Book Title: Lords of the Deccan
Author: Anirudh Kanisetti
Chiki Sarkar
Publisher, Juggernaut
One of the most talked about history books of 2022, ‘Lord of the Deccan’ tells the story of the Chalukya dynasty with amazing research and the narrative skills of a novel. Kanisetti is a young star in the making and we are very excited to have published this.
Lords of the Deccan
by Anirudh Kanisetti
This dark, ambitious and disturbing novel won the JCB Prize in 2022, and remains one of the most important and interesting novels we published this year.
The Paradise of Food
by Khalid Jawed
This is my book of the year. It tells the story of the Sackler dynasty and how they helped create the opioid crisis in USA. I couldn’t put it down.
Empire of Pain
by Patrick Ridden Keefe
After the August attack on him, I re-read Salman Rushdie’s memoir, and it was as good, in fact even better than I had remembered.
Joseph Anton
by Salman Rushdie
Gautam Padmanabhan
Business Head, Westland Books
The Elvis biopic directed by Baz Luhrmann made me want to learn more about the King of Rock ’n’ Roll. Peter Guralnick’s exhaustive two-volume biography is the definitive book on the artiste. I finished Volume I and look forward to reading the second soon.
Last train to Memphis
by Peter Guralnick
A fine instalment in the crime fiction series featuring British detective Sam Whyndham and his sidekick Surendranath Banerjee. Set mostly in Calcutta of the 1920s, these novels also capture the mood of a nation in transition as the freedom struggle gains pace.
Death in the East
by Abir Mukherjee
Brunton approaches his quest to find the true holy men of India with the mind of a western sceptic. As he travels across the country, he meets both charlatans and true mystics. First published in the 1930s, the book continues to be relevant and insightful.
A Search in Secret India
by Paul Brunton
Tarantino shares his passion for movies in this memoir of the films that made an impression on him in his formative years. This mix of film and personal history works as a window into the mind of one of the most celebrated filmmakers of our time.
Cinema Speculation
by Quentin Tarantino
Poulomi Chatterjee
Publisher, HarperCollins India
This is one of the most poignant, moving stories that I’ve read this year. Set in Bengal during the freedom movement, it is about three sisters and their trials and tribulations as they navigate love and loss and discover what Independence really means.
Independence
by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
This is essentially about the relationship of people with the land they live on. A lyrical novel, it’s a tale of four generations set in the lush lands of Wayanad. This is eco-fiction at its best.
Valli — a novel
by Sheela Tomy
This is a little-known true story of an unusual life with an inspiring woman protagonist. A young girl learns to fight and participates in the freedom struggle. Originally written in Japanese, this was translated into English by Asha-san’s granddaughter-in-law.
The War Diary of Asha-San
by Lt Bharati ‘Asha’ Sahay Choudhry
It has a thrilling combination of parallel worlds, shifting timelines along with gripping characters, as compelling as her previous book, ‘Station Eleven’. This one is for all the fans of sci-fi, speculative and dystopian fiction.
The Sea of Tranquility
by Emily St John Mandel
Milee Ashwarya
Publisher, Penguin Random House
This Booker-winner has bought attention to translations in India like none other. It’s a landmark book not only for publishing in India but the entire industry.
Tomb of Sand
by Geetanjali Shree
Daaji’s newest offering is a one-of-its-kind book on parenting that combines traditional wisdom and scientific research. It’s extremely important given the times we’re living in and one book that I recommend to all families. It has a timeless quality.
The Wisdom Bridge
by Kamlesh D Patel
Akshaya Mukul’s ‘Writer, Rebel, Soldier, Lover’ is a deeply researched and brilliantly written book on the life and work of Agyeya. Arguably one of the best biographies of 2022.
Writer, Rebel, Soldier, Lover
by Akshaya Mukul
An important book about women, contemporary India and the world we live in that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. This engagingly written and powerful book will be a wonderful contribution to any reader’s library.
Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh
by Sharanya Bhattacharya
Priya Kapoor
Director, Roli Books
In the last 17 years that I’ve known Maj Gen Ian Cardozo, I’ve often asked him to record his own story. He finally relented and wrote a completely gripping, deeply moving book. A story of resilience, duty and honour, it is equally warm, funny. A must-read.
Cartoos Saab
by Maj Gen Ian Cardozo
This book traces the origins of how Indian textiles, colours, patterns and designs spread across the world and continue to inspire designers and international luxury houses. It is a visual treat with rare images from archives, private collections and museums.
Inspired by India
by Phyllida Jay
The book is a product of a decade’s research, where Rashmi rode the metro every day, observed co-passengers and interviewed them. It is a rich account of how the metro changed Delhi from an economic, social, political and architectural point of view.
Metronoma: Scenes from the Delhi Metro
by Rashmi Sadana
I love everything Tina Brown writes. She has enviable access. Who doesn’t love a good old scandal and a family saga that includes affairs, feuding brothers, all in the backdrop of royalty and glamour! The word ‘delicious’ best describes ‘The Palace Papers’.
The Palace Papers
by Tina Brown
