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A 112-page manuscript entirely dedicated to cheese from the 1580s doles out advice on all things related to the sometimes stringy, sometimes chewy and at other times crumbly food item. The oldest known book on cheese is titled A pamflyt compiled of Cheese, contayninge the differences, nature, qualities, and goodness of the same.
The manuscript was never published, but it offers an insight into how much cheese was revered even in the 16th century by food lovers. It talks about how to make the right cheese, which kind of milk to use, what to pair it with and more.
Its previous owners include a physician to Queen Elizabeth I, a member of parliament, and a member of another parliamentary family. The book was extremely special to the owners, with the MP noting that the book should be returned to after being "perused."
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/centuries-old-algebra-conundrum-solved-by-getting-rid-of-a-pesky-detail-9024852" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Polynomials to the fifth degree? No problem! Mathematician presents simple solution</a>
The vellum-bound manuscript was acquired by the University of Leeds at an auction in 2023. "I&rsquo;ve never seen anything like it," author and food historian Peter Brears said in a statement.
<h2>A Cheese manual: What to do, what not to do&nbsp;</h2>
The book has some interesting suggestions about cheese. One of them is about using the right milk and how the wrong milk can trigger unwanted consequences. It suggests using milk from camels, donkeys, and horses to make cheese. However, it warns that if cheese made from a dog&rsquo;s milk is consumed by a pregnant woman, she might have early contractions and give birth early.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-man-quit-job-to-care-for-baby-ended-up-divorced-and-with-post-partum-depression-9022713" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Chinese man quit job to care for baby, ended up divorced and with post-partum depression</a>
For some strange reason, the writer also talks about women's milk, and that he isn't aware if someone uses it to make cheese. Alex Bamji, associate professor of early modern history at the University of Leeds, says that people in the 16th century also seemed to be aware that cheese is not everyone's cup of tea.&nbsp;
The book also tells the right time to eat cheese. &ldquo;Generally, the view was that it was best towards the end of a meal," Bamji said.
One of the portions talks about how to curdle milk, suggesting the use of fish guts, and the best method to make hard cheese.
The author of this cheese manual remains a mystery. However, Brears says it is possible to decode that by looking at "handwriting style, evidence of regional dialects, which modern locations are actually being referred to".&nbsp;
He wants somebody to undertake a Ph.D. on it to figure out the writer.
&nbsp;

The book has some interesting suggestions about cheese. One of them is about using the right milk and how the wrong milk can trigger unwanted consequences. World Trending

A 112-page manuscript entirely dedicated to cheese from the 1580s doles out advice on all things related to the sometimes stringy, sometimes chewy and at other times crumbly food item. The oldest known book on cheese is titled A pamflyt compiled of Cheese, contayninge the differences, nature, qualities, and goodness of the same. The manuscript was never published, but it offers an insight into how much cheese was revered even in the 16th century by food lovers. It talks about how to make the right cheese, which kind of milk to use, what to pair it with and more. Its previous owners include a physician to Queen Elizabeth I, a member of parliament, and a member of another parliamentary family. The book was extremely special to the owners, with the MP noting that the book should be returned to after being "perused." Also Read: Polynomials to the fifth degree? No problem! Mathematician presents simple solution The vellum-bound manuscript was acquired by the University of Leeds at an auction in 2023. "I’ve never seen anything like it," author and food historian Peter Brears said in a statement. A Cheese manual: What to do, what not to do The book has some interesting suggestions about cheese. One of them is about using the right milk and how the wrong milk can trigger unwanted consequences. It suggests using milk from camels, donkeys, and horses to make cheese. However, it warns that if cheese made from a dog’s milk is consumed by a pregnant woman, she might have early contractions and give birth early. Also Read: Chinese man quit job to care for baby, ended up divorced and with post-partum depression For some strange reason, the writer also talks about women's milk, and that he isn't aware if someone uses it to make cheese. Alex Bamji, associate professor of early modern history at the University of Leeds, says that people in the 16th century also seemed to be aware that cheese is not everyone's cup of tea. The book also tells the right time to eat cheese. “Generally, the view was that it was best towards the end of a meal," Bamji said. One of the portions talks about how to curdle milk, suggesting the use of fish guts, and the best method to make hard cheese. The author of this cheese manual remains a mystery. However, Brears says it is possible to decode that by looking at "handwriting style, evidence of regional dialects, which modern locations are actually being referred to". He wants somebody to undertake a Ph.D. on it to figure out the writer.

Donkey milk or dog milk? 16th century British revered cheese, and this quirky textbook is proof

Life & Fun | Photos: Know 8 powerful books that can help you overcome procrastination and boost productivity. These expertly recommended reads provide actionable insights for personal growth.

8 Books that can stop you from procrastination

From The Bible to The Satanic Verses, several books were banned in parts of the world at various points in time due to the perception that they poison minds. But some books can be poisonous quite literally, as the chemicals used in their making are harmful to humans.

According to a study done by a team of researchers at Lipscomb University in the US, some of the bright-coloured, cloth-bound books from the Victorian era onwards might contain&nbsp;such chemicals.

These colours come from dyes that might be a health risk to readers, collectors or librarians, said a release on the study.

Chronic exposure to inhaled lead or chromium could lead to even cancer, lung damage or fertility issues, said the researchers.&nbsp;

Pigments from the cloth covers can be harmful if rubbed onto hands or become airborne and are inhaled, they added.&nbsp;

WATCH: Toxic chemicals found in clean energy batteries, threat of PFAS in Lithium-ion cells

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The study will be presented at American Chemical Society (ACS) meeting&nbsp;on August 18–22.

“These old books with toxic dyes may be in universities, public libraries and private collections,”&nbsp;Abigail Hoermann, a chemistry student at Lipscomb University, who was part of the study, was quoted as saying in the study.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/health-and-wellness/common-bandages-may-contain-harmful-chemicals-reveals-study-708288">Common bandages may contain harmful chemicals, reveals study</a>

“I find it fascinating to know what previous generations thought was safe, and then we learn, oh, actually, that might not have been a great idea to use these brilliant dyes,” the release quoted Joseph Weinstein-Webb, an assistant chemistry professor at Lipscomb, who did the study along with his students, as saying.

<h2>How poisonous books were detected&nbsp;</h2>

The study examined some 19th- and early 20th-century fabric-covered books from the university’s Beaman Library.&nbsp;

The poisons were detected using three spectroscopic techniques: XRF or X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, ICP-OES or Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, and XRD or X-ray diffraction technology.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/led-lights-in-room-temperature-can-clean-up-forever-chemicals-overnight-suggests-study-745516">LED lights in room temperature can 'clean up' forever chemicals overnight, suggests study</a>

XRF was used&nbsp;for checking arsenic or other heavy metals on the book covers. ICP-OES examined the concentration of those metals. XRD was used to identify the pigment molecules that contain those metals.

Researchers found lead and chromium present in some of the Lipscomb books.&nbsp;

In some instances, these heavy metals were in the form of lead (II) chromate, a compound that was used for the chrome yellow pigment by Vincent van Gogh in his sunflower paintings, said the release.

In some cases, metal concentrations were found to be above acceptable limits for chronic exposure as set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The lead was more than double the CDC limits, and chromium almost six times the cap.

Such poisonous and potentially harmful books were sealed in plastic bags for handling and storage or removed from public circulation.

<h2>How the 'Poison Book Project' was started</h2>

Earlier, the Winterthur Museum, Garden &amp; Library in Delaware found copper acetoarsenite, an arsenic compound, in some 19th-century books in its collection.

This emerald-green pigment was used in Victorian-era wallpaper, garments and cloth book covers.&nbsp;

This discovery led to the launch of the 'Poison Book Project', a crowdsourced research effort.&nbsp;The project uses various imaging and chemical processing techniques to trace the&nbsp;toxic pigments in books around the world.&nbsp;

The researchers at&nbsp;Lipscomb University hope to contribute their findings to the Poison Book Project.

(With inputs from agencies)

From The Bible to The Satanic Verses, several books were banned in parts of the world at various points in time due to the perception that they poison minds. But some books can be poisonous quite literally, as the chemicals used in their making are harmful to humans.

From The Bible to The Satanic Verses, several books were banned in parts of the world at various points in time due to the perception that they poison minds. But some books can be poisonous quite literally, as the chemicals used in their making are harmful to humans. According to a study done by a team of researchers at Lipscomb University in the US, some of the bright-coloured, cloth-bound books from the Victorian era onwards might contain such chemicals. These colours come from dyes that might be a health risk to readers, collectors or librarians, said a release on the study. Chronic exposure to inhaled lead or chromium could lead to even cancer, lung damage or fertility issues, said the researchers. Pigments from the cloth covers can be harmful if rubbed onto hands or become airborne and are inhaled, they added. WATCH: Toxic chemicals found in clean energy batteries, threat of PFAS in Lithium-ion cells × The study will be presented at American Chemical Society (ACS) meeting on August 18–22. “These old books with toxic dyes may be in universities, public libraries and private collections,” Abigail Hoermann, a chemistry student at Lipscomb University, who was part of the study, was quoted as saying in the study. Also read: Common bandages may contain harmful chemicals, reveals study “I find it fascinating to know what previous generations thought was safe, and then we learn, oh, actually, that might not have been a great idea to use these brilliant dyes,” the release quoted Joseph Weinstein-Webb, an assistant chemistry professor at Lipscomb, who did the study along with his students, as saying. How poisonous books were detected The study examined some 19th- and early 20th-century fabric-covered books from the university’s Beaman Library. The poisons were detected using three spectroscopic techniques: XRF or X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, ICP-OES or Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, and XRD or X-ray diffraction technology. Also read: LED lights in room temperature can 'clean up' forever chemicals overnight, suggests study XRF was used for checking arsenic or other heavy metals on the book covers. ICP-OES examined the concentration of those metals. XRD was used to identify the pigment molecules that contain those metals. Researchers found lead and chromium present in some of the Lipscomb books. In some instances, these heavy metals were in the form of lead (II) chromate, a compound that was used for the chrome yellow pigment by Vincent van Gogh in his sunflower paintings, said the release. In some cases, metal concentrations were found to be above acceptable limits for chronic exposure as set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The lead was more than double the CDC limits, and chromium almost six times the cap. Such poisonous and potentially harmful books were sealed in plastic bags for handling and storage or removed from public circulation. How the 'Poison Book Project' was started Earlier, the Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library in Delaware found copper acetoarsenite, an arsenic compound, in some 19th-century books in its collection. This emerald-green pigment was used in Victorian-era wallpaper, garments and cloth book covers. This discovery led to the launch of the 'Poison Book Project', a crowdsourced research effort. The project uses various imaging and chemical processing techniques to trace the toxic pigments in books around the world. The researchers at Lipscomb University hope to contribute their findings to the Poison Book Project. (With inputs from agencies)

Some books are poisonous, quite literally, and can even cause cancer. Here is how

The massive halls of Houghton Library at Harvard University have had a&nbsp;book on one of its shelves that was bound using human skin for nearly a century now.&nbsp;

The book, which has been part of the Ivy League's collection of 20 million books, has now recently gone through the removal of the binding after the university took the decision.&nbsp;

In 1879, Arsene Houssaye’s "Des destinées de l’âme" was published and the volume which has been in question was bound using human skin by French physician Dr Ludovic Bouland and it has been part of the University's collection since 1934, as per the Harvard&nbsp;announcement on Wednesday (Mar 27).

The book speaks about the soul and life after death and also has a handwritten note by Bouland as part of the volume, which states that "a book about the human soul deserved to have a human covering," as per the University.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-universities-get-most-of-their-fees-from-foreign-students-report-704012">British universities get most of their fees from foreign students: Report</a>

<h2>No consent was taken to bind the book using human skin</h2>

According to the university, the book was bound with the skin of a human by Dr Bouland "without consent" from the dead body of an unidentified female patient. She used to live in a French psychiatric hospital where the doctor used to work.

The human skin's removal from the book took place after a review was done by Houghton Library which was prompted after the recommendations were made by the Harvard University Steering Committee on Human Remains in University Museum Collections in the Fall 2022 report.

<h2>The open letter triggered the removal of a book?</h2>

Prominent scholar and Harvard alumni Paul Needham, while speaking to ABC News, said that the decision was taken after 10 years of consistent calls to remove the binding as well as the publishing of an open letter which was co-authored by him.&nbsp;

"I first raised the question with the library almost 10 years ago, in June 2014. And I requested they should have the human skin respectfully removed and given a decent burial," said Needham.&nbsp;

"I think that the open letter is what finally moved them really to take action and make a statement because until yesterday we have not gotten the university to say a single word about binding in almost 10 years," he added.

The University, in 2014, publicly confirmed that human skin was used for binding, however, it was available to "anyone who asked for it," said Harvard in the statement, adding that "regardless of their reason for wishing to consult it."

<h2>Harvard University apologises&nbsp;</h2>

Harvard's associate university librarian for archives Tom Hyry, speaking about the "past failures in our stewardship of the book", apologised and said&nbsp;that the University is "determined to move forward with care."

Watch:&nbsp;US: Cherry blossom season in Washington University

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-cherry-blossom-season-in-washington-university-702369/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We apologise on behalf of Harvard Library for past failures in our stewardship of the book that further objectified and compromised the dignity of the human being at the centre," said Hyry.&nbsp;

"We are determined to move forward with care, sensitivity, and ethical responsibility and are committed to best practices in the field, including reflection and correcting historical errors," he added.&nbsp;

In March, the human skin binding was removed from the book and has been currently kept in secure storage at the Harvard Library as it is "consulting with appropriate authorities at the University and in France to determine an appropriate and respectful way of laying the remains to rest."

(With inputs from agencies)

The massive halls of Houghton Library at Harvard University have had a book on one of its shelves that was bound using human skin for nearly a century now. The book, which has been part of the Ivy League's collection of 20 million books, has now recently gone through the removal of the binding after the university took the decision.

The massive halls of Houghton Library at Harvard University have had a book on one of its shelves that was bound using human skin for nearly a century now. The book, which has been part of the Ivy League's collection of 20 million books, has now recently gone through the removal of the binding after the university took the decision. In 1879, Arsene Houssaye’s "Des destinées de l’âme" was published and the volume which has been in question was bound using human skin by French physician Dr Ludovic Bouland and it has been part of the University's collection since 1934, as per the Harvard announcement on Wednesday (Mar 27). The book speaks about the soul and life after death and also has a handwritten note by Bouland as part of the volume, which states that "a book about the human soul deserved to have a human covering," as per the University. Also Read: British universities get most of their fees from foreign students: Report No consent was taken to bind the book using human skin According to the university, the book was bound with the skin of a human by Dr Bouland "without consent" from the dead body of an unidentified female patient. She used to live in a French psychiatric hospital where the doctor used to work. The human skin's removal from the book took place after a review was done by Houghton Library which was prompted after the recommendations were made by the Harvard University Steering Committee on Human Remains in University Museum Collections in the Fall 2022 report. The open letter triggered the removal of a book? Prominent scholar and Harvard alumni Paul Needham, while speaking to ABC News, said that the decision was taken after 10 years of consistent calls to remove the binding as well as the publishing of an open letter which was co-authored by him. "I first raised the question with the library almost 10 years ago, in June 2014. And I requested they should have the human skin respectfully removed and given a decent burial," said Needham. "I think that the open letter is what finally moved them really to take action and make a statement because until yesterday we have not gotten the university to say a single word about binding in almost 10 years," he added. The University, in 2014, publicly confirmed that human skin was used for binding, however, it was available to "anyone who asked for it," said Harvard in the statement, adding that "regardless of their reason for wishing to consult it." Harvard University apologises Harvard's associate university librarian for archives Tom Hyry, speaking about the "past failures in our stewardship of the book", apologised and said that the University is "determined to move forward with care." Watch: US: Cherry blossom season in Washington University "We apologise on behalf of Harvard Library for past failures in our stewardship of the book that further objectified and compromised the dignity of the human being at the centre," said Hyry. "We are determined to move forward with care, sensitivity, and ethical responsibility and are committed to best practices in the field, including reflection and correcting historical errors," he added. In March, the human skin binding was removed from the book and has been currently kept in secure storage at the Harvard Library as it is "consulting with appropriate authorities at the University and in France to determine an appropriate and respectful way of laying the remains to rest." (With inputs from agencies)

A book bound by human skin has been on Harvard library shelf for 90 years. Not any longer

Between our top <a href="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/features/top-7-political-genre-books-of-2023-1700652509270">politics</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/features/ai-in-2023-top-7-technology-reads-of-the-year-1700786538795">technology</a> reads of 2023, we have had enough to write&nbsp;about the books that defined and sometimes even dominated the news cycle this year. At the end of 2023, we reached out to individuals across our newsroom to find out what books&nbsp;— old and new&nbsp;— they loved reading the most this year.&nbsp;

Here are the books that hooked WION newsroom in 2023.&nbsp;

Aprameya Rao, Business Journalist, WION Business Desk<img alt="Vajpayee by Abhishek Choudhary" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="946c8be5-39a0-4898-89d5-3197d84b44ef" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-12-30T121238.423.png" />

VAJPAYEE: The Ascent of the Hindu Right, 1924–1977 by Abhishek Choudhary | Pan Macmillan 
 
Indian biographies often end up being too passionate and biased which defeats the purpose of critical evaluation. But former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's latest biography by Abhishek Choudhary 
defies the trend — quite comprehensively. Choudhary's book intertwines Vajpayee's&nbsp;early life with the rise of Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) as a political party. Along the way, we also see how Vajpayee tried to mould the BJS into an acceptable political force. The book ends in 1977 when Vajpayee becomes the Foreign Minister in Prime Minister Morarji Desai's cabinet. I am looking forward to reading the second part, expected to be released in 2024.

Eric Njoka, News Presenter, WION<img alt="Who ate my cheese" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="53c91e8b-73b0-4c6a-a0ba-f35a28c7c6c4" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-12-30T130913.892.png" />

Who Moved My Cheese by Dr Spencer Johnson | Vermilion London

When we have good times in life (enough supply of cheese), we tend to forget that situations may not be the same in the future. During food times, we tend to feel safe and&nbsp;secure, cosy in comfort zone, proud, and at times arrogant of our success. But when we face the challenges in our lives (when the cheese is moved away from us), the complex human brain tends to over analyse the situation. We start ranting and raving at the injustice. We feel depressed, frustrated, angry and even paralysed by our own fears of the unknown. This book has helped me balance my life

Prisha, Senior Sub-editor, WION Web Desk

<img alt="The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="27c8bcc1-e07a-4bf4-8869-87e2152b7216" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-12-30T121514.528.png" />

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy | EBURY Press 
 
This is an account of the most heartfelt conversation between a boy and his companion who are on a journey called 'life'. With every page, you are likely to find an answer to a question that has remained deep inside your heart. The book is a combination of multiple emotions including the feeling of warmth and love. It's a story to be told again and again, a lesson to be learned and revised till eternity.

Veer Vikram Mukherjee, Assistant Producer,&nbsp;WION Assignment Desk

<img alt="Lover Boy of Bahawalpur" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bcfe872a-c240-4e1f-a341-0d3ffa381916" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-12-30T122224.425.png" />

The Lover Boy of Bahawalpur: How the Pulwama Case was Cracked by Rahul Pandita | Juggernaut

For all that it's worth, the Balakot airstrikes after the Pulwama terrorist attack in 2019 were a watershed in India's policy to combat Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. The Lover Boy of Bahawalpur, in that context, is the product of a remarkable journalistic observation. The book presents the world of anti-India jihad in an unputdownable format.

Mukul Sharma, Journalist, WION Web Desk<img alt="Putin life and times" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c6098944-eabe-43e6-8ad5-c8341ff7d375" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-12-30T122413.439.png" />

Putin: His Life and Times by Philip Short | Bodley Head

Longtime foreign correspondent Philip Short meticulously describes Russian President Vladimir Putin as a consequentially ruthless leader with scheming pragmatism. I began reading this one in June 2023,&nbsp;the time when the Kremlin was shaken by an unprecedented insurrection by Yevgeny Prigozhin's Wagner mercenary group fostered by Putin himself. In less than 36 hours, the armed uprising ended as dramatically as it had begun. By the time I finished reading this over 900-page book, Prigozhin was killed in a mysterious plane crash — a remarkable coincidence between the events Short mentioned in the book with the real-time news cycle.&nbsp;

Tapasya Iyer,&nbsp;Trainee Journalist, WION Production Desk

<img alt="Aanchal Malhotra book" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1175186-f508-4c9f-9ec6-8d16d763b2c0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-12-30T122544.331.png" />

Remnants of Partition: 21 Objects from a Continent Divided by Aanchal Malhota | C Hurst &amp; Co Publishers Ltd 
 
Having heard a lot about this book by Aanchal Malhotra, I picked it up with a desire to know more about the history of partition. Little did I know I would get an emotional rollercoaster ride. The stories and memories from different families made me understand how any political decision has a deep impact on the personal lives of ordinary&nbsp;people. The essence of the book is in its unique storytelling style which takes you in&nbsp;the past.

Moohita Kaur Garg, Journalist, WION Web Desk<img alt="Lies Our Mothers Told Us" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c4637c5e-aa85-4752-a3de-4300b27d462a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-12-30T122656.155.png" />

LIES OUR MOTHERS TOLD US: The Indian Woman's Burden by Nilanjana Bhowmick |&nbsp;Aleph Book Company

We have all heard the phrases glass ceiling and gender inequality, but for many of us, it is a hard pill to swallow. Are Indian women toiling away under a burden? I, an Indian woman, didn't think so. After all, I'm an opinionated, well-educated person, pursuing a career I love. Above all, I'm the daughter of a strong woman who lived her life by her own rules. However, this book, 'Lies Our Mothers Told Us', opened my eyes to the invisible burden my mother carried and passed on to me. Everyone, irrespective of gender you identify as, must read this to gain insight into the gender dynamics women in India face every day.

Shomini Sen, Associate Editor, WION Entertainment Desk<img alt="How I taught my grandmother to read" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b8ef3b63-7cc9-4a0b-904a-5023ec27791c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-12-30T123029.898.png" />

How I Taught My Grandmother to Read: And Other Stories by Sudha Murty | Penguin Books Limited

Although the book is aimed for young adults, the author takes readers back to her childhood and her native village in Maharashtra and narrates some heartwarming stories of hope and learning. Truly for all ages.

Parul Rajwanshi, Assistant Producer,&nbsp;WION Programming Desk<img alt="City of Djinns" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e6920d7f-d5fb-4bfd-ad53-17dd0f2e08a8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-12-30T135817.957.png" />

City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi by William Dalrymple | Bloomsbury India

“Delhi stands on seven cities and all of us, like the seven cities, are at once several and singular," Dalrymple writes.

This gripping travelogue is the outcome of Dalrymple’s six-year-long stay in the city. It tells you about how New Delhi came to be, who all ruled over its ever-expanding contours and built it from within too, and all races of people who’ve set foot and settled in this mighty, mighty metropolis.&nbsp;

New Delhi’s history is never in its past, and if this timeless city had to write its own memoir, it would’ve written it exactly so.

Shashwat Swaroop Garg, Trainee Journalist,&nbsp;WION Production Desk

<img alt="The Bells of Old Tokyo" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a8f8d57e-bcc9-4dbd-ae4e-94858b2679bf" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-12-30T145119.569.png" />

The Bells of Old Tokyo: Travels in Japanese Time | Picador

It was the one book this year that blew me away. Not because of my love for Tokyo or Japanese culture, but because of how personal and grounded in realism the book felt. Sherman did an amazing job at capturing the feeling of being in Tokyo which in itself is a melting pot of culture, heritage, art, and everything in between. It truly made me feel like I've always been a part of Tokyo and its rich and wonderful history and culture.

Hanshika Ujlayan, Assistant Producer, WION Business Desk

<img alt="Murakami" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9141e5dc-77e9-4960-a870-58ff45b6cbc0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-12-30T123307.129.png" />

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami | Vintage

This year, I was drawn to 'What I Talk About When I Talk About Running' by Haruki Murakami, a thoughtful memoir that weaves the author's enthusiasm for long-distance running with his life as a writer. Murakami humanises the road, making it a partner on his trip. The Japanese literary genius describes the symbiotic relationship that exists between running and creativity. The book's introspective narrative reveals the discipline and attention needed in both endeavuors. Murakami's expressions of self-discovery make this book a captivating investigation of the intersections of physical and creative endurance, connecting with individuals who value isolation and tenacity.

Riya Teotia, Journalist, WION Web Desk<img alt="Jhumpa Lahiri" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0ae7fa1f-afb1-47b7-b67e-a0f8658ae808" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-12-30T123709.411.png" />

Whereabouts: A Novel by Jhumpa Lahiri |&nbsp;Penguin Hamish Hamilton

Jhumpa Lahiri's 'Whereabouts'&nbsp;was the best book that I read in a long time. It is a captivating book that delves deep into the complexities of human emotions and the nuances of solitude. Its episodic way of writing makes the novel easy to relate to and makes one feel more close to the narrator. In today's world of hustle-bustle, the book stands out as a place of comfort. It almost feels like a deep study of human observations, experiences, and perspectives when they are lonely in life.

Ishita Mittra, Trainee Journalist, WION Output Desk<img alt="Morrie" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f0175630-55c3-4918-9ab6-abaf5e87fc79" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-12-30T130756.357.png" /> 
Tuesdays With Morrie: An old man, a young man, and life's greatest lesson by Mitch Albom | Sphere

If yellow crayon could speak, it would say what the book Tuesdays with Morrie speaks. A book richly peppered with all emotions on the spectrum leaves you longing. Longing to live more, longing to be loyal to the moment, and longing to experience more. In short, it tells you it's okay to be sad, but you have to meet your sad self, and once you do that, it's just another emotion. I would recommend this book to everyone. Once you begin reading it, you'll find yourself running through the pages with a constant smile on your face. 
 
Manas Joshi, Journalist,&nbsp;WION Web Desk<img alt="Gentleman Bastards" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="69582254-46dc-45bc-b380-267db77985ae" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-12-30T131413.485.png" />

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch | Del Ray

The book, first in a trilogy named the 'Gentleman Bastards' is perfect for a fantasy fan who is tired of the usual 'good versus bad' and is in a mood to explore the path of an anti-hero. This book with 'Ocean's Eleven'-esque vibes has some great world-building that any fantasy series requires in the first place. As you read about the heists that ultimately come together in a grand story unfolding (and continuing) in the background, you'd wish you were living in Camorr, the fictional city built by a mysterious alien race but now infested with con men, rich people, and power brokers, all of whom have vices very very human.

<h2>This book remained a constant across WION newsroom in 2023</h2>

All through 2023 starting in February, Declan Walsh's 'Nine Lives of Pakistan: Dispatches from a Divided Nation'&nbsp;went to places across multiple&nbsp;departments in the WION newsroom.<img alt="Nine Lives of Pakistan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c745d6ac-bcec-4013-b71b-aca52ec49b95" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-12-30T135626.800.png" /> 
The Nine Lives of Pakistan: Dispatches from a Divided Nation by Declan Walsh | Bloomsbury Publishing 
 
As Pakistan loomed large in the news cycle of South Asia, Walsh's work served as a reference to&nbsp;the country's&nbsp;chequered&nbsp;history in a way&nbsp;that only one of the nine subjects is still alive by the end of the book. Walsh's description of Pakistan's intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imran-khan-arrest-how-isi-angels-rule-pakistan-590710">farishtey</a>&nbsp;(or angels) caused spirited discussions on the functioning of Islamabad's corridors of power — especially after former Prime Minister Imran Khan's first arrest in May and subsequently an unprecedented <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/to-coup-or-not-coup-pakistan-armys-options-after-imran-khans-mini-intifada-592986">attack by Khan's supporters</a> at army headquarters in Rawalpindi.

The book closes with the description of a 2013 attack by Baloch separatists over juniper-covered hills in Quetta in the country's restive Balochistan province. The separatists had attacked the&nbsp;residence of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan’s conflicted and complicated founding father where he had spent his final months in 1948.&nbsp;

Walsh finally describes a video showing the attack on Jinnah's Quetta house.&nbsp;

"The militants gather the paintings into a bonfire, douse it with petrol and set it alight. Moving outside, they tear down a Pakistani flag and run a revel standard up the flagpole. Behind them, the wooden structure crackles as flames lick its walls. A window shatters. Dogs bark. The masked men vanish into the night as the house of Jinnah burns silently."

Between our top politics and technology reads of 2023, we have had enough to write about the books that defined and sometimes even dominated the news cycle this year.

Between our top politics and technology reads of 2023, we have had enough to write about the books that defined and sometimes even dominated the news cycle this year. At the end of 2023, we reached out to individuals across our newsroom to find out what books — old and new — they loved reading the most this year. Here are the books that hooked WION newsroom in 2023. Aprameya Rao, Business Journalist, WION Business Desk VAJPAYEE: The Ascent of the Hindu Right, 1924–1977 by Abhishek Choudhary | Pan Macmillan Indian biographies often end up being too passionate and biased which defeats the purpose of critical evaluation. But former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's latest biography by Abhishek Choudhary defies the trend — quite comprehensively. Choudhary's book intertwines Vajpayee's early life with the rise of Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) as a political party. Along the way, we also see how Vajpayee tried to mould the BJS into an acceptable political force. The book ends in 1977 when Vajpayee becomes the Foreign Minister in Prime Minister Morarji Desai's cabinet. I am looking forward to reading the second part, expected to be released in 2024. Eric Njoka, News Presenter, WION Who Moved My Cheese by Dr Spencer Johnson | Vermilion London When we have good times in life (enough supply of cheese), we tend to forget that situations may not be the same in the future. During food times, we tend to feel safe and secure, cosy in comfort zone, proud, and at times arrogant of our success. But when we face the challenges in our lives (when the cheese is moved away from us), the complex human brain tends to over analyse the situation. We start ranting and raving at the injustice. We feel depressed, frustrated, angry and even paralysed by our own fears of the unknown. This book has helped me balance my life Prisha, Senior Sub-editor, WION Web Desk The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy | EBURY Press This is an account of the most heartfelt conversation between a boy and his companion who are on a journey called 'life'. With every page, you are likely to find an answer to a question that has remained deep inside your heart. The book is a combination of multiple emotions including the feeling of warmth and love. It's a story to be told again and again, a lesson to be learned and revised till eternity. Veer Vikram Mukherjee, Assistant Producer, WION Assignment Desk The Lover Boy of Bahawalpur: How the Pulwama Case was Cracked by Rahul Pandita | Juggernaut For all that it's worth, the Balakot airstrikes after the Pulwama terrorist attack in 2019 were a watershed in India's policy to combat Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. The Lover Boy of Bahawalpur, in that context, is the product of a remarkable journalistic observation. The book presents the world of anti-India jihad in an unputdownable format. Mukul Sharma, Journalist, WION Web Desk Putin: His Life and Times by Philip Short | Bodley Head Longtime foreign correspondent Philip Short meticulously describes Russian President Vladimir Putin as a consequentially ruthless leader with scheming pragmatism. I began reading this one in June 2023, the time when the Kremlin was shaken by an unprecedented insurrection by Yevgeny Prigozhin's Wagner mercenary group fostered by Putin himself. In less than 36 hours, the armed uprising ended as dramatically as it had begun. By the time I finished reading this over 900-page book, Prigozhin was killed in a mysterious plane crash — a remarkable coincidence between the events Short mentioned in the book with the real-time news cycle. Tapasya Iyer, Trainee Journalist, WION Production Desk Remnants of Partition: 21 Objects from a Continent Divided by Aanchal Malhota | C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd Having heard a lot about this book by Aanchal Malhotra, I picked it up with a desire to know more about the history of partition. Little did I know I would get an emotional rollercoaster ride. The stories and memories from different families made me understand how any political decision has a deep impact on the personal lives of ordinary people. The essence of the book is in its unique storytelling style which takes you in the past. Moohita Kaur Garg, Journalist, WION Web Desk LIES OUR MOTHERS TOLD US: The Indian Woman's Burden by Nilanjana Bhowmick | Aleph Book Company We have all heard the phrases glass ceiling and gender inequality, but for many of us, it is a hard pill to swallow. Are Indian women toiling away under a burden? I, an Indian woman, didn't think so. After all, I'm an opinionated, well-educated person, pursuing a career I love. Above all, I'm the daughter of a strong woman who lived her life by her own rules. However, this book, 'Lies Our Mothers Told Us', opened my eyes to the invisible burden my mother carried and passed on to me. Everyone, irrespective of gender you identify as, must read this to gain insight into the gender dynamics women in India face every day. Shomini Sen, Associate Editor, WION Entertainment Desk How I Taught My Grandmother to Read: And Other Stories by Sudha Murty | Penguin Books Limited Although the book is aimed for young adults, the author takes readers back to her childhood and her native village in Maharashtra and narrates some heartwarming stories of hope and learning. Truly for all ages. Parul Rajwanshi, Assistant Producer, WION Programming Desk City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi by William Dalrymple | Bloomsbury India “Delhi stands on seven cities and all of us, like the seven cities, are at once several and singular," Dalrymple writes. This gripping travelogue is the outcome of Dalrymple’s six-year-long stay in the city. It tells you about how New Delhi came to be, who all ruled over its ever-expanding contours and built it from within too, and all races of people who’ve set foot and settled in this mighty, mighty metropolis. New Delhi’s history is never in its past, and if this timeless city had to write its own memoir, it would’ve written it exactly so. Shashwat Swaroop Garg, Trainee Journalist, WION Production Desk The Bells of Old Tokyo: Travels in Japanese Time | Picador It was the one book this year that blew me away. Not because of my love for Tokyo or Japanese culture, but because of how personal and grounded in realism the book felt. Sherman did an amazing job at capturing the feeling of being in Tokyo which in itself is a melting pot of culture, heritage, art, and everything in between. It truly made me feel like I've always been a part of Tokyo and its rich and wonderful history and culture. Hanshika Ujlayan, Assistant Producer, WION Business Desk What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami | Vintage This year, I was drawn to 'What I Talk About When I Talk About Running' by Haruki Murakami, a thoughtful memoir that weaves the author's enthusiasm for long-distance running with his life as a writer. Murakami humanises the road, making it a partner on his trip. The Japanese literary genius describes the symbiotic relationship that exists between running and creativity. The book's introspective narrative reveals the discipline and attention needed in both endeavuors. Murakami's expressions of self-discovery make this book a captivating investigation of the intersections of physical and creative endurance, connecting with individuals who value isolation and tenacity. Riya Teotia, Journalist, WION Web Desk Whereabouts: A Novel by Jhumpa Lahiri | Penguin Hamish Hamilton Jhumpa Lahiri's 'Whereabouts' was the best book that I read in a long time. It is a captivating book that delves deep into the complexities of human emotions and the nuances of solitude. Its episodic way of writing makes the novel easy to relate to and makes one feel more close to the narrator. In today's world of hustle-bustle, the book stands out as a place of comfort. It almost feels like a deep study of human observations, experiences, and perspectives when they are lonely in life. Ishita Mittra, Trainee Journalist, WION Output Desk Tuesdays With Morrie: An old man, a young man, and life's greatest lesson by Mitch Albom | Sphere If yellow crayon could speak, it would say what the book Tuesdays with Morrie speaks. A book richly peppered with all emotions on the spectrum leaves you longing. Longing to live more, longing to be loyal to the moment, and longing to experience more. In short, it tells you it's okay to be sad, but you have to meet your sad self, and once you do that, it's just another emotion. I would recommend this book to everyone. Once you begin reading it, you'll find yourself running through the pages with a constant smile on your face. Manas Joshi, Journalist, WION Web Desk The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch | Del Ray The book, first in a trilogy named the 'Gentleman Bastards' is perfect for a fantasy fan who is tired of the usual 'good versus bad' and is in a mood to explore the path of an anti-hero. This book with 'Ocean's Eleven'-esque vibes has some great world-building that any fantasy series requires in the first place. As you read about the heists that ultimately come together in a grand story unfolding (and continuing) in the background, you'd wish you were living in Camorr, the fictional city built by a mysterious alien race but now infested with con men, rich people, and power brokers, all of whom have vices very very human. This book remained a constant across WION newsroom in 2023 All through 2023 starting in February, Declan Walsh's 'Nine Lives of Pakistan: Dispatches from a Divided Nation' went to places across multiple departments in the WION newsroom. The Nine Lives of Pakistan: Dispatches from a Divided Nation by Declan Walsh | Bloomsbury Publishing As Pakistan loomed large in the news cycle of South Asia, Walsh's work served as a reference to the country's chequered history in a way that only one of the nine subjects is still alive by the end of the book. Walsh's description of Pakistan's intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) as farishtey (or angels) caused spirited discussions on the functioning of Islamabad's corridors of power — especially after former Prime Minister Imran Khan's first arrest in May and subsequently an unprecedented attack by Khan's supporters at army headquarters in Rawalpindi. The book closes with the description of a 2013 attack by Baloch separatists over juniper-covered hills in Quetta in the country's restive Balochistan province. The separatists had attacked the residence of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan’s conflicted and complicated founding father where he had spent his final months in 1948. Walsh finally describes a video showing the attack on Jinnah's Quetta house. "The militants gather the paintings into a bonfire, douse it with petrol and set it alight. Moving outside, they tear down a Pakistani flag and run a revel standard up the flagpole. Behind them, the wooden structure crackles as flames lick its walls. A window shatters. Dogs bark. The masked men vanish into the night as the house of Jinnah burns silently."

WION newsroom on books it loved in 2023—this one emerged as clear winner

Vish Dhamija is a British Indian crime-fiction writer. In an exclusive conversation with WION's Samarpita Das, the author shares with us, how he started his journey as an author and why he feels India's capital Delhi is more developed than London.

Vish Dhamija shares how Delhi is more developed than London

Afghan booksellers continue to suffer amid Taliban's continuous onslaught against modern education with targeted actions against women's education rights. A recent assessment by a commission to address issues faced by booksellers in Afghanistan has revealed that nearly&nbsp;30 per cent of booksellers in Afghanistan have ceased their operations due to lack of a thriving market.

Abdul Wodod Mukhtarzada, a commission member, told Tolo News that in addition to the challenging market conditions, booksellers have also raised concerns about the burden of high taxes, which have become increasingly difficult to manage given the decline in their business.

Mukhtarzada highlighted, "We used to sell over 500 books and had a robust presence of 200 librarians. However, these numbers have dwindled significantly."

Numerous booksellers have expressed worry over the fading culture of book reading in Afghanistan.

Sharifullah, a bookseller, pointed out, "The absence of female students in universities is a contributing factor to the issues. This absence also impacts the book trade."

Mansour Qazizada, another bookseller, told Tolo News that the market has slowed down, and people lack the means to purchase books. He also mentioned the various taxes that booksellers are required to pay.

Qazizada elaborated, "As you are aware, the market is struggling, and people lack the financial capacity to buy books. Moreover, the presence of multiple types of taxes, along with representatives from the Kabul municipality, adds to our challenges."

Meanwhile, Taliban-led Ministry of Information and Culture claimed it will reduce&nbsp;the tax burden on libraries.

"We are working towards exempting taxes on books to encourage a tradition of reading. We have organised several exhibitions for this purpose,"&nbsp;Deputy Minister Mahajar Farahi was quoted as saying by Tolo News.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/exclusive-no-more-taxis-for-afghan-women-without-burqa-and-male-companion-620784">Exclusive: No taxi rides for Afghan women without burqa and male companion</a>

Recently, a group of young individuals in Kabul organised the "Smart Way" book exhibition to boost&nbsp;the reading culture in Afghanistan.

Through such initiatives, the youth aimed to inspire residents, especially their peers, to engage in literature, amid the strict educational limitations imposed by the Taliban on young girls and women in Afghanistan.

One of the organisers, Sharifa Hesar told Tolo News:&nbsp;"We organised this exhibition to cultivate a reading culture among the youth. Books serve as a form of entertainment for them."

Also watch |&nbsp;Afghan women speak to WION from the ground: 'We want our freedoms back' | WION Originals

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Farhad Malik Zada, another organiser, said, "Our aim is to strengthen the reading culture among young people through this exhibition."

The stagnation in the book-selling industry over the past two years has caused concern among booksellers in Kabul and surrounding regions of Afghanistan.

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

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Afghan booksellers continue to suffer amid Taliban's continuous onslaught against modern education with targeted actions against women's education rights. A recent assessment by a commission to address issues faced by booksellers in Afghanistan has revealed that nearly 30 per cent of booksellers in Afghanistan have ceased their operations due to lack of a thriving market.

Afghan booksellers continue to suffer amid Taliban's continuous onslaught against modern education with targeted actions against women's education rights. A recent assessment by a commission to address issues faced by booksellers in Afghanistan has revealed that nearly 30 per cent of booksellers in Afghanistan have ceased their operations due to lack of a thriving market. Abdul Wodod Mukhtarzada, a commission member, told Tolo News that in addition to the challenging market conditions, booksellers have also raised concerns about the burden of high taxes, which have become increasingly difficult to manage given the decline in their business. Mukhtarzada highlighted, "We used to sell over 500 books and had a robust presence of 200 librarians. However, these numbers have dwindled significantly." Numerous booksellers have expressed worry over the fading culture of book reading in Afghanistan. Sharifullah, a bookseller, pointed out, "The absence of female students in universities is a contributing factor to the issues. This absence also impacts the book trade." Mansour Qazizada, another bookseller, told Tolo News that the market has slowed down, and people lack the means to purchase books. He also mentioned the various taxes that booksellers are required to pay. Qazizada elaborated, "As you are aware, the market is struggling, and people lack the financial capacity to buy books. Moreover, the presence of multiple types of taxes, along with representatives from the Kabul municipality, adds to our challenges." Meanwhile, Taliban-led Ministry of Information and Culture claimed it will reduce the tax burden on libraries. "We are working towards exempting taxes on books to encourage a tradition of reading. We have organised several exhibitions for this purpose," Deputy Minister Mahajar Farahi was quoted as saying by Tolo News. Also read | Exclusive: No taxi rides for Afghan women without burqa and male companion Recently, a group of young individuals in Kabul organised the "Smart Way" book exhibition to boost the reading culture in Afghanistan. Through such initiatives, the youth aimed to inspire residents, especially their peers, to engage in literature, amid the strict educational limitations imposed by the Taliban on young girls and women in Afghanistan. One of the organisers, Sharifa Hesar told Tolo News: "We organised this exhibition to cultivate a reading culture among the youth. Books serve as a form of entertainment for them." Also watch | Afghan women speak to WION from the ground: 'We want our freedoms back' | WION Originals × Farhad Malik Zada, another organiser, said, "Our aim is to strengthen the reading culture among young people through this exhibition." The stagnation in the book-selling industry over the past two years has caused concern among booksellers in Kabul and surrounding regions of Afghanistan. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Afghanistan: Booksellers suffer as sales dip amid tax hike, Taliban ban on women's education

The police in the Indian city of Mumbai on Sunday booked a man for allegedly using Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's image as his profile picture on WhatsApp. The man works in one of the outlets of a mobile service provider. 
 
As per the police, a case was filed by Amarjeet Surve who was apparently sent a screenshot of the person who had allegedly used Aurangzeb's image as a&nbsp;WhatsApp profile picture. 
 
Amarjeet, who is part of a Hindu organisation, dialled the accused, whose mobile number was displayed at the top of his profile picture, and asked him to change his profile picture in the wake of the present scenario in the state regarding Aurangzeb. 
 
Apparently, the accused said that he was not in a good mood, however, he agreed to remove the profile picture. Later, Amarjeet noticed that the profile picture remained unchanged. A complaint was lodged by Amarjeet against him with the Vashi police station in Navi Mumbai.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/protests-erupt-in-maharashtras-kolhapur-over-posts-on-aurangzeb-tipu-sultan-cm-threatens-legal-action-601783">Protests erupt in Maharashtra's Kolhapur over posts on Aurangzeb, Tipu Sultan; CM threatens legal action</a>

The complaint was registered by the police under Sections 298 (Uttering words, etc, with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings) and 153-A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The accused was detained and questioned by the police. He was later released. 
 
“Recently, communal clashes erupted in Ahmednagar, Sambhaji Nagar and Kolhapur over the issue of posting Aurangzeb’s photo. At such time, the accused posted a photo of Aurangzeb as his WhatsApp status, in order to disturb the communal harmony in Navi Mumbai, and also by trying to create discord between the two communities and to disturb the public peace. Hence an FIR has been registered against him,” a police officer stated. 
 
No arrests have been made in the case as of now.

<h2>Communal tension in Maharashtra over Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan</h2>

In various cities of the Indian state of Maharashtra, incidents of communal tension erupted over the alleged glorification of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan. 
 
A post, which was shared on social media and allegedly glorified Aurangzeb and disrespected a Maratha national icon, triggered protests in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. 
 
People, who were part of a few right-wing outfits, called for a Kolhapur bandh in the city on June 7, which further escalated into violent protests.

WATCH |&nbsp;India: Tension grips Maharashtra town over social media posts on Aurangzeb, tipu sultan

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“We will not tolerate the glorification of Mughal leaders on our Maratha land. We are ready to pick up swords for the protection of Hindu society. This will not be tolerated,” stated an aggressive protester. 
 
Stones were hurled in Sangamner town during a rally of Sakal Hindu Samaj in response to the alleged killing of a boy. Five vehicles were damaged and two people were injured. 
 
Separately, a poster of Aurangzeb was displayed with the raising of objectionable slogans during a religious procession, also in Sangamner, police said.

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The police in the Indian city of Mumbai on Sunday booked a man for allegedly using Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's image as his profile picture on WhatsApp. The man works in one of the outlets of a mobile service provider.

The police in the Indian city of Mumbai on Sunday booked a man for allegedly using Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's image as his profile picture on WhatsApp. The man works in one of the outlets of a mobile service provider. As per the police, a case was filed by Amarjeet Surve who was apparently sent a screenshot of the person who had allegedly used Aurangzeb's image as a WhatsApp profile picture. Amarjeet, who is part of a Hindu organisation, dialled the accused, whose mobile number was displayed at the top of his profile picture, and asked him to change his profile picture in the wake of the present scenario in the state regarding Aurangzeb. Apparently, the accused said that he was not in a good mood, however, he agreed to remove the profile picture. Later, Amarjeet noticed that the profile picture remained unchanged. A complaint was lodged by Amarjeet against him with the Vashi police station in Navi Mumbai. ALSO READ | Protests erupt in Maharashtra's Kolhapur over posts on Aurangzeb, Tipu Sultan; CM threatens legal action The complaint was registered by the police under Sections 298 (Uttering words, etc, with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings) and 153-A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The accused was detained and questioned by the police. He was later released. “Recently, communal clashes erupted in Ahmednagar, Sambhaji Nagar and Kolhapur over the issue of posting Aurangzeb’s photo. At such time, the accused posted a photo of Aurangzeb as his WhatsApp status, in order to disturb the communal harmony in Navi Mumbai, and also by trying to create discord between the two communities and to disturb the public peace. Hence an FIR has been registered against him,” a police officer stated. No arrests have been made in the case as of now. Communal tension in Maharashtra over Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan In various cities of the Indian state of Maharashtra, incidents of communal tension erupted over the alleged glorification of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan. A post, which was shared on social media and allegedly glorified Aurangzeb and disrespected a Maratha national icon, triggered protests in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. People, who were part of a few right-wing outfits, called for a Kolhapur bandh in the city on June 7, which further escalated into violent protests. WATCH | India: Tension grips Maharashtra town over social media posts on Aurangzeb, tipu sultan “We will not tolerate the glorification of Mughal leaders on our Maratha land. We are ready to pick up swords for the protection of Hindu society. This will not be tolerated,” stated an aggressive protester. Stones were hurled in Sangamner town during a rally of Sakal Hindu Samaj in response to the alleged killing of a boy. Five vehicles were damaged and two people were injured. Separately, a poster of Aurangzeb was displayed with the raising of objectionable slogans during a religious procession, also in Sangamner, police said. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

India: Police book man for using Aurangzeb's image as WhatsApp profile picture

Murakami books are addictive, at least for the people who love them. That can translate into a lot of sleepless nights when you start reading him, as each book is unputdownable. The famed Japanese writer is known to evoke extreme reactions so you can either love him or hate him. No prizes for guessing which side I’m on.

Like they say, it takes two to tango. With Murakami and me, it was just that. I loved him and he never disappointed! From 2004 till 2023, the love affair has endured and promises to go on forever. I won’t deny that there have been episodes of angst, as is bound to happen in most long-term relationships, like of late when there was nothing forthcoming from the man with the magic fingers and equally magical narratives.

The first year was tough and the following years even tougher but patience is key when it comes to this genius and after a long wait of so many years, finally he’s back in the groove again! Thursday, April 13 was a big day for die-hard fans like me (I know, I know..I always say a journalist has to be objective but somehow when it comes to him, it’s kind of flown out of the window) with his first book in six years, finally being published.&nbsp;

Murakami’s latest work, The City and Its Uncertain Walls hit shelves in Japan a few days back. My cup of joy overflows and yet the paths of love are not easy to tread on, especially if they are as labyrinthine and vast and abysmal as he takes us on. So readers in English, like me, will have to wait for some more time before the translated work is available.

Which brings me back to the first time I encountered his genius and how all the previous flirtations with brilliant names like Italo Calvino, Milan Kundera, Ian McEwan, Tim Krabbe, Kazuo Ishiguro, Raymond Chandler and the English classics and popular American thrillers, just faded into oblivion.

My most favourite book of his and the first I read was Norwegian Wood that sold almost a million copies outside Japan where it was first published. In it a character says, “If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.” A statement that holds true for every Murakami book that you may read which will take you to unknown worlds where reality is interspersed with fantasy and finally makes you&nbsp;find magic in the mundane.&nbsp;

The first time I laid my eyes on a Murakami book was the year 2004. I was ambling by a friend’s desk at the newspaper in Delhi, where I worked, reporting on city happenings, which meant our days and nights were crumpled into one and very often we would talk about books and writers over endless cups of coffee before we ended our graveyard shifts.

He suggested I start with reading either of the two Murakami books as appetisers, warning me at the same time about the love-hate relationship readers had with Murakami. So, what would it be--Norwegian Wood or Sputnik Sweetheart? I chose the former.

Norwegian Wood is all about love, loss, burgeoning sexuality that is set in the Tokyo of the 1960s during a period of student unrest against the established order. The title of the book comes from&nbsp;a very famous Beatles song, and this is a pattern in most Murakami books; there is plenty of music in all his work. Of course, his love for music stems from the fact that he himself owned a jazz bar for a good many years before he turned to full-time writing.

I didn’t stop for the next hour or so until I finished the book. It was a page-turner,&nbsp;marvellous, poignant, and I found it almost miraculous that a writer could stir such emotions in a reader, all by the power of his words. I laughed, cried, went into depression and became elated—all at the same time and the best part was, it was written with extreme simplicity. And yet,&nbsp;he gets inside your head to churn out the most complex thoughts.

I was smitten.

Another character in his path breaking novel, 1Q84, says, “Please remember: things are not what they seem.” And that really encapsulates his themes; that a book is not to be judged by its cover and neither a human being to be taken for what he or she may come across as. He dives deep into the human psyche, using magic realism to make his characters go on a journey of discovery using a multitude of metaphors for the existential crisis we all encounter everyday. Deceptively simple yet lost in worlds that we could never go to or imagine existed if he hadn’t created them. 
 
He is the master of a unique brand of surrealism and can seem strange or weird to people who like conventional narratives.

As a writer, he doesn’t experiment much and prefers to stick to his brand of storytelling that finds the extraordinary in the mundane. He also says in a self-deprecating manner that his books are for people who are confused. In an interview with the Guardian, the 67-year-old writer who has won numerous awards and whose works have been translated to roughly 50 languages, having sold millions of copies outside Japan, says, “I was so popular in the 1990s in Russia, at the time they were changing from the Soviet Union – there was big confusion, and people in confusion like my books. In Germany, when the Berlin Wall fell down, there was confusion – and people liked my books.”

Clearly the current times of confusion and angst will perhaps find him more readers, that too, from the younger generation who are slowly discovering that he can be very addictive and almost a sweet spot for the woke culture they represent.

The third book of his I chose to read was the very fat, almost 600 pager, (though I have an aversion to fat books, here too I broke the rules, all for true love) The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, that is science fiction, psychological fiction and yet explicitly political too.

This was during the devastating Mumbai floods of 2005 when I happened to be in the city on a work trip that stretched to quite a few weeks. Holed up in a hotel room, all I did was think of the book every single waking moment, finishing my chores, getting to work and back and finally savouring the moments when I would hold it close to me…and …read.

The memory of it, is..ah, precious.

Slowly, one by one, I devoured all of his books and the only thing that happened was that I was left wanting more; more of that adrenaline rush, more of those words that seems to only cast a spell and in my case, made me a bit of a loner, as his books were definitely more interesting than any company one could keep.

Murakami’s books are all memorable like the quotes they are peppered with such as the one in the book, Kafka on the Shore: “Memories are what warm you up from the inside. But they're also what tear you apart.”

True?&nbsp;

You decide, and while you’re at it, grab one of his copies. The memory of it will always keep you warm, just like it does for me.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)&nbsp;

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Murakami books are addictive, at least for the people who love them. That can translate into a lot of sleepless nights when you start reading him, as each book is unputdownable.

Murakami books are addictive, at least for the people who love them. That can translate into a lot of sleepless nights when you start reading him, as each book is unputdownable. The famed Japanese writer is known to evoke extreme reactions so you can either love him or hate him. No prizes for guessing which side I’m on. Like they say, it takes two to tango. With Murakami and me, it was just that. I loved him and he never disappointed! From 2004 till 2023, the love affair has endured and promises to go on forever. I won’t deny that there have been episodes of angst, as is bound to happen in most long-term relationships, like of late when there was nothing forthcoming from the man with the magic fingers and equally magical narratives. The first year was tough and the following years even tougher but patience is key when it comes to this genius and after a long wait of so many years, finally he’s back in the groove again! Thursday, April 13 was a big day for die-hard fans like me (I know, I know..I always say a journalist has to be objective but somehow when it comes to him, it’s kind of flown out of the window) with his first book in six years, finally being published. Murakami’s latest work, The City and Its Uncertain Walls hit shelves in Japan a few days back. My cup of joy overflows and yet the paths of love are not easy to tread on, especially if they are as labyrinthine and vast and abysmal as he takes us on. So readers in English, like me, will have to wait for some more time before the translated work is available. Which brings me back to the first time I encountered his genius and how all the previous flirtations with brilliant names like Italo Calvino, Milan Kundera, Ian McEwan, Tim Krabbe, Kazuo Ishiguro, Raymond Chandler and the English classics and popular American thrillers, just faded into oblivion. My most favourite book of his and the first I read was Norwegian Wood that sold almost a million copies outside Japan where it was first published. In it a character says, “If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.” A statement that holds true for every Murakami book that you may read which will take you to unknown worlds where reality is interspersed with fantasy and finally makes you find magic in the mundane. The first time I laid my eyes on a Murakami book was the year 2004. I was ambling by a friend’s desk at the newspaper in Delhi, where I worked, reporting on city happenings, which meant our days and nights were crumpled into one and very often we would talk about books and writers over endless cups of coffee before we ended our graveyard shifts. He suggested I start with reading either of the two Murakami books as appetisers, warning me at the same time about the love-hate relationship readers had with Murakami. So, what would it be--Norwegian Wood or Sputnik Sweetheart? I chose the former. Norwegian Wood is all about love, loss, burgeoning sexuality that is set in the Tokyo of the 1960s during a period of student unrest against the established order. The title of the book comes from a very famous Beatles song, and this is a pattern in most Murakami books; there is plenty of music in all his work. Of course, his love for music stems from the fact that he himself owned a jazz bar for a good many years before he turned to full-time writing. I didn’t stop for the next hour or so until I finished the book. It was a page-turner, marvellous, poignant, and I found it almost miraculous that a writer could stir such emotions in a reader, all by the power of his words. I laughed, cried, went into depression and became elated—all at the same time and the best part was, it was written with extreme simplicity. And yet, he gets inside your head to churn out the most complex thoughts. I was smitten. Another character in his path breaking novel, 1Q84, says, “Please remember: things are not what they seem.” And that really encapsulates his themes; that a book is not to be judged by its cover and neither a human being to be taken for what he or she may come across as. He dives deep into the human psyche, using magic realism to make his characters go on a journey of discovery using a multitude of metaphors for the existential crisis we all encounter everyday. Deceptively simple yet lost in worlds that we could never go to or imagine existed if he hadn’t created them. He is the master of a unique brand of surrealism and can seem strange or weird to people who like conventional narratives. As a writer, he doesn’t experiment much and prefers to stick to his brand of storytelling that finds the extraordinary in the mundane. He also says in a self-deprecating manner that his books are for people who are confused. In an interview with the Guardian, the 67-year-old writer who has won numerous awards and whose works have been translated to roughly 50 languages, having sold millions of copies outside Japan, says, “I was so popular in the 1990s in Russia, at the time they were changing from the Soviet Union – there was big confusion, and people in confusion like my books. In Germany, when the Berlin Wall fell down, there was confusion – and people liked my books.” Clearly the current times of confusion and angst will perhaps find him more readers, that too, from the younger generation who are slowly discovering that he can be very addictive and almost a sweet spot for the woke culture they represent. The third book of his I chose to read was the very fat, almost 600 pager, (though I have an aversion to fat books, here too I broke the rules, all for true love) The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, that is science fiction, psychological fiction and yet explicitly political too. This was during the devastating Mumbai floods of 2005 when I happened to be in the city on a work trip that stretched to quite a few weeks. Holed up in a hotel room, all I did was think of the book every single waking moment, finishing my chores, getting to work and back and finally savouring the moments when I would hold it close to me…and …read. The memory of it, is..ah, precious. Slowly, one by one, I devoured all of his books and the only thing that happened was that I was left wanting more; more of that adrenaline rush, more of those words that seems to only cast a spell and in my case, made me a bit of a loner, as his books were definitely more interesting than any company one could keep. Murakami’s books are all memorable like the quotes they are peppered with such as the one in the book, Kafka on the Shore: “Memories are what warm you up from the inside. But they're also what tear you apart.” True? You decide, and while you’re at it, grab one of his copies. The memory of it will always keep you warm, just like it does for me. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

How I fell for the Haruki Murakami magic: My eternal love story

Pat Schroeder, a Democratic presidential candidate, a Colorado congresswoman and a long-term Central Florida citizen, passed away on Monday, March 13, 82. According to former Orange County Mayor Linda Chapin, Schroder suffered a stroke in the Osceola County community of Celebration.

Pat Schroeder, a Democratic presidential candidate, a Colorado congresswoman and a long-term Central Florida citizen, passed away on Monday, March 13, 82. According to former Orange County Mayor Linda Chapin, Schroder suffered a stroke in the Osceola County community of Celebration. Later, she was in hospice care at her home. Susannah Randolph, a Democratic operative and congressional candidate, called Patricia Schroeder a 'beacon.' She said, "When I was growing up in the '80s, she was my bedtime story. She was the woman I grew up understanding was the one fighting for all of us." Pat Schroeder represented the Denver area in Congress for 24 years. She moved to Celebration in 2008 and retired from her post-political job as president and CEO of the Association of American Publishers. Pat Schroeder was a prime member of the Central Florida political community. She took younger Democrats under her wing and advised local officials. Here's a deeper look into the life of Patricia Schroeder. Pat Schroeder: Books Pat Schroeder has written two books and multiple written materials in her lifetime. She wrote '24 Years of House Work and the Place Is Still a Mess.' She described her career, life, and details about her victory in the 1972 elections. Pat Schroeder combined her family and politics and narrated her challenge of 'infiltrating the guy gulag of Congress.' Pat Schroeder has also co-authored the book 'Champion of the Great American Family.' She again got candid with the readers about her family needs and other issues, like childcare, birth control, abortion, parental leave, health care, and housing. Apart from the two books, Pat Schroeder also contributed a piece to the 2003 anthology Sisterhood Is Forever: The Women's Anthology for a New Millennium, edited by Robin Morgan. She wrote 'Running for Our Lives: Electoral Politics.' Pat Schroeder: Early Years Patricia Nell Scott, later known as Pat Schroeder, was born in Portland, Oregon, on July 30, 1940. She earned her pilot's license when she was fifteen. Pat Schroeder graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in 1958. Later, she majored in history at the University of Minnesota. Pat Schroeder: Children Pat married Jim Schroeder, a Harvard Law School classmate, in 1962 and moved to Denver, Colorado, with him to join a law firm. They had two children, Scott William (1966) and Jamie Christine (1970). Both her children pursued non-political careers. Pat Schroeder worked for the National Labor Relations Board from 1964 to 1966. Pat Schroeder: Political Career Pat Schroeder was the first woman politician from Colorado, serving in the US House of Representatives. She was known for her outspoken liberal positions on social welfare, women's rights, and military spending. Pat took her seat in the House of Representatives in 1973 and served 12 terms. Pat Schroeder: Cause of Death Pat Schroeder died at 82 after she suffered a stroke in the Osceola County community of Celebration.

Congresswoman Pat Schroeder dies at 82: Know her cause of death, early life, books, children, political career

The British publisher of Roald Dahl's classic children's books is being slammed for censorship by critics after they removed colourful language from classics such as "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Matilda" to make them more in sync with modern readers.

The British publisher of Roald Dahl's classic children's books is being slammed for censorship by critics after they removed colourful language from classics such as "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Matilda" to make them more in sync with modern readers. A scan through the new editions of Dahl's books now available in bookstores shows that content relating to weight, mental health, gender and race were modified as reported by Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper. Augustus Gloop, Charlie's hoggish antagonist in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," which originally was published in 1964, is no longer "enormously fat," just "enormous." in the new edition. The word "black" was omitted from the description of the terrible tractors in 1970s "The Fabulous Mr. Fox." The machines as per the latest editions are just "murderous, brutal-looking monsters." Salman Rushdie was among the first to react to this rewriting of Dahl's words. Rushdie was brutally attacked last year at an event in New York state. Roald Dahl was no angel but this is absurd censorship. Puffin Books and the Dahl estate should be ashamed. https://t.co/sdjMfBr7WW — Salman Rushdie (@SalmanRushdie) February 18, 2023 × "Roald Dahl was no angel but this is absurd censorship,'' Rushdie wrote on Twitter. "Puffin Books and the Dahl estate should be ashamed.'' The revisions to Dahl's writings constitute the most recent debate over cultural sensitivity. ALSO READ | Richard Belzer, TV actor and comedian, passes away at 74 The revisionists say the idea behind the changes was to protect young people from cultural, ethnic,which and gender stereotypes in literature and other forms of media. ALSO WATCH | Salman Rushdie's first interview since 2022 stabbing The Roald Dahl Story Company that controls the rights to the books, said it worked with Puffin Books to re-examine the texts because it wanted to ensure that "Dahl's wonderful stories and characters continue to be enjoyed by all children today." The language was revised in partnership with Inclusive Minds, a collective aimed at making children's literature more inclusive and accessible. Any changes were "small and carefully considered," the company told AFP. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Roald Dahl classics modified to remove stereotypical language, move sparks criticism

&nbsp;Amit Bhasin, the co-founder of startup GoMechanic , admitted to financial reporting errors on Wednesday.&nbsp;

GoMechanic manipulated its financial records by exaggerating revenues after it secured a massive $42 million in funding two years ago, according to media reports.&nbsp; As a result, investors ordered a forensic audit and a business restructuring that will result in the firing of 70 per cent of the company's 1,000 or so employees.&nbsp;

Leading investors in the startup include Sequoia Capital, Tiger Global, Orios Venture Partners, and Chiratae Ventures.&nbsp;The company's investors were informed of the major errors in its financial reporting recently.&nbsp;

A statement by investors read, "We are deeply distressed by the fact that the founders knowingly misstated facts, including but not limited to inflation of revenue, which the founders have acknowledged.”&nbsp;

The remaining staff will work without pay for the next three months, said the automobile after-sales service startup.&nbsp;

Bhasin claimed in a post on LinkedIn that founders got "carried away" in their pursuit of opportunities to develop.&nbsp; A forensic audit of the company's books has been ordered to determine the extent of the financial misreporting.&nbsp;

GoMechanic is a business that connects car owners with local auto repair shops. On its website, it also offers original spare parts and car accessories.&nbsp;It was started in 2016 by Bhasin, Kushal Karwa, Nitin Rana, and Rishabh Karwa.&nbsp;

Now to survive, the startup needs to raise money, with about a third of its debts due soon.&nbsp;

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Amit Bhasin, the co-founder of startup GoMechanic , admitted to financial reporting errors on Wednesday. GoMechanic manipulated its financial records by exaggerating revenues after it secured a massive $42 million in funding two years ago, according to media reports.

Amit Bhasin, the co-founder of startup GoMechanic , admitted to financial reporting errors on Wednesday. GoMechanic manipulated its financial records by exaggerating revenues after it secured a massive $42 million in funding two years ago, according to media reports. As a result, investors ordered a forensic audit and a business restructuring that will result in the firing of 70 per cent of the company's 1,000 or so employees. Leading investors in the startup include Sequoia Capital, Tiger Global, Orios Venture Partners, and Chiratae Ventures. The company's investors were informed of the major errors in its financial reporting recently. A statement by investors read, "We are deeply distressed by the fact that the founders knowingly misstated facts, including but not limited to inflation of revenue, which the founders have acknowledged.” The remaining staff will work without pay for the next three months, said the automobile after-sales service startup. Bhasin claimed in a post on LinkedIn that founders got "carried away" in their pursuit of opportunities to develop. A forensic audit of the company's books has been ordered to determine the extent of the financial misreporting. GoMechanic is a business that connects car owners with local auto repair shops. On its website, it also offers original spare parts and car accessories. It was started in 2016 by Bhasin, Kushal Karwa, Nitin Rana, and Rishabh Karwa. Now to survive, the startup needs to raise money, with about a third of its debts due soon. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

GoMechanic founder admits to cooking books, lays off 70% of its staff 

Home turned book store/library is a safe haven for many in South Africa's Soweto township. This book store/library caters for many people who love books and reading hug cannot afford. WION’s Kalden Ongmu Lachingpa explains.

Home turned book store/library safe haven for many

Iceland's Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir has published her first thriller novel titled 'Reykjavik'. Jakobsdóttir, a crime fiction fan, has reportedly written the book with her close friend Ragnar Ragnar Jónasson, the Icelandic bestselling author of the 'Dark Iceland' series.&nbsp;

For many, the idea of a head of states to have the time to write a novel may seem absurd and unbelievable but the case of Iceland is different.&nbsp; 
 
The country consists of 375,000 people and has a strong tradition of reading and writing literature, with one in 10 Icelanders publishing a book in their lifetime, according to statistics. 
 
"Obviously, this is not something that I thought I would have any time to do", says the 46-year-old prime minister at the book launch event earlier this week. 
The Prime Minister said it was 'liberating to be working on this project during Covid'. The PM said that apart from writing, she doesn't have any other interests.&nbsp; 
 
This is not the first time that a serving PM of Iceland has published a novel. Jakobsdóttir's predecessor David Oddsson published a novel in 1997 while he was in office. 
 
The book 'Reykjavik' tells the story of an unresolved case involving a teenage girl who went missing 30 years ago in Videy, a small island near the Icelandic capital. Years later, a journalist dives into the case to solve it. The story is set in 1986.&nbsp; 
 
The novel was published in Iceland on 25 October and publishers plan to translate it into other languages soon. It is expected to be out in the UK and the US in August 2023.

Iceland's Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir has published her first thriller novel titled 'Reykjavik'. Jakobsdóttir, a crime fiction fan, has reportedly written the book with her close friend Ragnar Ragnar Jónasson, the Icelandic bestselling author of the 'Dark Iceland' series.

Iceland's Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir has published her first thriller novel titled 'Reykjavik'. Jakobsdóttir, a crime fiction fan, has reportedly written the book with her close friend Ragnar Ragnar Jónasson, the Icelandic bestselling author of the 'Dark Iceland' series. For many, the idea of a head of states to have the time to write a novel may seem absurd and unbelievable but the case of Iceland is different. The country consists of 375,000 people and has a strong tradition of reading and writing literature, with one in 10 Icelanders publishing a book in their lifetime, according to statistics. "Obviously, this is not something that I thought I would have any time to do", says the 46-year-old prime minister at the book launch event earlier this week. The Prime Minister said it was 'liberating to be working on this project during Covid'. The PM said that apart from writing, she doesn't have any other interests. This is not the first time that a serving PM of Iceland has published a novel. Jakobsdóttir's predecessor David Oddsson published a novel in 1997 while he was in office. The book 'Reykjavik' tells the story of an unresolved case involving a teenage girl who went missing 30 years ago in Videy, a small island near the Icelandic capital. Years later, a journalist dives into the case to solve it. The story is set in 1986. The novel was published in Iceland on 25 October and publishers plan to translate it into other languages soon. It is expected to be out in the UK and the US in August 2023.

Iceland PM publishes her first crime thriller novel 

Five speech therapists were found guilty of sedition by a Hong Kong court after they produced a number of picture books for kids featuring cartoon animals. This case, according to opponents, demonstrates the city's increasing limits on liberties.&nbsp;

In 2020 and 2021, the industry association General Union of Hong Kong Speech Therapists published articles about a "sheep community" that had been harassed and harmed. The fables, according to the prosecution, were allegories that "indoctrinated" kids to embrace independence and hate Beijing.&nbsp;

On September 10, the speech therapists are scheduled to be sentenced. They might spend up to two years behind bars.

District judge Kwok Wai-kin of Hong Kong remarked, "Seditious intention stems not merely from the words, but from the words with the proscribed effects intended to result in the mind of children," as he announced his decision on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Defence attorneys for the therapists had contended that the alleged offence was "unconstitutional on the ground that it is inconsistent with their freedom of expression, speech, and publication."&nbsp;

The case has been interpreted as a symbol of dwindling liberties in the financial centre since Beijing implemented a comprehensive national security law in 2020 as a result of widespread pro-democracy demonstrations the year before. The judiciary in Hong Kong has gotten much tougher on pro-democracy activists.

Jimmy Lai, a 74-year-old media entrepreneur and the creator of the pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily, lost last week's lawsuit to stop national security officials from checking his cell phones for journalistic data, setting a precedent that may apply to other cases. Lai just lost his bid for a jury trial.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/maori-face-tattoo-filter-removed-from-snapchat-analysts-say-huge-disrespect-to-culture-513726">Snapchat removes Māori face tattoo filter after backlash over 'disrespect' to culture</a>

47 opposition lawmakers who were charged with subversion in relation to efforts to choose candidates to run in the city's de facto parliament, the Legislative Council, election two years ago were also given a non-jury trial. Numerous members of the organisation have been detained since 2021, and 29 of them have said they will enter guilty pleas.

One of the books allegedly described how Chinese officials apprehended and detained 12 activists from Hong Kong who attempted to depart the city by boat two years prior. The other two books were allegories for the 2019 protests and a local doctors' strike in which they demanded that authorities close the borders with mainland China at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

(with inputs from agencies)

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Five speech therapists were found guilty of sedition by a Hong Kong court after they produced a number of picture books for kids featuring cartoon animals. This case, according to opponents, demonstrates the city's increasing limits on liberties.

Five speech therapists were found guilty of sedition by a Hong Kong court after they produced a number of picture books for kids featuring cartoon animals. This case, according to opponents, demonstrates the city's increasing limits on liberties. In 2020 and 2021, the industry association General Union of Hong Kong Speech Therapists published articles about a "sheep community" that had been harassed and harmed. The fables, according to the prosecution, were allegories that "indoctrinated" kids to embrace independence and hate Beijing. On September 10, the speech therapists are scheduled to be sentenced. They might spend up to two years behind bars. District judge Kwok Wai-kin of Hong Kong remarked, "Seditious intention stems not merely from the words, but from the words with the proscribed effects intended to result in the mind of children," as he announced his decision on Wednesday. Defence attorneys for the therapists had contended that the alleged offence was "unconstitutional on the ground that it is inconsistent with their freedom of expression, speech, and publication." The case has been interpreted as a symbol of dwindling liberties in the financial centre since Beijing implemented a comprehensive national security law in 2020 as a result of widespread pro-democracy demonstrations the year before. The judiciary in Hong Kong has gotten much tougher on pro-democracy activists. Jimmy Lai, a 74-year-old media entrepreneur and the creator of the pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily, lost last week's lawsuit to stop national security officials from checking his cell phones for journalistic data, setting a precedent that may apply to other cases. Lai just lost his bid for a jury trial. Also Read: Snapchat removes Māori face tattoo filter after backlash over 'disrespect' to culture 47 opposition lawmakers who were charged with subversion in relation to efforts to choose candidates to run in the city's de facto parliament, the Legislative Council, election two years ago were also given a non-jury trial. Numerous members of the organisation have been detained since 2021, and 29 of them have said they will enter guilty pleas. One of the books allegedly described how Chinese officials apprehended and detained 12 activists from Hong Kong who attempted to depart the city by boat two years prior. The other two books were allegories for the 2019 protests and a local doctors' strike in which they demanded that authorities close the borders with mainland China at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. (with inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong speech therapists convicted for publishing 'seditious' books that make kids hate Beijing

In pics | From Grimus to Quichotte: British-Indian writer Salman Rushdie's finest works

Millions of students in Pakistan may not have books for the new academic session starting August 2022 as the paper industry association has warned of an impending acute shortage of paper.

The current crisis stems from the rising prices of locally manufactured paper. The association has blamed the government for failing to control the domestic prices paper, reports local media.

During a joint press conference in the capital Islamabad city, All Pakistan Paper Merchant Association, Pakistan Association of Printing Graphic Art Industry (PAPGAI), and other organizations associated with the paper industry, along with the country's leading economist Dr Qaiser Bengali, warned that booksellers across the country would not be able to provide textbooks to millions of students this year if the price of paper was not stabilised.

At present, the price of local paper had increased by over 200 per cent and its quality was also inferior to the foreign-manufacture paper, they said, reports The News International newspaper.

They said that the pricing formula was yet to be decided between the government and private publishers and no steps had been taken to provide paper at a fixed price to the publishers.

“Since January, an increase of Rs100 per one kilogramme of local paper has been observed,” Publishers and Booksellers Association of Pakistan Chairman Aziz Khalid was quoted as saying.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-and-imf-reach-agreement-on-bailout-programme-490590" hreflang="en">Pakistan and IMF reach agreement on bailout programme</a>

He added that the current situation was pushing the printing and packaging industries towards collapse.

Aziz clarified that the publishers cannot use imported paper in textbooks due to high taxes. As a result, local publishers have stopped buying paper for textbooks.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, textbook publishers in Lahore had announced to halt operations due to soaring prices of paper.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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Millions of students in Pakistan may not have books for the new academic session starting August 2022 as the paper industry association has warned of an impending acute shortage of paper.

Millions of students in Pakistan may not have books for the new academic session starting August 2022 as the paper industry association has warned of an impending acute shortage of paper. The current crisis stems from the rising prices of locally manufactured paper. The association has blamed the government for failing to control the domestic prices paper, reports local media. During a joint press conference in the capital Islamabad city, All Pakistan Paper Merchant Association, Pakistan Association of Printing Graphic Art Industry (PAPGAI), and other organizations associated with the paper industry, along with the country's leading economist Dr Qaiser Bengali, warned that booksellers across the country would not be able to provide textbooks to millions of students this year if the price of paper was not stabilised. At present, the price of local paper had increased by over 200 per cent and its quality was also inferior to the foreign-manufacture paper, they said, reports The News International newspaper. They said that the pricing formula was yet to be decided between the government and private publishers and no steps had been taken to provide paper at a fixed price to the publishers. “Since January, an increase of Rs100 per one kilogramme of local paper has been observed,” Publishers and Booksellers Association of Pakistan Chairman Aziz Khalid was quoted as saying. Also read | Pakistan and IMF reach agreement on bailout programme He added that the current situation was pushing the printing and packaging industries towards collapse. Aziz clarified that the publishers cannot use imported paper in textbooks due to high taxes. As a result, local publishers have stopped buying paper for textbooks. Earlier this month, textbook publishers in Lahore had announced to halt operations due to soaring prices of paper. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Paper crisis hits Pakistan, publishers say no books for new academic session

The life of&nbsp;comedic actress Betty White is being celebrated in a new biographical comic book. 
 
White, who would have turned 100 on Jan. 17,&nbsp;capped a career of more than 80 years by becoming America`s geriatric sweetheart. She died on Friday in her sleep at her home, according to her agent. 
 
From her early days in television to her iconic role on "The Golden Girls" and her social media fame, the 30-page comic by TidalWave Productions traces her Hollywood journey. The book will be available both digitally and in print and can be found on multiple platforms such as Amazon.com. 
 
TidalWave Productions has previously released biographies on celebrities including Carrie Fisher, Lucille Ball, David Bowie and Elizabeth Taylor. 
 
White won best-supporting actress Emmys for her role on the 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' in 1975 and 1976.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-rip-betty-white-ryan-reynolds-mark-ruffalo--others-pay-tribute-to-the-icon-441552">RIP Betty White: Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo &amp; others pay tribute to the icon</a> 
 
She won another Emmy in 1986 for "The Golden Girls," a sitcom about four older women living together in Miami that featured an age demographic rarely highlighted on American television. White also was nominated for an Emmy six other times for her portrayal of the widowed Rose Nylund, a sweet, naive and ditzy Midwesterner, on the show, which ran from 1985 to 1992 and was one of the top-rated series of its time. 
 
White, who had no children, worked for animal causes. She once turned down a role in the movie "As Good as It Gets" because of a scene in which a dog was thrown in a garbage chute.

<a href="Sandra Bullock mourns Betty White death with a heartfelt tribute: I don't drink vodka but I'll tonight">Sandra Bullock mourns Betty White death with a heartfelt tribute: I don't drink vodka but I'll tonight</a>

The life of comedic actress Betty White is being celebrated in a new biographical comic book. White, who would have turned 100 on Jan. 17, capped a career of more than 80 years by becoming America`s geriatric sweetheart.

The life of comedic actress Betty White is being celebrated in a new biographical comic book. White, who would have turned 100 on Jan. 17, capped a career of more than 80 years by becoming America`s geriatric sweetheart. She died on Friday in her sleep at her home, according to her agent. From her early days in television to her iconic role on "The Golden Girls" and her social media fame, the 30-page comic by TidalWave Productions traces her Hollywood journey. The book will be available both digitally and in print and can be found on multiple platforms such as Amazon.com. TidalWave Productions has previously released biographies on celebrities including Carrie Fisher, Lucille Ball, David Bowie and Elizabeth Taylor. White won best-supporting actress Emmys for her role on the 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' in 1975 and 1976. RIP Betty White: Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo & others pay tribute to the icon She won another Emmy in 1986 for "The Golden Girls," a sitcom about four older women living together in Miami that featured an age demographic rarely highlighted on American television. White also was nominated for an Emmy six other times for her portrayal of the widowed Rose Nylund, a sweet, naive and ditzy Midwesterner, on the show, which ran from 1985 to 1992 and was one of the top-rated series of its time. White, who had no children, worked for animal causes. She once turned down a role in the movie "As Good as It Gets" because of a scene in which a dog was thrown in a garbage chute. Sandra Bullock mourns Betty White death with a heartfelt tribute: I don't drink vodka but I'll tonight

Betty White has a last laugh in biographic comic book

Amazon is the world's go-to-market for anything ad everything, but a crucial part of its business is ratings and reviews, it is a major way of engaging shoppers, but what happens when there are no reviews? This is a case in China, our report tells you more.

Report: E-commerce giant Amazon partnered with China propaganda arm to block reviews on Xi's books

In order to raise concern over reintroduction of two books containing depictions of sexual activity, parents protested outside Luther Jackson Middle School, where board meeting of Fairfax County Public Schools was being held on Thursday.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

"They’ve doubled down on porn in the schools. They’ve all got to go. Who’s in favour of porn in the schools?," Stacy Langton, a mother in Fairfax County, who confronted the school board over the books in September, told Fox News.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/anti-vaccination-ad-mysteriously-appears-at-nyc-bus-stop-433778" hreflang="en">Anti-vaccination ad mysteriously appears at NYC bus stop</a>

In the protest, several parents could be seen wearing T-shirts, which read, "Mama Grizzly" and "Papa Grizzly" and holding signs like, "No porn in our schools", "Resign FairfaXXX" and others. &nbsp;&nbsp;

"We're here because we don’t want any porn in the schools," Angela Boyer, a woman whose daughter graduated from a Fairfax public school, told Fox News. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gaffe-prone-us-president-joe-biden-now-confuses-six-day-war-with-yom-kippur-battle-433691" hreflang="en">Gaffe-prone US President Joe Biden now confuses Six-Day War with Yom Kippur battle</a>

It was the first meeting of the school board since the reintroduction of the controversial books. The books are Jonathan Evison’s "Lawn Boy" and Maia Kobabe’s "Gender Queer: A Memoir". &nbsp;

The Fairfax County Public Schools had restored the books after two committees, which consisted of administrators, librarians, parents and students, reviewed them. The panels had claimed the books were not obscene and do not contain pedophilia. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In order to raise concern over reintroduction of two books containing depictions of sexual activity, parents protested outside Luther Jackson Middle School, where board meeting of Fairfax County Public Schools was being held on Thursday.

In order to raise concern over reintroduction of two books containing depictions of sexual activity, parents protested outside Luther Jackson Middle School, where board meeting of Fairfax County Public Schools was being held on Thursday. "They’ve doubled down on porn in the schools. They’ve all got to go. Who’s in favour of porn in the schools?," Stacy Langton, a mother in Fairfax County, who confronted the school board over the books in September, told Fox News. Also Read: Anti-vaccination ad mysteriously appears at NYC bus stop In the protest, several parents could be seen wearing T-shirts, which read, "Mama Grizzly" and "Papa Grizzly" and holding signs like, "No porn in our schools", "Resign FairfaXXX" and others. "We're here because we don’t want any porn in the schools," Angela Boyer, a woman whose daughter graduated from a Fairfax public school, told Fox News. Also Read: Gaffe-prone US President Joe Biden now confuses Six-Day War with Yom Kippur battle It was the first meeting of the school board since the reintroduction of the controversial books. The books are Jonathan Evison’s "Lawn Boy" and Maia Kobabe’s "Gender Queer: A Memoir". The Fairfax County Public Schools had restored the books after two committees, which consisted of administrators, librarians, parents and students, reviewed them. The panels had claimed the books were not obscene and do not contain pedophilia. (With inputs from agencies)

Parents protest introduction of 'porn in schools', seek board’s resignation in US county

Digital iterations of books have successfully penetrated the reading space. Almost every bibliophile has embraced e-books, especially with technology dedicated for reading books on digital devices and platforms.

Even then, hesitancy among readers for digital books remains high. A new survey sheds light on the patterns of readership among those who cherish the art of words.&nbsp;

There are many benefits that come with e-readers like Kindle - the ability to read in the dark, the elimination of storage issues and many devices have been successfully able to mimic the reading experience of a book with visual elements specifically designed to emulate the traditional book reading experience.

Even though smartphone reading has become the new normal, many have believed that traditional books would quickly lose appeal in the market and go out of circulation. Even then, most predictions have not come true. Bookstores may have disappeared across the world, turns out readers still prefer enjoying books in their hands.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science-tech/stuck-with-paperbacks-5-tips-to-help-you-upgrade-to-e-books-all-that-for-free-11500" hreflang="en">Stuck with paperbacks? 5 tips to help you upgrade to e-books - all that for free</a>

According to data from Statista’s Advertising and Media Outlook, e-book usage still heavily trails behind printed books across the globe. In the US alone, 23 per cent of the population are reported to have purchased e-books last year. On the other hand, 45 per cent bought a printed book last year.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/entertainment/lifestyle/news-becoming-by-michelle-obama-is-among-the-most-popular-ebooks-borrowed-in-2020-355949" hreflang="en">'Becoming' by Michelle Obama is among the most popular ebooks borrowed in 2020</a>

E-books remain the most popular across China, where 24.4 per cent users prefer the digital format as opposed to 32 per cent users preferred paper books.

In India, only 5.6 per cent readers have switched to e-books in 2020, while 24.5 per cent continued to read paper books. This pattern points to the future of reading. As many critics believed, traditional books would not disappear but would in fact continue to exist along with modern e-books and perhaps even complement the platform.&nbsp;

Digital iterations of books have successfully penetrated the reading space. Almost every bibliophile has embraced e-books, especially with technology dedicated for reading books on digital devices and platforms.

Digital iterations of books have successfully penetrated the reading space. Almost every bibliophile has embraced e-books, especially with technology dedicated for reading books on digital devices and platforms. Even then, hesitancy among readers for digital books remains high. A new survey sheds light on the patterns of readership among those who cherish the art of words. There are many benefits that come with e-readers like Kindle - the ability to read in the dark, the elimination of storage issues and many devices have been successfully able to mimic the reading experience of a book with visual elements specifically designed to emulate the traditional book reading experience. Even though smartphone reading has become the new normal, many have believed that traditional books would quickly lose appeal in the market and go out of circulation. Even then, most predictions have not come true. Bookstores may have disappeared across the world, turns out readers still prefer enjoying books in their hands. Also read: Stuck with paperbacks? 5 tips to help you upgrade to e-books - all that for free According to data from Statista’s Advertising and Media Outlook, e-book usage still heavily trails behind printed books across the globe. In the US alone, 23 per cent of the population are reported to have purchased e-books last year. On the other hand, 45 per cent bought a printed book last year. Also read: 'Becoming' by Michelle Obama is among the most popular ebooks borrowed in 2020 E-books remain the most popular across China, where 24.4 per cent users prefer the digital format as opposed to 32 per cent users preferred paper books. In India, only 5.6 per cent readers have switched to e-books in 2020, while 24.5 per cent continued to read paper books. This pattern points to the future of reading. As many critics believed, traditional books would not disappear but would in fact continue to exist along with modern e-books and perhaps even complement the platform.

Paper books aren't dying! New survey reveals people still don't dig e-books

The 'Star Wars'&nbsp;Legends books are home to some of the best and most beloved stories in the Star Wars universe, which is why some of them are getting new re-releases. 
 
In celebration of Lucasfilm’s 50th anniversary, some of the best Star Wars Legends books are getting new trade paperback editions, complete with new cover art. 
 
&nbsp;

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As Lucasfilm celebrates its 50th anniversary, we’re curating a collection of essential <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StarWars?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StarWars</a> Legends novels in trade paperback with new covers. Shatterpoint will also receive a fully unabridged audio edition, for the first time. Available June 15th 
 
(read on for more) <a href="https://t.co/Ausyvsvb6A">pic.twitter.com/Ausyvsvb6A</a>
— Star Wars Books (@DelReyStarWars) <a href="https://twitter.com/DelReyStarWars/status/1377981111263973379?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The new run of books will be part of&nbsp;Del Rey and Lucasfilm's&nbsp;'The Essential Legends Collection.'&nbsp;The new line will pull in some of the fan-favourite novels from the last 40 years of Star Wars books. 
 
The first batch of novels in the new collection will include three classics: 'Heir to the Empire', 'Path of Destruction', and 'Shatterpoint'.

The new editions of all three books will be available starting on June 15.

The 'Star Wars' Legends books are home to some of the best and most beloved stories in the Star Wars universe, which is why some of them are getting new re-releases.

The 'Star Wars' Legends books are home to some of the best and most beloved stories in the Star Wars universe, which is why some of them are getting new re-releases. In celebration of Lucasfilm’s 50th anniversary, some of the best Star Wars Legends books are getting new trade paperback editions, complete with new cover art. As Lucasfilm celebrates its 50th anniversary, we’re curating a collection of essential #StarWars Legends novels in trade paperback with new covers. Shatterpoint will also receive a fully unabridged audio edition, for the first time. Available June 15th (read on for more) pic.twitter.com/Ausyvsvb6A — Star Wars Books (@DelReyStarWars) April 2, 2021 × The new run of books will be part of Del Rey and Lucasfilm's 'The Essential Legends Collection.' The new line will pull in some of the fan-favourite novels from the last 40 years of Star Wars books. The first batch of novels in the new collection will include three classics: 'Heir to the Empire', 'Path of Destruction', and 'Shatterpoint'. The new editions of all three books will be available starting on June 15.

Classic 'Star Wars' books to re-release for Lucasfilm’s 50th anniversary

EL&nbsp;James, the writer of the famous Fifty Shades trilogy and The Mister is launching a new imprint in collaboration with Sourcebooks. The author is bringing her entire publishing catalog with her. 
 
That includes the Fifty Shades novel series, which has sold over 150 million copies worldwide. From March-end, James' books will be distributed by Sourcebooks, moving from her previous home of Vintage, an imprint of Knopf Doubleday.

Sourcebooks is an independent publisher, but Penguin Random House holds a 45 percent stake as a collaborative investor.

"I'm thrilled to be joining the Sourcebooks family," James said in a statement. "It feels like I'm coming home — returning to my indie roots, and working with an innovative, dynamic, and hugely successful publisher who's always up for new ventures. It's an honor to be part of an imprint dedicated to amplifying creative women's voices."

&nbsp;According to Entertainment Weekly, James' net worth has been valued in the hundreds of millions, and her books account for a significant chunk of that, making this a financial feather in Sourcebooks' cap.The new imprint is said to focus on entrepreneurial female authors, those in the vein of James herself who have taken a more hands-on approach to their publishing journey (James famously got her start writing fanfic). 
 
The imprint will allow an unconventional approach that will enable established entrepreneurial authors to take greater control over the creation, development, and marketing of their books.

"I'm so thrilled to be working with Erika! And it is amazing that she and all of her backlist will be joining Sourcebooks," said Dominique Raccah, Sourcebooks Publisher and CEO, in a statement. "We share a belief in women taking and keeping control of their own narrative. It's so exciting to be embarking on this journey, disrupting the industry by empowering women authors who have long deserved this opportunity."The new imprint does not yet have a name, but Sourcebooks plans to work with consumers and influencers to develop one, centering readers in the process.

EL James, the writer of the famous Fifty Shades trilogy and The Mister is launching a new imprint in collaboration with Sourcebooks. The author is bringing her entire publishing catalog with her.

EL James, the writer of the famous Fifty Shades trilogy and The Mister is launching a new imprint in collaboration with Sourcebooks. The author is bringing her entire publishing catalog with her. That includes the Fifty Shades novel series, which has sold over 150 million copies worldwide. From March-end, James' books will be distributed by Sourcebooks, moving from her previous home of Vintage, an imprint of Knopf Doubleday. Sourcebooks is an independent publisher, but Penguin Random House holds a 45 percent stake as a collaborative investor. "I'm thrilled to be joining the Sourcebooks family," James said in a statement. "It feels like I'm coming home — returning to my indie roots, and working with an innovative, dynamic, and hugely successful publisher who's always up for new ventures. It's an honor to be part of an imprint dedicated to amplifying creative women's voices." According to Entertainment Weekly, James' net worth has been valued in the hundreds of millions, and her books account for a significant chunk of that, making this a financial feather in Sourcebooks' cap.The new imprint is said to focus on entrepreneurial female authors, those in the vein of James herself who have taken a more hands-on approach to their publishing journey (James famously got her start writing fanfic). The imprint will allow an unconventional approach that will enable established entrepreneurial authors to take greater control over the creation, development, and marketing of their books. "I'm so thrilled to be working with Erika! And it is amazing that she and all of her backlist will be joining Sourcebooks," said Dominique Raccah, Sourcebooks Publisher and CEO, in a statement. "We share a belief in women taking and keeping control of their own narrative. It's so exciting to be embarking on this journey, disrupting the industry by empowering women authors who have long deserved this opportunity."The new imprint does not yet have a name, but Sourcebooks plans to work with consumers and influencers to develop one, centering readers in the process.

'Fifty Shades' series author EL James to launch new imprint

With a microscopic organism upending life as we know it, the realm of books was among the few which held its own, operating near normally in this tumultuous year. The flow of new titles, across all genres, continued unabated and provided readers a safe haven for a troubled psyche. For avid readers, confined to homes and deprived of opportunities of external sources of leisure, it was a dream opportunity to work through pending piles and acquire fresh material. 
 
But amid the host of autobiographies and biographies, examinations of political partisanship - and their social effects, new looks at history and more, as well as a wide array of fiction for all tastes and moods, the worst health crisis the world faced in over a century, found its own niche. 
 
While there is no shortage of books on coronavirus, some representative ones could include physician and evolutionary biologist Frank Ryan`s "Virusphere: Ebola, AIDS, Influenza and the Hidden World of the Virus", which explains why epidemics are inevitable and their benefits, science journalist Sonia Shah`s "Pandemic" about the interplay of history, politics and science in tackling the scourge of disease, and John Barry`s "The Great Influenza : The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History", which not only chronicles how the Spanish flu of 1918-20 devastated a world already laid low by years of war, revolutions and other upheavals, but also shows how the political handling is as important as the medical measures. 
 
A contemporary look at this aspect can be found in legendary journalist Bob Woodward`s "Rage", his second book on the maverick presidency of Donald Trump. 
 
An Indian perspective is provided by "The Coronavirus: What you Need to Know about the Global Pandemic" by Dr Swapneil Parikh and Maherra Desai, and "Till We Win: India`s Fight Against The Covid-19 Pandemic" by by Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, Dr Gagandeep Kang, and AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria. 
 
But with the virus mutating into new variations and universal vaccination still a long way off, the last word on coronavirus is still to be said. But some signposts can be found in Fareed Zakaria`s "10 Lessons for the Post-Pandemic World" and the prolific Kiran Manral`s "Raising Kids with Hope and Wonder in Times of a Pandemic and Climate Change" 
 
The coveted Nobel Prize for Literature was won by American poet Louise Gluck, who draws on classical mythology, family life and nature in her precise and spare rendition of certain traumatic facets of the human conditions such as pain and loss ? both personal and public ? but also longing and self-realisation, while the Booker went to debutant Scottish-American writer Douglas Stuart`s "Shuggie Bain", a semi-autobiographical story of a young boy maintaining a fraught relationship with his alcoholic mother. 
 
The world of literature was also left poorer with a galaxy of veterans bidding adieu including controversial English philosopher and writer Roger Scruton, 75, British academician Christopher Tolkien, 95, the son of the great fantasy novelist J.R.R. Tolkien and the one who drew the maps for "The Lord of the Rings", American "Queen of Suspense" Mary Higgins Clark, 92, Clive Cussler, 88, known for the "Dirk Pitt" series of marine adventures, Urdu poet Rahat Indori, 70, Hindi poet Manglesh Dabral, 72, Soviet/Russian writer and satirist Mikhail Zhvanetsky, 86, British spy novelist John le Carre, 89, and Urdu author and literary critic Shamsur Rahman Faruqi, 85, known for his penetrating analysis of the poetry of Mir Taqi Mir. 
 
Some of the year`s notable offerings included former US President Barack Obama`s "A Promised Land", an account of his eventful first term, J.K. Rowling`s non-Harry Potter world "The Ickabog", a cautionary fairy tale about inept leadership and demonisation of the `enemy`, Hari Kunzuru`s "The Red Pill" and the irrepressible Moni Mohsin`s "The Impeccable Integrity of Ruby R", but there was much more. 
 
While it is virtually impossible to make a list of books that could even approach a representative section let satisfy each palate, some suggestions/recommendations in various genres can be attempted. 
 
In non-fiction, there is astrophysicist Janna Levin`s "Black Hole Survival Guide", which not only seeks to demystify one of most perplexing celestial objects, but also shows the unflattering role of humans in the cosmos, Tim Harford`s "How to Make the World Add Up: Ten Rules for Thinking Differently About Numbers", an engaging guide to avoid getting bamboozled by statistics, and Michiko Kakutani`s "Ex Libris", a personalised introduction to 100 key books, old and new, for those without inclination/opportunity to read the originals in full. 
 
On the humanities side, Richard Eaton`s "India in the Persianate Age: 1000-1765" seeks to show how the country`s pre-colonial history was not a binary construct as long politically propagated, Anne Appelbaum`s self-explanatory but disturbing "Twilight of Democracy: The Failure of Politics and the Parting of Friends", and the very vital "Bad News: Why We Fall for Fake News" by Rob Brotherton, who`s earlier "Suspicious Minds" explained why conspiracy theories have a receptive audience. 
 
In fiction, consider Curtis Sittenfeld`s "Rodham: What if Hillary hadn`t married Bill?" exploring this tantalising premise, Mieko Kawakami`s "Breasts and Eggs", an account of the female life experience (and commodification thereof) , and former ISI chief Lt Gen Asad Durrani`s "Honour Among Spies", about the dangers of asking inconvenient questions about issues the establishment would prefer to be forgotten. 
 
For aficionados of whodunnits, two authors take them to places which were long ripe for the genre - Mark McCrum in "The Festival Murders" (literary festivals) and Kiran Manral in "The Kitty Party Murder". For a rarely-invoked locale, there is Sujata C. Sabnis` "Blood on the Sands", set in Kutch. 
 
If Rick Riordan, whose finale to "Trials of Apollo" series came out or even Roshani Chokshi`s Aru Shah series (third out now) are not to your taste, Anuja Chandramouli, who has a penchant for a lyrical but contemporary refashioning of Indian mythology, had "Mohini:The Enchantress". 
 
We can only hope that 2021 is as abundant. 
 
(Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in) 
 
--IANS 
 
vd 
&nbsp;

With a microscopic organism upending life as we know it, the realm of books was among the few which held its own, operating near normally in this tumultuous year.

With a microscopic organism upending life as we know it, the realm of books was among the few which held its own, operating near normally in this tumultuous year. The flow of new titles, across all genres, continued unabated and provided readers a safe haven for a troubled psyche. For avid readers, confined to homes and deprived of opportunities of external sources of leisure, it was a dream opportunity to work through pending piles and acquire fresh material. But amid the host of autobiographies and biographies, examinations of political partisanship - and their social effects, new looks at history and more, as well as a wide array of fiction for all tastes and moods, the worst health crisis the world faced in over a century, found its own niche. While there is no shortage of books on coronavirus, some representative ones could include physician and evolutionary biologist Frank Ryan`s "Virusphere: Ebola, AIDS, Influenza and the Hidden World of the Virus", which explains why epidemics are inevitable and their benefits, science journalist Sonia Shah`s "Pandemic" about the interplay of history, politics and science in tackling the scourge of disease, and John Barry`s "The Great Influenza : The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History", which not only chronicles how the Spanish flu of 1918-20 devastated a world already laid low by years of war, revolutions and other upheavals, but also shows how the political handling is as important as the medical measures. A contemporary look at this aspect can be found in legendary journalist Bob Woodward`s "Rage", his second book on the maverick presidency of Donald Trump. An Indian perspective is provided by "The Coronavirus: What you Need to Know about the Global Pandemic" by Dr Swapneil Parikh and Maherra Desai, and "Till We Win: India`s Fight Against The Covid-19 Pandemic" by by Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, Dr Gagandeep Kang, and AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria. But with the virus mutating into new variations and universal vaccination still a long way off, the last word on coronavirus is still to be said. But some signposts can be found in Fareed Zakaria`s "10 Lessons for the Post-Pandemic World" and the prolific Kiran Manral`s "Raising Kids with Hope and Wonder in Times of a Pandemic and Climate Change" The coveted Nobel Prize for Literature was won by American poet Louise Gluck, who draws on classical mythology, family life and nature in her precise and spare rendition of certain traumatic facets of the human conditions such as pain and loss ? both personal and public ? but also longing and self-realisation, while the Booker went to debutant Scottish-American writer Douglas Stuart`s "Shuggie Bain", a semi-autobiographical story of a young boy maintaining a fraught relationship with his alcoholic mother. The world of literature was also left poorer with a galaxy of veterans bidding adieu including controversial English philosopher and writer Roger Scruton, 75, British academician Christopher Tolkien, 95, the son of the great fantasy novelist J.R.R. Tolkien and the one who drew the maps for "The Lord of the Rings", American "Queen of Suspense" Mary Higgins Clark, 92, Clive Cussler, 88, known for the "Dirk Pitt" series of marine adventures, Urdu poet Rahat Indori, 70, Hindi poet Manglesh Dabral, 72, Soviet/Russian writer and satirist Mikhail Zhvanetsky, 86, British spy novelist John le Carre, 89, and Urdu author and literary critic Shamsur Rahman Faruqi, 85, known for his penetrating analysis of the poetry of Mir Taqi Mir. Some of the year`s notable offerings included former US President Barack Obama`s "A Promised Land", an account of his eventful first term, J.K. Rowling`s non-Harry Potter world "The Ickabog", a cautionary fairy tale about inept leadership and demonisation of the `enemy`, Hari Kunzuru`s "The Red Pill" and the irrepressible Moni Mohsin`s "The Impeccable Integrity of Ruby R", but there was much more. While it is virtually impossible to make a list of books that could even approach a representative section let satisfy each palate, some suggestions/recommendations in various genres can be attempted. In non-fiction, there is astrophysicist Janna Levin`s "Black Hole Survival Guide", which not only seeks to demystify one of most perplexing celestial objects, but also shows the unflattering role of humans in the cosmos, Tim Harford`s "How to Make the World Add Up: Ten Rules for Thinking Differently About Numbers", an engaging guide to avoid getting bamboozled by statistics, and Michiko Kakutani`s "Ex Libris", a personalised introduction to 100 key books, old and new, for those without inclination/opportunity to read the originals in full. On the humanities side, Richard Eaton`s "India in the Persianate Age: 1000-1765" seeks to show how the country`s pre-colonial history was not a binary construct as long politically propagated, Anne Appelbaum`s self-explanatory but disturbing "Twilight of Democracy: The Failure of Politics and the Parting of Friends", and the very vital "Bad News: Why We Fall for Fake News" by Rob Brotherton, who`s earlier "Suspicious Minds" explained why conspiracy theories have a receptive audience. In fiction, consider Curtis Sittenfeld`s "Rodham: What if Hillary hadn`t married Bill?" exploring this tantalising premise, Mieko Kawakami`s "Breasts and Eggs", an account of the female life experience (and commodification thereof) , and former ISI chief Lt Gen Asad Durrani`s "Honour Among Spies", about the dangers of asking inconvenient questions about issues the establishment would prefer to be forgotten. For aficionados of whodunnits, two authors take them to places which were long ripe for the genre - Mark McCrum in "The Festival Murders" (literary festivals) and Kiran Manral in "The Kitty Party Murder". For a rarely-invoked locale, there is Sujata C. Sabnis` "Blood on the Sands", set in Kutch. If Rick Riordan, whose finale to "Trials of Apollo" series came out or even Roshani Chokshi`s Aru Shah series (third out now) are not to your taste, Anuja Chandramouli, who has a penchant for a lyrical but contemporary refashioning of Indian mythology, had "Mohini:The Enchantress". We can only hope that 2021 is as abundant. (Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in) --IANS vd

Reading amid the pandemic: Books and authors in 2020

In modern India, there cannot be a bigger endorsement than what comes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. So when he, on one fine day, tweeted about a certain book that he was left impressed with, the world, along with India, took notice.

In modern India, there cannot be a bigger endorsement than what comes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. So when he, on one fine day, tweeted about a certain book that he was left impressed with, the world, along with India, took notice. For authors Harsh Madhusudan and Rajeev Mantri, a recommendation from PM Modi served as a validation of their hard work and the distinct political philosophy they harbour for modern India. Their book 'A New Idea of India: Individual Rights in a Civilisational State' is an essay on what India has been lacking in past few decades, and what it needs to do come on par with the more developed nations of the world. The authors, through their book, give their audience an essential reminder that India is a civilisational State and not just a post-colonial entity. PM Modi said in a tweet that he had read the book and recommended it to his followers. He wrote, “Over the past few days, I have been reading, ‘A New Idea of India: Individual Rights in a Civilisational State’ by two bright minds @harshmadhusudan and @RMantri. Their work makes rich contributions to intellectual discourse. I hope you read it too…” Over the past few days, I have been reading, 'A New Idea of India: Individual Rights in a Civilisational State’ by two bright minds @harshmadhusudan and @RMantri. Their work makes rich contributions to intellectual discourse. I hope you read it too... https://t.co/fcAiPr4mM4 — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 19, 2020 × "Our book is about political philosophy and public policy, so there could not be a bigger recognition than the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi himself, reading and recommending it. We did not expect PM Modi’s praise for our work. We are grateful that he took the time to engage with the ideas we presented in the book, and it goes without saying that has increased the effective audience of the book multifold," the authors told wionews.com, in an exclusive conversation. The name of the book is particularly interesting. Because every person has his/her own understanding and idea of what India has been and what it should be. So how does their idea of new India stand to influence people differently? "The idea of India we espouse is not one that is definitive or exclusive, and it is as descriptive as it is prescriptive. It is one of 'individual rights in a civilisational state', which is also the subtitle of the book. It builds on the ancient ethos of India - Dharma - while contextualizing it for the present times. After Partition and Independence, India formed a Republic which still emphasised group rights and identities in the eyes of the State while underplaying the ancient heritage of the land and its peoples," they said, adding, "India chose a hypocritical, inefficient and corrupt economic model while declining to ally with the leading democracies of the era in the name of postcolonialism. Our book is meant as a corrective, but we welcome critiques and new ideas. India is ancient but the republic is new. Similarly, our cultures are old but our citizens are young. We try to reconcile that." Talking of critiques, for the better part of seven decades after India achieved its Independence, the Nehruvian idea of the country held sway in its polity. And any criticism of the way India has been functioning can be attributed to that period of time. The authors partly agree. They said, "Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his colleagues -- initially including Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, BR Ambedkar, SP Mukherjee and C Rajagopalachari -- had a very challenging task when India became independent. Nehru’s governance paradigm had three key pillars of socialism, non-alignment (that eventually placed India in the Communist camp during the Cold War), and a politically convenient distortion of secularism. This paradigm was carried forward by his daughter, grandson and in a different version his granddaughter-in-law but it did not succeed in building a secure, prosperous India even as decade after decade rolled on after 1947. "Yes, there was much progress in absolute terms but compared to people's aspirations and many other similarly placed countries, India did not quite succeed. That is fairly obvious even though we can quibble on the details." But didn't the class difference and the basic way of governing came as an extension of the monarchy and British rule that were there till India gained its Independence? "To some extent, yes, they did. But this too was a failing of -- or choice of -- those who led India after Independence. In many ways, the new elite decided -- perhaps, subconsciously -- that it wanted to replace the colonial elite," Madhusudan and Mantri said. The young authors consider the lack of awareness among people of India as one of the major challenges towards achieving the ultimate goal. "We think a key challenge will be simply for people to learn about the issues from first principles. The issues need to be discussed threadbare, and another key challenge will be achieving an exchange where all sides approach each other with respect when debating these critical national issues. Important topics in areas as diverse as economic policy, national security, historiography, the freeing of Hindu temples and schools, personal civil laws, gender equity and so on need to be discussed with scholarship," they told wionews.com. Harsh Madhusudan added, "We are against political correctness for the sake of it, but we must also work towards more sensitivity without totally giving up on wit and the occasional barb. Some excusable mistakes will be made but we can collectively make present day India worthy of its heritage again." In every democratic system of the world, the opposition plays the most important role -- to question the governance. But the recent victories of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies have decimated the concept. Does India feel the lack or need? "Every democracy should have a robust opposition. However, opposition can come from many sources, not just from political parties although that is also necessary. India in any case has federalism and a bicameral legislature. We feel that any BJP-led government is additionally kept in check by its own supporters. That is the power of a movement committed explicitly to ideas - the focus stays on the policy and political objectives of the movement. The philosophy is the north star. Contrast this with political parties that are essentially crowds around a family," the authors said. So has the Indian National Congress failed to capitalise on its foundation? "Unfortunately, there is nothing Indian or National or Congressional about the Indian National Congress anymore - pardon our reference to the famous quip about the Holy Roman Empire. The Congress is a party that has strayed very far from its roots, which is why the people of India are rejecting it. To remain relevant, the Congress will have to make ideological concessions and reinvent itself," Madhusudan and Mantri said. An excerpt from the book -- On Kashmir, Pakistan and Karl Popper -- has particularly caught everyone's attention for the juxtaposition of political views it stands to represent. It says, "There is an inherent tension between, for example, support for absolute free speech and other liberties and the dystopia that may be caused by irrational and possibly violent intolerance of the chronically intolerant. Ideally, we would not like this tension to exist and prefer individual rights to be fully guaranteed by the State at all times. But there are cases where the exercise of such individual rights can lead to the demise of the very State that is supposed to protect these rights. How then does one square the circle once again?" (The excerpt is given at the end of the copy.) Experts have partly agreed, and begged to differ too. At the same time. To this end, the dynamic authors explained, "Karl Popper is among the greatest philosophers and thinkers of all time, and one of the key ideas he postulated, and which we have presented in the book, is that one should not tolerate those who are intolerant beyond a point. He also talked about historicism but let us focus on the insight that liberalism should not be used to destroy the conditions that enable that liberalism to survive and thrive. "Admittedly, the question of when the transitional point threatening the openness of societies occurs is subjective, and that is what we try to debate in the book. In most stable areas and normal conditions, where there is no de facto war-like situation, we would like near-absolute freedom of speech alongside an increase in state, policing and judicial capacity. Importantly, the lack of blasphemy and apostasy as concepts in our Dharmic heritage provide strong support for this position." They added, "But Popper's key point remains that ultimately freedom cannot be used to subvert freedom itself. In 1863, US President Abraham Lincoln suspended habeas corpus during the American Civil War, when he was leading the fight to preserve the American republic and end the scourge of slavery. India too should preserve this civilisational republic of ours and defeat any theocratic or separatist designs that some groups may have. To that extent, it does not matter what some intellectuals or commentators may say here or abroad." The book 'A New Idea of India' constructs and expounds on a new framework beyond the rough and tumble of partisan politics. It has been authored by Harsh Madhusudan and Rajeev Mantri, and the foreword has been written by Sanjeev Sanyal. Madhusudan and Mantri's partnership has been over a decade long. "We connected first on social media just before the 2009 general election campaign. We have known each other for over a decade now and have collaborated on over fifty articles and essays," Rajeev Mantri said, adding, "Sanjeev Sanyal has been a mentor and friend to both of us, and he along with the bestselling author Amish was instrumental in encouraging us to write this book. Their support gave us a lot of confidence to pursue the project. When we finished the manuscript, Sanjeev Sanyal was the first person we thought of when we thought of the Foreword, and we were delighted when Sanjeev agreed to do so." 'A New Idea of India: Individual Rights in a Civilisational State' has been published by Westland, and is priced at a little over Rs 600. It's Kindle edition is also available on amazon.in -- at the price of Rs 499. Harsh Madhusudan and Rajeev Mantri aim to release at least one Indian language translation of the book next year. EXCERPT: On Kashmir, Pakistan and Karl Popper The philosopher Karl Popper wrote in his classic work The Open Society and Its Enemies that if we want to see tolerance thrive, it is very important that we do not tolerate intolerance beyond a point. I do not imply, for instance, that we should always suppress the utterance of intolerant philosophies; as long as we can counter them by rational argument and keep them in check by public opinion, suppression would certainly be unwise. But we should claim the right to suppress them if necessary even by force; for it may easily turn out that they are not prepared to meet us on the level of rational argument, but begin by denouncing all argument; they may forbid their followers to listen to rational argument, because it is deceptive, and teach them to answer arguments by the use of their fists or pistols. We should therefore claim, in the name of tolerance, the right not to tolerate the intolerant. There is an inherent tension between, for example, support for absolute free speech and other liberties and the dystopia that may be caused by irrational and possibly violent intolerance of the chronically intolerant. Ideally, we would not like this tension to exist and prefer individual rights to be fully guaranteed by the State at all times. But there are cases where the exercise of such individual rights can lead to the demise of the very State that is supposed to protect these rights. How then does one square the circle once again? Let us go from the abstract to the specific and consider the case of Kashmir. The issue there is much less complicated than has been made out by umpteen talking heads and commentators, who cannot see the obvious reality right in front of them due to their desire for political correctness. The Kashmir valley, an area of about 4,000 square kilometres, has an overwhelming demographic dominance of Sunni Muslims, a dominance that was secured by the violent and brutal expulsion of Kashmiri Hindus from there in 1990. The area being adjacent to Pakistan, a few want to secede from ‘Hindu’ India in the name of their religion. The media often conflates this relatively small area with all of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, which has a total land area of over 222,000 square kilometres. There are obviously geographical, historical and legal factors that can be debated about this region until the cows come home, but the fundamental sore point for Pakistan is, how can a Muslim-majority border region be a part of India and not of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan? How should India react to Pakistan’s revanchism? One school of thought says let us not hold any people, even if within a small valley, against their will. But then, what would be the implications of a second religious partition for India? It would imply that a minority that becomes a majority in an Indian state can never be truly Indian, and this may cause further fissures within the rest of India. This is not just a hypothetical scenario. Demographic changes in Kerala, West Bengal and Assam are moving in that direction, as census data from 2001 and 2011 show. In West Bengal, the Muslim population increased by 21.8 per cent between 2001 and 2011, compared to 10.8 per cent for the Hindu population. In Kerala, the Muslim population increased by 12.8 per cent between 2001 and 2011, compared to 2.2 per cent for the Hindu population. In Assam, the Muslim population increased by 29.5 per cent between 2001 and 2011, compared to 10.9 per cent for the Hindu population. Should India just wait for that to happen? Obviously not. No State would tolerate that, and the civilisational state of India, that is Bharat certainly would not. For Bharat is nothing without Dharma, as Sri Aurobindo said in his 1909 Uttarpara speech80 before he retired to a life of spiritual exploration. It is important to contrast the secessionist demands of the Sunni Muslim Kashmir Valley with such demands in, say, Catalonia (Spain), Scotland (United Kingdom) or Quebec (Canada). Any successful secession in the latter cases would result in a new nation–state within the broader West. In the first two cases, the new countries would be within not just the West but also within the European Union. Even a free Quebec would almost certainly be absorbed into NAFTA’s successor trade framework and the NATO security grouping. There is a civilizational logic to these inclusions and exclusions. Turkey, for example, could never enter the European Union and is plausibly going to leave NATO as well. The renowned British philosopher Roger Scruton remarked while building on the work of constitutional jurist Jeremy Rabkin, ‘The nation–state has been the greatest guarantor of freedom in the modern world, precisely because it establishes a territorial, rather than religious, jurisdiction. It is this that enables the nation–state to treat citizenship, rather than creed, as the criterion of membership.’81 Still, his view must be seen in the European historical context of medieval religious wars. It is important to belabour this point—if Northern Ireland unites with the Republic of Ireland and breaks with Union of England and Wales (and perhaps Scotland), as is plausible in the next few years,82 it is partially because of demographic changes (for the first time in centuries probably Catholics outnumber Protestants), but also because of ideological changes, namely, the Republic of Ireland as part of the larger civilisational entity of the European Union and in keeping with the zeitgeist of secular modernity, has given up draconian restrictions on abortion and has had a mixed-race prime minister from the LGBT community. No heretics are of course being killed, and there is no de facto concept of religious speech being declared as blasphemous by the State. With the sharp edges gone, the two Irelands can focus on the commonalities of their shared ethnolinguistic, Christian and now liberal heritage, egged on by the decision of Brexit. Seen from this civilisational framework, any new Western country would simply mean a rearrangement of internal civilisational boundaries akin to the creation of a new state such as Telangana or Jharkhand within India. On the other hand, the so so-called freeing of Kashmir—whether through ‘azaadi’ or formal merger with Pakistan—would mean the loss of territory to a hostile civilisational unit. That is the reality. Let us, for a moment, see Kashmir as Northern Ireland, Pakistan as the Republic of Ireland, and India as the United Kingdom (in which case, the rest of India is Great Britain). Some people can argue that for demographic and geographical reasons, Kashmir (more specifically the Valley districts) should go to Pakistan. But there are many objections to this. First, the Partition was never about a one-to-one mapping to religious demographics even though that was the broad principle. Second, Pakistan is not like the Irish Republic in this thought experiment. Pakistan has not even remotely experienced any period of secular–liberal Enlightenment which would make the minorities, including many Shias and Muslim liberals, in the Valley comfortable about joining that setup (and even independence would be practically joining Pakistan, given the Valley’s landlocked geography). Third, even if Pakistan were to miraculously go through a genuine secularisation process, the principle of self-determination applies significantly less to a democratic, pluralistic setup such as India’s as compared to a theocratic or authoritarian one. If the United States can sacrifice around 6,00,000 of its young men in the sparsely populated 1860s and temporarily suspend civil liberties to preserve the Union and break the back of slavery, India can, and will, fight to keep the Union and defeat theocracy. Finally, quite simply, Kashmir is integral to India’s civilisational heritage, given its millennia-old Hindu and Buddhist history. FUN FACT: Within minutes of the prime minister posting the appreciation tweet, the mentioned website crashed due to unexpected traffic. Rajeev Mantri informed he was working with the hosting service providers to fix the server. He wrote, “The book website linked to by the Prime Minister has gone down due to the surge in traffic, we are working with the hosting provider to fix it! Please bear with us.” The book website linked to by the Prime Minister has gone down due to the surge in traffic, we are working with the hosting provider to fix it! Please bear with us 🙏 https://t.co/rYo0PvX9Y2 — Rajeev Mantri (@RMantri) November 19, 2020 ×

Harsh Madhusudan, Rajeev Mantri speak to WION about their book, the one that PM Modi endorsed on Twitter

Rare books worth over $3.3 million were stolen&nbsp;in London by a Romanian gang in 2017. Over 240 books that were stolen&nbsp;have now been returned to their owners.&nbsp;

To avoid setting off the alarms, the thieves abseiled from the warehouse ceiling, which is why they’ve been called&nbsp;the “Mission: Impossible” gang.&nbsp;

The group of men was jailed in Britain in October. Owing to their technique for stealing the books, the men received the coveted “Mission: Impossible” title. In the 1996 film starring Tom Cruise, a similar scene took place.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/model-china-why-the-dragon-is-rewriting-school-textbooks-in-hong-kong-322257" hreflang="en">'Model China': Why the Dragon is rewriting school textbooks in Hong Kong</a>

The books which were stolen include works of English scientist Isaac Newton, and Spanish artist Francisco Goya. Additionally, the content also referred to Galileo Galilei, as revealed by the Metropolitan Police.

The gang had stolen the books in January 2017 from a warehouse in Feltham, west London. At that point, the books were being held in the warehouse and were on their way to a book fair in the United States. The books were shipped from Italy and Germany.

<h6><img alt="A combination picture shows recovered stolen books in unknown location, picture obtained by Reuters on November 10, 2020" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a5671334-a0c6-4d05-95a1-e267d0a6fce0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29_113.jpg" />A combination picture shows recovered stolen books in unknown location, picture obtained by Reuters on November 10, 2020 | Reuters</h6>

The burglars cut holes in the fence of the warehouse, and then cut holes into the roof skylights, from where they got down through shelves.

According to Reuters, this was one among 12 burglaries undertaken by this group - all linked to Clamparu - an organised crime group based in eastern Romania.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/pak-bans-over-100-textbooks-over-objectionable-content-not-showing-pok-part-of-country-315891" hreflang="en">Pak bans over 100 textbooks over 'objectionable content', not showing PoK part of country</a>

As part of their operations, the gang would fly to different countries and leave soon after committing the crime. Twelve members of this group have been jailed with terms ranging from 8 months to over 5 years.

The books were found hidden underneath a house in Romania, after which they were transported to the country’s National Library. Soon after, the original owners returned to retrieve the books.

Rare books worth over $3.3 million were stolen in London by a Romanian gang in 2017. Over 240 books that were stolen have now been returned to their owners. To avoid setting off the alarms, the thieves abseiled from the warehouse ceiling, which is why they’ve been called the “Mission: Impossible” gang.

Rare books worth over $3.3 million were stolen in London by a Romanian gang in 2017. Over 240 books that were stolen have now been returned to their owners. To avoid setting off the alarms, the thieves abseiled from the warehouse ceiling, which is why they’ve been called the “Mission: Impossible” gang. The group of men was jailed in Britain in October. Owing to their technique for stealing the books, the men received the coveted “Mission: Impossible” title. In the 1996 film starring Tom Cruise, a similar scene took place. Also read: 'Model China': Why the Dragon is rewriting school textbooks in Hong Kong The books which were stolen include works of English scientist Isaac Newton, and Spanish artist Francisco Goya. Additionally, the content also referred to Galileo Galilei, as revealed by the Metropolitan Police. The gang had stolen the books in January 2017 from a warehouse in Feltham, west London. At that point, the books were being held in the warehouse and were on their way to a book fair in the United States. The books were shipped from Italy and Germany. A combination picture shows recovered stolen books in unknown location, picture obtained by Reuters on November 10, 2020 | Reuters The burglars cut holes in the fence of the warehouse, and then cut holes into the roof skylights, from where they got down through shelves. According to Reuters, this was one among 12 burglaries undertaken by this group - all linked to Clamparu - an organised crime group based in eastern Romania. Also read: Pak bans over 100 textbooks over 'objectionable content', not showing PoK part of country As part of their operations, the gang would fly to different countries and leave soon after committing the crime. Twelve members of this group have been jailed with terms ranging from 8 months to over 5 years. The books were found hidden underneath a house in Romania, after which they were transported to the country’s National Library. Soon after, the original owners returned to retrieve the books.

Books worth millions stolen by Romanian 'Mission: Impossible' gang returned to owners

A copy of Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies sold for a stunning $9,978,000 as part of Christies “Exceptional Sale” in New York.

Shakespeare's work breaks own record

It was partly thanks to a bet with her sister that Agatha Christie wrote her first detective novel. Now, 100 years since it was published, the late author remains a household name, continuing to grow in popularity.

100 years on Agatha Christie still as popular

Paris bookstore Ici Librairie redrew its floor plan as it reopened on Monday (May 11) after France lifted strict lockdown measures in the fight against the novel coronavirus.

Paris bookstore reopens after lockdown, stacking alcohol gel next to bestsellers

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