This World Book Day, Bloomsbury Publishing India Pvt. Ltd. is delighted to announce an exciting new online series #BloomsburyPreviews; a day-long schedule where our authors bring to you the first looks of our fabulous forthcoming books. The authors will be Live on Bloomsbury India’s Facebook channel (@BloomsburyIndia) through the day tomorrow on April 23, talking about their works, the inspiration behind the book they have written and answering readers’ questions. Our list of authors cover a gamut of genres from fiction, mythology, memoir, sports, biographies, real-life events to name a few.
Reaching out in self-isolation:
In these unprecedented times, as we realign our plans digitally, Bloomsbury India is committed to bringing to its discerning readers, a platform to enjoy a lovely shared experience of our authors talking about their exhilarating writing journey.
Speaking about this novel initiative, Yogesh Sharma, Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing, Bloomsbury India said, “Bloomsbury Previews is a reminder that wheels of the global economy and our day-to-day lives will turn again, hopefully, sooner than later. Our strong publishing programme gives us immense hope and a lot to look forward to for everyone in the current lockdown. I hope everyone will enjoy a sneak peek at many exciting new books in what’s going to be a marathon day of literary delight on the 23rd April—a lit fest in its own right!”
Line-up for this {World Book Day Special} BLOOMSBURY PREVIEWS:
Sanjay Dixit – 11 a.m.
THE KRISHNA TRILOGY
A Unique Retelling
Sanjay Dixit is a prolific columnist with deep interest in Indian languages, economics, history, and philosophy. Through Krishna Trilogy, Sanjay seamlessly weaves the awe-inspiring narrative of Krishna’s role in Mahabharata covering his childhood, youth and adult life from multiple perspectives. Sanjay Dixit will reveal the final book in The Krishna Trilogy to his readers tomorrow.
Gautam Chintamani – 1 p.m.
THE SECOND TERM
Challenges at Home and Abroad for Modi 2.0
Providing an insider’s account of the BJP’s thought process going into its second term—including its goals to implement the CAA and NRC—journalist and author Gautam Chintamani examines the challenges faced by Modi government in delivering the promises made to the country and its allies, with the added strain of fixing the state of the economy exacerbated by the outbreak of the coronavirus.
Zia Us Salam – 2 p.m.
NIKAH HALALA
Sleeping with a Stranger
Ziya Us Salam is a seasoned writer and associated with The Hindu group. Nikah Halala presents the sordid reality of mock marriages against the background of Quranic injunction on the subject and exposes the departure in practice from the teachings of the holy book that gives divorced women complete freedom to follow their path.
Vijay and Akshay Lokapally – 3 p.m.
THE STORY OF INDIAN BADMINTON
The book is a gripping narrative of the rise of badminton in India. It is rich with anecdotes that capture the fascinating journey of the last 60 years.
Kaninika Mishra – 4 p.m.
THE INDIC QUOTIENT
Reclaiming Heritage Through Cultural Enterprise
Kaninika Mishra, a communications professional, celebrates the efforts of ordinary Indians as they reclaim their native identity with ingenuity.
Diksha Basu – 4:30 p.m.
DESTINATION WEDDING
What could go wrong at a lavish Indian wedding with your best friend and your entire family?
Tina wants to feel Indian. Really Indian. Not Indian in the sense of attending a yoga class in Brooklyn, in the country her parents moved to to make a new life for themselves. She wants to know the real India, only whenever she visits, people take her to bars and restaurants and boutiques that could be anywhere in the world.
She gets her chance to get to know the country when she heads to Delhi for her glamorous cousin Shefali’s week-long wedding, with her best friend Marianne, her parents and her mother’s all-American boyfriend in tow. Navigating a world of Delhi playboys, models, dating agencies for widows, and wedding guests with personal bodyguards, Tina is determined to have an authentic Indian experience, now if only someone would tell her what that was…
Sanjay Trivedi – 5 p.m.
THE UNTOLD STORY OF CHHOTA RAJAN
Senior investigative journalist Sanjay Trivedi gives an account of the deadliest years of the Indian underworld through the story of a less-talked-about Indian don, Chotta Rajan. Sanjay Trivedi has written this book out of his experiences (on the crime beat), extensive research, and interviews with Chhota Rajan, his family and several close aides.
Vijay Lokapally – 6 p.m.
SPEED MERCHANTS
The Story of Indian Pace Bowling 1886 to 2019
Indian cricket was traditionally known for its spin bowling. All that changed with the advent of the magnificent Kapil Dev in 1978. The floodgates really opened in the new millennium with Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan leading a revolution that today sees India’s pace attack as among the best in the world.
But how many know that from the late-nineteenth century right till the 1940s it was fast bowlers that shaped the early years of Indian cricket? From Pavri and Bulsara to Nissar and Amar Singh, batsmen from around the world found Indian pace bowling too hot to handle.
Vijay Lokapally has written on cricket for over three decades. In Speed Merchants, Vijay pays a tribute to the (cricketers) men of speed with prolific journalist Gulu Ezekiel.
Saba Karim Khan – 7 p.m.
SKYFALL
A story about the human endeavour and its desire for love in a time of hate
Rania is a tour guide by day and a classical singer-in-secret by night. Born in Heera Mandi, Lahore’s most famous red-light district, she has seen her madrassah-running father sell her mother’s body and beat her sister Ujala. But Rania is the ‘troublemaker’, the little bird who will fly beyond the stifling walls of the red light district and upend everything around her. She meets Asher, an Indian filmmaker, who encourages her to enrol in a singing contest that can take her to the US. As she wins the hearts of her listeners and Asher, there is trouble brewing. Ujala’s dangerous secret will lead her into a chain of events that will take her to a federal correctional centre in the US, accused of terrorism.
Tender, piercing, and filled with longing, Skyfall teaches us about the human endeavour and its desire for love in a time of hate. From the oppressive walls of Sherji’s religious hypocrisy to the orange jumpsuits of American prisons, Saba Karim Khan’s powerful debut is a fable for humanity.
Rituparna Chatterjee – 8 p.m.
THE WATER PHOENIX
A memoir of childhood abuse, healing and forgiveness
In this hypnotic magic realism memoir, Rituparna Chatterjee paints the inner life of a child growing up with abuse. Brave, evocative, gorgeous, and haunting, The Water Phoenix gives a voice to the countless children who appear okay on the outside but are silently shattered on the inside.
Vivek Agnihotri – 9 p.m.
INDIA ON SALE
The Tashkent Files
Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri is an award-winning filmmaker, bestselling author, and a free thinker. He will be raising questions on the mysterious circumstances that led to the death of Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri.