RIOT by SHASHI THAROOR

Good News to all the book lovers…our library has fresh stock of the general edition books!!!!

You can choose from a variety of authors. For the fiction lovers there is the-Cornwell series and for the people reading on an intellectual level you have many biographies, Anita Desai, Shashi Tharoor, Gomez etc.
P.S. – Theres  Chetan Bhagat’s new novel (2-states)too..!!!

2009 was the 17^th year of the Babri Masjid riots which tore apart the northern part of our country and Shashi Tharoor’s novel “RIOT” touches upon this topic only.

Intellectually provocative and emotionally charged, Riot is a book about ownership of history, about love, hate , cultural collision , religious fanatism , and the impossibility of knowing the truth. I know many of you guyz are going to be turned off right now only as the subject of the book has all the making of a heavy novel which can go into heavy duty preaching (sometimes) but here lies the beauty of the book

• The narrative moves forward through a collection of Letters written by Priscilla to her friend wherein she pours her heart out . The
  letters leave a strong impact because you know the person doesn’t exist now. Yes Priscilla Hart was one of those people who was killed in the riot.

• Through the Diary entries of Lakshman the DM. Wherein he writes about his feelings towards Priscilla & his pull for duty towards his country & his family.

• Through the interviews taken by the American Journalist Randy Diggs
• Through the diary entries of parents of Priscilla, where we can easily see the loss the parents are going through and to some extent they hold themselves responsible for it.Sometimes this kind of narrative becomes boring as usually it’s in third
  person. But out here it keeps you hooked because the Author very beautifully alternates the heavy narrative with lighter
  one. If there is a chapter of Priscilla pouring out her heart then the next
  would be the interview of the local professor.

  The author has chronicled the Riots Post Independence till Babri Masjid. He does so by interviewing a representative of the affected community. These characters are an integral part of the plot.
  The discussions there are worth more than a thought.

Shashi Tharoor has connected all the chapters so well that it leaves you spell
bounded. Sometimes when we are lectured things don’t get into our mind. But if the same thing is presented in subtle manner it affects you more. You don’t
know what hits you. And that’s the impact of the book.

In my life I always have had strong views about certain things. But this book has really changed my view, because, I tried to think as rationally as the author has written the book.