E-Paper
HT Picks; New Reads
On the reading list this week is a book that looks at China’s Belt and Road Initiative and what its failure might mean for that country, the definitive account of what really happened when Musk showed up to takeover Twitter, and the first ever rendition of the Ramayana written exclusively for babies
Hurdles along the new Silk Route
The Belt and Road Initiative, when first unveiled by Xi Jinping in 2013, was envisioned as even bigger and grander than America’s Marshall Plan. Famously referred to as the ‘New Silk Route’, it proposed an overland ‘Silk Road Economic Belt’ connecting China with Europe through Central Asia and the ‘Maritime Silk Road’ that the Chinese claim existed in ancient times across the Indian Ocean. The BRI would not only restore China’s glory as a global trading nation, but also establish its status as the world leader, overtaking the United States.
A decade later, not everyone in Asia and the Pacific shares Xi’s visions of a China-dominated future. Countries like Sri Lanka and Laos have fallen into Chinese debt traps due to the loans they took as part of the BRI, in others like Thailand and Central Asian republics, Chinese investment is unwelcome; and in some, like Pakistan, the opposition to China’s forays has been outright violent.
In The End of the Chinese Century?, journalist Bertil Lintner takes us through the history of the BRI and China’s global expansionist plans. He casts and expert eye on the once-much-vaunted project’s future and what its failure might mean for the ‘Chinese Century’ – and how that would affect India, which continues to be a counterpoint to China on the world stage.*
Revenge of the “woke mind virus”
In a world of viral ideas and emotion, who gets to control the narrative, who gets to be heard, and what does power really cost?
This is the story of the showdown between Elon Musk and Twitter and how the richest man on earth suddenly came to control one of the most powerful media platforms in the world. In Character Limit, award-winning reporters Kate Conger and Ryan Mac draw on exclusive interviews, unreported documents and internal Twitter recordings to provide a revelatory, three-dimensional, and definitive account of what really happened when Musk showed up to takeover Twitter, spoiling for a brawl and intent on revolution, with his merciless, sycophantic cadre of lawyers, investors, and bankers.
In part, this is the story of Twitter’s founder, Jack Dorsey, who idealistically dreamed of building a ‘digital town square’ but detested Wall Street and never built a profitable business, and Musk, one of the site’s most influential users with over 70 million followers. To Musk, Twitter ― once known for its almost absolute commitment to free speech ― had utterly lost its way. Blaming it for the proliferation of what he called the “woke mind virus”, he claimed that the survival of humanity itself depended on the future of the site.
In January 2022, Musk began secretly accumulating Twitter stock. By April, he was its largest shareholder, and, soon after, he made an unsolicited offer to purchase the company for the unimaginable sum of $44 billion. Backed into a corner, Twitter’s board accepted his offer ― only for Musk to change his mind, forcing Twitter to sue him.
Drawing on unparalleled sources, this is the defining story of our time told in vivid, cinematic detail.*
For tiny hands and curious minds
Join Prince Rama in an exciting adventure in the first ever Ramanyana written exclusively for babies. A joyful tale of how good always wins, this book is perfect for tiny hands and curious minds. Ramayana for Babies by Sudhamahi Regunathan is a delightful retelling of the epic adventure of good over evil for your kids. The distinctive illustrations by Rayika Sen capture the essence of the many vibrant characters of the epic. The author’s other works include books on tribal faiths, an understanding of Jianism, Buddhist practices and Vedic traditions while the illustrator Rayika Sen specializes in creating children’s content with her work including Ruskin Bond’s illustrated biography and a collection of poems by Gulzar. Bringing their varied skills together, they have created an attractive book that parents will enjoy reading out loud to their very little children.
*All copy from book flap.
