Campaign India readers share their pick of the books to curl up with, this weekend. Happy reading!
First of all, I love Anthony Bourdain. He is witty, smart, stylish and has a job most of us can only dream of. Nasty Bits, is the perfect answer to why women lust after him and most men desire to be him.
One chapter in Nasty Bits deflates my pride of 'bat' being the highlight of my gastronomical misadventures. His chronicles of eating a thumping Cobra heart make me regret the 105 kilos I owe to the average/tasteless biryani from Noorani.
With this book, Bourdain glorifies the history of food (especially meat) and compares it to food culture today. Not only does he prove that his knowledge of food is unparalleled, but also about what a great writer he can be. Extremely direct, to the point, and a lilt of humour injects each line. This is Bourdain as entertaining as ever, and it most certainly should adorn every bookshelf. Sorry Juju.
Farhad Karkaria, copywriter, Saatchi & Saatchi
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A book that opens with the line ‘It was the day my grandmother exploded.’ can only be discarded by a few incurious souls. The protagonist in The Crow Road by Ian Banks will pull you into the depths of its pages with his fastidious behaviour and deep preoccupations with death, sex, drink, drugs and God.
Stephanie Fernandes, copywriter, Taproot India
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What made Babur the man who founded the Mughal empire in India? Alex Rutherford's book brings to life Babur's journey from remote Ferghana to gliterring Delhi. The path is filled with as many setbacks as successes. The only thing that unchanging is Babur's belief in his destiny. The book unfolds like a Western and is entertainingly written. You can finish this one in a sitting or two.
Krishna Rao, features writer, DNA Sunday
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The book is unlike any Rushdie has written. Light and cheerful, it is a tale of fantasy written originally for children. But like with many other childrens' books (Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings), this book works wonderfully for readers of all ages. It's got a charm that will make you smile and characters you will not forget. And being such a pleasant read, it's a total refresher too. Not to mention a literary delight.
Haem Roy, copywriter, McCann Erickson
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Putting the Mahabharat, the most complex thesis on human behaviour and motivations ever, under the lens of morality makes a wonderful read in this age of blurring lines between the right and the wrong. The epic itself struggles to justify the actions of its heroes, taking shelter in the convenient assertion of ‘Dharma being subtle’. The book is full of insightful glimpses on human behaviour that stands true even in this day and age. It has an innate ability to send the reader into a retrospective viewpoint on one’s own actions based on its framework of morality.
Sriharsh Mallela, strategic planner, Mudra