Sarnath Banerjee’s upcoming graphic novel depicts the travails of his alter-ego, Brighu, as he navigates middle age, a broken marriage, and fatherhood in a world he no longer recognises. As borders and boundaries redefine the contours of personal and political relationships, Brighu tries to hold on to the vestiges of a vanishing past by recounting stories to his young son, Jafar.
‘Absolute Jafar’, by Sarnath Banerjee, HarperCollins India, 272 pages, ₹799.
In 1967, when Kanwal Rekhi went up to Michigan Tech as a student, he became part of the first wave of Indian emigres to the US. Overcoming many obstacles, he eventually became a Silicon Valley tycoon, who hobnobbed with the likes of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Larry Page. In this memoir, he revisits the pivotal moments of his career, and offers a blueprint to aspiring techies.
‘The Groundbreaker’ , by Kanwal Rekhi, HarperCollins India, 288 pages, ₹799.
This anthology of essays, poems and short stories explores the theme of loneliness. If the covid-19 pandemic brought the pains of isolation home to millions, it also allowed many to find a bracing sense of pleasure in reclusion. Writers like Geetanjali Shree, Jeet Thayil and Annie Zaidi reflect on ideas of solitude, offering ways to grapple with it as well as turn it into a force for creativity.
‘Writing From the Solitary’ , edited by Priyanka Sarkar and Semeen Ali, Simon & Schuster and Yoda Press, 176 pages, ₹399.
For fans of cosy crime, this new series, featuring an ex-cop-turned-private investigator, promises much fun. The story begins with a woman’s murder but takes a circuitous turn through classical music and clues dating back to King Ashoka’s reign. In an unexpected turn of events, the detective in search of 7 murders finds her life becoming mired with this confounding case.
‘The Seventh Swar’, by Natasha Sharma, PanMacmillan, 224 pages, ₹399.
