Note: I wrote this on my earlier blog hosted as http://parallelspirals.blogspot.com. I recovered the text from the WayBack Machine. This post appeared on December 10, 2010 as per the time stamp. I’m trying to collect here again all my old writings spread on various blogs.
I finished reading this book way back in August but did not get around to writing a review for it. I bought this book after seeing Joseph Thomas’ note. By the time he reviewed it his opinion had changed a bit. Just shows you how long ago that was.
I have read Annie Zaidi’s articles when she was in Frontline but not her blog. The book, though is mostly about her first foray into journalism and her beat visiting goondas in Northern India and the strange aura that surrounded them. She moves from understanding what moves these people from goondaism to what generally is lacking in provisions provided by the Government and moves towards human interest stories.
One of my favourite parts is where she talks about an Indian’s love for tea. I share this love but have started limiting my consumption of this liquid slowly. It is very difficult. She then moves to her blogging life and her work with the Blank Noise project.
Sadly, after this I have started going more towards music. Exams in between meant that this transitition was not as smooth as it could have been.
Parallel Spirals 