M.S. Subbulakshmi: The Voice DivineBy V. GangadharRupa; price: Rs 95This little book is full of charming anecdotes. The author takes us through six decades of MS’s singing life and does not shy away from the awkward questions that are part of Carnatic folklore: did her husband “control” her too much, could she have been more musically adventurous if he had not set the terms for each concert? But the tone is dispassionate and not hurtful. The book shares private moments that touch us all, like MS swooning in Madras when she hears the news of Bapu’s death on radio — followed, in seconds, by a broadcast of her own voice singing Hari tum haro. — Renuka Narayanan24/7By Jim BrownPan Books; price £6.99THE latest reality show hits American TV. The stakes are higher than ever before. Twelve participants will play the game. The viewers will decide who lives, who dies. There’s big money involved — $2 million plus the winner’s ‘‘heart’s desire’’. Scene One opens on Vassa Island in the Caribbean. With an unlikely curtain-raiser — the show’s support crew die mysterious deaths. The show begins. The rules of the game change. The contestants will play with their lives. They have to fight their greatest fears. Everyday, a player will be exiled (read killed). It’s eerie. Spooky enough to make you jump out of your chair. In short, a perfect thriller.— Miranda Yambem
