Books of the week: From Namita Gokhale's Jaipur Journals to Hariprasad Chaurasia's biography, our picks

We love stories, and even in the age of Netflix-and-chill, there's nothing like a good book that promises a couple of hours of absorption — whether curled up in bed, in your favourite coffeehouse, or that long (and tiresome) commute to work. Every Sunday, we'll have a succinct pick of books, across diverse genres, that have been newly made available for your reading pleasure. Get them wherever you get your books — the friendly neighbourhood bookseller, e-retail website, chain store — and in whatever form you prefer. Happy reading!

For more of our weekly book recommendations, click here.

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– FICTION

Jaipur Journals
By Namita Gokhale
Penguin Random House India | Rs 599 | 208 pages

Writer and Jaipur Literature Festival co-director Namita Gokhale’s Jaipur Journals is set against the backdrop of JLF, telling the stories of diverse writers, from the septuagenarian who doesn’t want to publish her semi-fictional novel to an author who has received an anonymous threat; from a historian who reunites with a past lover to a burglar passionate about poetry. Told from multiple perspectives and divulging into all the emotions that writers run through, her book is an ode to literature and writing.

Read more about the book here.

The Alchemy of Secrets
By Priya Balasubramaniam
Westland Publications | Rs 399 | 312 pages

Writer Priya Balasubramaniam’s book follows Mira who has returned to Bangalore seven years after fleeing it, as her grandmother is on her deathbed. But coming back means she also has to face memories of a summer with her friend Anisha. In another part of the country, a mosque had come down, and as politicians used religious fervour to advance their careers, the ripples were felt by the girls, with tragic consequences. Now back, she navigates not just this past, but further back, to the mystery of her mother’s death during the Emergency, and beyond.

– MEMOIRS and BIOGRAPHIES

Breath of Gold: Hariprasad Chaurasia
By Sathya Saran
Penguin Random House India | Rs 599 | 288 pages

Author and editor Sathya Saran pens the life story of renowned classical musician Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia. From his early days as wrestler and student to joining the All India Radio as a flautist; his marriage to relocation to Bombay and entry into films, his life has ben full of dramatic events. Saran also details his time as a student and offers insight into his role as guru, providing a picture of the man who afforded the flute international renown.

Read more about the book here.

The Magnificent Diwan: The Life and Times of Sir Salar Jung I
By Bakhtiar K Dadabhoy
Penguin Random House India | Rs 999 | 400 pages

Author Bakhtiar K Dadabhoy's The Magnificent Diwan is a biography of the man often referred to as the founder of modern Hyderabad. Drawing on archival research, Dadabhoy lays down the life and times of the Diwan, also providing a social and political history of Hyderabad and recounting how Salar Jung decisively shaped the city's politics and economics for almost three decades of the latter half of the 19th century.

Read more about the book here.

The Lotus Years: Political Life in India in the Time of Rajiv Gandhi
By Ashwini Bhatnagar
Hachette India | Rs 499 | 344 pages

Journalist and writer Ashwini Bhatnagar’s The Lotus Years is a chronicle of Rajiv Gandhi, his time as prime minister and the inner workings of his family. It discusses tumultuous events, from the beginning of the economic reform to regional insurgency to the Shah Bano case and the Bofors scandal. Bhatnagar also discusses India as a maturing democracy and lays down the intricacies and dissonances of Indian political life.

Read more about the book here.

– NON-FICTION

Words. Sounds. Images: A History of Media and Entertainment in India
By Amit Khanna
HarperCollins India | Rs 1499 | 952 pages

Filmmaker, lyricist, and journalist Amit Khanna presents an ambitious history of media and entertainment in India, from the times of the Indus Valley Civilisation to the twenty-first century. The book looks at the origins of entertainment and the Natyashastra, the drama of Kalidasa, the development of ragas and folk traditions, and the birth and development of classical dance. Following Independence, the book takes a decade-wise look at the evolution of cinema, music, television, dance, theatre, and radio, providing a comprehensive overview of the subject.

Read more about the book here.

Plassey: The Battle that Changed the Course of Indian History
By Sudeep Chakravarti
Aleph Book Company | Rs 799 | 440 pages

Author and journalist Sudeep Chakravarti uses multilingual research sources to present an account of the Battle of Plassey of 1757, a turning point in Indian history, where the East India Company led by Robert Clive emerged victorious against Siraj-ud-daulah, the nawab of Bengal. In the book, Chakravarti dissects the motivations and the historic and political background that led to the Battle and its outcome. He also recounts stories of individuals that affected the Battle and questions the perception of the Battle in contemporary minds.

Read more about the book here.