The back cover of each of the three books says: ‘Concise, yet filled with relevant details and accompanied by attractive colour illustrations, the Exploring India series will make history fascinating and unforgettable for every reader.’ This is an excellent description for the Exploring India book series.
A good read that takes you through the life of Benjamin Franklin, whom today’s youngsters probably relate to only as the face on the $100 bill. The book is a definite must read that can inspire young minds to broaden their horizons and realize their full potential. While the larger achievements of Franklin are inspiring, there are several instances in the book that might strike the right chord in readers and stay with them forever. One example is a sentence that goes, ‘My mind having been more improved by reading than Keimer’s, I suppose it was for that reason my conversation seemed to be more valued.’ I, for one, have resolved to improve my mind by reading as much as I can! And then there are candid observations such as ‘that while a party is carrying on a general design, each man has his particular private interest in view.’
Reading the recently launched Hindi translation of the book A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: A Life by his close associate and friend Arun Kumar, the tone and intention of the author becomes very clear early in the text. The book is worked out as a hagiography of a person who had achieved a status comparable to a saint, maybe even more than that, in his lifetime. The work is not meant for critical understanding. You need to read it in a particular way in order to appreciate the contents of the book.
Dear Kalam Sir, a compendium of tributes to the ‘people’s president’, ‘the missile man of India’ amazes us by the sheer novelty of the idea. An initiative of Letter Farms, this book is a testimony to the fact that Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, with his ideas, words and actions reached out and touched a great number of lives. A man who rose from a humble background to become President, India ever had, Kalam’s life is a lesson that ‘dreams with a vision and hard work ensure success.’ ‘Postcard is your canvas and sky is your limit’ is the single line instruction with which Letter Farms began the community art project Dear Kalam Sir, which is a confluence of ‘art, articulation and passion’.
It comes almost as a relief to see a picture book titled Kasturba. There must be, or should be, few who don’t know that she was Mahatma Gandhi’s wife. He is among the most written about individuals in the world. And there are many who believe she hasn’t been given her due in history. However, I wonder if the title is somewhat misleading because the story is actually about a little girl called Nina who discovers her Kasturba voice and the reference to this context is what drives the action in the story. It is October 2 once more and Nina’s class teacher is preparing her class to do a play to commemorate the occasion.
Sakhi-Time with Nani Ji is inspired by the life and teachings of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion. Guru Nanak, born in 1469, witnessed lot of turmoil and atrocities committed by the rulers of that era in the name of religion and caste fundamentalism. He organized his followers to challenge the protagonists of extremism and founded a new church to build an egalitarian society. His message of universal brotherhood, peace, love, emancipation and empowerment of women, and faith based on oneness of God and boycott of superstitions and idol worship, appealed to all ordinary people who suffered persecution and social injustice.