Archives: Books

Aazaadi Aadhi Raat Ko is the Hindi edition of Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins’s world-famous book, Freedom at Midnight. With special emphasis on the role of Mountbatten, this book tells us how the last viceroy of India was opposed to the idea of its Partition and had he known that Jinnah was dying, he would have preferred to wait for the day of his demise over the Partition. However, only Jinnah’s Hindu doctor knew of this fact and for the sake of the confidentiality of his patient, kept his knowledge to himself. This is a wonderfully-written, captivating account that will keep the reader glued till the very end.

Na Aane Waala Kal is the best-known work by Mohan Rakesh, in which he describes in great detail the responses of a man stuck in a uniquely difficult situation. This is not just a critique of social injustice but a heart-rending portrayal of its victim. A brilliant mix of events and impulses, this novel is an excellent portrayal of rapidly changing modern life, the economic struggles of the common man, the many new complications in man-woman relationships and offers a peek into the world of art and literature.

This novel focuses on the oppression, the emotional struggles and sacrifices made by women in a patriarchal society with its moral judgments and how these cause tensions to develop between the sexes. While attacking existing customs and traditions and forcing the reader to question these beliefs, Sharatchandra’s novel also psychologically analyses the workings of the female mind and the intricacies of the human behaviour. In addition to this, the novel also successfully shatters stereotypes around women, questioning why they are paradoxically worshipped like goddesses and treated like slaves-why the discrimination and inequality?

The most popular historical fiction writer, Acharya Chatur Sen, presents a vivid, entertaining and fascinating account of life in the interiors of the royal households and Rangmahals of Rajasthan. This is a tender story of the ill fortune of Goli, a woman who is prey to the constantly roving eyes of a king, while her husband cannot muster the courage to even lay a finger on her. This edition is the full-text version of this tale and will thus always be considered a document of utmost credibility.

The assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, Nathuram Godse is likely one of the most debated personalities in the history of India. The opinions on his character are divided across the country-while some people believe him to be a traitor, others consider him to be truly patriotic and demand that temples be built in his honour. Such opposite reactions are bound to leave the common man confused about who Nathuram Godse really was. Was he a terrorist? Was he a traitor? Was he a professional assassin? If not, then why did he kill Gandhi? Why did he consider Gandhi to be responsible for India’s partition? Moreover, did Gandhi really deceive the public in order to pacify Muslim leaders?
After serving his sentence of lifetime imprisonment for knowing about Nathuram Godse’s stand and thus being party to Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, Gopal Godse wrote this historical document upon his release from jail on 13 October 1964.

‘Pinjar’ means ‘skeleton’. A skeleton with neither a face, nor mind, nor a will, nor identity. Pinjar is set in the era of India’s independence from British rule, specifically, the time when the country was partitioned to form the nation of Pakistan. The suffering, hardships, sacrifices and miseries of the women during this time are described in Pinjar, as are the crimes and regrets of the men; the Hindus and the Muslims; the venom from the Partition. Human rights in the face of religious divisions, with the aid of which, the heroine embraces the present and forgives people’s wrongdoings; she rises again to explore the infinite possibilities that the future holds.

This is the collection of correspondence between Imroz and Amrita Pritam in the form of love-letters these two immensely creative people, which serve to paint an intimate portrait of their relationship and individual personalities. Their letters also bring to life a picture of the society in which they lived, rendering their exchanges to be historically indispensible.

This is a collection of literary giant, Premchand’s timeless stories which are not just an invaluable depository of the best of Indian literature, but that of the world. These stories present heart-rending accounts of life in rural India and the impact of debilitating poverty on the everyday lives of common people. The way poverty destroys human sensibilities is captured in heartbreaking detail in these stories. Kafan is Premchand’s most well-known story, which prominently highlights the nuances of this difficulty.

Famous writer in English, Khushwant Singh examines and criticizes subjects considered taboo in the Indian society in his signature bold style. This thought-provoking book candidly and honestly explains the difference between love and desire, indecency, pornography and erotica, examining the finer details of each topic. The author has included examples of myths and legends from around the world in addition to those from India, and has supplemented his stand with examples of stories and poems, making this an immensely entertaining read.

This book contains a social satire series in three parts. The first is called Ek Gadhe ki Aatmakatha. It is a whole other matter that it is actually written by the celebrated satirist writer, Krishna Chander. The author offers a critique of the social and political absurdities as well as of the human psychology in modern times. His critique is sharp, incisive and hits too close to home. In the second part of this aatmakatha, Ek Gadhe ki Waapsi, where the protagonist donkey meets prominent political leaders, he also comes across merchants and moneylenders. In the midst of all this, he then falls in love.