BOOKS WE RECOMMEND THIS WEEK

From a definitive biography of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, to a translation of acclaimed Hindi writer Shivani’s book Bhairavi, our book picks this week, curated by Chirdeep Malhotra

CONTEMPORARY FICTION

“Chinese Whiskers” by Pallavi Aiyar

This is a modern fable set in the ever-changing landscape of early 21st century China. Soyabean is a kitten when he is adopted by Mr and Mrs A, foreigners who live in a large courtyard house in Beijing. Soon after, the couple bring home Tofu, a rescued dustbin cat. Just as the cats begin to settle into their new pampered lives, Soyabean is offered a job as a model for a new brand of cat food. Meanwhile, a mysterious virus is sickening people across the city and it is cats that are being blamed.
This novel is told from a feline point of view and is richly textured with the sights and sounds of the hutong neighbourhoods of Beijing, and will make readers think again about the battles that we all fight between the corruption of fast living and the ideals of traditional life.



“Jakarta Tails” by Pallavi Aiyar

This book is a sequel of “Chinese Whiskers”, in which the two alley cats from Beijing, Soyabean and Tofu, move to Jakarta with Mr and Mrs A. Just as they are settling into a tropical idyll of frangipani trees, strange goings on in the neighbourhood have them on alert. The cats discover that under Indonesia's surface calm, communal tensions are rife, and they find themselves unwittingly sucked into a fake news network whose aim is to upset the country's fragile religious harmony. This novel is a cat's-eye view of human foibles that will resonate with anyone who has loved a pet, while also presenting a humorous and poignant snap-shot of contemporary Indonesia.



NON-FICTION

“Akbar: The Great Mughal” by Ira Mukhoty

Abu’l Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar, the third Mughal emperor, is widely regarded as one of the greatest rulers in India’s history. During his reign, the Mughal Empire was one of the wealthiest in the world, and covered much of the Indian subcontinent. In this book, acclaimed writer Ira Mukhoty covers Akbar’s life and times in lavish, illuminating detail.
The book looks in great detail at every aspect of this exceptional ruler—his ambitions, mistakes, bravery, military genius, empathy for his subjects, and path-breaking efforts to reform the governance of his empire. It delves deep into his open-mindedness, his reverence towards all religions, his efforts towards the emancipation of women, his abolishing of slavery and the religious tax—jiziya—and other acts that showed his statesmanship and humanity. This ‘Definitive Biography’ of Akbar is beautifully written, hugely well-informed, and thoroughly grounded in scholarship, and captures the grandeur, vitality, and genius of the Great Mughal.



TRANSLATION

“Bhairavi: The Runaway” by Shivani, translated by Priyanka Sarkar

Hindi writer Gaura Pant, who wrote under the pen name Shivani was a pioneer of Indian women-based fiction. This novel, translated by Priyanka Sarkar, tells the story of a woman's life, her moral and mental strength and her resilience. The story spans generations and is redolent with Gothic imagery, and also examines the choices women have in beautiful, descriptive prose. With an erudite foreword by Mrinal Pande, Shivani’s daughter and scholar, and a preface by the translator, this book brings Shivani’s writings for the 21st-century reader.