lq/s1600/ramadorai-dna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMsFuQZX4WSc78V0dbx8dH0McPj3iVQ2bY5n8e3Y1VZZqAX_1nQJJi09gySp0t4AttU3u_0nVU6yFjXaWz_giC8M6ZRalJpZLH558mPt9cT8y-0x2SJtx70dWdfts1H97gwUgL5m9W5Lq/s1600/ramadorai-dna.jpg" /></a></div><b>Subramaniam Ramadorai </b>took the reins at TCS in 1996 when the Indian IT industry was on the cusp of a quantum leap in growth and globalisation. During his 13-year watch, TCS became the first billion-dollar IT company to come out of India, even though it only went public in 2004, more than a decade after companies like Infosys had stolen the thunder in the stock market. Now, two years after his retirement, Ramadorai reflects on the challenges he faced and how he overcame them, in his book that’s just been published, <i>The TCS Story... And Beyond</i>. In this interview with DNA, Ramadorai fleshes out some key takeaways from his TCS experience.<br />
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<b>You’ve written about how you changed the TCS tagline from ‘Beyond The Obvious’ to ‘Experience Certainty’. What was the logic behind this change?</b><br />
We felt we had to clarify the obvious in some way, because obvious was obvious to us but not to the customer. People went haywire in talking about the future, future and future, when you had not even created the future. So we were in two extremes: one was stating the obvious and looking inward, I know what I’m good at, this is what TCS does; the other way was to say, let’s define the future, in three words — Innovation, Technology, Consulting. Then we saw that 100 companies do the same thing (innovation, technology, consulting). It doesn’t communicate anything that is unique about TCS. So we hired a global branding company to interview a bunch of people and come back to us with a definitive statement that exactly describes the TCS DNA and that is easily understandable to everybody. The key thing that came out of all these deliberations was that these TCS guys deliver what they promise and they don’t promise what they can’t deliver. Out of that came ‘Experience Certainty’.<br />
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<b>On the business side, it seems to have suited Tata Sons from an accounting perspective to run TCS as a subsidiary until finally you had your IPO in 2004. On hindsight, do you think you would have been better off if TCS had entered the market 10 years earlier, along with its peers like Infosys and Wipro? </b><br />
We always had this debate. It’s not as if we decided in 2003 to go public in 2004. It was a continuous journey of looking at what was good for the parent, what was good for TCS’ growth, and what was the right thing to do. It is true we were not getting the visibility we should have had. We had everything that was required for us to be listed earlier than a lot of other companies because we had been in the industry much longer than them. But it was a constant process of dialoguing with the owners, Tata Sons, and coming to the conclusion that we will do it when the time is right.<br />
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Full interview <a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/interview_tcs-deserved-to-go-public-much-earlier-s-ramadorai_1591209">here </a><i>DNA</i><br />
</div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-26351717958831618802011-09-25T10:31:00.000+05:302011-09-25T11:32:57.462+05:30Hindi is going places, literally<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
Hindi may not be widely spoken or used by India’s urban youth. However, in spite of stiff entry barriers, the language has now found favour with Oxford Dictionary, widely regarded as the most trusted of all dictionaries.<br />
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In fact, a Hindi word for almost every emotion can be found featured in the Dictionary. Sample this: Achha, badmash, bindaas, buddhu, sadhu, goonda, neta, seth, chhi-chhi, and namkin. The more popular ones are bapu, dhaba, dharna, gherao, mahajan, jhuggi, and ‘Hindutva’. The list is merely illustrative.<br />
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Juliet Evans, publicity manager, Oxford Dictionary, said, “Increasing multiculturalism may have led to more Hindi words being incorporated into English, and therefore a steadily increasing number enter our dictionaries each year.”<br />
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She explained that whilst 274 Indian words were added to the Dictionary, 374 words of Hindi etymology are also now a part of it.<br />
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Three hundred and thirty seven words from Sanskrit, 144 from Urdu and 27 from Tamil have also been incorporated into Oxford Dictionary.<br />
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Full report <a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report_hindi-is-going-places-literally_1591214">here </a><i>DNA</i><br />
</div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-87212046893678727842011-09-25T09:34:00.000+05:302011-09-25T11:42:43.886+05:30Review: Lokpal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>review </b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0v-kwFZD-pcKbj9FdEd5WM-MJOoPS-sjEwo1Z6tz3C9gR0F08fZmXFgROChxGRnFPdSwDdynpzBpXyWyAcYhEtbiS78Log5fEqcNux2xWh2LwwWv6D2-pmt4Zb7DcLQaD5PpJle2DpfJl/s1600/lokpal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0v-kwFZD-pcKbj9FdEd5WM-MJOoPS-sjEwo1Z6tz3C9gR0F08fZmXFgROChxGRnFPdSwDdynpzBpXyWyAcYhEtbiS78Log5fEqcNux2xWh2LwwWv6D2-pmt4Zb7DcLQaD5PpJle2DpfJl/s1600/lokpal.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<b>Lokpal</b>: Facts and Arguments<br />
Parsa Venkateshwar Rao<br />
Har Anand<br />
Rs. 295; Pp 134<br />
ISBN : 9788124116524<br />
Hard Back<br />
<br />
<b>About the book </b><br />
This book traces the developments with regard to the Lokpal legislation in the past and in the present. The debate in the Lok Sabha in August 1969 before the passing of the Lokpal Bill is discussed along with the many texts of the Lokpal bills prepared by the Anna Hazare group and the UPA governments as well as that of the five ministers in the Joint Drafting Committee. The work and observations of the Lokyuktas in the states is discussed. It also looks at the political assumptions that each side brings to the debate in the present, and what it means for the political culture and life of the country.<br />
<br />
<b>Reviews</b><br />
Full review here <i><a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/review_book-review-lokpal-facts-and-arguments_1591208">DNA</a></i><br />
As the idea for writing this book was suggested to the author by the publisher only in the last week of June this year and the book was out on the stands by the end of August, it was clearly written in a hurry. There are, therefore, many printer’s devils, grammatical errors and disjointed sentences which hamper the flow of reading.<br />
<br />
Having said that, it’s a timely book on a hotly-debated subject, and clears a lot of misconceptions about both the government and Team Anna’s version of the proposed Lokpal Bill.<br />
<br />
One of the commonest fears about team Anna’s Jan Lokpal Bill is that with its sweeping powers, the Lokpal itself could become a monstrous, corrupt genie impossible to tame. Well, the present draft does have a few provisions to prevent this. For one, once a case is closed, all documents related to it will be treated as public, and every month a list of such cases will be put on the website with reasons for closing the case. Further, all the material related to the case will be provided to anyone seeking it under the Right to Information Act. Second, the hearings before the Lokpal will be video recorded and available to anyone who pays for the copying costs. <br />
<br />
<br />
</div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-15059400675298047052011-09-24T21:53:00.000+05:302011-09-26T21:54:43.453+05:30Politics, cinema at Delhi literature fest<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
Politics, Anna Hazare, new wave cinema and changing trends in contemporary writing will be on offer at the daylong 'The Hindu Lit for Life' festival on Sunday.<br />
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The Delhi edition of the festival, which will lift the curtain on the two-day literature extravaganza and the awarding of the Hindu Literary Prize Oct 29-30 in Chennai, will begin 9 am at the India Habitat Centre, a spokesperson for the festival said.<br />
<br />
The Delhi edition of the festival will be presented by Siyahi, a literary forum.<br />
<br />
One of the high points of the festival is a session on 'New Wave Cinema', sponsored by Om Books International, which features the award-winning director of 'Rang De Basanti' (2006) Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra in conversation with cinema writer Jai Arjun Singh.<br />
<br />
"It is a celebration of the country's rich visual literature. India has produced a world class writers across all genres. Cinema holds a very special place in my heart and I am delighted to get Mehra on board to deliberate on the new trends of cinema and his contribution to Indian cinema," Ajay Mago, publisher of Om Books, said in a statement.<br />
<br />
The literary spotlight will be on Esther David, who discusses her work in a session 'Are You Going to Eat All That'.<br />
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Full report <a href="http://ibnlive.in.com/news/politics-cinema-at-delhi-literature-fest/187703-40-100.html">here</a> <i>IBMLive</i><br />
</div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-66951155046099096472011-09-24T21:18:00.000+05:302011-09-25T12:19:21.685+05:30A celebration of literature in our lives<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Hindu's Lit for Life, a three-day, two-city conclave, will delve into various forms of writing</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-4-iFIoR30fVQtzYF-SvvJgfIPzr8DO-fYC0c1uhPUUQstadxJMCNomk6IJTyHFSwU31AaoyWyRITv7cRbwb5dGWwIHLvTnQS4ecWVZhJvrOLpkaqnsCc6IaNw7HoAZwbGl1MlI5koVl/s1600/litfolife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-4-iFIoR30fVQtzYF-SvvJgfIPzr8DO-fYC0c1uhPUUQstadxJMCNomk6IJTyHFSwU31AaoyWyRITv7cRbwb5dGWwIHLvTnQS4ecWVZhJvrOLpkaqnsCc6IaNw7HoAZwbGl1MlI5koVl/s1600/litfolife.jpg" /></a></div>India has always had a strong literary tradition and the past few decades have produced dozens of outstanding writers. Until recently, middle-class Indians seemed to know more about foreign writers than about their own. It took a while for the Indian writers to take the centre stage, but when they did it was with a bang.<br />
<br />
With more Indians writing in English, there was a concurrent boom in the publishing industry and that began to spill over to the media, especially newspapers. The Hindu had always had two pages devoted to book reviews, but with the growth in the publishing industry and the rising number of Indian writers, need was felt for a special supplement devoted to literature and issues in the literary world. There was, obviously, more to literature than just book reviews. Thus, on November 3, 1991 was born the Literary Review. For 20 years, this has been the only supplement devoted to literature and books published by a daily newspaper.<br />
<br />
Full report <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2480104.ece">here</a> <i>Hindu</i></div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-14941383633623671482011-09-24T12:55:00.000+05:302011-09-25T12:55:58.391+05:30RSS leaders congratulate Dr Kambara<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
Senior RSS functionaries of Karnataka congratulated veteran Kannada writer and winner of Jnanpith award Dr Chandrashekara Kambara at his residence in Bengaluru on September 22. RSS National Executive Member Shri MC Jayadev, national president of Shaikshik Mahasangh Prof. K Narahari, editor of Utthana monthly Shri SR Ramaswamy, RSS Sah Prant Karyavah Prof BV Shreedhara Swamy, general secretary of Rashtrotthan Parishat Shri N Dinesh Hegde and chief of Samarasya Vedike Karnataka Shri Vadiraj visited Dr Kambara’s residence.<br />
<br />
Shri Jayadev along with Shri Ramaswamy and Prof K Narahari honoured Dr Kambara. They also had an informal talk on education system with Dr Kambara for half an hour. Dr Kambara expressed happiness over the visit of RSS functionaries.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Full report <a href="http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=417&page=31">here</a> <i>Organiser</i></div></div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-65947566486964748522011-09-24T12:23:00.000+05:302011-09-25T12:27:58.805+05:30A new chapter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Author <b>Anita Nair</b>, who turns scriptwriter with “Lessons In Forgetting”, talks about her constant quest to reinvent herself</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAY14u4ySAO__UQxAHPyUbc5P9t8ZKrKwIWXB4Z_jRbCPBXFwNUr2pC824Syt0x3SgJbETjb2jTGlQqmEticCNM8qPp6QZZW_bR0QPMXcYKKRAeb8kAYqwnwGZt-ywBAECeMzcjC0p_5ZQ/s1600/anita-nair-hindu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAY14u4ySAO__UQxAHPyUbc5P9t8ZKrKwIWXB4Z_jRbCPBXFwNUr2pC824Syt0x3SgJbETjb2jTGlQqmEticCNM8qPp6QZZW_bR0QPMXcYKKRAeb8kAYqwnwGZt-ywBAECeMzcjC0p_5ZQ/s320/anita-nair-hindu.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>“Joyously invigorating, and agonising,” is how Anita Nair describes the experience of writing the film script for of her latest novel <i>Lessons in Forgetting</i>. “While fiction is my first love, I need to constantly challenge myself. Hence I seek different forms and structures,” says the author of novels such as <i>The Better Man, Ladies Coupe</i>, and <i>Mistress</i>, besides many short stories, essays, travelogues, and poems. <i>Lessons in Forgetting</i> takes the issue of female foeticide head on. Says Nair: “According to a 2007-survey by the UN, over 2,000 unborn girls are aborted every day in India. While it is illegal to reveal the sex of the child through pre-natal scans, the law has so far been ineffectual. Son Preference for sons, dowry, and patriarchal systems are said to be the key reasons for female foeticide. According to campaigners, many fertility clinics in India offer a seemingly legitimate facade for a multi-billion-dollar racket — gender determination is still big business in India.” The film is produced by the Bangalore-based Prince Thampi of Arowana Consulting. It marks the directorial debut of Unni Vijayan, alumnus of Film and Television Institute, Pune. Made in English with sub titles wherever the dialogue is in Tamil, the film it is to be completed by early October. Excerpts from an interview with the author.<br />
<br />
<b>The book received good reviews. Were you sceptical about adapting it into a film?</b><br />
Not really. As I was doing the screenplay myself, I knew I would be able to capture the essence of the book without losing its layered textural values. There were instances where I left bits out, and at other times introduced a new scene to make the connection seamless. I had some semblance of control. It was also a learning experience.<br />
<br />
<b>You recently translated Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai's magnum opus <i>Chemmeen</i>…</b><br />
A translation would require me to walk the way of another writer and see his landscape and characters through his eyes. The very first line of the book had me in knots. <i>Chemmeen </i>is in fishermen's dialect. This was unfamiliar territory and I put the pen down. What was I going to do? Over the course of the next fortnight, I roped in my secretary, a Malayali, to read out the book aloud to me. I have no formal education in Malayalam. What I do have is an ability to understand and comprehend the nuances of the language. The familiarity with the cadence grew into a natural ease. It was perhaps one of the most creatively satisfying things I have done.<br />
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Full interview <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/metroplus/article2479337.ece">here</a> <i>Hindu</i><br />
</div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-59323207310293831972011-09-24T11:25:00.000+05:302011-09-25T11:27:05.734+05:30Book fair to turn into treasure trove<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
Book lovers will love this. Interested in buying books at throwaway prices. Visit the ongoing book fair at the Institution of Engineers (IEI) held by a Goa-based book shop.<br />
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Broadway Book Centre, Panjim, is offering a variety of books in fiction, education, management, medical, children’s stories and teaching books with addition to interior designing, photography, artists’ collections and travel guides at just Rs50.<br />
<br />
The owner of Broadway Book Centre, Khalil Ahmed, said that the month-long fair would continue till October 9. It is open from 9 am to 9 pm.<br />
<br />
Although the bookseller has been organising such events since 2001, it is for the first time that they are selling books at such a low price to clear stocks of its three stores in Goa.<br />
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The owner has put on sale over 1 lakh books, half of which is already sold.<br />
<br />
Full report <a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_book-fair-to-turn-into-treasure-trove-for-book-lovers_1591032">here</a> <i>DNA</i><br />
</div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-76291054250000352112011-09-24T00:44:00.001+05:302011-09-25T13:02:40.109+05:30Nationalise school education: Kambara<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Jnanpith award-winning poet-playwright Chandra-shekhara Kambara on Friday strongly advocated imparting education in the mother tongue. “You can learn English as a language. I feel Kannada should be the medium of instruction. After 10th Standard, you can have a choice”, he contended. Mr Kambara argued that the State should not privatise education till 10th standard. “Let primary and high school education be state-sponsored till 10th standard to wipe out the disparity between children from upper class and downtrodden”, he said.<br />
<br />
The playwright downplayed the Karnataka-Maharashtra border issue maintaining that one should not attach much importance to the ‘unwanted dispute’ created by some people from across the border. Mr Kambara, who hails from Belgaum district, said, “I have many friends, including several writers, in Maharashtra who are least bothered about this issue. For some politicians, this issue should be kept alive in the form of a dispute so that they can thrive. If there is no issue, these people will find it hard for their survival”, he said.<br />
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Full report <a href="http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/bengaluru/nationalise-school-level-education-says-kambara-944">here</a> <i>Deccan Chronicle </i></div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-40763098918959527822011-09-24T00:12:00.000+05:302011-09-25T12:13:32.972+05:30Creativity blooms from divine grace<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
He is a novelist, a short-story writer and a screenplay writer, all rolled into one. Peace has been his mission and the essence of his writing. Balakumaran explains to M. Balaganessin how the temples in and around Tiruchi have been a catalyst to develop tranquillity, peace and noble thoughts. Be a writer or a painter or an artiste, any creativity will be ideal and perfect, only if the creator is blessed with peaceful thoughts, the veteran writer pronounces.<br />
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For him, a visit to Tiruchi is a delight for more than one reason. Temples in and around the city have been a source of inspiration for him, blessing him with a gift to realise divine grace. Mr. Balakumaran says that he had meditated at various temples in Tiruchi, constantly uttering some sacred ‘mantra'. He specifically says that it was the Sri Samayapuram Sri Mariamman temple where he realised the eternal bliss differently. “The Divine Mother at Samayapuram has been a guiding force in my quest for realising the supreme power,” he says.<br />
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Full report <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/arts/books/article2481739.ece">here</a> <i>Hindu</i><br />
</div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-18257949318035771742011-09-23T20:54:00.000+05:302011-09-23T20:54:49.770+05:30'Pak GenNext in US doesn't want to return'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
In the new generation of Pakistani immigrants to the US, the ties that bind youngsters to their Asian homeland are fast disappearing, says Jabeen Akhtar, writer and policymaker of Pakistani origin from the US.<br />
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"We cannot be expected to speak about what's happening back home in Pakistan and India all the time," Akhtar, who drafts policies for the People for Ethical Treatment to Animals (PETA) in the US, told IANS.<br />
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"I know of many immigrant friends who don't want to return home," she said. "Personally, I don't want to go back."<br />
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Akhtar, who has made her debut as an novelist with the much-talked-about <i>Welcome to Americastan</i>, is in India to promote her book.<br />
<br />
She said she wanted to provide an alternative perspective on the young South Asian Islamic diaspora in Washington, DC.<br />
<br />
"Every book on South Asia has arranged marriages and this idea of the home country being an exotic locale," Akhtar said. "The protagonist takes his exotic odyssey back home... it involves an identity crisis. The 'goras' (whites) may like it but the idea is a bunch of crap!"<br />
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Her book provides an irreverent snapshot of Pakistani immigrants in the US through the eyes of young Samira, a Pakistani-American woman.<br />
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It has been hailed by critics and senior writers like Bapsi Sidhwa and Moni Mohsin as a funny, original and thoughtful look at her community.<br />
<br />
Full report <a href="http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=116806">here</a> <i>Daijiworld</i><br />
</div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-69692890432415425532011-09-23T20:42:00.000+05:302011-09-23T21:45:40.714+05:30Hanif takes darker turn in new novel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
Mohammed Hanif’s 2008 debut, <i>A Case of Exploding Mangoes,</i> employed satire and the distance of a recent historical setting to bravely grapple with issues of military dominance and authoritarianism that continue to afflict Pakistani society.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGR6kKxWhO977OHJgwVKj4i6NjzoAuf8WjiF_0PyMSL9_McoOxX4qznd2hJprXGP-y5o84zWjwd-gKT4DRJ9hq0c4ljOqIPtylsd4uJz-8eg4VX_jWPIqyMR2ELnd1mDe-GlAaQBfPnQne/s1600/mohammadhanif_wsj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGR6kKxWhO977OHJgwVKj4i6NjzoAuf8WjiF_0PyMSL9_McoOxX4qznd2hJprXGP-y5o84zWjwd-gKT4DRJ9hq0c4ljOqIPtylsd4uJz-8eg4VX_jWPIqyMR2ELnd1mDe-GlAaQBfPnQne/s1600/mohammadhanif_wsj.jpg" /></a></div>Mr. Hanif has followed this success up with <i>Our Lady of Alice Bhatti</i>, a novel set in contemporary Pakistan which is darker, less humorous and perhaps more daring than his earlier work.<br />
<br />
The novel centers around Alice Bhatti, a beautiful, scrappy 27-year-old whose father is a drain cleaner from French Colony, a poor Christian quarter of Karachi, as she tries to make her way in life by training as a nurse, marrying a bodybuilder and becoming a mother.<br />
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Karachi, one of the world’s most violent cities, is a faintly-sketched backdrop for the daily degradations that Alice must face as both a woman and a poor Christian. She’s attacked at nursing college by a group of Muslim girls for being a “kafir” and later jailed for an operational procedure gone wrong that was not her fault. She is sexually assaulted by a rich, gun-toting man from an “old money” family in the VIP room of a hospital, with a casualness which is sickening.<br />
<br />
Full report <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2011/09/23/mohammed-hanif-takes-darker-turn-in-new-novel/">here</a> <i>WSJ blogs</i><br />
</div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8123326405925958798.post-67225184291685551062011-09-23T20:39:00.000+05:302011-09-23T20:39:08.195+05:30Books banned in India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
Though India is a democratic nation, the suppression in India mainly targets religious issues. The Constitution of India assures freedom of expression but places certain restrictions on substance, with an outlook towards maintaining communal and religious harmony, given the narration of communal tension in the nation.<br />
<br />
Listed below are a few books that created a "topsy-turvy" situation in India which led to ban against these books.<br />
<br />
Salman Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses"<br />
India has uncertain respect of being the initial country in the world to ban the Indian-born novelist's divisive work "The Satanic Verses". The novel written by Salman Rushdie had subsequent protest from dominant Muslim leaders. The novel was banned in India in 1988, and fatwa was imposed on Rushdie by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini on February 14, 1989, for demeaning Islam. Rushdie had to spend almost a decade in hindrance. Though Iran has held its government will not carry out the fatwa's death-sentence dictate, the book remains banned in India.<br />
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Full report <a href="http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/Books-Banned-in-India-nid-92505.html?utm_source=clicktrack&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=DontMiss">here</a> <i>Siliconindia</i><br />
</div>BookWisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06625782766781550936noreply@blogger.com0