Book Reviews
Book Reviews

Mecca: The Sacred City || A 10 point book review

Mecca is the most important religious place for Muslims all over the world. It is, as the author mentions, the heart of Islam. It’s the direction Muslims face when they pray and the site of the annual pilgrimage of Haj, which is performed by almost 2 Million people every year. It’s not for nothing that the word ‘Mecca’ has entered the English language meaning “a place regarded as a center for a specific group, activity, or interest” (Merriam-Webster). This book details the history of the city from pre Islamic times to the modern era. Filled with insights dealing with both religious and non-religious aspects, this books examines the social, physical and cultural points that makes Mecca one of the most influential cities on Earth.

Horror: A Literary History || A 10 point book review

This book, as the name suggests, is a history of horror fiction i.e. horror in the written form; short stories, novellas, novels etc. It starts from the first gothic horror novel which was published in 1764, The Castle of Otranto (which I have read and written about here) and ends with the horror of modern times which is dominated by one author, Stephen King. Over the course of seven chapters, each written by an expert, the book traces the evolution of horror over the past 250 years.

Print & the Urdu Public || A 10 point book review

Madinah was an Urdu newspaper which was published from a small town called Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh, India from 1912 till 1973. This book is primarily a study of this hugely influential newspaper and the time and space of its existence. The author, Megan Eaton Robb, who is an Associate Professor in Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania looks at the prevailing political and religious climate of the early 1900s India and how Muslims of small localities or qasbahs used newspapers printed in their qasbahs to create a discourse unique to them and went on to become an influential voice nationally as well as internationally. This book is also a good reminder of the role played by Muslims in India’s freedom struggle.

Ice Ghosts || A 10 point book review

The disappearance of the 1845 Franklin expedition, with two ships, HMS Terror and HMS Erebus, to find the Northwest Passage remained a mystery for more than 150 years. What happened to those ships? Did anyone survive? Could the wrecks ever be found? These questions, along with hundreds others, remained unanswered until finally in 2014, the first breakthrough came. In an expedition led by Parks Canada, Inuit communities and other researchers, the wreck of HMS Erebus was found. Two years later, in 2016, the wreck of HMS Terror was found. This book traces the history of the all the expeditions that were undertaken to find what happened to the two ships from the first one after the disappearance till the one in 2016. Featuring a diverse set of characters, officials with government support, arm chair researchers, everyday people with an intense interest in the Franklin expedition, Inuit communities and military, Ice Ghosts reads like an adventure novel.

A Question of Power || A 10 point book review

Electricity is one of the key drivers of today’s economies and societies, without which life as we know it will collapse. In A Question of Power, energy analyst and journalist Robert Bryce examines the various aspects associated with Electricity; its generation, its history, energy poverty, challenges with the aging grid, the impact of reliable electricity on human development indices, generation through renewables and other points. Robert travels to many countries around the world including India, Iceland, Lebanon, Puerto Rico to get an on-the-ground look at various issues. He shows that our very lives and our future depend on electricity.

A History of Canada in Ten Maps || A 10 point book review

I once did a train journey across Canada from one end to another, which was around 4500 kms and took 5 days to cover. This shows how huge Canada is. In A History of Canada in Ten Maps, Adam shows how this huge country was mapped by courageous explorers and adventurers. As the name suggests, Adam takes 10 famous maps of Canada starting from the 1500s till 1820s and takes us behind to the stories and journeys of exploration which resulted in these maps.

Ulema’s Role in India’s Freedom Movements || A 10 point book review

The word ‘Ulema’ has been given such a negative connotation these days that the general public has no idea what exactly it means but only that its Muslim and bad. This book is a much needed English language work that details the contributions of Ulema i.e. Muslim Scholars during years before the first war of Independence of 1857, during it and later. It mentions eminent personalities like Shah Abdul Aziz, Shaikhul Hind, Ubaidullah Sindhi and others. It also details movements like the Faraizi movement and the Silk Letter movement.

A Short History of Malaysia || A 10 point book review

Mention Malaysia and one perhaps thinks of two things. One is the Petronas Twin Towers and the other the capital Kuala Lumpur. Maybe a smaller number of people may recall its memorable tourism campaign; “Malaysia. Truly Asia”. After reading this book the reader will fully understand why its so apt. It traces the evolution of a nation situated along one of the most important shipping routes in history. Throughout its history, people of diverse ethnicities have populated this land, including the Chinese, Indian Tamils, Malays, and indigenous groups shaping its unique structure. The book traces the history of the land beginning with the period before the first influential kingdom of the area, Melaka Sultanate, through it and the periods of occupation by the Portuguese, Dutch and the British, and concludes with the modern period.

The Incredible History of India’s Geography || A 10 point book review

India has some of the most unique features of geography in the world and this has shaped its rich and truly astonishing history. India is considered as one of the cradles of civilization and one of the world’s earliest urban cultures developed here in the Indus Valley Civilization. This book traces this relation between its geography and its impact on the people and the course of history. It starts from the Indus Valley Civilization and ends with the modern India.