scorecardresearch
Add as a preferred source on Google
Sunday, January 18, 2026
HomePageTurnerBook Excerpts

Book Excerpts

Anthony Hopkins only read 15 pages of The Silence of the Lambs script. ‘Best part I’ve ever read’

In his memoir, 'We Did Ok, Kid', Anthony Hopkins discusses his difficult childhood, film and theatre career, struggles with addiction, and path to sobriety.

How India built a bridge in Nepal, one Bollywood blockbuster at a time

Edited by Ranjit Rae, 'Shared Bonds, Strategic Interests' explores the ups and downs of the complex relationship between India and Nepal.

I cried during my research years because I struggled with my Sanskrit texts: Ananya Vajpeyi

In ‘Place' by Ananya Vajpeyi discusses her time studying the ancient Indian language in Bengaluru in 1999 and the struggles she faced.

Govt doesn’t name tribal lands on maps for megaprojects

In ‘Island on Edge: The Great Nicobar Crisis,' Pankaj Sekhsaria explores the plight of the indigenous Nicobarese and how mega-development projects threaten their existence.

Why I still have an Indian passport—there is love and loyalty, but also guilt

In 'Travels in the Other Place', Pallavi Aiyar explores the pros and cons of having an Indian passport, and why it remains a symbol of its multiplicities and contradictions.

How Hindu polytheism survived Islamic invasion and colonial conquest

In 'The Decline of the Hindu Civilization', Shashi Ranjan Kumar explores how and why Hindu civilisation faltered across culture, politics, and thought.

84% of Indian IT employees have fatty liver disease. Cutting calories won’t fix it

In 'Sick Nation', Karan Sarin offers a proactive, preventative protocol for metabolic health—designed to detect and address insulin resistance in Indians.

‘Deadline’ originally meant a line in a US prison yard. Cross it and you’d be shot dead

In 'Stories of Words and Phrases', Sumanto Chattopadhyay peels back the layers of language and takes us on a rollicking ride to demystify the origins and meanings of common words and quirky idiomatic expressions.

Salman Khan didn’t like how ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’ ended. He wanted Nandini to choose Sameer

In her book, 'Salman Khan', Mohar Basu traces the actor's journey through controversies and comebacks, blockbusters and hard-learnt lessons of life.

‘Tamils will all be killed.’ The terror of Sri Lanka’s militant monks

In 'The Robe and the Sword', Sonia Faleiro uncovers how militant monks in Asia have transformed a tradition of nonviolence into a tool of terror.

On Camera

Harmlessly mean is the new flirting strategy. It comes in 2 flavours—negging & rage-baiting

Most people can tell the difference between someone being harmlessly mean and someone who simply enjoys tearing down another person’s self-esteem.

Wharton India Economic Forum: How India’s sustainability transition is turning pragmatic

Experts discuss India’s sustainability journey and how it is evolving from a narrative of climate intent to one grounded in economics, infrastructure, and long-term returns.

The curious case of Pakistan’s JF-17 ‘orders’

Pakistan lacks capacity to deliver aircraft at pace suggested by its claimed contracts as it depends on China for avionics, electronic warfare, weapons, and on Russia for engines. 

Pakistan se azaadi. Grow up India, stop giving it prime real estate in your psyche

Pakistan not only has zero chance of catching up with India in most areas, but will inevitably see the gap rising. Its leaders will offer its people the same snake oil in different bottles.