Book Review Thread

[kseeker]

I am currently reading (haven't finished yet) Gen. VK Singh's Courage and Conviction.

Don't know why, I didn't feel it has a gripping story ! Perhaps, it's the writing style which has no spice to add up to the material.

I read books written by Major Mukul Deva and Major Gen GD Bakshi, though the stories were based on fiction, the art of writing is wonderful, I was eager to complete those books once I started reading them one by one.

Unfortunately, Courage and Conviction is like a documentary wherein there are facts, facts and only facts not even few light or funny moments

Most of the chapters simply appears like SITREPS (Situation Report in Army terminology).

Among all the military related stories/articles/books which I have read so far, I liked @Ray Sir's ( Rum, Bum and Mouthorgan and other Indian Army stories) stories the most fascinating ! Ray Sir's art of writing is amazing ! In fact I don't have vocabulary to express how I feel.
@Ray Sir, would you be publishing a book in near future ? I would love to read that

 

[Kyubi]

Taliban - The story of Afghan Warlords By Ahmed Rashid ...

Its one hell of book which describes the inner working of Taliban as a fundamentalist political movement and a militant organisation, the book gives an account of the acts of terror, discrimination and brutal treatment of women, also state of people under the strict sharia law code. Mullah Omar the principal architect of Taliban is shown to be a very mysterious yet fanatical leader ... the book does not depict these characteristics in a graphical or gore way, but in a mere journalistic fashion.. Its a very good read...

 

[nrupatunga]

Dividing Lines: Contours of India-China Conflict By K. N. Raghavan

The author Raghavan is an MBBS doctor and later became a babu (IRS officer). One Q did arise in my mind, does IRS officers really have some much free time to pursue other interests. We see a kejriwal indulging in activism, Even here, the author has done serious research (which would have eaten his time a lot), read lot of books on the subject. The result is his own book on the subject.

This is a book, for dummies on the subject (like yours truly). Anyone who has little and no knowledge on the border issue with india and china this is the book for you. It starts from mid 19th century when british started exploring JnK and tibet borders. It continues with various expeditions both aruncahal and JnK areas over next century. How treaties were formed. What was the primary interest of british to establish and control border with china/tibet i.e. protect india from russia. China at that time being a weak kingdom, and which could not take on british might did not really challenge british claims. The more and more one looks at the british it becomes more clear that british were guilty of not sorting out various issues which trouble india to this day.

British didn't really sort out the borders along tibet/china border, left lot of confusions for both india and china in later days. To this day the exact border is contested. The main treaty of 1914 where british india, tibet and china participated and drew out a border. The author says the very fact that china did participate along with tibet confirms that tibet had self rule kind of status. Though in the end china didn't sign the treaty over border issues, they really didn't object to a tibetian emissary. Finally the treaty was signed by british and tibet. Even then british didn't take control and clearly establish control over the lands. This again created a mess later for india,

Once india became independent and even china sorted out its civil war, things began to heat up. Coming to nehru, maybe the author, is not as harsh on nehru as some of the other chroniclers of the war have been; nevertheless, nehru's blunders are delineated and discussed in detail. Once nehru became aware that china will not agree to borders as per our understanding (as per treaty of 1914 between tibet and british-india) he started pushing an ill prepared army to set up posts on contested border assuming china will not use force at all. The book also describes actions of krishna menon and kaul in detail before conflict and during conflict.

The conflict is also put out in detail, describing measures and counter measures on both side(with more emphasis on indian side). One of the biggest blunder was a lack of infrastructure on indian side esp in eastern sector (i.e. arunachal area). Comparatively the western sector (aksai chin) was better supplied. I feel this to be the case even today.

The author has also put out the global scenario at that time , how various factors like sino-soviet split etc influenced events on indo-china border. Overall a very good read for starters(esp indians) on the 1962 conflict between india-china.

 

[nrupatunga]

Looks like a interesting read.

Hinduism and the Ethics of Warfare in South Asia
@Virendra @civfanatic

Anyone Anyone read this??? The author is some kaushik roy. Couldn't get much about this guy on net.

On Amazon, the synopsis says the following

This book challenges the view, common among Western scholars, that precolonial India lacked a tradition of military philosophy. It traces the evolution of theories of warfare in India from the dawn of civilization, focusing on the debate between Dharmayuddha (Just War) and Kutayuddha (Unjust War) within Hindu philosophy. This debate centers around four questions: What is war? What justifies it? How should it be waged? And what are its potential repercussions? This body of literature provides evidence of the historical evolution of strategic thought in the Indian subcontinent that has heretofore been neglected by modern historians. Further, it provides a counterpoint to scholarship in political science that engages solely with Western theories in its analysis of independent India's philosophy of warfare. Ultimately, a better understanding of the legacy of ancient India's strategic theorizing will enable more accurate analysis of modern India's military and nuclear policies.

 

[Virendra]

Looks like a interesting read.

Hinduism and the Ethics of Warfare in South Asia
@Virendra @civfanatic

Anyone Anyone read this??? The author is some kaushik roy. Couldn't get much about this guy on net.

On Amazon, the synopsis says the following

I think Roy was a military correspondent for The Telegraph. He is the average historian of these days, a bit right and a bit wrong.
Haven't read the book but I've seen positive as well as negative feedback for it. Your call ...

 

[boris]

Just finished reading Lt. Gen. Prakash Katoch's(former commander Indian SF) : "India's Special Forces, History and Future of Special Forces".

The book starts off with the beginnings of the Army SF in 1965 and goes on to discuss their use in the 1971 war. It then discusses the govts. plan to raise 1 para(SF) as an SAS type force, the various studies general's did in the 80's for improvement of Indian SF. He also reveals how the SF were poorly equipped compared to the LTTE in Sri Lanka, where the SF had SLR's and the LTTE had AK-47's in the early days of the war.

He then shifts off to the 90's where he discusses the raising of the short-lived SF regiment which was then disbanded by power hungry and jealous generals of the regular airborne battalions(2,3,4,5,6,7 Para in the 90's, now only 5,6&7) who wanted to keep SF battalions in the Parachute Regt. and tried their level best to create an equality between regular paratroopers and SF commandos, so that they too could get the SF allowance and balidaan badge.

He moves off to post-2000 developments where he criticizes the mass conversion of regular para battalions to SF battalions. He criticizes that the SF selection procedure is not what it should be compared to the west like the SAS(He has praised the SAS quite a lot in the book),Delta Force etc and he even says that the selection cum training process of the MARCOS and even the Paki. SSG is better structured. He is very critical that para generals with no SF experience are allowed to occupy posts related to SF duties.

The downside of the book is that there is almost no discussion on other Indian units like the MARCOS.

It is quite sad to see how the regular para battalions have screwed the para(SF) battalions to reach world class levels. An even more detailed discussion is there on BR regarding this issue where senior members have been critical of the same things that Gen. Katoch has been.

 

[aragorn]

Read Delhi by Khushwant singh....

Its a good read. The story of Delhi, from Sultanate days to 1984 Anti-Sikh riots has been told from the viewpoints of the important characters involved.

 

[IBSA]

Reading Train to Pakistan by Kushwant Singh

The books tells the history of a fictitious village of Manjro Mana, that is located near the border, during the time of Partition.

 

[TrueSpirit1]

Reading Train to Pakistan by Kushwant Singh

The books tells the history of a fictitious village of Manjro Mana, that is located near the border, during the time of Partition.

Hi, if you don't mind, may I ask you about your India connection: Are you an Indo-phile or have Indian origins, ancestory or connections ? There must be something which makes you read Train to Pakistan despite being based in Brazil, right ?

 

[IBSA]

Hi, if you don't mind, may I ask you about your India connection: Are you an Indo-phile or have Indian origins, ancestory or connections ? There must be something which makes you read Train to Pakistan despite being based in Brazil, right ?

I'm Indophile and Indologist

 

[TrueSpirit1]

I'm Indophile and Indologist

Indologist ? What does the mean, please elaborate

 

[IBSA]

Indologist ? What does the mean, please elaborate

A student or expert on India

 

[PredictablyMalicious]

A student or expert on India

Do you have 4 mosques in your university and not a single bookstore ?

 

[Phantom]

Do you have 4 mosques in your university and not a single bookstore ?

Hey! You're back again? Welcome! :thumb: Or had you never left in the first place?

Anyways, on topic: Been reading The difficulty of being Good by Sri Gurcharan Das. A superb analysis of the Mahabharata with regard to it's inherent message of Dharma and the subtle difference between actions for and against it as demonstrated by it's characters.

 

[IBSA]

Do you have 4 mosques in your university and not a single bookstore ?

No. I dont study in p.o.r.n.i.s.t.a.n.

 

[PredictablyMalicious]

No. I dont study in p.o.r.n.i.s.t.a.n.

kkkkkkkkkk

 

[nrupatunga]

Been reading The difficulty of being Good by Sri Gurcharan Das. A superb analysis of the Mahabharata with regard to it's inherent message of Dharma and the subtle difference between actions for and against it as demonstrated by it's characters.

I started reading the book you mentioned, somehow couldn't finish it at all. I felt it was too heavy for me, though initially it was fine but somehow the book didn't take me through it. But i actually enjoyed gurcharan das's "India Unbound" written in mid/late 90's. His later book on india i.e. "
India Grows At Night: A Liberal Case for A Strong State" is also nice.

Especially in india unbound he explains how the socialism of nehru and indira put a cap on economy and ensure india remains poor and now how post liberalisation india free from all the inspector raj, license raj etc is making india strong i.e. India (is now) Unbound.

 

[Phantom]

I started reading the book you mentioned, somehow couldn't finish it at all. I felt it was too heavy for me, though initially it was fine but somehow the book didn't take me through it. But i actually enjoyed gurcharan das's "India Unbound" written in mid/late 90's. His later book on india i.e. "
India Grows At Night: A Liberal Case for A Strong State" is also nice.

Especially in india unbound he explains how the socialism of nehru and indira put a cap on economy and ensure india remains poor and now how post liberalisation india free from all the inspector raj, license raj etc is making india strong i.e. India (is now) Unbound.

The book I quoted is definitely a tad heavy on it's analysis. But it's also delightful simply because one can re-read it as many times and from any chapter at that. It isn't a linear narrative that has a set beginning and end, kind of similar to the topic that it discusses.

India Unbound was excellent as well. Gurcharan Das hardly creates any ripples in the literary world and yet, all his works are outstanding.

 

[nrupatunga]

Recently read these two books

24 Akbar Road : A Short History of the People Behind the Fall and Rise of the Congress BY Rasheed Kidwai

Nothing superb. Written by a parivar bhakt(with a foreword by rajdeep sardesai). The book goes on to narrate about the events and people behind the sudden fall and gradual rise of Congress. Events about emergency excesses, Sanjay's follies, Indira's return to power, the Gandhi-Bachchan family relationship, Rajiv's policies, Sitaram kesari's adamances, Sonia's entry into politics & her rise. But one gets to know lot behind the scenes, anecdotes etc.

* Being a non dilli person, never knew 24 akbar road and 10 janpath are adjacent to each other. Also came to know that IB office is stone throw away.
* This was a bungalow alloted to a RS member from AP. He gave up his house for congress.
* Once when ND Tivari had gone to receive nasser(Egyptian president) at the airport, he congratulated his bodygaurd confusing him for nasser.

Read it for many many many anecdotes and behind the scene events. like this.

===============

The Maruti Story: How a Public Sector Company Put India on Wheels - By R. C. Bhargava

Book written by former chairman of maruti, an IAs officer. The book mainly concentrates on post sanjay gandhi period and very less of sanjay period. One key take away from this book is if the babus want to and are given considerable political support(or rather given freedom), even PSUs can make quality products which can compete in global markets and win. Yes, it wouldn't be as easy as given in the book, but cetainly possible. For the uninitiated, all the processes followed right from planning the factory design, building it, getting machinery, training workforce, vendor management, customer satisfaction drives etc etc it would seem maruti was a private company from day one. Yes, there were partnering a japanese company who had strict processes for each and every minute things.

Yes maruti had the benefit of congress govt in power, where ministries gave more leeway as this was family initiated project. Also since this being run by babus, bhargava(himself a IAS officer) mentions various instances where he could tap the 'babu network' to get clearances from various departments for example getting permits to setup power plants to supply electricity for maruti factory etc.


Basically an easy read, with less of politics and lot of info on building of the brand Maruti. A sure shot nice read.

 

[nrupatunga]

Holy War: How Vasco da Gama's Epic Voyages Turned the Tide in a Centuries-Old Clash of Civilizations - By Nigel Cliff

In one word - Superb.

The book talks about europe in dark ages, especially portugal. The book talks about how portugal struggled being in the outpost of europe and were considered some kin of outcast by the biggies in europe. With the anit-islamic feelings as the entire iberia peninsula had just come out of islamic influence in mid 15th century, portugal was keen on "proving" itself in europe by taking on islamic powers to the end of world i.e. the new crusader.

The initial chapters talk how portuagal went on to become a shipping power over a period discovering and cataloging entire west coast of africa. Finally when columbus suggested a western route for indies, portugal had to act fast. So vasco, who was also from royal family was dispatched to find a route to indies. Also europeans felt that indies was a christian land as it wasn't a islamic land. As europeans felt the entire world was either christians or had to be infidel islamics. So more than the commercial aspects, initially the urge to find fellow christians to fight islmaics was more of a factor to find indies.

The mid chapters talk about how vasco da gama reached india, indulging in raiding islamic lands whereever possible. Even after reaching kerala(india), portugese feel that indians were christians, since they weren't muslims. They stress more on alliance rather than commerce. When court officials of indian kings ask for more presents, portuguese say we are fellow christians. They mistake temples for churches.
On their first visit itself they show their crusader self. Using their better weaponery, they raid/plunder indian coast, claiming they have been ordered by the GOD himself for crusade against infidels/pagans.

The later chapters talks how portuguese came to dominate the west coast commerce of india, later they proceeded till discovering even china. In their crusader zeal, they terrorize west coast of india, especially goa where they establish their presence. The books does mention the horrors faced by the native indians at the hands of portuguese. Once other europeans start their own voyages towards india, portugal monopoly is broken over trade. But europeans would have by then reached every corner of globe, crusading and also enriching themselves at the cost of local populace and of course spreading christianity forcefully.

Overall a very very nice read.
====================================

India: A Portrait - By Patrick french

Another book i recently read. Again a good read.