Ruskin Bond

Once again I have a bundle of books to review for the Children’s Special issue of TBR. Once more the books have nothing in common. There is no unifying theme, no single target group. When publishers are regressively dividing readers according to gender (pink books for girls; action books for boys), it’s great to have a bunch of books…


Reviewed by: Shobhana Bhattacharji
Ranjit Lal

Faces in the Water is a fascinating tale for young adults dealing with the subject of female infanticide. The author has dealt with this sensitive issue in a very gentle manner coated with humour which makes the book interesting. In about 200 pages Ranjit Lal weaves the story of an atrocious crime that has been existent…


Reviewed by: Indira Bagchi
Kavitha Mandana

Every schoolchild in India is familiar with the history of the great Emperor Akbar who had ruled our country with strength, compassion and understanding. Not just a conquering warrior, he was also known as a great statesman, thinker and humanist, who succeeded in maintaining peace and harmony throughout his vast empire…


Reviewed by: Nilima Sinha
Vicki Goldberg

When I was asked to write a review of a new book of photographs by Margaret Bourke White sheer excitement ran through my nerves. While Henri Cartier Bresson has been a much talked about figure in the photo communities here in India Margaret Bourke White has in comparison been quite invisible at least amongst the discussions that have gone on among my contemporaries…


Reviewed by: Sohrab Hura
Nirmal Nibedon

Three major approaches underline the bourgeoning literature on North­eastern India—the historico-political, the Marxian and the Pluralist. Emphasiz­ing on the class dimension of the turbu­lences in the various states of the region, the Marxian perspective has noted with concern, the evolution and growth of ‘little nationalism’ and nativist chauvin­ism.


Reviewed by: Urmila Phadnis