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India: The Wasted Years
About the Book The Wasted Years, is a series of essays that were originally blogs. These have been arranged not in a chronological sequence but under subject-heads, making them a cohesive commentary on the times we live in, in India, about which the author writes. While not a work of history, the book is instead the shout of a wounded civilisation. These essays will find place in the annals of India’s evolution through the 21st century. Uncompromising in his analysis, the author studiously cites the dark clouds of political, social and economic failures, that seem to be without the proverbial silver lining.About the AuthorAvay Shukla is a retired civil servant, environmentalist and writer. He writes extensively on current affairs, the environment and conservation, the bureaucracy and governance, legal matters, social issues, societal peccadilloes and anything else he can lampoon. Shukla is settled in a small village, Puranikoti, above Shimla in Himachal Pradesh and intends staying there most of the time until the cows come home.
- GenresIndiaNonfiction
362 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 4, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 25, 2022
Hans Christian Anderson’s famous story ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ is relevant today as we, collectively as a nation, choose to ignore or deny that our emperor has no clothes. We’re either blinded by propaganda, driven by fear or stymied by political indifference which we mask as neutrality. Avay Shukla, doesn’t hold back as he dissects, analyses and lays bare the deteriorating socio political and economic situation in India.
Styled as an anthology of essays, ‘India : The Wasted Years’ covers a wide range of socio-politics topics written over a period of four years. From India’s response to Covid-19, the woes of the migrant labourers, the anti-CAA protest by student bodies across the county, to the more recent farm laws, Avay Shukla writes with acerbic fluidity and clarity of thought.
My only complaint is this - the essays tend to cover current topics and therefore lose their relevance with the passage of time. Pieces written in 2017, don’t feel relatable today. Of course, this doesn’t apply to all the essays within this book. Only some.
Styled as an anthology of essays, ‘India : The Wasted Years’ covers a wide range of socio-politics topics written over a period of four years. From India’s response to Covid-19, the woes of the migrant labourers, the anti-CAA protest by student bodies across the county, to the more recent farm laws, Avay Shukla writes with acerbic fluidity and clarity of thought.
My only complaint is this - the essays tend to cover current topics and therefore lose their relevance with the passage of time. Pieces written in 2017, don’t feel relatable today. Of course, this doesn’t apply to all the essays within this book. Only some.
November 27, 2021
Fantastic and enjoyable read.
To begin with, I found the title very apt and concur with the authors views. These trully have been India's wasted years.
The author, writes very well is funny, caustic, brutally honest and minces no words as he describes the state of the nation.
The contents may cause heartburn to a section of people- but then what is truth, without a bit of heart burn.
A trully must read for every Indian.
To begin with, I found the title very apt and concur with the authors views. These trully have been India's wasted years.
The author, writes very well is funny, caustic, brutally honest and minces no words as he describes the state of the nation.
The contents may cause heartburn to a section of people- but then what is truth, without a bit of heart burn.
A trully must read for every Indian.
October 20, 2021
Brilliant. Frank and scathing account of the state of the country in the last 7 years comprehensively covered. Since many of the chapters were mirror version of my thought process, enjoyed it a lot. Would like to read it again may be after an year. Would strongly suggest to all the correct (not right) thinking citizens of this country.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews