'Criti....que not Criti....cize'

 Name of the book: Today’s Pasts: A Memoir Author: Bhisham Sahni Translated from Hindi to English by Snehal Shingavi Publisher: Penguin Group First published in Hindi as Aaj Ke Ateet by Rajkamal Prakashan 2004 Number of pages: 434 pages Price: Rs 499 “Life’s experiences couldn’t be considered irrelevant. These experiences provide perspective, improve perception, and affect a writer’s sensibility. I took courage from such notions.” – Bheesham Sahni Sahni (1915-2003) was a writer -- one of the icons of modern Indian literature -- who transformed the landscape of Hindi literature. From novels, short-stories, essays to plays, he has delivered many substantial works. He was the proud recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1975 for Tamas , his best-known novel that was subsequently adapted into an award-winning film by Govind Nihalani. Sahni was awarded the Padma Bhushan(1998) and the Shalaka Samman (1999)- the Delhi Government’s highest literary prize...

In The Shadows of Death: A Detective Agni Mitra Thriller by Sourabh Mukherjee My rating: 4 of 5 stars The New Year began and so did the Goodreads Reading Challenge for 2016. So I thought why not read something that I wouldn't normally read. So here I was, holding a copy of In The Shadows of Death: A Detective Agni Mitra Thriller. And then it began, a murder mystery that led to more murders even before the murderer was found! This was the first thriller that I read by an Indian author and he seems to have done a pretty good job. Any tale should be able to deftly tie up the loose threads towards the end but here, Sourabh not only ties all loose ends but also gives the reins of the tale to the reader. But hold on! It is not before he has brought in twists and turns to his satisfaction. A disturbed Officer with his own demons to fight at home is given the task of solving the mystery. In the process of finding the culprit, the professional task gets personal...