Sunil K Poolani
There are books in hard cover, when most of them appear first in print. Then there are those paperbacks to cater to a ‘lesser’-audience that piggyback on the ‘hard’ part’s success. Then there is a class called coffee table books that target a discerning audience, to a cherished class, who treats them something like decorated showcase items. So, now, here we talk about the latter category of books that you would like to keep them on your table, when your kith and kin come home and savour brewed coffee. Test (taste?) ten:
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New Delhi: Making of a Capital
Malvika Singh & Rudrangshu Mukherjee
Roli Books
Rs 1,975; Pages 240
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A veritable visual celebration of and a treatise to a city most South Indians love to hate. The authors (Mukherjee: a renowned historian and an eminent journalist; Singh: a known journalist-publisher) are the perfect pair to give a ringside view of the city’s chequered past. Savour that with the visual research by the inevitable Pramod Kapoor.
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Kishore Kumar: Method in Madness
Derek Bose
Rupa & Co
Rs 395; Pages 128
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An impeccable movie writer analyses the mad genius of Hindi cinema: singer, actor, filmmaker, music composer, lyricist. But Kishore was also a miser, madman and troublemaker. Who was he then? This book attempts to provide an answer with a well-rounded picture of his personality and rare and lively pictures to supplement the text.
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Islamic Art: The Past and Modern
Nuzhat Kazmi
Roli Books
Rs 695; Pages 144
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Islamic art, not many Hindutva elements may agree though, has taken from other cultural traditions and has also given to different social structures and visual languages of the world. This invaluable book looks at the artistic output of the Islamic civilisation from the time of its inception to its interpretations in the contemporary world.
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Occupying Silence
Devashish Makhija
Gallery Kanishka
Rs 495; Pages 40
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This is a rich collection of full-colour plates of graphic-verse pieces, interspersed with miniature vignettes of a life of creative confusion. The works provide an insight into an observant mind, which skilfully dissect the experiences, laying bare the other side of real vision. Makhija’s are daily occurrences in our common world viewed with a completely different perspective.
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Royal Enfield: The Legend Rides On
Price not mentioned; Pages 162
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The Bullet is a legend and when it completes 50 years, it is a matter of celebration. The book meanders through many a highway and byway, while trying to answer pictorially why is it so loved by so many people globally: starting with the early days of the Enfield’s birth, at the Redditch Works, England, to the Enfield factory in Chennai, where it is assembled even today.
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Coimbatore: The Emerging Indian Cosmopolis
Pictures: Stalin Ramesh and K Marudhachalam
Text: Shobhana Kumar
Esscom, Esslingen Coimbatore Association
Rs 500; Pages 250
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A great effort to present Coimbatore as an emerging metropolis. The photographs are awesome, so is the writing. It is a clever and effective mix of the ancient and the present in vivid details: from the Perur temple that dates back to the Chola period to today’s shopping centres, restaurants, theme parks… The book, a guide to a visitor, will make the city-dwellers proud.
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Sikkim: The Hidden Fruitful Valley
Parvin Singh & Yishey Doma
Prakash Books
Rs 1,295; Pages 90
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Sikkim is a land of mystery and enviable charm. Any book on Sikkim will transport you to a land of bliss. The text by Yishey Doma supports rich photographs by Parvin Singh, a photographer who spent many years documenting life, customs, people and the beautiful landscapes of this tiny state of India. A virtual photography journey you will always cherish.
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Sahyadris: India’s Western Ghats — A Vanishing Heritage
Santosh Kadur & Kamal Bawa
Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment
US $50; Pages 240
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The Sahyadris are home to the most intact rainforests in peninsular India. Myriad species of flora and fauna live here, many of which are found nowhere else on earth, and countless of which are still being discovered. This book takes you to one of the last great places on earth: a place to be cherished, a wild heritage to be preserved for generations to come.
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Tipu’s Tiger
Susan Stronge
Roli Books
Rs 595; Pages 96
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This eye-catching book narrates the tiger’s travels from India to elsewhere, explaining how it has inspired artists and authors, and frightened or entertained the public since its first appearance in England. It also discusses the intriguing meanings of the many tiger motifs on Tipu’s personal commissions, from his jewelled golden throne and idiosyncratic weapons to the emblematic wooden semi-automaton.
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The Indians: Interesting Aspects
Sumant Batra
Tara Press
Rs 8,500; Pages 240
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When there is a plethora of books on India (ahem!), this comes as a whiff of fresh air: a humble attempt to showcase the extraordinary spirit of the Indians and a few interesting facets culled out from the daily lives of peoples this great country. A journey through rural villages and small towns which are preserving houses of civilisation, customs and traditions.
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