Aleph's 'Short Biography' Series Has Gems

Aleph Book Company’s ‘Short Biography’ series is a set of little gems. The biographies are of cities, but they’re not dry histories full of footnotes. The authors are insiders, and writers of repute, and these pocket-sized books are as much about their relationships with their cities as anything else. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the Patna book, am halfway through Madras, and Bombay waits impatiently in my book bag. And there are more of them around the corner.

If you’re looking for gifts for the festive season, these are excellent buys for anyone from these cities, or for people going there. Or even as a gift to yourself. Actually, don’t get tied down by the city connection; these are worth reading anyway.

A Short Biography of
Patna: City of Rats, by Amitava Kumar
Madras: Degree Coffee by the Yard, Nirmala Lakshman
Bombay: City Adrift, by Naresh Fernandes


Due in November and January respectively:
Calcutta: City of Delusions, by Indrajit Hazra
Delhi: Capital City, by Malvika Singh
And in end-2014, Lucknow, by Mushirul Hasan.
All at Rs 295
alephbookcompany.com