#100books2020challenge
A thread on books i hav read during 2020 inspired by @bookscache
Book 1. My enemy’s enemy. Non fiction/geo politics.
An insightful analysis of india-afghansitan relations especially in the wake of US drawdown post plausible taliban peace process. 1/100
#100books2020challenge

Book 2. Aimless in Banaras. Memoir/ Travelogue.
Benaras aficionados would love this book with its surreal depiction of Ganga, benares alleys and temples. The author has few good travelogues to his credit. 2/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 3. A wonderful piece of post war reporting in sri lanka. A country trying to stitch itself from the ruins of a seemingly never ending civil war. Much recommended for Sri Lanka watchers. 3/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 4. Holding the line. Non ficiton/ Diplomacy. A lucid portrayal of trump white house during secretary mattis’s tenure. An eye opening account of how mercurially policies are drafted and executed in the trump white house. 4/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 5. Revolutionary ride. Non fiction/travelogue. A wonderful travelogue on an equally elusive but culturally rich country. A woman, her motorbike and thousands of miles in the land of the ayatollahs. 5/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 6. My little epiphanies. Memoir. The true story of a terminally ill girl who nevertheless goes on to live cheerfully till she breathes her last. Adapted into the movie ‘the sky is pink’ featuring priyanka and farhan. A poignant read. 6/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 7. Understanding the founding fathers. Non fiction/ history. A brief read about the founding fathers of our republic. The author is a renowned historian. 7/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 8. Army & the nation. Non fiction/military. Ever wondered why there’s never been a mil coup in india? This book attempts to ans this ques laying out various coup proofing measures instituted by cong. Recom by Gen Bajwa to pak army offrs to read. 8/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 9. Russia & America. Non fiction/ international relations. A nice read to understand how Russia has been consistently blunting US’s conventional edge through asymmetrical means in spheres pol/eco/mil/info. 9/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 10. Ayodhya. Non fiction/ history. An attempt by former PM PV narasimha rao to put forth his side of the story of events leading to the demolition of babri masjid. Lot of facts and legal docu included to help the reader form his opinion. 10/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 11. Redemption of a son. Memoir/biography. A breezy yet poignant read about coming of age of a typical indian middle class son in the wake of his father’s untimely death. May also act as a self help book. Many lessons embedded esp for the youth. 11/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 12. Forget Kathmandu. Non fiction/Memoir/politics/history. A very readable account of Nepal’s contemporary political history detailing recent crises related to monarchy & maoist insurgency. Much recommended. 12/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 13. Dara Shukoh. History/biography. A readable balanced biography of one of the most tragic mughal figures. Well researched and documented. 13/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 14. Shillong Times. Fiction. A beautiful book about the "scotland of the east' shillong partly inspired by author's early years growing up in Shillong of 1980s. Story revolves around the friendship between a khasi guy and a 'dkhar' @shubh19822 14/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 15. Black wave. Non fiction/Geopolitics. A well informed book to understand the current middle east quagmire which has roots in the saudi-iranian rivalry for supremacy in the arabian peninsula and persian gulf. Very informative read. 15/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 16. The last maharani of gwalior. An autobiography of a scindia family matriarch, the book is lucid in portrayal of the family's history and their role in indian politics. A true hindu hriday samragyi, she was one of the key fig of hindutva mov. 16/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 17. 1989, the berlin wall. non fiction/geopolitics. An on the ground account of the tumultuous events in the dying years of cold war leading to the fall of the berlin wall. Based on first hand reportage by a British correspondent. 17/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 18. Conversations with Waheeda rehman. Non fiction/Interview/Memoir. A piece of treasure for old school cinema aficionados. Interviews with the legendary waheeda ji takes the readers on a wistful journey of golden yrs of ind cinema. 18/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 19. The upstairs wife. Contemporary fiction. A novel revolving around the life of a female protagonist who experiences upheavals in her personal life and the lives of her dear ones mirroring the corresponding changes in Pakistan. @bookscache 19/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 20. Meena Kumari. Biography. Probably the only authentic bio of Meena ji. Through a non partisan argumentation supported by facts, author proves y she was d best among her contemporaries incl madhubala & waheeda ji. An ode to the tragedy queen. 20/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 21. Hemant Karkare. Its an easy reading daughter's memoir about her father who gained prominence on national stage after his controversial malegaon blast probe and the eventual sacrifice during Mumbai attks. Story of an honest & competent cop. 21/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 22. The patient assassin. Biography. A remarkable book shattering many myths arnd the legendary Shaheed Udham Singh who avenged the Jallianwala bagh massacre by assassinating O'Dwyer, then Punjab Governor, decades later in the heart of London 22/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 23. The Collaborator. Contemporary Fiction/Kashmir. A novel depicting the tragedy engulfing the valley of kashmir narrated from a kashmiri perspective. Okayish in content. Can be avoided. Little propagandist wrt Ind Army. 23/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 24. Autobiography of Shaheed Ram Prasad Bismil. Written during his last days of incarceration, its the first hand account of the legendary revolutionary and freedom fighter bismil. Key highlight is his friendship with Ashfaq Ullah Khan. @saket71 24/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 25. Made in India. Memoir/Non fiction. An inspiring memoir by a leading model/celebrity. Discusses the struggles he faced during his career and his transformation into a fitness enthusiast running marathons and ironmans. 25/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 26. the CIA insider's acct of Iran Hostage crisis. fly on the wall acct of the deteriorating relations between US & Iran in the aftermath of Iranian revolution that unfortunately led to one of the biggest hostage crises ever. 26/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 27. Irrfan Khan. Biography. Read it couple of months ago. Little did I realise, tht he would leave us so soon. A perfect book to relive the memorable performances he has given. Full of nostalgic anecdotes. Highly recom 4 Cinema fans world over. 27/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 28. Miss Laila Armed & Dangerous. Fiction/Satire.
A political thriller loosely based on the ishrat Jahan encounter. Didnt find it too engaging though. 28/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 29. The things u can see only when u slow down. Spiritual/Self help. Not too much into self help genre. Yet, a light and breezy read hailed as a bestseller. One can draw few imp lessons about how to stay happy by seeking peace by slowing dwn. 29/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 30. Just Transferred. Non fiction/Biography/Memoir. Tale of the hardships and struggles of one of the most honest IAS offrs who is hailed as a crusader against endemic corruption in the steel frame. Transferred arnd 58 times till dt. 30/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 31. There's gunpowder in the air. Fiction. A nice piece of literature wherein the author, an ex communist, weaves a story about prison inmates loosely inspired from his own days of incarceration. 31/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 32. After the prophet. History/Islam/Non fiction. The one book one must read to understand the root cause of all the bloodshed and violence gripping the islamic world since centuries. Lays down the genesis of shia-sunni split threadbare. 32/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 33. A meal in winter. Historical Fiction/Holocaust. A small story set during WW II. Discusses the moral dilemma facing a group of German soldiers sharing a stormy night with a captured Jew in an isolated village hut. 33/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 34. Prisoners of Geography. Non fiction/Geo politics. An extremely informative book detailing how geography has dictated various geo political events for centuries and continues to do so. 34/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 35. A time of madness. Non fiction/Partition/Memoir. Prominent Pakistani author's deeply moving memoir reminiscing his family history & roots in india & his eventual pilgrimage to his ancestral village in punjab. 35/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 36. Guru Dutt- A tragedy in 3 acts. An academic analysis of three of gurudutt's classics: Pyaasa, Kaagaz ke phoool & Sahib Biwi aur Ghulam, from a cinematic angle. Too drab. Did not relish it much. 36/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 37. 281 & beyond. A treasure trove for cricket enthusiasts esp the ones who grew in the time of sachin, saurav, dravid & VVS. Quite an inspiring and honest account, no overt glorification. Wonderful read for cricket aficionados. 37/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 38. Lucknow diaries. A light and breezy fiction read. Story revolves around three childhood friends, their struggles with rich description of Lucknawi landmarks. Okay type read. 38/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 39. Gazing at neighbours. Written by an outstanding travel writer, the book traces the journey along the radcliffe lines in punjab and north east india, revisiting the partition saga and finding human voices to recount them. Highly recommended. 39/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 40. Thou shalt innovate. Israel. The land of myths, history & wonder. The more one reads abt this country the more it generates awe. The book is an ode 2 the innovative spirit of Israelis who have made the world a better place thru endless innovations
#100books2020challenge
Book 41. Black Flags. The authoritative history of ISIS coming from a pulitzer prize winning author. The book traces the history of ISIS's birth with a special emphasis on the role played by Abu musab al Zarqawi. 41/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 42. Halt Station India. The book brings out the history of the first railway line est by the British in India from Mumbai to Thane in 1853, with rich visual details. The author is an authority on all things Indian Railways. 42/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 43. Black Warrant. A memoir by Sunil Gupta who has spent better part of his life as a Tihar Jail official. Full of rich anecdotes revealing the hithertofore murky world of asia's biggest prison. 43/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 44. Karna: The great warrior. English translation of Ranjit Desai's Radheya. A mythological fiction centered around the life of arguably one of the greatest warriors of his time. Highly recommended for Mahabharata aficionados. 44/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 45. A Baloch militant in delhi. An interesting interview taken by the author with a self proclaimed Baloch freedom fighter visiting india for medical reasons. First hand perspective on Baloch insurgency from one of the leading protagonists. 45/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 46. The enigma of pakistani identity. A short but enlightening account of how pakistanis have been rigorously erasing the hindu component of their history and identity while making overt attempts to claim arab ancestry. 46/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 47. The battle for pakistan. geopolitics/non fiction. A lucid portrayal of US-Pakistan relationship narrating all the troughs and crests of the bumpy ride for over 7 decades. Lot of lessons to be learnt only if both sides are willing to heed. 47/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 48. My Life. Biography/Memoir. A wonderful short book intended to target the youth and teachers, narrating the struggles and inspiring story of APJ Abdul Kalam. A must read for every child. 48/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 49. Why Israel can't wait. Middle east/proliferation/geopolitics. Another significant contribution to the body of work detailing Israel's justified fears in the wake of Iran going nuclear. 49/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 50. Operation Orchard. Middle East/Israel-Syria. A brief but lucid account of Israel's Operation Orchard- the military strike to destroy Syria's nascent nuclear reactor intended to produce the N bomb. 50/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 51. Striking Back. Israel/Mossad/MunichMassacre. A brilliant account of how the state of Israel avenged the Munich Massacre that resulted in the barbaric deaths of 11 of its Olympic Team members by the dreaded Palestinian group Black September. 51/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 52. Gul Gulshan Gulfam. Fiction/Kashmir. A beautiful book reminiscing the life of Dal Lake houseboat owners. An important contribution towards preserving Kashmiri literature. Was the inspiration behind the DD show appreciated by a wide audience. 52/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 53. Kargil. War/non fiction. A poignant account of the brave soldiers & officers of Indian Army who braving heaviest of odds stacked against them, achieved a victory drenched in their blood. @LevinaNeythiri 53/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 54. Instant City. Non fiction. An interesting account of Karachi, detailing the ethnic & religious fault lines leading to frequent bouts of violence with specific study of how migration & real estate plays a major role in shaping it. @bookscache 54/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 55. Becoming Kim Jong Un. Non fiction/GeoPolitics/North Korea. A detailed study of Kim Jong Un & his policies by one of the leading CIA experts on the subject. Covers all significant events leading upto Trump-Kim summit. 55/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 57. I saw Ramallah. Palestine/memoir. A poignant memoir by a Palestinian poet especially reminiscing about his return to his homeland after almost thirty years of exile imposed in the wake of six day war in June 1967. 57/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 58. The most beautiful night of the soul. Fiction/War/Middle East. Award winning collection of 12 short stories centered arnd middle east crises in Israel/egypt/iraq/gaza by an acclaimed Hungarian war reporter. Where fiction meets war reportage. 58/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 59. An indian spy in pak. Non fiction/memoir. A first hand account of an indian spy who ended up being incarcerated in pak jails. Recounts his experiences with his captors and his eventual freedom in the aftermath of 71 war prisoner exchange. 59/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 60. The right way to lose a war. Non fiction/Strategy. In this informative account, the author explains how US has been unable to decisively win any major war after the end of WW 2. Also recommends the way ahead to extricate out of mil fiascos. 60/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 61. Maharana Pratap. Non fiction/Biography. A biographical account of one of the greatest Rajput warriors in the history of India. Details his struggles and battles against the invading Mughal armies. 61/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 62. Vijyant at Kargil. War/Biography. A poignant biography of one of the bravest sons of India who at a tender age of 22 gave up his life for his motherland. A must read for every Indian. Truly inspiring. 62/100 @nehadw @Thapar77Thapar
#100books2020challenge
Book 63. DDLJ. Film/Art/Cinema. A breezy behind the scenes tale of a modern classic which redefined Indian mainstream commercial cinema and broke many box office records. Written by a renowned film critic and author Anupama Chopra. 63/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 64. Assasination of Mahmoiud al mabhouh. Hamas/Israel/Mossad. An short but informative insider's account of the assassination of a key Hamas operative by the Israeli Mossad in a Dubai Hotel. 64/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 65. A Little Life. Contemporary fiction. A popular man booker prize finalist book. Story revolves around Jude and his three college friends. Rich in prose, full of grief. A depressing but poignant tale. 65/100
#100books2020challenge
Book 66. Watershed 1967. War/China. A well researched account of two forgotten battles fought in 67 against the Chinese on Sino-Indian border in Sikkim region, which aggressively changed the mil discourse decisively in Ind's favour. 66/100 @__phoenix_fire_
#100books2020challenge
Book 67. Inconvenient Memories. Memoir/China. A rare & truthful memoir of a young Chinese woman's coming of age amid the Tiananmen protests of 1989. Provides a glimpse of China's socio-economic transition post cultural revolution of the 60s & 70s. 67/100
You can follow @itsAJ_007.
Tip: mention @twtextapp on a Twitter thread with the keyword “unroll” to get a link to it.

Latest Threads Unrolled: