CNN-IBN Book Club: Between the Lines

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Of course with all the reading between the lines post-elections, you haven't had much time for actual reading, and I don't blame you one bit... what with the number-crunching, analysis, the massive mandate, looking Left, Right and now at the BSP's latest move, who has time for the black and white in these shades of grey? So no, I'm not going to ask who you voted for, or what you think of the good doctor slash erstwhile professor.

Just that if the adrenaline buzz is dying down, there's a lot out there, across bookshelves and bookstores to delve into...all this to help you step out into the blistering heat as little as possible.

Last word on elex -- OUP's book Electoral Politics is based on the 2004 elections (and co-edited by the redoubtable Yogendra Yadav, whose sharp analysis you've seen on CNN-IBN, of course!)

Yes I'm still ploughing through Descent into Chaos (my non-fiction reading goes way slower than story books I notice!) ... though I should be looking around frantically for books on Prabhakaran and the LTTE at this point. Heads-up, some mainstream publishers would be interested in what you have to say if you know your subject.

I'm reading Hachette India's first release My Friend Sancho, by blogger slash journalist Amit Varma... it's set in the "tabloid media" world of Mumbai, and light so far. Not heavy-duty or a literary read, fyi, perfect for a lazy day, an airport lay-over and such. And it's pretty funny when his fictional main character refers to his "favourite" (real-life) blog India Uncut... Ha ha funny, without being ham-handed. I think non-journos would like this one. Well, journos too... and that under-stated demographic, young people, more than most.

Speaking of airport reads, for some reason noted UK-based economist Lord Meghnad Desai decided to write an airport thriller... I'm not entirely sure why, and it comes across as really clunky at times. Dead on Time (HarperCollins India) could be witty and clever and fun if it had hit a few more notes right ... it's a little ponderous, trying too hard in bits and well, there's the paedophile/ incest scenes I have a huge issue with. Just the way of describing the mother's complicity in the father's sexual abuse of their children (describing him as a good caring loving father...Retch now?) I'm not saying literature shouldn't deal with incest and issues that are taboo and social stigma and the like - of course it must, like all art, challenge our conceptions, hold up a mirror to our hypocrisies and shine a bright light under the rock we hide our sleaze under... but there's a different between that and this. It's not just sleazy, it's well...in bad form, I think.

Never mind that, there's also a detective book -- The Paris Enigma -- out by HarperCollins India, which I haven't checked out yet. Interestingly, they have a detective contest going on this month, in connection with the book (if you like, check out their website for more).

There's a spate of launches this week in the capital - there's a book on the Indo-US nuclear deal being released today, a collection of short stories being released tomorrow, and graphic novel The Hotel at the End of the World being released on Friday. The last one I've actually read. It's by a senior of mine at college (a disclaimer, though I didn't know her, which in itself means nothing, mind you!)

I read it through and wanted more. That's a good sign. Bad sign though, that I missed out a plot point 'cause I was reading so fast. I went back and re-read pages, but I still want more. I want an addendum...I want the story to say more. Maybe I'm missing something?! Let me know what you think.

Good to know that interest in Tintin is still alive and well - did you see the reports that artwork (including by creator Hergé ie George Remi) sold for a whopping $ 1.57 million at an auction in Belgium? Viva la recession.

Then there's the Twitter book ... someone, a New York Times columnist no less, is writing a book of tweets, isn't that a sign of the times! (I'm totally thinking of clever tweets, even as we speak!)

In other news, Londoner Ruth Padel beat out Indian poet Arvind Mehrotra to the post of Oxford Professor of Poetry in what seems to have been a controversial race, smear campaign and all... and we thought that was the politicians' prerogative?!

Who are your favourite people to read online? I was fwded a great piece by Howard Zinn on Obama, re-discovered a beautiful short by Hari Kunzru (Deus Ex Machina), have been avidly following reports on US Af-Pak policy, even Fatima Bhutto on US aid to Pakistan. Of course earlier buzz on her and George Clooney aside, she's working on a book to be published next year.

That's it for now, share your reads and rants with us. Write in!