Skip to main content

Celebrate the World Book Day

Today is the World Book Day and it is a perfect excuse to talk and write about books. Book publishing in India is reaching great heights but the quality of content is miserably falling. We writers have a tremendous responsibility to keep up to the legends of regional literature most of whom we have already forgotten. 

I understand that this is the name of the game. Times change, preference of people change and so do writing styles. But it is quite sad that we dump treasures of literature and start afresh. Here I would like to point to the role of libraries who have failed miserably to preserve literature and stories. As a storyteller myself I am often appalled at the way stories of yesteryear writers are erased from public memory and record. Just because a publisher lost interest and the library didn't care, the writer himself or herself no longer alive or around does not mean we forget all about the literary work. 

This day is also a good day for us to introspect as a society as to whether we want books in our midst or not. For the businessmen amongst us, no longer want to sell books. I hardly see any bookseller in any market I visit. It seems we are only too happy to outsource this to foreign capital backed etailers and that too just a few of them. Most of them are too focussed on selling fashion anyway. In brick and mortar space Crossword is like the last man standing. So imagine my surprise when I found over my last visit, Crossword selling t-shirts. 

When you then look at society's role in maintaining libraries, it is an alien concept. No one wants to do that. No one wants to discuss this. The libraries build years ago now lie in despicable state. 

What this reflects is our utter disrespect for books. India, which is known for its seers and gurus. The propagator of knowledge and yet we have dumped books like a pariah. The books which we are publishing might relate to a section of the youth but are no way an endorsement of upliftment of our society. 

Here is wishing the new level of introspection and a healthy debate on the state of books in India. And also on their rightful place in the Indian society.

____________

On a completely different note, In the Awe of Life is now available in print through Amazon but currently only available in selected countries.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Also read

Lal Kitab remedies for daily energy clean-up: Simple habits for a vibrant life!

Feeling drained or stuck lately? 🌪️ Lal Kitab offers timeless, easy-to-do remedies for daily energy clean-up that can supercharge your life force! From feeding ants to tidying your shoes, these simple habits can make you feel like you have hit the refresh button on life. Let us explore practical, magical, and energy-boosting hacks for everyday life! What is the importance of daily energy clean-up according to Lal Kitab? Have you ever stepped into a room and felt... heavy? Like invisible weights hung in the air? That is stale energy—something Lal Kitab warns us about. 🧹 According to Lal Kitab, just like brushing your teeth prevents cavities, daily spiritual hygiene prevents ‘energy cavities’ in our lives. Studies from the HeartMath Institute suggest that human hearts emit measurable energy fields. If physical clutter makes you uneasy, you should understand the science behind energy healing and spiritual growth. When your home is energetically messy, your life feels stagnant. You ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Press 9 for a Crime by Shailendra Jha— Can a family fight a scam empire?

I read Shailendra Jha’s Press 9 for a Crime with my late-night lamp on; it’s a razor-sharp, humane thriller set between East Delhi and scam hubs in Southeast Asia . Fast, funny, and disturbingly real, it follows Aseem’s risky rescue of his missing brother. This review analyses theme, craft, character work and why the book both alarms and entertains and lingers. Why did this book grab me at once? Have you ever opened a book at midnight because the world outside felt suddenly less interesting than the danger on the page? That was me with Press 9 for a Crime . As someone who reads a lot of thrillers, believable stakes, and characters I care about. Jha gives me both within the first ten pages. The opening scenes place you in a cramped East Delhi neighbourhood and you instantly feel the hum of small-town hopes: the son who promises escape through a “job in Bangkok”, the ledger of family debts, the refrigerator light in a kitchen where dreams are rationed. Jha’s background in journa...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Price of Genius by Binit Priyaranjan Book Review: What Does India's Chess Revolution Truly Cost?

 India's rise from producing an occasional chess genius to becoming a global powerhouse is one of modern sport's most compelling stories. The Price of Genius by Binit Priyaranjan looks beyond trophies and headlines to reveal the families, coaches, failures, philosophy, and relentless pursuit that shape champions. This review examines where the book shines, where it stumbles, and why it deserves attention beyond the chess community. Have you ever Wondered What It Costs to Raise a Genius? Every generation inherits a comforting myth about greatness. We tell ourselves that prodigies are born with something the rest of us simply do not possess. A Mozart sits at a piano before he can properly write his own name. A Tendulkar seems destined to hold a cricket bat. A Viswanathan Anand appears to calculate combinations with supernatural ease. These stories reassure us because they reduce excellence to destiny. If genius is a gift bestowed upon a fortunate few, then the rest of us are sp...
Post a Comment
Read more