Errol Morris’ documentary on the life of John le Carre – The Pigeon Tunnel was a peek into the life of the probably the greatest spy novelist of all time. After watching it, I revisited my notes from his 2016 memoir of the same name, which I read three years back. The title refers to … Continue reading The Pigeon Tunnel
During my travels earlier this year, Jane Austen’s ‘Sense and Sensibility’ was the book for the long train journeys. Austen was just nineteen when she wrote the first draft and published it when she was around 35. The book, like most of Austen’s works is a critique of English society during the early nineteenth century. … Continue reading Austen’s ‘Sense and Sensibility’
When Joel Mokyr won the Economics Nobel this year, the chorus of appreciation for his work on Economic History was too loud to be ignored. So I picked up his ‘The Lever of Riches: Technological Creativity and Economic Progress’ which was published three and half decades ago. Mokyr’s core argument is that economic growth is … Continue reading Mokyr’s ‘The Lever of Riches’
In my line of work, one often witnesses the might of the Indian state. Yet its most comical manifestation is often found in the servile obsequiousness of the personal staff attending to government babus. When summoned, they stutter, stammer and words often fail them. The kinder we, to give them thanks for nothing.Our sport shall … Continue reading A Midsummer Night’s Dream
One of the most mind-boggling statistics that I’ve ever come across in all my reading was the one by Vaclav Smil on China’s cement consumption: In 2018 and 19, China produced nearly as much cement (about 4.4 billion tons) as did the United States during the entire 20th century (4.5 billion tons) Let that sink … Continue reading Impressions on China from Wang’s ‘Breakneck’
It's not often that one gets to attend three Carnatic music concerts over a single weekend in Delhi. Sanjay sang at the Andhra Bhawan this evening and he was in top form. As usual he was accompanied by Neyveli Venkatesh and Varadarajan. (The Men in White) Valachi - the Navaragamalika Varnam Parvataraja in Sriranjini (Dikshitar … Continue reading Sanjay Subrahmanyan at Andhra Bhawan
As part of the KNMA Music Festival, curated by TM Krishna, Jayanthi Kumaresh performed this morning at 7.30 am. Despite the hassle of roadblocks due to the Delhi Marathon, and the even bigger task of waking up and lugging two disgruntled kids at 6:30 a.m, we managed to make it on time.. She was accompanied … Continue reading Jayanthi Kumaresh at Sundar Nursery
I return to Delhi as I return to my mistress Bhagmati when I have had my fill of whoring in foreign lands. Delhi and Bhagmati have a lot in common. Having been long misused by rough people they have learnt to conceal their seductive charms under a mask of repulsive ugliness. It is only to … Continue reading The Khushwant Singh of Our Times
Last evening Ganesh and Kumaresh, performed at the Kamani Auditorium as part of the annual Parampara Festival organized each year by Natya Taringini. The concert was short and in under two hours, the duo performed: A Purvi Kalyani piece A Ragam Thanam Pallavi in Kalyanavasantam (a raagam I got to listen to after ages) and … Continue reading Ganesh-Kumaresh at Kamani
A Brighter Summer Day: The Taiwanese auteur Edward Yang’s masterpiece was a four hour long drama. I would have enjoyed it better had I seen it in one or maximum two sittings. The story takes place in the early sixties when many families who had fled from mainland China after 1949 were still struggling to … Continue reading What I Watched – September 2025
