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HT Picks; New Reads
On the reading list this week is a collection of pieces that are funny and wise, a book that unveils Japan’s customs, traditions, and practices that spark joy, and a meticulously researched portrait of Jagat Murari who set up the FTII
Why you shouldn’t murder your husband and other stories
Twinkle Khanna’s first book, Mrs Funnybones, was based on her newspaper columns. With Mrs Funnybones Returns, she is back, juggling kids, in-laws, menopause, work and the state of the nation with her trademark wit. Along the way she ruminates on why women shouldn’t murder their husbands and whether size really matters. With chapter headings like Adult Friendships Are So Hard, Yaar. Pinky Swear!, Married Not Branded, Ek Tha Tiger, Fifty Shades of Bigotry and Learning to Love Doggy Style, these pieces are funny and occasionally full of wisdom.*
From gardens to tea ceremonies
Though she’s known for “tidying up” and “sparking joy,” there’s more to Marie Kondo than her fervent desire to help you better appreciate your mess. Across book tours and international conferences, it became clear that her audience, while interested in how to keep their lives tidy, was also keen to learn about Marie herself and the culture that is intrinsic to her tidying method.Written with her television co-star Marie Iida, in Letter from Japan, Marie reflects on the myriad questions she received about her inspirations by examining the Japanese customs that she grew up with — minute details of tea ceremonies, the art of taking care of gardens, and the power of passing seasons — with her trademark gentle wisdom. But this book isn’t only a response to her audience’s wish to know the real Marie Kondo; it’s a testament for her three children, a documentation of the foundational elements of their culture, despite the rapidly changing times, which is essential to their understanding of the world around them.With subtle and lyrical prose, Marie embarks on her most personal and affirming book yet, unveiling for her readers the customs, traditions, and practices that not only spark joy for her, but also to preserve them for future generations.*
Into the mind of a visionary
When Jagat Murari, a young film student in post-war America, finds himself at the feet of one of cinema’s true giants – Orson Welles – during the making of Macbeth in 1947, the lessons he absorbs on that set will shape not only his future, but also the future of Indian cinema. Returning to a newly independent India, Jagat goes on to build the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) from the ground up.In The Maker of Filmmakers, Radha Chadha offers an intimate and meticulously researched portrait of her father – a celebrated documentary filmmaker – and the iconic film school he built. With uncanny consistency, FTII turned out top talent – the likes of Shabana Azmi and Jaya Bachchan, Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Subhash Ghai, and other cinema legends. His alumni became the leading actors, directors, cinematographers, sound designers and editors of Bollywood and beyond. They spearheaded the Indian New Wave, kickstarted regional language cinema, and helped usher television into the country.How did Jagat go about ‘making’ such extraordinary filmmakers? What was his secret formula? With unprecedented access to Jagat’s diaries, letters, personal papers and over 100 interviews with alumni and colleagues, Radha Chadha leads us behind the scenes, and into the mind of a visionary who reshaped Indian cinema, even as he grappled with its many challenges.A gripping tale of ambition, adversity, and artistic brilliance – richly illustrated with rare photographs – The Maker of Filmmakers paints a vivid picture of one man’s unwavering belief in the transformative power of cinema, and how his determination helped turn Indian cinema into the global powerhouse it is today.Set against the backdrop of some of the landmark events and characters of the last century, this is biography and cinematic history at its best.*
All copy from book flap.
