Art & Culture News
Forgotten footprints: the story of Sikhs uprooted from Kashmir post Partition
In 1947, as India and Pakistan were torn apart by Partition, a little-known invasion unfolded in Jammu and Kashmir.A new documentation for the 1947 Partition Archivestells the story ofDalip Singh Deepak, revealing a chapter of history often erased from South Asias collective memory
Far from the American Dream | Review of Ocean Vuongs The Emperor of Gladness
A slightly ambiguous exploration of trauma, kinship and the immigrant experience
Review of LailaLalamis The Dream Hotel, longlisted for the Womens Prize for Fiction 2025
A chilling reflection on surveillance and personal freedom, the novel could have done with tighter editing and greater exploration of other characters
Jane Austen at 250 | Why most fans have got the Regency-era author wrong
Former English professor and cultural critic Harish Trivedi challenges common misconceptions about the themes and social critique in Austens works
Brahmaputra litfest to focus on Assams cultural icons
The spotlight of the event from February 6 to 8, 2026 will also be on tribal heritage and indigenous storytelling traditions
Ways of seeing | Review of Sameer Hamdanis City of Kashmir Srinagar
Hamdani uses monuments as apertures through which the larger history of Srinagar comes into view
The invisible half | Review of Economica by Victoria Bateman
Bateman rewrites the history book to include women workers and entrepreneurs who had not been given the recognition they deserve
Inside Pustaka, Hyderabads new neighbourhood library and activity centre
An initiative by two young mothers, Pustaka hopes to draw book enthusiasts of all age groups, with titles that go beyond popular picks
Sophie Kinsella, author of the millions-selling Shopaholic novels, passes away at 55
She had announced in April 2024 that she had been diagnosed in late 2022 with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer
Geetha Iyers new book, Miniature Giants, captures the fascinating world of insects
The book brings together her field adventures, scientific insight, and childhood memories to show how insects shape our ecosystems
A book to help you mend your broken heart
Milan Vohra, Indias first Mills & Boon author, on her new book, Heartbreak Unfiltered: Things nobody told you about love, loss and letting go, a genre-defying collection of real-life heartbreak narratives
The Kalinga Literary Festival with Penguin Random House India has launched a book review competition
Grand prizes include 10,000 for the winner and 5,000 for the runner-up, along with a hamper of Penguin books
Auroville Literature Festival to kickstart on December 15
Review of The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop by Japanese author Takuya Asakura
Through his atmospheric writing, the author highlights the ability of literature to heal people
The HinduLit For Life 2026: Literature across geographies
The Hindu hosts dialogues, shows in several cities before the annual Lit for Life festival in Chennai in January 2026
Supreme Court rejects plea that Arundhati Roys book cover promotes smoking
The court says both author and publisher were renowned names, and did not require the photo of her smoking a beedi to sell the book Mother Mary Comes to Me
An excerpt from Michelin-starred chef Suvir Sarans memoir, Tell My Mother I Like Boys
When I turned to the mirror, it caught me unguarded. The reflection was both familiar and foreign.
Suvir Saran, Michelin-starred chef, lays it bare in his new memoir, Tell My Mother I Like Boys
The book, that travels between Delhi, Mumbai and New York, paints a vivid picture of Suvirs personal life and career
Review of Sanjoy Hazarikas River Traveller
Hazarikas musings on journeys on the Brahmaputra are a cautionary tale against planned disaster
Ground to air | Review of Above and Beyond by Shiv Kumar Mohanka
A factual narrative on the growth and prospects of the aviation sector in India
Review of MaudVenturas dark comedy novel, Make Me Famous
This character-driven satire of celebrity culture is the perfect weekend read
Review of Avtar Singhs new pandemic novel, The Pretenders
This is Avtar Singhs second novel set during the COVID-19 lockdown, after Into the Forest last year
Understanding Ambedkar: why reading his work carefully is important today
A new book by Valerian Rodrigues argues that B. R. Ambedkar is not just a political leader but also a moral philosopher. His ideas on representation, power, democracy, nationalism speak to the marginalised in any society
In Focus Podcast | The Brahmastra Unleashed: Inside Mumbais battle against the underworld
D. Sivanandhan, IPS (Retd.), talks about his experiences dismantling Mumbais underworld and the insights from his book The Brahmastra Unleashed.
British playwright Tom Stoppard dies at 88
Tom Stoppard had won an Academy Award for the screenplay for 1998's Shakespeare In Love
Ive always felt like 60 in my head: Twinkle Khanna
Column | Top books to read in November
Big-hearted stories, with a dash of the weird and unfamiliar
Review of anthology Whose UrduIs It Anyway?, edited by Rakhshanda Jalil
Jalil puts together an inspiring collection of stories by non-Muslim Urdu writers
Sweeping view | Review of The Aam Aadmi Party by Sayantan Ghosh
A new book traces the partys rise and fall in Delhi and how it slowly moved away from many of its founding ideas
Unlocking the language of desire | Mahesh Rao on his new novel, Half Light
The author discusses evolving queer expressions and his new novel set on the brink of decriminalising of homosexuality in India
A book that brings alive the mangroves
Whispers of the Mangroves, a new book by Radhika Suri and Chetna Singh Kaith, pays homage to this misinterpreted, but very important ecosystem
Why telling stories from the Himalaya is an argument against extinction
Stephen Alter, who recently won the Himalayan Echoes Nature Prize, has often put the young, fold mountains at the centre of his writing. Other chroniclers, from Peter Matthiessen to Namita Gokhale, have written about the reality of living in a region which inspires both awe and fear
As Aparna Sen turns 80, two new books trace the actor-directors trailblazing journey in cinema and theatre
Aparajith Ramnaths Visvesvaraya biography wins NIF Prize
Aparajith Ramnath traces the life and work of one of Indias most famous engineers of the 20th century
Hope snarled | Review of Megha Majumdars AGuardianand a Thief
The story examines how people act in times of desperation, shining a light on morality and human nature
Ramayana retold | Review of Telugu writer Volgas novel, On the Banks of the Pampa
Sabari isnt merely a symbol of devotion but of resistance against caste, cultural appropriation, and the tussle between ecology and empire building
Brush with danger | Review of Kaushik Sridhars Kidnapped by Hezbollah
An Australian doctor of Indian origin recalls his harrowing experience in West Asia
What is the latest Gajapati Kulapati picture book about?
The latest in the much-loved picture books series by Ashok Rajagopalan is about the gentle elephants sleep troubles
Exploring familial tenderness and discord in author Krupa Ges book Burns Boy
What intense moments of familial drama lead to a 15-year-old boy arriving at a burns ward? Find out at author Krupa Ges book release on November 16
This book explains all aboutLetter of Intent
Review of Tash Aws novel The South, longlisted for the Booker Prize 2025
This story of young queer love fails to deliver on emotional truth
The Booker Prize 2025 | Read about the nominated titles here
The winner of the 50,000 prize will be announced on November 10
Torie Trues Seven Kitchens spotlights culinary traditions of seven Indian communities
The London-based author blends Indian history, storytelling, and recipes in her latest book, Seven Kitchens PRINT: Torie Trues Seven Kitchens spotlights culinary traditions of seven Indian communities
Review of The New Geography of Innovation by Mehran Gul
A tech writer maps the evolving global landscape to show what the world is learning from America and the changes it is incorporating
Review of Katie Kitamuras Audition, shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2025
The author blurs performance and truth, leading to a compelling exploration of relationships and identity
Review of Ben Markovitss The Rest of Our Lives, shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2025
The author paints an inward-looking picture of family life and the toll it takes on individuals
Review of Maria Revas Endling, longlisted for The Booker Prize 2025
This metafictional debut novel juxtaposes the story of a rescue of snails with conversations around war and survival
Minting a murder | Review of The Hallmarked Man by Robert Galbraith
A decade on, Galbraith aka J.K. Rowling is still going strong with her Strike series. However, the magic is wearing off
Vaishali Shroffs Submerged Worlds explores the untold stories of Indias rivers
In her latest book published by Penguin, Vaishali Shroff uncovers the ecology, history and forgotten human tales that flow beneath Indias mighty rivers. The author will be in Visakhapatnam for the Vizag Junior Lit Fest
Kiran Desai on her new novel, The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, shortlisted for Booker Prize 2025
Desai lovingly reconstructs a bygone time, a museum of a past India, in her novel
Interview with Kunzang Choden on her memoir Telling Me My Stories
Bhutanese author on her memoir, and the role of Bhutans monarchy in its modernisation
Journalist Harinder Baweja on her new book They Will Shoot You, Madam
Baweja takes readers through her four-decade journey reporting on seismic events that shaped India
Shock, horror, terror: how Dalit stories are stirring the literary world
Books like Daya Pawars Baluta and Baby Kambles memoir foreground the oppressed and marginalised lives of Dalits. In Dadu Mandrekars Untouchable Goa, the past in the form of myths and legends and the lived reality of the present are highlighted in the hope of a better future
Not all stories begin with the phrase Once upon a time. There are some cases wherein the second you open the book, youll be tossed into a world of chaos and confusion.
History of a movement | Review of The Dravidian Pathway by Vignesh Rajahmani
An account of how the DMK converted the Dravidian movement into a political and electoral force
Review of A Different Story, poetry by Amlanjyoti Goswami
The poets understanding of people results in a collection of over 200 verses both profound and affecting in its restraint
Know thy villain | Review of The Menon Investigation by Saharu Nusaiba Kannanari
In this police procedural set in Kerala, male protagonists are the victims of an unjust patriarchal society
Emerald Fennells Wuthering Heights: What would Emily Bront think?
Emerald Fennells sexy, scandalous take on Wuthering Heights promises sweat, desire, and fiercely divided opinions. As a lifelong Emily Bront fan, Im not entirely horrified. But does it do the story justice?
A new biography on M.S. Subbulakshmi takes a peek into her art and life
Sivam Subham: The Biography ... of a Couple by Malayalam poet and lyricist Harinarayanan, was launched recently on the legendary singers 109th birth anniversary.
Fabien Toulm explores love in Bengaluru
Fabien Toulm, a French graphic novelist researching how couples meet, part, or stay together, has discovered both similarities and differences in Bengalurus approach to relationships
Beyond the full stop: Nobel Laureate Lszl Krasznahorkai and the tradition of the expansive sentence
Where science has failed to effectively communicate consciousness and the bridge between brain and mind, authors have managed it flawlessly
Making sense: On Krasznahorkai and the Nobel Prize in Literature for 2025
Krasznahorkai gets recognition for melancholic stories in an absurd world
A pilgrims progress | Review of A Return to Self by Aatish Taseer
Aatish Taseers travel writings seek answers for both historical puzzles and questions about his exile
Nobel Prize in literature goes to Hungarian author Lszl Krasznahorkai
The prizes carry a cash award of 11 million Swedish kronor (approximately 1.03 crore) and will be awarded on December 10.
British author Jilly Cooper dies at 88
Jilly Coopers book Rivals found a new generation of fans when it was made into a series for Disney+ in 2024
Interview | Andrew Miller on his Booker-shortlisted novel, The Land in Winter
The author draws on fragments from his childhood, examining a transformative time in 1960s Britain
How Visvesvaraya, Muthulakshmi and Mahalanobis shaped modern India
Three biographies examine the life of Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, Muthulakshmi Reddy, and Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis trailblazers born in colonial India in the 19th century, who have gone on to make foundational contributions to independent India in the 20th century
Daily Quiz: On World Translation Day
On International Translation Day, test your knowledge of the art and profession that bridges languages, cultures, and nations
Gangster drama | Review of Shreyas Rajagopals Gunboy
Rajagopals biggest strength is characterisation, and the easy manner in which he conveys the lived reality of small-town India
Review of Sannapureddy Venkatarami Reddys Tiger Lessons, translated from the Telugu
Reddy highlights a summer in the lives of hill-grazing shepherds who navigate extreme wilderness for their livelihood
Ex-winner Kiran Desai shortlisted for Booker Prize for The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny
The 53-year-old Delhi-born author, who won the Booker Prize 19 years ago in 2006 with The Inheritance of Loss, joins six writers from around the world on the coveted literary shortlist
Kafka in Budapest | Review of David Szalays Booker-longlisted novel,Flesh
What makes this novel about the life of an ordinary man so deeply sensory?
Interview | Author Natasha Brown on her Booker Prize-longlisted novel, Universality
By placing journalism within a novel, Brown plays with the fundamentals of trust, forcing one to question the very basis of society
Unwrapping the China Enigma book launch highlights
The evening featured discussions and conversations on the book and Indias relationship with China
Review of 2006 Booker winner Kiran Desais The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny
Desai returns with a sad-happy masterpiece about two young Indians in the U.S. and their families, set against larger political changes
Review of Ravi K. Mishras Demography, Representation, Delimitation
Are southern States justified in saying they are being penalised for successful population control? A new book joins the delimitation debate
A river runs through it all | Review of Saraswati by Gurnaik Johal
In giving a potted history of various issues, the narrative in this ambitious debut novel ends up feeling distant
Storied rivalry | Review of Gideon Haighs Indian Summers
Haigh on what makes India and Australia matchups special
Marisa Abela: It felt like we were in Jane Austens world
Marisa Abela, who plays Elizabeth Bennett in the Audible production of Pride and Prejudice, talks about the joys and challenges of playing one of English literatures most iconic protagonists
Kashmirs 360 degree view from top: Lake by lake, meadow by meadow
Over 50 high altitude lakes, many rarely-travelled, are now depicted pictorially in Mahmood A Shahs coffee table book Valleys of Jammu & Kashmir
Hear me out,sakhi | Review of K. Srilatas Footnotes to the Mahabharata
This book of poems on five women from theMahabharatais raw, powerful, and delicate all at once
Unforgiving memories | Review of poetry anthology Sing, Slivered Tongue
This collection of 68 poems reflects on womanhood in a patriarchal society, with trauma as the focal point
Review of Arundhathi Subramaniams The Gallery of Upside Down Women
The poet builds lyrical communion with her spiritual foremothers, mystic rebels and wandering poets in contemporary verse
Beyond Ram Rahim | Review of Deras by Santosh K. Singh
Understanding the unique belief system of the Deras, an offshoot of older religious traditions
Review of The Remnants of Rebellion by Ponnu Elizabeth Mathew
A debut novel that paints a picture of verdant Kerala while also highlighting its dark chapters of communal and caste violence
I just want to be. Let me be, says Arundhati Roy
Arundhati memoir Mother Mary Comes to Me is a window into her mother world, as well as her own
No Public Feeding Of Stray Dogs SC Modifies Previous Order; Dogs To Be Released After Sterilization
Only aggressive and rabid dogs to be relocated to shelters
Good To Go Death Literacy Festival to debut in Bengaluru
Good To Go, a death literacy festival, aims at asking difficult questions and helping one navigate trying circumstances with a modicum of ease

