Almond Tree, Maharaja in Denims

Book Reviews

Maharaja in Denims

Author: Khushwant Singh
Publisher: Amaryllis, New Delhi
(Pp 176, ISBN 978-93-81506-43-1, Rs 250)

The author Khushwant Singh is a writer, columnist (Punjabi by Nature' in the Hindustan Times) and TV show host. Though, he has previously authored three books: Sikhs Unlimited, Mending Soul, and Turbaned Tornado, this is his first novel – a historical fiction. It is an intriguing narrative of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, commonly known as the Lion of Punjab, through the eyes of a teenager named Hari, who believes he is a reincarnation of the maharaja. When Suzanne, Hari’s girlfriend, attempts to decode Hari's past life through the practice of regression, she is shocked to discover that Hari has had more than one tumultuous past lives. An emotional drama with shades of politics and the tragic after-effects of the assassination of the former prime minister of India, Indira Gandhi, it makes an interesting and intense read!

–Varsha Verma

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The Golden Jubilee

Author: Subrata Dasgupta
Publisher: Amaryllis, New Delhi
(Pp 217, ISBN 978-93-81506-38-7, Rs 325)

As the name suggests, the book is woven around the Golden Jubilee wedding anniversary celebration of a Bengali-American couple. But it is not just that, all the family members gather together for the special day and it becomes as much a time of bonds lost and recovered, a time of remembrance of long-buried and willfully forgotten pasts, of confessions and self-discovery, of acceptances and rejections and a time when old personal conundrums are finally resolved. It can be a story of any household.

The narratives are a succession of first person tales, which are good in the sense that they show how each individual thinks but sometimes it seems a repetition of the instances. But, the story looks very real and makes us think of our own family ties.

–Varsha Verma 

The Almond Tree

Author: Michelle Cohen Corasanti
Publisher: FingerPrint!, an imprint of Prakash Books India Pvt Ltd, New Delhi
(Pp 352, ISBN 978-81-7234-487-0, Rs 295)

If I have to describe the book in one line, I would say ‘A beautiful work that touches your heart to the core – it teaches you life’s difficult lessons and shows how a man’s determination can change his world and the people he loves.’

Set up in the time when the war between Palestinians and Israelis was on, the book shows how lives were ruined, people were butchered or imprisoned for no reason. How a happy well-to-do family is shattered, with nothing to eat and no place to sleep. The story revolves about a boy Ahmed Hamid, who uses his intellect to save his poor and dying family. What really impress is his positive attitude towards life and his undying hope for a better future. Torn between his family and his aspirations, Ahmed succeeds in bringing a turnaround in his life.

The style of writing and the choice of words is brilliant…you actually feel you are a part of the story. A well-written book that deserves appreciation and recognition!

–Varsha Verma 

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The Cosmic Clues

Author: Manjiri Prabhu
Publisher: Jaico Publishing House, Mumbai
(Pp 316, ISBN 978-81-8495-479-1, Rs 299)

Claimed to be India’s first astro-detective novel, the book is about a detective agency that uses horoscopes to solve cases. When a young detective agent Sonia Samarth starts her private investigation agency guided by Hindu astrology, it raised many eyebrows. Soon, Sonia proved her mettle by solving various cases.

But, one has to look at one’s own stars as well…was all this destined in Sonia’s life? She needs to know the invisible thread that binds all the cases she has solved. Life has its own ways and who can better understand than a person who believes in astrology. Different but interesting, the book will be liked by people who love mystery as well as those who have some faith in astrology.

–Varsha Verma 

Faith for Life

Translated by: SM Haricharan
Publisher: Prism Books Pvt Ltd, Bengaluru
(Pp 98, ISBN 978-81-7286-759-1, Rs 99)

The book, translated from original Kannada version Baligondu Nambike, is a very lucid presentation of a thinking and visionary mind to depict the then state of nation, when India was experiencing the newly obtained independence in 1950. The book introduces us to fundamental questions of life and enables us to answer ourselves for developing a vision and responsibility to our life. The book drives three attributes of human life – enthusiasm, human endeavour and social consciousness. It is not a self-help book but it motivates and guides you on the roads of life.

–Varsha Verma