Part 3 – Lincoln and God
Lincoln was steeped in Biblical knowledge. He peppered his speeches with quotes from the Bible. He made poetic allusions to biblical imagery too. In his…
Beautifully written — Michelangelo And the Pope’s Ceiling
I first read this book in 2004. Any visitor to The Sistine Chapel should read this book. It will greatly enhance your appreciation of the…
View More Beautifully written — Michelangelo And the Pope’s Ceiling
General history — Heaven on Earth: A Journey Through Shari‘a Law
The title of this book is inaccurate. Readers looking for a history of Islamic law will be disappointed. Readers looking for a history of the…
View More General history — Heaven on Earth: A Journey Through Shari‘a Law
Untouchability — The Doctor and the Saint: Caste, Race, and Annihilation of Caste
This book was first published as an introduction by Arundhati Roy for an annotated edition of Ambedkar’s pamphlet Annihilation of Caste in 2014. It is…
View More Untouchability — The Doctor and the Saint: Caste, Race, and Annihilation of Caste
Historical travel — The Nile
Alan Moorehead ‘s 2 books on the Nile river are highly recommended. Superbly told with quotes and lavishly illustrated with old prints and colour plates…
View More Historical travel — The Nile
A sad tragedy – China’s Civil War (New Approaches to Asian History)
This book is a tour de force. In a mere 280 pages, Lary has packed quotes, writings, and data that conveyed well the tragedy that…
View More A sad tragedy – China’s Civil War (New Approaches to Asian History)
A joy to hear – Dr No
I read Dr No when I was in form 2 in 1978. Hearing it read out by an excellent reader gives a new dimension of…
View More A joy to hear – Dr No
A memoir of trauma
The People’s Republic of China celebrated its 70th anniversary on 1 Oct 2019. Founded on 1 Oct 1949 after Mao defeated Chiang Kai Shek, China…
View More A memoir of trauma
Social history – The British in India: Three Centuries of Ambition and Experience
This 2018 book does not focus on the politics of the British Raj. Neither does it focus on famous politicians. Instead, the spotlight is on…
View More Social history – The British in India: Three Centuries of Ambition and Experience
A gem – Brunelleschi’s Dome: The Story of the Great Cathedral in Florence
A gem of a book. In a mere 167 pages, you get a good idea of the genius of Filippo Brunelleschi. You also get a…
View More A gem – Brunelleschi’s Dome: The Story of the Great Cathedral in Florence
Chinese poetry
There are 2 famous Chinese poems on family infighting for the throne. One is from The Three Kingdoms era. The second is from the Tang…
View More Chinese poetry