The Blog of Small Things

Name :  Method in the madness Author : Parameswaran Iyer Year of Publication : 2021 Genre : Non-fiction, Governance Rating : ** 1/2( Two and a half stars out of 5) Parameswaran Iyer is an unique official who has worked with the Government - both as an insider and an outsider. His diverse experiences (maintaining law and order after the demolition of Babri Masjid, working as PS to an Union Minister, closing down illegal quarries in Dehradun hills, marketing World Bank loans to developing countries, building toilets across the country) naturally make for page-turning material. But the second half of the book peters out with the insider-outsider bureaucrat transforming himself into a fawning fanboy who gets goosebumps when he meets the Prime Minister. 

  Name :  Murder on the menu Author : Nirupama Subramanian Year of Publication : 2021 Genre : Non-fiction, Crime Rating : * 1/2(One and a half stars out of 5) Nirupama Subramanian squanders a golden opportunity by turning into a facts machine instead of delving deep into the mind of a man who was an inspirational restauranteur AND a ruthless womaniser. The irony, the drama and the personalities are all insufficiently dealt with in this case diary format.  In a remarkable 2014 NYT profile , Rollo Romig captured the essence of the Rajagopal saga succinctly. Sadly, Nirupama sticks to facts and serves a dosa without masala.