Supremely personal, yet always probing and analytical, this rich collection of thought-provoking short prose—part memoir, part essay, part literary criticism—by “one of the best in a generation of Indian authors” (New York Times Book Review) takes us on a delightful journey of discovery. Shashi Tharoor tells us what Iraqis go through in their beleaguered land merely to get hold of a book, and how selling books from their own libraries on the street helps many put bread on the table. He reminisces about growing up with books in India and discusses the importance of the Mahabharata in Indian life and history. He also offers a poignant homage to Pablo Neruda and astute views on Salman Rushdie and India’s love for Wodehouse, Pushkin, Kipling, Le Carré, and Churchill that make for fascinating reading. Tharoor’s insightful takes on Hollywood and Bollywood will intrigue even the most demanding cinephile. Pondering world affairs, Tharoor declares that “the defining features of today’s world are the relentless forces of globalization—the same forces used by terrorists in their macabre dance of death and destruction.”

Together, these forty pieces reveal the inner workings of one of today’s most eclectic writers and form a lovely testament to the power of literature to enrich and transform lives.