Faith at one’s fingertips

A Maidan View: The magic of Indian Cricket (Penguin, Rs 295) by Mihir Bose is “an updated and revised edition” of one of the earliest “socio-historical” works on cricket in India. The game’s humble beginnings, its subsequent growth in the hands of the royalty, and its near-iconic status in modern times — Bose examines them all in an attempt to find out more about the intriguing relationship that cricket has forged with India. Some of the anecdotes may seem familiar but the readers won’t mind going through them one more time. The photographs which capture the myriad aspects of cricket are as illuminating.

Tales once told: Legends of Kerala (Penguin, Rs 200) by Abraham Eraly is a delightful little book that brings to life long lost fables. Clever sorcerers, haughty princes, gallant brigands and even temple elephants jostle for place on these pages that have an enchanting quality about them. Written in a simple, witty style, the book is bound to strike a chord with the old and the young alike.

The Penguin Dictionary of Religion in India (Rs 200) by Roshan Dalal has gone about fulfilling a complex task with military-like precision. This carefully documented reference guide is a dictionary which provides useful information on every kind of religion practiced in contemporary India. There are interesting accounts of patron saints, customs, rituals and festivals that dot the religious calendar of the country. Significantly, some light has also been shed on lesser-known forms of tribal and regional worship.The book also elucidates religious terms and concepts and attempts to trace the evolutionary history of the prevalent belief systems. In short, this is a compendium which puts the knowledge of different kinds of faith at one’s fingertips.

The Devil wears Prada (HarperCollins, Rs 250) by Lauren Weisberger brings to life the dilemmas of life aboard the world’s most fashionable magazine. Andrea may have been a greenhorn in the beginning of her stint, but she soon realizes that her “big break” comes with a set of harsh rules — wearing less than a three inch heal is sacrilege and leaving your desk is simply impossible. And then there is Miranda Priestly, Andrea’s boss, whose demands have to be met, even if it means dumping your friend who has just been arrested. Cheeky and irreverent, Weisberger’s book has been made into a Hollywood film.