Roopa Pai parses the Bhagavad Gita for younger readers in this new volume from Hachette whose back cover exhorts interest by declaring ‘It’s one of the oldest books in the world and India’s biggest blockbuster bestseller!’ Keeping with the hyperbolic tone of the cover that insists that the young person is missing out on something mementous, Pai opens the book by addressing the eager reader with this observation. ‘And you’ve often wondered why so many people get all solemn and dewy-eyed and worshipful about a book that, last time you checked, looked like the most difficult thing that anyone could ever read.’ following it with a multiple choice quiz testing the reader’s knowledge of what the Gita really is. The opening interactive pages that pose a challenge give you some indication of how determined Pai is to engage her audience.
November 2015, volume 39, No 11