Myths and Memoirs To Read This Month

BAAT NIKLEGI TOH PHIR — THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF JAGJIT SINGH
SATHYA SARAN
HARPER COLLINS INDIA
The Sikh gurbani was probably his first brush with music, but for Jagmohan Singh — who soon became Jagjit Singh — the art form would go on to be what the world recognised him for. Arguably one of the country’s best ghazal singers, Singh’s journey from the lanes of Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan to international stages was not a cakewalk. Chronicling this story, the book is replete with quotes from family, friends and the late singer himself, and chapters are interspersed with lyrics of Singh’s popular numbers. Anecdotes by people close to the maestro and those who interacted with him enliven the narrative. For those who can’t get enough of Hothon Se Choo Lo Tum, here’s a chance to know the genius behind that voice.

THE EDGE OF ANOTHER WORLD
PEPITA SETH
SPEAKING TIGER BOOKS
Filled with mystery, drama and lessons in history, Seth’s second novel tells the tale of three people — Sophia, Thattakutty and Inês — who live in different times but whose lives are interconnected in various ways. The story takes readers on a journey through modern-day Malabar and 16th-century Portugal, letting them discover the secrets of the characters and places along the way. Though the action may seem to be slowing down in parts, the Padmi Shri awardee’s work of fiction is worth a read for its unusual narrative and captivating characters. And to know what it is that binds the three protagonists’ lives together.

PRADYUMNA — SON OF KRISHNA
USHA NARAYANAN
PENGUIN METRO READS
A dark prophecy. Good versus evil. Tales of revenge. Narayanan’s second novel, a mythological thriller, has all the elements of a potboiler and delves into the action from the word go. The characters — from the titular Pradyumna and his father, Lord Krishna, to Rukmini, Parvati and Duryodhana — are familiar to all those who love the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Their conversations, thoughts and actions make them seem only too human, and help readers identify with them. This is one for the action lovers (and book two is soon to follow).