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Pride, Prejudice and Punditry: The Essential Shashi Tharoor
Shashi Tharoor is one of India’s greatest living writers. In the course of a career that has lasted more than half a century (his first short story made it into print when he was ten), he has published over five million words—in books, newspapers, magazines, journals, and online media—on a variety of subjects. Pride, Prejudice, and Punditry brings together the very best fiction, non-fiction, and poetry from his published books and journalism—as well as many pieces that have been written specially for this volume.
There are ten sections in the book, each devoted to a particular topic. ‘In the Company of Giants’ looks at some of the most important figures of modern Indian history; ‘Into the Maelstrom of Indian Politics’ contains work on the Indian political scene; ‘Our Unruly World’ covers international relations and diplomacy; ‘The Hindu Way’ examines various aspects of the faith; ‘Musings of a Cricket Tragic’ includes some of his finest writing on the sport; ‘You Cannot Be Serious!’ is a light-hearted take on sundry matters; ‘Fragments of an Autobiography’ has poignant essays about his parents and an evocative look at his Kerala heritage; ‘The Spoken Word’ is a selection of his most famous speeches; ‘The Writerly Life’ comprises ruminations on writing and writers; and ‘Selected Fiction and Poetry’ showcases his masterpieces of fiction and poetry.
This book will give those new to the author’s work a panoramic view of the range and depth of his writing. Long-time fans will find fresh material to delight them as also ageless pieces that continue to enchant. Dazzling, inventive, and exuberant, Pride, Prejudice, and Punditry presents readers with the essential work of a literary genius.
There are ten sections in the book, each devoted to a particular topic. ‘In the Company of Giants’ looks at some of the most important figures of modern Indian history; ‘Into the Maelstrom of Indian Politics’ contains work on the Indian political scene; ‘Our Unruly World’ covers international relations and diplomacy; ‘The Hindu Way’ examines various aspects of the faith; ‘Musings of a Cricket Tragic’ includes some of his finest writing on the sport; ‘You Cannot Be Serious!’ is a light-hearted take on sundry matters; ‘Fragments of an Autobiography’ has poignant essays about his parents and an evocative look at his Kerala heritage; ‘The Spoken Word’ is a selection of his most famous speeches; ‘The Writerly Life’ comprises ruminations on writing and writers; and ‘Selected Fiction and Poetry’ showcases his masterpieces of fiction and poetry.
This book will give those new to the author’s work a panoramic view of the range and depth of his writing. Long-time fans will find fresh material to delight them as also ageless pieces that continue to enchant. Dazzling, inventive, and exuberant, Pride, Prejudice, and Punditry presents readers with the essential work of a literary genius.
594 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2021
31 people are currently reading
422 people want to read
About the author
Shashi Tharoor
78 books3,082 followersShashi Tharoor is a member of the Indian Parliament from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency in Kerala. He previously served as the United Nations Under-Secretary General for Communications and Public Information and as the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs.
He is also a prolific author, columnist, journalist and a human rights advocate.
He has served on the Board of Overseers of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He is also an adviser to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva and a Fellow of the New York Institute of the Humanities at New York University. He has also served as a trustee of the Aspen Institute, and the Advisory of the Indo-American Arts Council, the American India Foundation, the World Policy Journal, the Virtue Foundation and the human rights organization Breakthrough He is also a Patron of the Dubai Modern High School and the managing trustee of the Chandran Tharoor Foundation which he founded with his family and friends in the name of his late father, Chandran Tharoor.
Tharoor has written numerous books in English. Most of his literary creations are centred on Indian themes and they are markedly “Indo-nostalgic.” Perhaps his most famous work is The Great Indian Novel, published in 1989, in which he uses the narrative and theme of the famous Indian epic Mahabharata to weave a satirical story of Indian life in a non-linear mode with the characters drawn from the Indian Independence Movement. His novel Show Business (1992) was made into the film 'Bollywood'(1994). The late Ismail Merchant had announced his wish to make a film of Tharoor’s novel Riot shortly before Merchant’s death in 2005.
Tharoor has been a highly-regarded columnist in each of India's three best-known English-language newspapers, most recently for The Hindu newspaper (2001–2008) and in a weekly column, “Shashi on Sunday,” in the Times of India (January 2007 – December 2008). Following his resignation as Minister of State for External Affairs, he began a fortnightly column on foreign policy issues in the "Deccan Chronicle". Previously he was a columnist for the Gentleman magazine and the Indian Express newspaper, as well as a frequent contributor to Newsweek International and the International Herald Tribune. His Op-Eds and book reviews have appeared in the Washington Post, the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, amongst other papers.
Tharoor began writing at the age of 6 and his first published story appeared in the “Bharat Jyoti”, the Sunday edition of the "Free press Journal", in Mumbai at age 10. His World War II adventure novel Operation Bellows, inspired by the Biggles books, was serialized in the Junior Statesman starting a week before his 11th birthday. Each of his books has been a best-seller in India. The Great Indian Novel is currently in its 28th edition in India and his newest volume. The Elephant, the Tiger and the Cellphone has undergone seven hardback re-printings there.
Tharoor has lectured widely on India, and is often quoted for his observations, including, "India is not, as people keep calling it, an underdeveloped country, but rather, in the context of its history and cultural heritage, a highly developed one in an advanced state of decay.". He has also coined a memorable comparison of India's "thali" to the American "melting pot": "If America is a melting pot, then to me India is a thali--a selection of sumptuous dishes in different bowls. Each tastes different, and does not necessarily mix with the next, but they belong together on the same plate, and they complement each other in making the meal a satisfying repast."
He is also a prolific author, columnist, journalist and a human rights advocate.
He has served on the Board of Overseers of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He is also an adviser to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva and a Fellow of the New York Institute of the Humanities at New York University. He has also served as a trustee of the Aspen Institute, and the Advisory of the Indo-American Arts Council, the American India Foundation, the World Policy Journal, the Virtue Foundation and the human rights organization Breakthrough He is also a Patron of the Dubai Modern High School and the managing trustee of the Chandran Tharoor Foundation which he founded with his family and friends in the name of his late father, Chandran Tharoor.
Tharoor has written numerous books in English. Most of his literary creations are centred on Indian themes and they are markedly “Indo-nostalgic.” Perhaps his most famous work is The Great Indian Novel, published in 1989, in which he uses the narrative and theme of the famous Indian epic Mahabharata to weave a satirical story of Indian life in a non-linear mode with the characters drawn from the Indian Independence Movement. His novel Show Business (1992) was made into the film 'Bollywood'(1994). The late Ismail Merchant had announced his wish to make a film of Tharoor’s novel Riot shortly before Merchant’s death in 2005.
Tharoor has been a highly-regarded columnist in each of India's three best-known English-language newspapers, most recently for The Hindu newspaper (2001–2008) and in a weekly column, “Shashi on Sunday,” in the Times of India (January 2007 – December 2008). Following his resignation as Minister of State for External Affairs, he began a fortnightly column on foreign policy issues in the "Deccan Chronicle". Previously he was a columnist for the Gentleman magazine and the Indian Express newspaper, as well as a frequent contributor to Newsweek International and the International Herald Tribune. His Op-Eds and book reviews have appeared in the Washington Post, the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, amongst other papers.
Tharoor began writing at the age of 6 and his first published story appeared in the “Bharat Jyoti”, the Sunday edition of the "Free press Journal", in Mumbai at age 10. His World War II adventure novel Operation Bellows, inspired by the Biggles books, was serialized in the Junior Statesman starting a week before his 11th birthday. Each of his books has been a best-seller in India. The Great Indian Novel is currently in its 28th edition in India and his newest volume. The Elephant, the Tiger and the Cellphone has undergone seven hardback re-printings there.
Tharoor has lectured widely on India, and is often quoted for his observations, including, "India is not, as people keep calling it, an underdeveloped country, but rather, in the context of its history and cultural heritage, a highly developed one in an advanced state of decay.". He has also coined a memorable comparison of India's "thali" to the American "melting pot": "If America is a melting pot, then to me India is a thali--a selection of sumptuous dishes in different bowls. Each tastes different, and does not necessarily mix with the next, but they belong together on the same plate, and they complement each other in making the meal a satisfying repast."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
December 16, 2021
What are you reading currently? Have you read any of Shashi Tharoor's works? If yes tell me your favourite.
‘This is my story of the India I know, with its biases, selections, omissions, distortions, all mine…. Every Indian must forever carry with him, in his head and heart, his own history of India.’ —The Great Indian Novel
Shashi Tharoor's writing style is absolutely brilliant, I always wanted to read more of his works and finally got this one. This book is an awesome collection of some of his very best fiction, non-fiction, and poetry writings. I absolutely loved all the works, my favourite was the fifth section 'MUSINGS OF A CRICKET TRAGIC'.
An Excellent Read!
‘This is my story of the India I know, with its biases, selections, omissions, distortions, all mine…. Every Indian must forever carry with him, in his head and heart, his own history of India.’ —The Great Indian Novel
Shashi Tharoor's writing style is absolutely brilliant, I always wanted to read more of his works and finally got this one. This book is an awesome collection of some of his very best fiction, non-fiction, and poetry writings. I absolutely loved all the works, my favourite was the fifth section 'MUSINGS OF A CRICKET TRAGIC'.
An Excellent Read!
December 4, 2021
Shashi Tharoor is an author who never ceases to astound me for more than one reason. One, the literary brilliance he demonstrates in his books. Two, the surprising frequency of his penning of books - well, I found it hard to get out of the Tharoor hangover from his previous book "Battle of Belonging" and here he is, almost exactly after an year with another splendid book.
After reading the disparate works of Mr Tharoor, 'Pride, Prejudice and Punditry' came across as a territory which I have scaled, sounded and gotten familiar with. The apprehensive feeling I once had when I began reading my first Tharoor book "The Great Indian Novel" is long gone, and now it is the same old Shashi Tharoor with his admirable storytelling, sprinkled with anecdotes and facts and philosophical innuendos. As a regular reader of his books, I couldn't help but notice in several parts of the book the influence of his older works. But not for once they felt repetitive or monotonous, and that's why I enjoyed reading this one.
Pride, Prejudice and Punditry is prorated by ten sections - each diverse in itself and yet relevant to one another. Even as I'm tempted to describe each section, let me succinctly mention that Mr Tharoor covers everything political - the history, the present, and possibly the future; and certain apolitical topics such as cricket, literature, humour et al. Certain chapters where he describes how relevant are the teachings of Tagore, in the modern Covid stricken world, are so beautifully explained that I couldn't help but pause for a moment to admire Mr Tharoor's literary fluidity. Tharoor quotes Tagore, "While God waits for his temple to be built of love, man brings stones" and the smile lingers on my face until the very end of that chapter. The smile eventually breaks into a grin when I read "You cannot be serious!" where he humorously speaks of Indian politics and jokes at ironies that are strictly Indian.
Mr Tharoor, as he does in his every book, takes his own time to dwell into your conscience and questions you about your nationalism, sense of belonging and of course, your definition of patriotism. He states coldly "conformity has now become the new badge of allegiance" - and that's most certainly a jibe at the present ruling party. After all, is it even Tharoor if he doesn't pull the leg of BJP? I realised as I read this book, isn't it ironic that we call ourselves the world's largest democracy and yet, we call them "ruling" party?
This book doesn't come without its flaws: I felt Tharoor couldn't resist but to be peripatetic in certain parts; where, instead of sticking to the fabric of the topic, he wanders. Tharoor also emphasises his perceptions to a certain degree it almost feels like a force feeding of ideals - Something which I noticed in Battle of Belonging and Why I Am a Hindu. I was gripped by his "Era of Darkness", and I wish I could say the same for this book. Pride, Prejudice and Punditry is certainly one of the most unique works of Shashi Tharoor albeit it's not the most captivating. It's not a page turner, but definitely a meaty read.
3.7/5
After reading the disparate works of Mr Tharoor, 'Pride, Prejudice and Punditry' came across as a territory which I have scaled, sounded and gotten familiar with. The apprehensive feeling I once had when I began reading my first Tharoor book "The Great Indian Novel" is long gone, and now it is the same old Shashi Tharoor with his admirable storytelling, sprinkled with anecdotes and facts and philosophical innuendos. As a regular reader of his books, I couldn't help but notice in several parts of the book the influence of his older works. But not for once they felt repetitive or monotonous, and that's why I enjoyed reading this one.
Pride, Prejudice and Punditry is prorated by ten sections - each diverse in itself and yet relevant to one another. Even as I'm tempted to describe each section, let me succinctly mention that Mr Tharoor covers everything political - the history, the present, and possibly the future; and certain apolitical topics such as cricket, literature, humour et al. Certain chapters where he describes how relevant are the teachings of Tagore, in the modern Covid stricken world, are so beautifully explained that I couldn't help but pause for a moment to admire Mr Tharoor's literary fluidity. Tharoor quotes Tagore, "While God waits for his temple to be built of love, man brings stones" and the smile lingers on my face until the very end of that chapter. The smile eventually breaks into a grin when I read "You cannot be serious!" where he humorously speaks of Indian politics and jokes at ironies that are strictly Indian.
Mr Tharoor, as he does in his every book, takes his own time to dwell into your conscience and questions you about your nationalism, sense of belonging and of course, your definition of patriotism. He states coldly "conformity has now become the new badge of allegiance" - and that's most certainly a jibe at the present ruling party. After all, is it even Tharoor if he doesn't pull the leg of BJP? I realised as I read this book, isn't it ironic that we call ourselves the world's largest democracy and yet, we call them "ruling" party?
This book doesn't come without its flaws: I felt Tharoor couldn't resist but to be peripatetic in certain parts; where, instead of sticking to the fabric of the topic, he wanders. Tharoor also emphasises his perceptions to a certain degree it almost feels like a force feeding of ideals - Something which I noticed in Battle of Belonging and Why I Am a Hindu. I was gripped by his "Era of Darkness", and I wish I could say the same for this book. Pride, Prejudice and Punditry is certainly one of the most unique works of Shashi Tharoor albeit it's not the most captivating. It's not a page turner, but definitely a meaty read.
3.7/5
November 28, 2021
I was afraid and excited to pick this book up as we know the author and his work. I was so conscious whetherI will he able to understand it completely. But to my surprise it turned out so great. I will summarise the concept. The book started with the topics of Gandhi and Nehru. I liked reading about them especially Nehru’s Legacy. The book is divided into sections. The first section is about the great leaders. I liked reading about Baba saheb Ambedkar and Rabindranath Tagore. The next section is slightly different and interesting. That is into maelstrom of Indian politics. “Is Sonia Gandhi is truly an Indian?” Is quite interesting chapter title and discussion. I liked topics such as “Modi and Me”. The discussion about politics was quite interesting and captivating. There are total ten sections so that will be too long but I must mention that not all discussion is political. There are topics such as Cricket and Hinduism. So author has tried to cover variety of topics. I learnt about writing and journalism more after reading this. I am going to use these definitely to improve my writing. I liked reading it. Quite intelligent discussion of every topic. And just want to tell you one thing, just pick this book up. Don’t afraid of understanding. It’s super interesting.
February 23, 2022
As a Tharoor fan, I couldn't resist getting my hands on his latest, a book that promises to be the "essential" Tharoor. Divided into 10 sections, the book has Tharoor's best works in fiction, non-fiction, and poetry from his published books and essays in newspapers, magazines, journals, and more. There are also some pieces exclusively written for this book!
I'm two sections in and already loving it! Tharoor's wit and eloquent writing is an absolute treat, not to mention thought-provoking. Having mostly read his non-fiction, I'm eagerly waiting to get to the fiction section of the book. The last (and only) time I read his fiction was a couple of years ago when I picked up The Great Indian Novel—my first Tharoor—and fell in love with his writing. Will post a full review as soon as I am done reading :)
I'm two sections in and already loving it! Tharoor's wit and eloquent writing is an absolute treat, not to mention thought-provoking. Having mostly read his non-fiction, I'm eagerly waiting to get to the fiction section of the book. The last (and only) time I read his fiction was a couple of years ago when I picked up The Great Indian Novel—my first Tharoor—and fell in love with his writing. Will post a full review as soon as I am done reading :)
December 28, 2021
This book should be a gem for those who associate with Tharoor's literary capabilities: what he thinks of, how his perceptions, how his perspective is, and how he sees the modern India.
This book is truly an unique amalgamation of various different topics, which have been partitioned into sections. So not only do we have Tharoor's political ideologies and modernist claims in some chapters, but we also have several pieces of writing of completely different themes. He writes about great leaders who shaped the modern democratic India, he also speaks of religion, culture, the Indian sensitivities, the games Indians play (great emphasis on cricket) and lots more. Essentially this collection is a gateway to Tharoor's take on topics which fascinate him, and its a delight for us readers to read his words.
Very well articulated, impeccably organized like the author's all other books, this book is truly one of a kind.
This book is truly an unique amalgamation of various different topics, which have been partitioned into sections. So not only do we have Tharoor's political ideologies and modernist claims in some chapters, but we also have several pieces of writing of completely different themes. He writes about great leaders who shaped the modern democratic India, he also speaks of religion, culture, the Indian sensitivities, the games Indians play (great emphasis on cricket) and lots more. Essentially this collection is a gateway to Tharoor's take on topics which fascinate him, and its a delight for us readers to read his words.
Very well articulated, impeccably organized like the author's all other books, this book is truly one of a kind.
December 1, 2021
This book by Shashi Tharoor is a beautious conglomeration of many topics be it about many historical figures from India, Indian political scene, various aspects of faith, essays about his parents, his heritage, some fiction and poetry collections.
The writing had me spellbound, each piece was brilliantly put together with thought provoking themes and messages, It just opened up my mind and gave a fresh perspective.
I applaud the author for assimilating all these varied topic and merging it into one beautiful piece of work.
I had a great time reading the book.
The writing had me spellbound, each piece was brilliantly put together with thought provoking themes and messages, It just opened up my mind and gave a fresh perspective.
I applaud the author for assimilating all these varied topic and merging it into one beautiful piece of work.
I had a great time reading the book.
December 2, 2021
I was apprehensive and eager to get this book as we all are aware the writer and his work. I was so cognizant whether I will he ready to comprehend it totally. Yet, shockingly it turned out so amazing. I will sum up the idea. The book began with the subjects of Gandhi and Nehru. I preferred learning about them particularly Nehru's Legacy. The book is partitioned into segments. The principal segment is about the extraordinary pioneers. I loved learning about Baba saheb Ambedkar and Rabindranath Tagore. The following area is marginally unique and fascinating. That is into bedlam of Indian governmental issues. "Is Sonia Gandhi is really an Indian?" Is very fascinating section title and conversation. I enjoyed themes, for example, "Modi and Me". The conversation about governmental issues was very fascinating and enthralling. There are all out ten segments so that will be excessively long yet I should make reference to that not all conversation is political. There are themes like Cricket and Hinduism. So creator has attempted to cover assortment of points. I found out with regards to composing and news-casting more in the wake of understanding this. I will utilize these certainly to work on my composition. I loved understanding it. Very wise conversation of each theme. Furthermore definitely need to let you know a certain something, simply get this book. Don't terrified of comprehension. This book Totally Justified the Title.
November 29, 2021
|| BOOK REVIEW || - 🍁 The Book, Pride, Prejudice and Punditry by Shashi Tharoor, Is an Intellectual and an Interesting Piece of Literature.
🍂
🍁 The Book Is Divided in to Ten Sections. Each Section Has Few Chapters in It. Each Section Can Be Read Separately but Reading Them in Sequence Would Give a Clear Idea to a Reader About What the Author Has Tried to Convey Through the Book.
🍂
🍁 The Ten Sections in the Book Are in the Company of Giants, into the Maelstrom of Indian Politics, Our Unruly World, the Hindu Way, Musings of a Cricket Tragic, You Cannot Be Serious, Fragments of an Autobiography, the Spoken Word, the Writerly Life, Selected Fiction and Poetry.
🍂
🍁 The Author Has Written About Nehru's Legacy, Nehru and Gandhi, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Tagore's Immortality, Modi's Appropriation of Patel, the Life of an Mp, the Convictions of the Indian National Congress, Politics in Black and White, Unprincipled Politics, Reflections on Leadership, the Prism of Identity, Warring for Peace, the Epic Story of Ganesh, Hindu Fatalism, the Indianness of Cricket, Virat Kohli, Kapil Dev, the Wordsmith, Nehru the Writer and Such an Inspiring and an Amazing Topics in the Book.
🍂
🍁 The Language of the Book is Rich. The Writing Style of the Book is Fast-Paced and Gripping. The Cover of the Book is Captivating. The Title of the Book is Well-Chosen.
🍂
🍁 The Book is a Must Read for those who Like Different Kind of Books that are Neither Fiction Nor Non - Fiction but Still are very Refreshing to be Read.
🍂
🍁 The Book Is Divided in to Ten Sections. Each Section Has Few Chapters in It. Each Section Can Be Read Separately but Reading Them in Sequence Would Give a Clear Idea to a Reader About What the Author Has Tried to Convey Through the Book.
🍂
🍁 The Ten Sections in the Book Are in the Company of Giants, into the Maelstrom of Indian Politics, Our Unruly World, the Hindu Way, Musings of a Cricket Tragic, You Cannot Be Serious, Fragments of an Autobiography, the Spoken Word, the Writerly Life, Selected Fiction and Poetry.
🍂
🍁 The Author Has Written About Nehru's Legacy, Nehru and Gandhi, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Tagore's Immortality, Modi's Appropriation of Patel, the Life of an Mp, the Convictions of the Indian National Congress, Politics in Black and White, Unprincipled Politics, Reflections on Leadership, the Prism of Identity, Warring for Peace, the Epic Story of Ganesh, Hindu Fatalism, the Indianness of Cricket, Virat Kohli, Kapil Dev, the Wordsmith, Nehru the Writer and Such an Inspiring and an Amazing Topics in the Book.
🍂
🍁 The Language of the Book is Rich. The Writing Style of the Book is Fast-Paced and Gripping. The Cover of the Book is Captivating. The Title of the Book is Well-Chosen.
🍂
🍁 The Book is a Must Read for those who Like Different Kind of Books that are Neither Fiction Nor Non - Fiction but Still are very Refreshing to be Read.
December 4, 2021
The book Pride, Prejudice and Punditry Written by Shashi Tharoor is an Interesting Read.
The is divided into 10 parts and Each part is Divided into some chapters Conveying the clear Idea of Author's Ideas.
The book talks about Legacy of Nehru, Unprincipled Politics, Reflections on Leadership, the Prism of Identity, Warring for Peace, the Epic Story of Ganesh, Hindu Fatalism, the Indianness of Cricket, Virat Kohli, Kapil Dev, the Wordsmith and Many more.
Shashi Tharoor has immense knowledge of Politics and Political ideas. The vocabulary of author is high level.
Writing skills are good. The cover and Title itself attracted me more to give it a read.
I highly recommend you to give it a chance.
Happy Reading :)
The is divided into 10 parts and Each part is Divided into some chapters Conveying the clear Idea of Author's Ideas.
The book talks about Legacy of Nehru, Unprincipled Politics, Reflections on Leadership, the Prism of Identity, Warring for Peace, the Epic Story of Ganesh, Hindu Fatalism, the Indianness of Cricket, Virat Kohli, Kapil Dev, the Wordsmith and Many more.
Shashi Tharoor has immense knowledge of Politics and Political ideas. The vocabulary of author is high level.
Writing skills are good. The cover and Title itself attracted me more to give it a read.
I highly recommend you to give it a chance.
Happy Reading :)
December 4, 2021
My journey with Shashi Tharoor has been as colourful as his writing canvas. I started with his fiction as a teenager, which introduction me to the charm of socio-political satires. And his article in newspapers and magazines are what led me to his nonfiction works. And I believe that is the way to approach his works, something that Pride, Prejudice and Punditry has rightfully captured the essence of. It contains the wit, sarcasm, wisdom and analytic skills of a writer such as Tharoor. An ode to him, really. Enjoyed reading every bit of it! Cannot recommend it enough! Perfect book to start obsessing over Shashi Tharoor's words!
December 23, 2021
Anytime I see the words 'pride' and 'prejudice', I am transported back to Austen, for obvious reasons. But add 'punditry' to the mix and you know that nobody can actually do this PUNditry than Shashi Tharoor himself. In this mix of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, Tharoor, the wordsmith that he is, talks history, politics, diplomacy, faith, religion, and so much more! It's no wonder he is one of India's literary geniuses that he is able to mix so many genres and topics into one tome and made it make sense in more ways than one. Highly recommend!
December 5, 2021
When it's about Tharoor, You don't need to think twice. No doubts, it's gonna blow your mind with some spectacular (literal) views and cover up some topics untouched topics.
This one is exactly like that. Garden varieties of topics from Nehru to Kohli have been covered in 10 chapters.
No comment on words or narration. Cause "Tharoor" is enough.
All you need is a good amount of time to invest and a dictionary handy. ( you know what I mean😅)
This one is exactly like that. Garden varieties of topics from Nehru to Kohli have been covered in 10 chapters.
No comment on words or narration. Cause "Tharoor" is enough.
All you need is a good amount of time to invest and a dictionary handy. ( you know what I mean😅)
December 13, 2021
Dr Shashi Tharoor is a force to reckon with in the world of literature. In his new book, he delivers power-packed commentary on politics, religion, writing, and more. While the narration is as 'Tharoorian' as it could be, I enjoyed the diversity of topics. If you have read him before, do check this out because it would be a wonderful addition to your collection.
November 29, 2021
I must say Shashi Tharoor knows his way around words.One of the India's living intellectual and excellent writer, in this book he provides his witty observations on various topics ranging from religion to politics, from cricket to international relations. This book also consists his fiction and poetry masterpieces. As a reader,I really enjoyed it! My favourite Section was "Musings of Cricket Tragic".
December 14, 2021
Pride, Prejudice, and Punditry – a review
.
Seventy-five previously published articles, stories, poems, columns, and excerpts from his books (both fiction and non-fiction) with most having ‘been expanded or updated, or both’ are powerful enough to be more than just snippets of history of things that matter to Indians. Maybe even everyone else around the world. I call these pieces more than just snippets of history because they read like a tale well told and also because ‘the telling of a tale (or a thesis) is nearly as important as the tale itself’. There were times when, despite the writing being direct, clear, and concise, I did experience a smidgen of unease until I realized that the ‘intervention of the teller’ perceives and analyses ‘the several sides to every question’ before handing them over to words and sentences on paper (or a word processor). So, this set of tales and other inclusions surely cannot be dismissed as ‘a farrago of distortions, misinterpretations, and outright lies broadcast by an unprincipled showman’ as both facts and figures come across to the reader ‘quite unselfconsciously, as a beachcomber might blow into the shells he’d picked up on a stroll along the seaside’. Let me also add here that though some of Tharoor’s conclusions may provide a willing scintilla for heated discussions on the television, they would all yet turn out to be sometimes ‘unjustifiable, but excusable’. This is because ‘the whole point about India is that this is a country for everybody, and everybody has the duty, the obligation, to work to keep it that way’.
Shashi Tharoor writes poetry as well. I had never read any of his poems yet and so I decided to go through them before reading any of the other writings… and the one that talks about humiliations endured, a neglected baby scrabbling in the dust or slumped in the mud, blazing flames and choking screams, stark ribs of skeletal cattle, drought-dried lands, and that dead-eyed refugee to finally declare:
Think of nothing.
Then you will be able
To sleep.
And yes, there are a couple of love poems as well. I must admit at this stage that reading ‘Pride, prejudice, and punditry’ by Shashi Tharoor cannot be limited to just once or be callously gifted only a cursory and disinterested page turning. It must be obvious to most readers of this review that his selection of inclusions isn’t obviously limited to politics and politicians but has also has a riveting chapter from his novel ‘Riot’ and I mention this one in particular as this is where he writes that ‘the whole point about India’ quote that is there in the first paragraph of this review. Besides his poetry, this chapter too is enough to remind readers that his writings aren’t just limited to the bureaucratizing savagery of tilting the focus of every political maneuver towards one end of the horizon of perceptions.
Shashi Tharoor has this piercing knack to express what many other writers of historical narrative find rather disconcerting and attempt to gloss over if not spreading them so thin that the real impact gets lost in circumspect mumblings that cease to be meaningful. Let’s take the word ‘Harijan’ coined by Mahatama Gandhi. Tharoor doesn’t mince his words when telling us that Ambedkar ‘rejected the word’ and used, instead, ‘the Marathi and Hindi words for the excluded (Bahishkrit), the oppressed (Dalit), and the silent (Muka) to define the outcastes’ and ‘forced India to confront the reality of discrimination’. It is with a similar forthrightness that he talks about Modi’s ‘shrewd domestic political calculation’ when he wraps himself in ‘the mantle of other distinguished Gujaratis’ and concludes that picking up Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Gandhi ‘would enable some of their lustre to rub off on him’. Well, we can all see this and the political underbelly in India as is anywhere else in the world, and this culture of poaching of USPs is a rather common occurrence. However, when a writer insists on this being an unsavory over-indulgence of just one political party, one does sit back and wonder. I believe this is one politically tinged over-indulgence that brings in an uneasy feeling. It isn’t as if the book is about bhakt-bashing because it is not. The book, let me say again, is a focused attempt to bring on the relevant facets from our recent history.
One interesting trivia is about the much-debated issue of Sonia Gandhi’s eligibility to lead the country. For those who may not be completely aware, it was Sharad Pawar, Purno Sangma, and Tariq Anwar, the three powerful Congress politicians who had raised the issue of Sonia Gandhi being ‘unfit to be prime minister because she was born in Italy’… Tharoor rushes in to say that to ‘start disqualifying Indian citizens from the privileges of Indianness is not just pernicious: it is an affront to the very premise of Indian nationalism’. This conclusion isn’t a mere emotional outburst but the writer brings in references to Allan Octavian Hume, a Scot who founded the Indian National Congress in 1885. He also adds that the Irishwoman Annie Besant and the English Nellie Sengupta were both elected presidents of the party. Tharoor does not mince words when writing that any ‘self-appointed guardians of Indian nationalist practice’ cannot possibly overlook involved Bharatiya Sanskriti scholars from A. L. Basham to Richard Lannoy to R. C. Zaehner to Sylvain Levi, all foreigners… and that ‘there are no acid tests of birth, religion, ethnicity, or even territory that disqualify one wants to claim Indianness’. These are the sort of conclusive expressions that win the heart of readers. And readers, let me add, are no walk-overs these days as they not just read to accept but know when they are being led on a wild-goose chase and will immediately stop, growl, and sometimes, even bite.
The selection of inclusions in this collection is not limited in perspective and goes way beyond dissecting personalities and enters areas that are traditionally brimming with myopic insights. Politics is one such issue. Tharoor writes what many others sweep under the carpet. He doesn’t feel inhibited in expressing his unease at the way The Wire and a few other publications have this bigoted tendency to have ‘room only for my criticism’ making readers erroneously believe that he only ‘praised him (that is, Modi) or attacked him – nothing in between’ and, therefore, in his opinion politics must ‘allow for mutual expressions of respect across political divide’. There is no need really to reduce our politics to black and white as democracy is anyway an ongoing process ‘in which there must be give and take, dialogue, and compromise among differing interests. Let us not reduce it to a game of kabaddi’. Tharoor has a rather inimitable way of embedding a surprise smile in the midst of, well, wherever he wants. I believe this is what makes the man so popular.
There are a few inclusions in the book that will indubitably do the work of a selling advert with aplomb… the article on Hinduism vs Hindutva being one of them. Now this is one piece that no one can possibly read without being impelled to immediately order a copy of his book: Why I am a Hindu. This is because four pages where Hinduism, Hindutva, nationalism, Gandhi, Modi, Savarkar, Godse, Marxism, Nehru, India, Pakistan, Vedanta, RSS, and a whole range of creative thinkers and philosophers jostle for space cannot ever be sufficient to capture the entire idea. It is the same with a few other inclusions in this collection. This article though, is brilliant even as a stand-alone piece and I particularly loved how Tharoor compares the attempt of Hindutva right’s ambiguous appropriation of Gandhi to the way the hero of the Soviet revolution is quite literally air-brushed out of historical relevance as described by Milan Kundera in his book (The Book of Laughter and Forgetting). What he is pointing out is that the ‘Mahatma’s message, spirit, and soul have vanished from today’s India. His ideals are gone. Only his glasses remain’… and that this has been done ‘by those who distort Hinduism to promote a narrow, exclusionary bigotry’. However, when Tharoor, in the same article, writes about Modi having ‘shown a decided taste for borrowed plumage’ one simply murmurs: Hey! That’s unfair because politics never has those who do not resort to this. The truth is that borrowed plumage isn’t a rarity anywhere and goes ravaging shores not even remotely connected to politics. Such references appear forced and one feels they are there because of pressures of being in the opposition. Frankly, even Tharoor loves playing a game of kabaddi once in a while!
I am surprised why I haven’t yet brought in cricket in this review… and yes, this game gets an entire section in the book. I am not complaining as one of the articles in this section does mention the utter idiocy of even considering cricket as an alternative to diplomacy. No sport can ever be a substitute for geopolitics and the ‘tendency to see India-Pakistan matches as warfare by proxy’ is equally unfortunate. The writer tells us that ‘cricket will follow successful diplomacy, not precede it’.
There aren’t many books with history as the backdrop that go around serenading the sort of range of human interactions that this book does. And so from humour to French wine to seductions and heritage, from giants among personalities to maelstroms of Indian politics, from reflections on leadership to the writerly life, and from fatalism to immortals in sports… this book is constantly looking for India all over the cultural, social, and political landscape… and yet remains secure from being set aside as some random ruminations unworthy of getting the hours that reading this will demand. All that I can say is that reading the selections is not just lead a reader towards a well-filled mind but also a well-formed one (if you can side-step his penchant for doggedly tossing every miscalculation away from the political party that he favours). Despite certain passages where a few may disagree, the book yet needs to be read again. And then possibly again.
.
.
Arvind Passey
Do read more reviews on my blog: http://www.passey.info
.
.
Seventy-five previously published articles, stories, poems, columns, and excerpts from his books (both fiction and non-fiction) with most having ‘been expanded or updated, or both’ are powerful enough to be more than just snippets of history of things that matter to Indians. Maybe even everyone else around the world. I call these pieces more than just snippets of history because they read like a tale well told and also because ‘the telling of a tale (or a thesis) is nearly as important as the tale itself’. There were times when, despite the writing being direct, clear, and concise, I did experience a smidgen of unease until I realized that the ‘intervention of the teller’ perceives and analyses ‘the several sides to every question’ before handing them over to words and sentences on paper (or a word processor). So, this set of tales and other inclusions surely cannot be dismissed as ‘a farrago of distortions, misinterpretations, and outright lies broadcast by an unprincipled showman’ as both facts and figures come across to the reader ‘quite unselfconsciously, as a beachcomber might blow into the shells he’d picked up on a stroll along the seaside’. Let me also add here that though some of Tharoor’s conclusions may provide a willing scintilla for heated discussions on the television, they would all yet turn out to be sometimes ‘unjustifiable, but excusable’. This is because ‘the whole point about India is that this is a country for everybody, and everybody has the duty, the obligation, to work to keep it that way’.
Shashi Tharoor writes poetry as well. I had never read any of his poems yet and so I decided to go through them before reading any of the other writings… and the one that talks about humiliations endured, a neglected baby scrabbling in the dust or slumped in the mud, blazing flames and choking screams, stark ribs of skeletal cattle, drought-dried lands, and that dead-eyed refugee to finally declare:
Think of nothing.
Then you will be able
To sleep.
And yes, there are a couple of love poems as well. I must admit at this stage that reading ‘Pride, prejudice, and punditry’ by Shashi Tharoor cannot be limited to just once or be callously gifted only a cursory and disinterested page turning. It must be obvious to most readers of this review that his selection of inclusions isn’t obviously limited to politics and politicians but has also has a riveting chapter from his novel ‘Riot’ and I mention this one in particular as this is where he writes that ‘the whole point about India’ quote that is there in the first paragraph of this review. Besides his poetry, this chapter too is enough to remind readers that his writings aren’t just limited to the bureaucratizing savagery of tilting the focus of every political maneuver towards one end of the horizon of perceptions.
Shashi Tharoor has this piercing knack to express what many other writers of historical narrative find rather disconcerting and attempt to gloss over if not spreading them so thin that the real impact gets lost in circumspect mumblings that cease to be meaningful. Let’s take the word ‘Harijan’ coined by Mahatama Gandhi. Tharoor doesn’t mince his words when telling us that Ambedkar ‘rejected the word’ and used, instead, ‘the Marathi and Hindi words for the excluded (Bahishkrit), the oppressed (Dalit), and the silent (Muka) to define the outcastes’ and ‘forced India to confront the reality of discrimination’. It is with a similar forthrightness that he talks about Modi’s ‘shrewd domestic political calculation’ when he wraps himself in ‘the mantle of other distinguished Gujaratis’ and concludes that picking up Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Gandhi ‘would enable some of their lustre to rub off on him’. Well, we can all see this and the political underbelly in India as is anywhere else in the world, and this culture of poaching of USPs is a rather common occurrence. However, when a writer insists on this being an unsavory over-indulgence of just one political party, one does sit back and wonder. I believe this is one politically tinged over-indulgence that brings in an uneasy feeling. It isn’t as if the book is about bhakt-bashing because it is not. The book, let me say again, is a focused attempt to bring on the relevant facets from our recent history.
One interesting trivia is about the much-debated issue of Sonia Gandhi’s eligibility to lead the country. For those who may not be completely aware, it was Sharad Pawar, Purno Sangma, and Tariq Anwar, the three powerful Congress politicians who had raised the issue of Sonia Gandhi being ‘unfit to be prime minister because she was born in Italy’… Tharoor rushes in to say that to ‘start disqualifying Indian citizens from the privileges of Indianness is not just pernicious: it is an affront to the very premise of Indian nationalism’. This conclusion isn’t a mere emotional outburst but the writer brings in references to Allan Octavian Hume, a Scot who founded the Indian National Congress in 1885. He also adds that the Irishwoman Annie Besant and the English Nellie Sengupta were both elected presidents of the party. Tharoor does not mince words when writing that any ‘self-appointed guardians of Indian nationalist practice’ cannot possibly overlook involved Bharatiya Sanskriti scholars from A. L. Basham to Richard Lannoy to R. C. Zaehner to Sylvain Levi, all foreigners… and that ‘there are no acid tests of birth, religion, ethnicity, or even territory that disqualify one wants to claim Indianness’. These are the sort of conclusive expressions that win the heart of readers. And readers, let me add, are no walk-overs these days as they not just read to accept but know when they are being led on a wild-goose chase and will immediately stop, growl, and sometimes, even bite.
The selection of inclusions in this collection is not limited in perspective and goes way beyond dissecting personalities and enters areas that are traditionally brimming with myopic insights. Politics is one such issue. Tharoor writes what many others sweep under the carpet. He doesn’t feel inhibited in expressing his unease at the way The Wire and a few other publications have this bigoted tendency to have ‘room only for my criticism’ making readers erroneously believe that he only ‘praised him (that is, Modi) or attacked him – nothing in between’ and, therefore, in his opinion politics must ‘allow for mutual expressions of respect across political divide’. There is no need really to reduce our politics to black and white as democracy is anyway an ongoing process ‘in which there must be give and take, dialogue, and compromise among differing interests. Let us not reduce it to a game of kabaddi’. Tharoor has a rather inimitable way of embedding a surprise smile in the midst of, well, wherever he wants. I believe this is what makes the man so popular.
There are a few inclusions in the book that will indubitably do the work of a selling advert with aplomb… the article on Hinduism vs Hindutva being one of them. Now this is one piece that no one can possibly read without being impelled to immediately order a copy of his book: Why I am a Hindu. This is because four pages where Hinduism, Hindutva, nationalism, Gandhi, Modi, Savarkar, Godse, Marxism, Nehru, India, Pakistan, Vedanta, RSS, and a whole range of creative thinkers and philosophers jostle for space cannot ever be sufficient to capture the entire idea. It is the same with a few other inclusions in this collection. This article though, is brilliant even as a stand-alone piece and I particularly loved how Tharoor compares the attempt of Hindutva right’s ambiguous appropriation of Gandhi to the way the hero of the Soviet revolution is quite literally air-brushed out of historical relevance as described by Milan Kundera in his book (The Book of Laughter and Forgetting). What he is pointing out is that the ‘Mahatma’s message, spirit, and soul have vanished from today’s India. His ideals are gone. Only his glasses remain’… and that this has been done ‘by those who distort Hinduism to promote a narrow, exclusionary bigotry’. However, when Tharoor, in the same article, writes about Modi having ‘shown a decided taste for borrowed plumage’ one simply murmurs: Hey! That’s unfair because politics never has those who do not resort to this. The truth is that borrowed plumage isn’t a rarity anywhere and goes ravaging shores not even remotely connected to politics. Such references appear forced and one feels they are there because of pressures of being in the opposition. Frankly, even Tharoor loves playing a game of kabaddi once in a while!
I am surprised why I haven’t yet brought in cricket in this review… and yes, this game gets an entire section in the book. I am not complaining as one of the articles in this section does mention the utter idiocy of even considering cricket as an alternative to diplomacy. No sport can ever be a substitute for geopolitics and the ‘tendency to see India-Pakistan matches as warfare by proxy’ is equally unfortunate. The writer tells us that ‘cricket will follow successful diplomacy, not precede it’.
There aren’t many books with history as the backdrop that go around serenading the sort of range of human interactions that this book does. And so from humour to French wine to seductions and heritage, from giants among personalities to maelstroms of Indian politics, from reflections on leadership to the writerly life, and from fatalism to immortals in sports… this book is constantly looking for India all over the cultural, social, and political landscape… and yet remains secure from being set aside as some random ruminations unworthy of getting the hours that reading this will demand. All that I can say is that reading the selections is not just lead a reader towards a well-filled mind but also a well-formed one (if you can side-step his penchant for doggedly tossing every miscalculation away from the political party that he favours). Despite certain passages where a few may disagree, the book yet needs to be read again. And then possibly again.
.
.
Arvind Passey
Do read more reviews on my blog: http://www.passey.info
.
July 14, 2024
Politicians are human, too.
Tharoor is certainly an example of that.
In Pride, Prejudice and Punditry, Tharoor shows all of his sides, from cricket, to poetry, to devout hindu, to international diplomat.
While writing In the Company of Giants, Tharoor appears to be in his element. His analysis of Indian political figures provides thorough insights with nuanced reasoning to back it up. However, most of these profiles are much shorter than they arguably should be. The defense of Nehru appears to be half hearted, and little is said about Azad. I appreciated the analysis of Tagore, however, and it was my favorite chapter.
Section Two, Into the Maelstrom of Indian Politics, is just fantastic. My favorite chapters here were The Life of an MP and Modi and Me.
Our Unruly World shed light on Tharoor's diplomatic journey. It included an even-handed reflection of his run for UN secretary, which happened to be my favorite chapter. Tharoor's recommendations for reform are sensible, well-thought-out, and as always, nuanced.
The Hindu Way struggles to be convincing, but maybe that's because I'm an atheist. Nevertheless, some of his arguments are novel and refreshing. I appreciated the chapter Hinduism vs. Hindutva, which draws important distinctions between what he calls the "universal religion" and the current problematic political appropriation.
Musings of a Cricket Tragic gives us a new angle into Tharoor's life. Watching India vs. Pakistan demonstrates the power of cricket when it comes to unity. However, most of this chapter is filled with analysis of Kohli, Kapil Dev, and other players. I could read an actual sports analyst if I wanted thoughts on these players. I would have appreciated writing about Tharoor's journey with cricket more as opposed to this "un-expert" analysis of the sport.
You Cannot be Serious! is just lovely. My favorite here is Random Ruminations on Indian Idiosyncrasies, which is full of punchy one-liners. Who knew politicians could be funny!
Fragments of an Autobiography humanizes Tharoor, who has been portrayed as an out of touch politician. With sub-chapters about his mother, father, and Kerala, Tharoor lets the audience into his life. My favorite here is Birthdays: A Beatitude. Why do we even care about birthdays? I don't know, and Tharoor doesn't either.
The Spoken Word is unique is that it contains Tharoor's best speeches. The Oxford Union Speech is a must-listen, but I really appreciated A Well-filled Mind vs a Well-formed Mind, which has Tharoor in his element as a rhetorical and powerful orator.
The Writerly Life is an interesting chapter. Tharoor is self-aware, especially in The Wordsmith, but I quite like In the Beginning, which establishes his origin story (which reeks of privilege, mind you, but is inspiring nonetheless).
Finally, Selected Fiction and Poetry is a strong finish, although the poems don't do it for me. Charlis and I is absolutely fantastic, and The Death of a Schoolmaster has an expected twist at the end that is nevertheless gut-wrenching.
In his acknowledgements, Tharoor states "Whether [this book] has captured the 'essence' of the 'essential Shashi Tharoor'... is for the reader to judge." I say it has.
Tharoor is certainly an example of that.
In Pride, Prejudice and Punditry, Tharoor shows all of his sides, from cricket, to poetry, to devout hindu, to international diplomat.
While writing In the Company of Giants, Tharoor appears to be in his element. His analysis of Indian political figures provides thorough insights with nuanced reasoning to back it up. However, most of these profiles are much shorter than they arguably should be. The defense of Nehru appears to be half hearted, and little is said about Azad. I appreciated the analysis of Tagore, however, and it was my favorite chapter.
Section Two, Into the Maelstrom of Indian Politics, is just fantastic. My favorite chapters here were The Life of an MP and Modi and Me.
Our Unruly World shed light on Tharoor's diplomatic journey. It included an even-handed reflection of his run for UN secretary, which happened to be my favorite chapter. Tharoor's recommendations for reform are sensible, well-thought-out, and as always, nuanced.
The Hindu Way struggles to be convincing, but maybe that's because I'm an atheist. Nevertheless, some of his arguments are novel and refreshing. I appreciated the chapter Hinduism vs. Hindutva, which draws important distinctions between what he calls the "universal religion" and the current problematic political appropriation.
Musings of a Cricket Tragic gives us a new angle into Tharoor's life. Watching India vs. Pakistan demonstrates the power of cricket when it comes to unity. However, most of this chapter is filled with analysis of Kohli, Kapil Dev, and other players. I could read an actual sports analyst if I wanted thoughts on these players. I would have appreciated writing about Tharoor's journey with cricket more as opposed to this "un-expert" analysis of the sport.
You Cannot be Serious! is just lovely. My favorite here is Random Ruminations on Indian Idiosyncrasies, which is full of punchy one-liners. Who knew politicians could be funny!
Fragments of an Autobiography humanizes Tharoor, who has been portrayed as an out of touch politician. With sub-chapters about his mother, father, and Kerala, Tharoor lets the audience into his life. My favorite here is Birthdays: A Beatitude. Why do we even care about birthdays? I don't know, and Tharoor doesn't either.
The Spoken Word is unique is that it contains Tharoor's best speeches. The Oxford Union Speech is a must-listen, but I really appreciated A Well-filled Mind vs a Well-formed Mind, which has Tharoor in his element as a rhetorical and powerful orator.
The Writerly Life is an interesting chapter. Tharoor is self-aware, especially in The Wordsmith, but I quite like In the Beginning, which establishes his origin story (which reeks of privilege, mind you, but is inspiring nonetheless).
Finally, Selected Fiction and Poetry is a strong finish, although the poems don't do it for me. Charlis and I is absolutely fantastic, and The Death of a Schoolmaster has an expected twist at the end that is nevertheless gut-wrenching.
In his acknowledgements, Tharoor states "Whether [this book] has captured the 'essence' of the 'essential Shashi Tharoor'... is for the reader to judge." I say it has.
Read
December 21, 2021The book is a collection of the best of Dr. Tharoor's fiction, non-fiction , poetry , along with some exclusives over the last five decades that the author has been writing.
Aleph Book Company has carefully selected Tharoor’s most prominent and enduring works on an eclectic range of topics. From Tharoor’s debated pieces on politics to his reflections on cricket, from his discourse on Hinduism to his personal accounts of his family and heritage, there is a variety of literature for readers to immerse themselves in.
Pride, Prejudice, and Punditry also contains the text of Tharoor’s most famous speeches, including the Oxford Union address on colonial reparations that went viral, besides featuring new articles penned exclusively for this book.
The first section of the book seems like a love letter to the Gandhian-Nehruvian leaders of the country and the INC , which of course include Gandhi and Nehru. Read this. "For the first seventeen years of India’s independence, the paradox-ridden Jawaharlal Nehru—the elite son of
privilege who was a passionate socialist, the intellectual with his fingers on the pulse of the peasantry, the
English-educated Anglophile whom the British imprisoned for over ten years, the avowed agnostic who was the
preferred heir of the staunchly religious Mahtma Gandhi—was India".
"The Congress’s core beliefs reflect the values it has embodied since the freedom struggle—in particular,
inclusive growth, social justice, abolition of poverty, and the protection of the marginalized, including
minorities, women, Dalits, and Adivasis".
There's a chapter about the mismanagements in his home state of Kerala. I agree with several of the issues pointed out like the leftist conservative approach to everything. "In a sense, Kerala’s development failure has been like the story of the Titanic—the consequences of turning left.
Today the ruling Left front appears unsettled by the global changes that have moved the economic system far
beyond their old paradigms and theories. By initially opposing computers and mobile phones, blocking
development work, and impeding economic reforms, they have steered the ship of state left instead of right. Or,
more precisely, they have been wrong instead of right. If we don’t steer it back urgently, we are heading into the
iceberg."
But the author failed to mention a single sentence about the mismanagement of the Covid second wave that hit. Whereas he has critiqued the central government for the same several times , despite the fact that Kerala was the worst hit state from the crisis in the country.
There are several chapters that i quite enjoyed reading as well. The entire section five of the book is focused on cricket. Especially about the importance of test cricket, which everyone needs to be reminded of . Also the infamous oxford speech is transcribed as well and was quite fun to read.
Aleph Book Company has carefully selected Tharoor’s most prominent and enduring works on an eclectic range of topics. From Tharoor’s debated pieces on politics to his reflections on cricket, from his discourse on Hinduism to his personal accounts of his family and heritage, there is a variety of literature for readers to immerse themselves in.
Pride, Prejudice, and Punditry also contains the text of Tharoor’s most famous speeches, including the Oxford Union address on colonial reparations that went viral, besides featuring new articles penned exclusively for this book.
The first section of the book seems like a love letter to the Gandhian-Nehruvian leaders of the country and the INC , which of course include Gandhi and Nehru. Read this. "For the first seventeen years of India’s independence, the paradox-ridden Jawaharlal Nehru—the elite son of
privilege who was a passionate socialist, the intellectual with his fingers on the pulse of the peasantry, the
English-educated Anglophile whom the British imprisoned for over ten years, the avowed agnostic who was the
preferred heir of the staunchly religious Mahtma Gandhi—was India".
"The Congress’s core beliefs reflect the values it has embodied since the freedom struggle—in particular,
inclusive growth, social justice, abolition of poverty, and the protection of the marginalized, including
minorities, women, Dalits, and Adivasis".
There's a chapter about the mismanagements in his home state of Kerala. I agree with several of the issues pointed out like the leftist conservative approach to everything. "In a sense, Kerala’s development failure has been like the story of the Titanic—the consequences of turning left.
Today the ruling Left front appears unsettled by the global changes that have moved the economic system far
beyond their old paradigms and theories. By initially opposing computers and mobile phones, blocking
development work, and impeding economic reforms, they have steered the ship of state left instead of right. Or,
more precisely, they have been wrong instead of right. If we don’t steer it back urgently, we are heading into the
iceberg."
But the author failed to mention a single sentence about the mismanagement of the Covid second wave that hit. Whereas he has critiqued the central government for the same several times , despite the fact that Kerala was the worst hit state from the crisis in the country.
There are several chapters that i quite enjoyed reading as well. The entire section five of the book is focused on cricket. Especially about the importance of test cricket, which everyone needs to be reminded of . Also the infamous oxford speech is transcribed as well and was quite fun to read.
January 5, 2022
Pride, Prejudice & Punditry: The Essential Shashi Tharoor is a fine read but then that's what you get when it is written by a man who has a way with words. You get a few new words that you wouldn't likely come across anywhere but they are thankfully limited and one can read this without having a dictionary or Thesaurus at hand.
The ten sections in this book brings the best of Tharoor's writings: both fiction and non fiction, including the text of some memorable speeches and essays on everything from international world politics to Hindutva versus Hinduism to a new moniker Modism, to cricket, to Indian political luminaries, to humour. There are vigenettes from Tharoor's own personal life and journey while the account of his work at the UN gives readers a glimpse of his more broader outlook towards ideas and ways of communicating it.
The essays on reading and writing and those on humour and wit are as engaging as the ones on the idea of what is India and what is nationality. I found it quite the irony that someone as passionate and quite the supporter of Test cricket does not write anything about that controversial dalliance with a stake in an IPL team in this but then that is how authors can and do, they censure the parts they would not want to go into details when they are writing about themselves, more so when it is something that has earlier backfired on them.
This is a book that will easily be loved and appreciated by those looking at socio political narratives and then of course,there is the very good writing. One can only wish that full paras and sentences were not repeated across sections as in instances where chunks of his speeches have been mentioned in earlier chapters or vice versa. A tight editing in consultation with the author could have made it a better read in this regard. That aside, this is a book that reads well.
The ten sections in this book brings the best of Tharoor's writings: both fiction and non fiction, including the text of some memorable speeches and essays on everything from international world politics to Hindutva versus Hinduism to a new moniker Modism, to cricket, to Indian political luminaries, to humour. There are vigenettes from Tharoor's own personal life and journey while the account of his work at the UN gives readers a glimpse of his more broader outlook towards ideas and ways of communicating it.
The essays on reading and writing and those on humour and wit are as engaging as the ones on the idea of what is India and what is nationality. I found it quite the irony that someone as passionate and quite the supporter of Test cricket does not write anything about that controversial dalliance with a stake in an IPL team in this but then that is how authors can and do, they censure the parts they would not want to go into details when they are writing about themselves, more so when it is something that has earlier backfired on them.
This is a book that will easily be loved and appreciated by those looking at socio political narratives and then of course,there is the very good writing. One can only wish that full paras and sentences were not repeated across sections as in instances where chunks of his speeches have been mentioned in earlier chapters or vice versa. A tight editing in consultation with the author could have made it a better read in this regard. That aside, this is a book that reads well.
December 4, 2021
As always, in this book, the Sashi tarur is excellent. Well, this is basically a collection of works he has published so far, including some recent works. The book consists of 10 sections, and I would like to say that each section is unique and varied. I liked that the author is writing a book about interesting topics such as cricket and religion as well as politics. I loved reading Tarur's perspective on such a variety of topics.I was so conscious whether will he able to understand it completely. But to my surprise, it turned out so great. I will summarise the concept. The book started with the topics of Gandhi and Nehru. I enjoyed reading about them, especially Nehru's legacy. The book is divided into sections. The first section is about great leaders. I enjoyed reading about Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Rabindranath Tagore. The next section is slightly different and interesting. We are in the vortex of Indian politics. "Is Sonya Gandhi really Indian?" The chapter titles and discussions are quite interesting. I liked themes like Modi and Me. The discussion about politics was very interesting and interesting. There are 10 chapters in total, so this might be too long, but it should be pointed out that not all discussions are inherently political. There are topics like cricket and Hinduism. Therefore, the author tried to cover a variety of topics. After reading this book, I learned more about writing and journalism. I will definitely use them to improve my writing. I enjoyed reading this. Enough an intellectual discussion on each topic. And I just want to say one thing, take this book. Don't be afraid to understand. It's really interesting.
December 1, 2021
Pride prejudice and Punditry is a True Delight for the fans of Shashi and a great starting point for the readers interested in Shashi's literature, politics and his life as a whole. The book opens with a forward by one of his admirers, who gives us a brief introduction to Tharoor and his work.
The Book is divided in different parts which made Shashi who he is Today. The first part discuses about his Inspirations and Motivations in the Political Scenerio. Which tells us why he likes Nehru, Gandhi, Patel etc with a constant music playing that Yes Shashi is a Politician belonging to a particular political party.
Then this book segues into the official territory of Indian Politics where Shashi shares his political opinions on a list of topics which due to his lucid and beautiful writing (yes there aren't many hard words) keeps us turning the pages. Further he discuses about World Politics, his life in UN etc which makes a fascinating read. Throughout this book we meet his different sides may it be the Cricket Lover Shashi, Hindu Shashi, Tharoor the politician, writer, an brilliant orator and Tharoor as a Person. The book also contains various writings, poems, stories by him which was my favourite part to read.
To sum it up this book is like a Thali showing us all the flavours Shashi Tharoor has to offer and one who may or may not be an admirer of Shashi's Opinions will for sure start respecting him for what he is and the Person in Him !!
The Book is divided in different parts which made Shashi who he is Today. The first part discuses about his Inspirations and Motivations in the Political Scenerio. Which tells us why he likes Nehru, Gandhi, Patel etc with a constant music playing that Yes Shashi is a Politician belonging to a particular political party.
Then this book segues into the official territory of Indian Politics where Shashi shares his political opinions on a list of topics which due to his lucid and beautiful writing (yes there aren't many hard words) keeps us turning the pages. Further he discuses about World Politics, his life in UN etc which makes a fascinating read. Throughout this book we meet his different sides may it be the Cricket Lover Shashi, Hindu Shashi, Tharoor the politician, writer, an brilliant orator and Tharoor as a Person. The book also contains various writings, poems, stories by him which was my favourite part to read.
To sum it up this book is like a Thali showing us all the flavours Shashi Tharoor has to offer and one who may or may not be an admirer of Shashi's Opinions will for sure start respecting him for what he is and the Person in Him !!
December 14, 2021
Quite recently I came across One Mic Stand's episode starring Shashi Tharoor. It was one hell of a show with jokes on millennial lingo to some bordering-seriousness ones on how curriculum in UK doesn't have even a slight mention of the word colonization. Shashi Tharoor has served as the former Under Secretary-General of the United Nations and a former Minister of State for Human Resource Development and Minister of State for External Affairs in the Government of India. And currently he holds the record for being the longest serving member of the Lok Sabha from Thiruvananthapuram and chairs Parliament’s Standing Committee on Information Technology.
Pride, Prejudice and Punditry is a collection of pre-published articles, short stories, musings and excerpts from Tharoor's previously published novels, and make for a riveting reads. Peppered with Tharoor's well known wit and directness we come across his take on Modi's shrewd model of politics as he chants the beliefs of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Gandhi in the hopes that they might exclude their charm onto him. Hence ranging from Nehru's and Gandhi's paradoxical relationship, to Nehru's legacy, to divulging the musings of a well informed mind to talking about his life as a member of parliament, exploring the on-going and ever present battle between Hinduism vs hindutva, to humour and French wine Shashi Tharoor presents readers with a book that is to be read and enjoyed with enough time at hand.
Pride, Prejudice and Punditry is a collection of pre-published articles, short stories, musings and excerpts from Tharoor's previously published novels, and make for a riveting reads. Peppered with Tharoor's well known wit and directness we come across his take on Modi's shrewd model of politics as he chants the beliefs of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Gandhi in the hopes that they might exclude their charm onto him. Hence ranging from Nehru's and Gandhi's paradoxical relationship, to Nehru's legacy, to divulging the musings of a well informed mind to talking about his life as a member of parliament, exploring the on-going and ever present battle between Hinduism vs hindutva, to humour and French wine Shashi Tharoor presents readers with a book that is to be read and enjoyed with enough time at hand.
December 2, 2021
“India shaped my mind, anchored my identity, influenced my beliefs, and made me who I am. ... India matters to me and I would like to matter to India.”Dr Tharoor
Dr Shashi Tharoor, someone who I believe does not need any introduction at all, recently released his new work: Pride, Prejudice and Punditry: The Essential Shashi Tharoor, a diverse collection of his recent as well as earlier popular works. I had been always enchanted by the literary genius right through my childhood for the astounding word play he was capable of. And thus, just like previous times, even now I was excited for his new read to once again have a go at building up my vocab.
The book is divided into 10 different sections, each having a different theme. While some deal with various political dimensions, some reflect the authors own life. There is a beautiful section at the end where the readers have a chance to go through the poems, he penned in such an eloquent and melancholic manner.
Being a Political Science student, this book intrigued me on a completely different level. It has discussions on eminent personalities from Gandhi to Modi. Further it shed light on the beautiful ancient heritage of India. Although the book is 600 pages long, it has the power to hold its readers attention through its profound manner of writing.
Dr Shashi Tharoor, someone who I believe does not need any introduction at all, recently released his new work: Pride, Prejudice and Punditry: The Essential Shashi Tharoor, a diverse collection of his recent as well as earlier popular works. I had been always enchanted by the literary genius right through my childhood for the astounding word play he was capable of. And thus, just like previous times, even now I was excited for his new read to once again have a go at building up my vocab.
The book is divided into 10 different sections, each having a different theme. While some deal with various political dimensions, some reflect the authors own life. There is a beautiful section at the end where the readers have a chance to go through the poems, he penned in such an eloquent and melancholic manner.
Being a Political Science student, this book intrigued me on a completely different level. It has discussions on eminent personalities from Gandhi to Modi. Further it shed light on the beautiful ancient heritage of India. Although the book is 600 pages long, it has the power to hold its readers attention through its profound manner of writing.
December 1, 2021
Book - Pride, Prejudice and Punditry
Author - Shashi Tharoor
" Don't ever forget that we are not led by a saint with his head in the clouds, but by a master's tactician with his feet on the ground. "
- The Great Indian Novel
'Pride, Prejudice and Punditry' by author Sashi Tharoor is a wonderful collection of ten sections based on political background and historical approach potraying Author's experience of meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It also crafted secular political culture and tradition of Indian Society and Indian Nationalism. Kerala Heritage, International Cricket tournaments, Hinduism, Fragments of autobiographies etc topics are discussed vividly within this book.
Rabindranath Tagore was a global giant before the era of globalisation and Bengalee's emotion; I genuinely loved the chapter ' Tagore's Immortality' which sketched variant poems and verses from The Gitanjali and remarkable facts of Tagore's worldwide impact in his own time.
The author had huge knowledge on Indian Politics and Culture. The book is crafted in a beautiful way with inspiring quotes and attractive pictures. Language is easy and lucid with simple narrative style of literature.
Rating - 4/5
# I would highly recommend you to read out this book...Happy Reading !
Author - Shashi Tharoor
" Don't ever forget that we are not led by a saint with his head in the clouds, but by a master's tactician with his feet on the ground. "
- The Great Indian Novel
'Pride, Prejudice and Punditry' by author Sashi Tharoor is a wonderful collection of ten sections based on political background and historical approach potraying Author's experience of meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It also crafted secular political culture and tradition of Indian Society and Indian Nationalism. Kerala Heritage, International Cricket tournaments, Hinduism, Fragments of autobiographies etc topics are discussed vividly within this book.
Rabindranath Tagore was a global giant before the era of globalisation and Bengalee's emotion; I genuinely loved the chapter ' Tagore's Immortality' which sketched variant poems and verses from The Gitanjali and remarkable facts of Tagore's worldwide impact in his own time.
The author had huge knowledge on Indian Politics and Culture. The book is crafted in a beautiful way with inspiring quotes and attractive pictures. Language is easy and lucid with simple narrative style of literature.
Rating - 4/5
# I would highly recommend you to read out this book...Happy Reading !
September 4, 2023
Pride, Prejudice and Punditry – The Essential Shashi Tharoor
Shashi Tharoor needs no introduction. He has made his mark in Indian politics, as a writer and as an international dipomat with a stint at the UN. The list is endless. But I was curious to find out for myself as to who the “essential tharoor” is, and what better way to discover than pick up this Austen-inspired title of collection of essays. Pride, prejudice and Punditry or PPP contains the text of some of his most famous speeches, including the Oxford Union Address on colonial reparations; which was also the springboard of his book ‘”An Era of Darkness”. He mentions in the Preface, “this book, somewhat unusually, began as a speech.” The PPP is more than comprehensive with six hundred pages of written matter, with a compelling introduction, “Mind in Motion”, by David Davidar. Since the work is in the form of compilation of essays, you can pick and choose whatever is of interest to you. The narrative is distinctive yet clear and concise. He does have the reputation for using grandiose words at times, but as he admits that it is so, yet he feels that it provides some “flavor” to his writing. Obscure words can be fun, according to him.But at the same time his work is easy on the eye and lends itself to his own brand of humor. Also, his writing reflects his undying love for his country, and in Nehru, whom he idolises. Tharoor is able to juggle with his role as a politician as well as to maintain his output as a writer, which was his passion. Elaborating on this he says, that he finds time by making space inside his head by creating an “alternative universe”and by populating it with people,places, incidents akin to what you encounter in your “real” daily life.” The result is for all to see. PPP is divided into ten parts with each section devoted to one or the other of the author’s interests; which range from history, politics, current events, international affairs and so on. For those uninitiated with his work, “this book should provide the perfect introduction to his oeuvre. “Another interesting aspect of Tharoor is his interest in cricket. He writes,”as a boy I wanted to play cricket very badly and that’s just what I did when I grew up – I played cricket very badly. “ I have here picked to write about his musings on cricket. The fifth section of the book PPP carries an essay on Kapil Dev, titled, “Kapil Dev and the spirit of young India”. I have chosen to review this essay, as I was a fan of Kapil Dev and it took me down memory lane as I started to read this account of a player who was definitely one of the greatest all rounders of all time. The World Cup, 1983.The event is still vivid in my memory, as I can remember of having tuned in to the broadcast of the ongoing match on the radio and of being glued to it; Unfortunately, we did not own a TV set at the time. There was mounting excitement which turned into a frenzy, as Kapil and his men brought home the trophy. The newspapers understandably went to town with the famous scene at the balcony at Lords, where the Indian team wreathed in smiles, held the trophy aloft, and the captain, Kapil Dev, victorious with his signature toothy grin, celebrating the event with champagne . How they got there is teamwork of course, but credit goes to an almost new captain, whose verve and spirit showed that victory is possible against all odds and that they could make mincemeat of their opponents, in this case the West Indies juggernaut under the captaincy of Clive Lloyd (the Big Cat). I can still recall the ferocity with which Kapil Dev could attack any bowler, by thwacking the ball to all parts of the ground. He was a delight to watch. However, he was not only a phenomenon with the bat but a fearless bowler too. He had an intimidating pace while bowling ,not common in those days.. His economy rate was also the best of all time in ODIs. Tharoor says that, the Australian writer Gideon Heigh goes into raptures about Kapil Dev by saying that, “he had the liveliest and the least imitable action of all …exploding at all angles, wrists uncoiling, arms elasticising, eyes afire. In his batting he,” stood at the crease like a gladiator in a coliseum, his bat, the sword, jauntily repelling the onslaught of the Caribbean lions”. Tharoor has beautifully dealt with one of the greatest players of all times by also including the batting statistics of the Indian team as a whole, spearheaded by the captaincy of Kapil Dev.”Kapil’s Devils” , as the media called the Indian team, transformed the very psyche of the sporting scene of the country. In another essay, titled, “The Immortals”, Tharoor has indulged in picking a Test eleven or a fantasy team, a favorite pasttime of all cricket lovers and says that he is of no exception. This team is esssentially a Test team and “not the crash-bang-wallop forms of the sport”. Also it is a team that will be able to play and pull off a win at Lords, the Mecca of cricket, by making the most of the English conditions, and not at Eden Gardens or say Chepauk. He has also limited himself to choosing players whom he has seen playing the sport, which is from a little more than the past half century. The openers according to him should be Gavaskar and Sehwag. Followed by Rahul Dravid, Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Dhoni, Kapil Dev, Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Javagal Srinath and Jasprith Bumrah, in that order. As the twelfth man, he includes Ravindra Jadeja. In the reserve he has got Azharuddin, Laxman, Rohit Sharma, Ashwin and Bedi. He has taken great pains to explain the attributes of each of these players and why they have been included in the team. He has given the captaincy and wicketkeeping to Dhoni, whom he calls “captain cool”, and says that he has a cool, calculating cricketing brain besides being a superb keeper. This in a nutshell is his ideal team. As we read this work of Tharoor, there is hardly any doubt about his passion for cricket , which he follows very closely. It provides us great insight into the way cricket has evolved over the years. It also leads us to an understanding of the view that cricket has almost attained a status of a religion in India with ardent devotees.
Shashi Tharoor needs no introduction. He has made his mark in Indian politics, as a writer and as an international dipomat with a stint at the UN. The list is endless. But I was curious to find out for myself as to who the “essential tharoor” is, and what better way to discover than pick up this Austen-inspired title of collection of essays. Pride, prejudice and Punditry or PPP contains the text of some of his most famous speeches, including the Oxford Union Address on colonial reparations; which was also the springboard of his book ‘”An Era of Darkness”. He mentions in the Preface, “this book, somewhat unusually, began as a speech.” The PPP is more than comprehensive with six hundred pages of written matter, with a compelling introduction, “Mind in Motion”, by David Davidar. Since the work is in the form of compilation of essays, you can pick and choose whatever is of interest to you. The narrative is distinctive yet clear and concise. He does have the reputation for using grandiose words at times, but as he admits that it is so, yet he feels that it provides some “flavor” to his writing. Obscure words can be fun, according to him.But at the same time his work is easy on the eye and lends itself to his own brand of humor. Also, his writing reflects his undying love for his country, and in Nehru, whom he idolises. Tharoor is able to juggle with his role as a politician as well as to maintain his output as a writer, which was his passion. Elaborating on this he says, that he finds time by making space inside his head by creating an “alternative universe”and by populating it with people,places, incidents akin to what you encounter in your “real” daily life.” The result is for all to see. PPP is divided into ten parts with each section devoted to one or the other of the author’s interests; which range from history, politics, current events, international affairs and so on. For those uninitiated with his work, “this book should provide the perfect introduction to his oeuvre. “Another interesting aspect of Tharoor is his interest in cricket. He writes,”as a boy I wanted to play cricket very badly and that’s just what I did when I grew up – I played cricket very badly. “ I have here picked to write about his musings on cricket. The fifth section of the book PPP carries an essay on Kapil Dev, titled, “Kapil Dev and the spirit of young India”. I have chosen to review this essay, as I was a fan of Kapil Dev and it took me down memory lane as I started to read this account of a player who was definitely one of the greatest all rounders of all time. The World Cup, 1983.The event is still vivid in my memory, as I can remember of having tuned in to the broadcast of the ongoing match on the radio and of being glued to it; Unfortunately, we did not own a TV set at the time. There was mounting excitement which turned into a frenzy, as Kapil and his men brought home the trophy. The newspapers understandably went to town with the famous scene at the balcony at Lords, where the Indian team wreathed in smiles, held the trophy aloft, and the captain, Kapil Dev, victorious with his signature toothy grin, celebrating the event with champagne . How they got there is teamwork of course, but credit goes to an almost new captain, whose verve and spirit showed that victory is possible against all odds and that they could make mincemeat of their opponents, in this case the West Indies juggernaut under the captaincy of Clive Lloyd (the Big Cat). I can still recall the ferocity with which Kapil Dev could attack any bowler, by thwacking the ball to all parts of the ground. He was a delight to watch. However, he was not only a phenomenon with the bat but a fearless bowler too. He had an intimidating pace while bowling ,not common in those days.. His economy rate was also the best of all time in ODIs. Tharoor says that, the Australian writer Gideon Heigh goes into raptures about Kapil Dev by saying that, “he had the liveliest and the least imitable action of all …exploding at all angles, wrists uncoiling, arms elasticising, eyes afire. In his batting he,” stood at the crease like a gladiator in a coliseum, his bat, the sword, jauntily repelling the onslaught of the Caribbean lions”. Tharoor has beautifully dealt with one of the greatest players of all times by also including the batting statistics of the Indian team as a whole, spearheaded by the captaincy of Kapil Dev.”Kapil’s Devils” , as the media called the Indian team, transformed the very psyche of the sporting scene of the country. In another essay, titled, “The Immortals”, Tharoor has indulged in picking a Test eleven or a fantasy team, a favorite pasttime of all cricket lovers and says that he is of no exception. This team is esssentially a Test team and “not the crash-bang-wallop forms of the sport”. Also it is a team that will be able to play and pull off a win at Lords, the Mecca of cricket, by making the most of the English conditions, and not at Eden Gardens or say Chepauk. He has also limited himself to choosing players whom he has seen playing the sport, which is from a little more than the past half century. The openers according to him should be Gavaskar and Sehwag. Followed by Rahul Dravid, Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Dhoni, Kapil Dev, Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Javagal Srinath and Jasprith Bumrah, in that order. As the twelfth man, he includes Ravindra Jadeja. In the reserve he has got Azharuddin, Laxman, Rohit Sharma, Ashwin and Bedi. He has taken great pains to explain the attributes of each of these players and why they have been included in the team. He has given the captaincy and wicketkeeping to Dhoni, whom he calls “captain cool”, and says that he has a cool, calculating cricketing brain besides being a superb keeper. This in a nutshell is his ideal team. As we read this work of Tharoor, there is hardly any doubt about his passion for cricket , which he follows very closely. It provides us great insight into the way cricket has evolved over the years. It also leads us to an understanding of the view that cricket has almost attained a status of a religion in India with ardent devotees.
December 4, 2021
"The Paradoxiaal Prime Minister," written by Shashi Tharoor, was the first book I ever read about him. I was waiting for a friend in Starmark and read the first 20 pages of the book. It was so satisfying to read those lines written by him that I couldn't stop myself from purchasing the book when it was time to leave that bookstore. A rare opportunity to read work by a writer of such caliber should not be passed upon.
<'India has been born and reborn scores of times, and it will be reborn again. India is forever, India is forever being made.'>
Pride, Prejudice, and Punditry: The Essential Shashi Tharoor is the author's finest work, and it is also his most widely read. It covers every aspect of contemporary Indian life. Pundit Jwaharlal Neheru and Rabindra Nath Tagore, as well as Narendra Modi, are among the topics covered in this book, which also contains humor and political commentary on cricket and castism, as well as the lives of members of Parliament. I have not yet finished the book, but I must admit that the narration and composition of this work of art have me completely taken by surprise. Kudos.
<'India has been born and reborn scores of times, and it will be reborn again. India is forever, India is forever being made.'>
Pride, Prejudice, and Punditry: The Essential Shashi Tharoor is the author's finest work, and it is also his most widely read. It covers every aspect of contemporary Indian life. Pundit Jwaharlal Neheru and Rabindra Nath Tagore, as well as Narendra Modi, are among the topics covered in this book, which also contains humor and political commentary on cricket and castism, as well as the lives of members of Parliament. I have not yet finished the book, but I must admit that the narration and composition of this work of art have me completely taken by surprise. Kudos.
December 4, 2021
Pride, Prejudice and Punditry!
I was looking forward on reading this book especially knowing Mr. Tharoors vocabulary, was sure I would be learning a lot of new words which I could use in my daily life and impress people around me.
And I was not disappointed at all.
In fact I learnt more, than just vocabulary.
This book is a nice collectors edition book which is divided into different sections. Each section has a charm on its own.
One section is about our great leaders like Gandhi, Nehru, Dr. Ambedkar, Tagore etc. Another deals, with politics, there is one with cricket, one on his speeches, one on his autobiography and so on.
It's a mix of fiction and non fiction and its, like if you are looking for a good thaali to eat for lunch, then this is the book.
It's a nice mix of various topics and experiences of the author that it never fails to spice things up.
It's fast paced, not so difficult to read, and very interesting. You get to see the inner life or behind the scenes of various sections of the country which common people may not have access to.
Absolutely recommended!
I was looking forward on reading this book especially knowing Mr. Tharoors vocabulary, was sure I would be learning a lot of new words which I could use in my daily life and impress people around me.
And I was not disappointed at all.
In fact I learnt more, than just vocabulary.
This book is a nice collectors edition book which is divided into different sections. Each section has a charm on its own.
One section is about our great leaders like Gandhi, Nehru, Dr. Ambedkar, Tagore etc. Another deals, with politics, there is one with cricket, one on his speeches, one on his autobiography and so on.
It's a mix of fiction and non fiction and its, like if you are looking for a good thaali to eat for lunch, then this is the book.
It's a nice mix of various topics and experiences of the author that it never fails to spice things up.
It's fast paced, not so difficult to read, and very interesting. You get to see the inner life or behind the scenes of various sections of the country which common people may not have access to.
Absolutely recommended!
January 12, 2022
An Alluring Book
Dr Tharoor's book is alluring with respect to the topics that the essays have been covered. Tharoor classifies the essays into 10 groups -- giants (of modern India), Indian politics, the world, on the Hindu way, cricket, humour, "the spoken word", and on "the writerly life". For someone who brilliantly cast Mahatma Gandhi as Bhishma and Jawaharlal Nehru as Dhritarashtra, Tharoor’s essays on Gandhi and Nehru are very ordinary. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s appropriation by Narendra Modi is binot very convincing. But his essay on Rabindranath Tagore is of a different class altogether -- not uncritical (hence the charm), but sincere in appreciation of what was worth lauding in Tagore.
The chapters link the past and present through Tharoor’s own life which provides interesting theory. In a tribute to Tagore, he mentions how he used to read Gurudev’s love poems to his late wife. Anecdotes break up the flow of argument and add their own personal touch. He talks about his cricket fandom with enthusiastic accounts of matches viewed on ground or Indian cricketing history outlined and examined
Overall a good read.
Dr Tharoor's book is alluring with respect to the topics that the essays have been covered. Tharoor classifies the essays into 10 groups -- giants (of modern India), Indian politics, the world, on the Hindu way, cricket, humour, "the spoken word", and on "the writerly life". For someone who brilliantly cast Mahatma Gandhi as Bhishma and Jawaharlal Nehru as Dhritarashtra, Tharoor’s essays on Gandhi and Nehru are very ordinary. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s appropriation by Narendra Modi is binot very convincing. But his essay on Rabindranath Tagore is of a different class altogether -- not uncritical (hence the charm), but sincere in appreciation of what was worth lauding in Tagore.
The chapters link the past and present through Tharoor’s own life which provides interesting theory. In a tribute to Tagore, he mentions how he used to read Gurudev’s love poems to his late wife. Anecdotes break up the flow of argument and add their own personal touch. He talks about his cricket fandom with enthusiastic accounts of matches viewed on ground or Indian cricketing history outlined and examined
Overall a good read.
December 1, 2021
Book Review:
Pride, Prejudice and Punditry : The Essential Shashi Tharoor is my first read by the great Tharoor. I have always wanted to read his work and this, I hope, is the first of many. So, this book, as the name suggests, is what makes Tharoor Tharoor. The book is divided into ten sections - each giving a glimpse of his writing prowess and charisma.
I, somehow, feel compelled to use ornamental words (from my limited vocabulary) as I attempt a review of this piece of art. The book is an amalgamation of old and new. It houses some of Tharoor's greatest works while also presenting something fresh. Each piece is written perfectly and gives an interesting insight to some known as well as unknown terrains. The political discussions are fun to read while the non-political ones are informative. The poems were good as well. The book, undoubtedly, is pretty lengthy but worth every second. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and would recommend it if you are a fan of some great writing. Happy reading!
Pride, Prejudice and Punditry : The Essential Shashi Tharoor is my first read by the great Tharoor. I have always wanted to read his work and this, I hope, is the first of many. So, this book, as the name suggests, is what makes Tharoor Tharoor. The book is divided into ten sections - each giving a glimpse of his writing prowess and charisma.
I, somehow, feel compelled to use ornamental words (from my limited vocabulary) as I attempt a review of this piece of art. The book is an amalgamation of old and new. It houses some of Tharoor's greatest works while also presenting something fresh. Each piece is written perfectly and gives an interesting insight to some known as well as unknown terrains. The political discussions are fun to read while the non-political ones are informative. The poems were good as well. The book, undoubtedly, is pretty lengthy but worth every second. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and would recommend it if you are a fan of some great writing. Happy reading!
December 1, 2021
Pride, prejudice and punditry
This is my first Shashi Tharoor book. Owing to the memes floating on the internet , I was hoping to sit with a dictionary while reading the book. But I was pleasantly surprised that at no point did I feel that shashi has tried to use heavy jargon.
The book is divided into 10 parts. Shashi has candidly narrated his political journey and how he is addicted to writing in a way as if his life depends on it. Comparisons between Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi are also on point. He describes his political opinions without imposing them on the readers, something which is highly commendable.
Special mention to the beautiful poem that he has penned for his late wife Sunanda Pushkar - they all remind me of you. It's so poignant and tragic, yet it will leave a smile on your face.
This book will definitely make me stop near his other books ,the next time I'm in a bookstore or a library.
Publisher : aleph books
Author : Shashi Tharoor
Price : hardcover : Rs 999
Ebook version : Rs 775
This is my first Shashi Tharoor book. Owing to the memes floating on the internet , I was hoping to sit with a dictionary while reading the book. But I was pleasantly surprised that at no point did I feel that shashi has tried to use heavy jargon.
The book is divided into 10 parts. Shashi has candidly narrated his political journey and how he is addicted to writing in a way as if his life depends on it. Comparisons between Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi are also on point. He describes his political opinions without imposing them on the readers, something which is highly commendable.
Special mention to the beautiful poem that he has penned for his late wife Sunanda Pushkar - they all remind me of you. It's so poignant and tragic, yet it will leave a smile on your face.
This book will definitely make me stop near his other books ,the next time I'm in a bookstore or a library.
Publisher : aleph books
Author : Shashi Tharoor
Price : hardcover : Rs 999
Ebook version : Rs 775
December 5, 2021
Dr Tharoor is perhaps one of those people whom you cannot hate no matter who you are. He is often seen speaking, tweeting or engaging with others, but when it comes to writing he is indeed at his absolute best.
His latest book, "Pride Prejudice and Punditry" is one of the best books in the market right now.
The book reminded me a little of Pt. Nehru's magnum opus "The Discovery of India", has been divided into various parts (10 to be precise) with each part dealing with a unique topic, ranging from the political greats to the cricketing greats, from his speeches to his "Semi- autobiography", this book is like a summation of the best all the previous books that Dr Tharoor has written.
Talking about the style and flow, the book seems to have an enchanting effect on the reader where it seems too hard to put it down once you start reading it.
I absolutely recommend this to everyone who wants to have a good read and get insights into some of the most fascinating aspects of Indian society.
Happy readings!!
His latest book, "Pride Prejudice and Punditry" is one of the best books in the market right now.
The book reminded me a little of Pt. Nehru's magnum opus "The Discovery of India", has been divided into various parts (10 to be precise) with each part dealing with a unique topic, ranging from the political greats to the cricketing greats, from his speeches to his "Semi- autobiography", this book is like a summation of the best all the previous books that Dr Tharoor has written.
Talking about the style and flow, the book seems to have an enchanting effect on the reader where it seems too hard to put it down once you start reading it.
I absolutely recommend this to everyone who wants to have a good read and get insights into some of the most fascinating aspects of Indian society.
Happy readings!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews