Books
Le Carré in his labyrinth
To say that one enjoys John le Carré’s novels as espionage thrillers is akin to claiming that one takes delight in Charlie Chaplin’s films as slapstick comedies. To be sure, Le Carré has written exceptional spycraft stories, but what raises them to the level of high literature is his nuanced unfolding of the fallibility of good but weak individuals caught in webs of deceit spun by vastly more powerful people and institutions, just as Chaplin’s films become elevating cinema because they capture the triumphs of small people over tyrants.
Interpreting fascism, one fascist at a time
In the past two decades or so, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the sangh parivar as a whole and its ideological affiliates have frequently been dubbed as “fascist forces”. Protagonists of Hindutva denounce the claim as “malicious canard”. Citing the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi, they argue that the real enemy of Indian democracy is the Congress Party.
Modi: The man and the myth
Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is the most talented politician of our time and the most enigmatic.
Most talented because he has been able to create for himself an appeal that goes beyond his state and his caste. Of no other regional politician can we say that s/he has a national following based purely on achievement and image.
Shades of the city in pretty young lives
There are cities within cities and we live out the span of our lives within those cities. It takes national celebrations or local catastrophes to jar us into noticing people that live outside our cocoon; a World Cup win or candlelight vigil are occasions to acknowledge our neighbours.
