Books

Whether one reads for pleasure or education, one consequence is certain. Over a period of time, the reader’s mind becomes trained to navigate ideas. With time, it becomes capable of not only processing complex concepts, but, with luck, even expressing some of those concepts. Reading induces a sense of mental fearlessness. The exposure to language facilitates structuring and expression of ideas. In short, reading is not a habit or a hobby. It is a tool for living.

While FORCE has always dedicated a few pages to books in most issues, September onwards, we start a dedicated books section. Running into a few pages, it will carry interviews with military authors, book extracts and reviews. Most importantly, it will carry a recommended reading list of ‘Must Read’ books from senior officers/ authors and even FORCE readers. Hence, we invite our readers to send us lists of their favourite books which they would like to share with others. Tell us why you recommend those books. So read, and write.

 

 

War
War
December 2024
Kashmir Under 370
Kashmir Under 370
December 2024
The Money Trap
The Money Trap
December 2024
SOMETHING LOST, SOMETHING GAINED
Something Lost, Something Gained
October 2024
INDIA’S FORGOTTEN COUNTRY
An Extract: India’s Forgotten Country
October 2024
Nuclear War
October 2024
Dr Joseph K Thomas
An Extract: Israel-Palestine War
September 2024
Avinash Paliwal
An Extract: India’s Near East
September 2024
Mujibur Rehman
An Extract | Shikwa-E-Hind
August 2024
Kulbushan Warikoo
An Extract | The Crossroads
August 2024
Suchitra Vijayan and Francesca Recchia
An Extract | How long can the moon be caged?
August 2024
Nimbu Saab
Book Chat | Nimbu Saab
July 2024
Indian Art of War
An Extract | Crafting A New Indian Art of War For Future Challenges
July 2024
Imperial games in Tibet
An Extract | Imperial games in Tibet
July 2024
KATHMANDU CHRONICLE: RECLAIMING INDIANEPAL RELATIONS
An Extract | Kathmandu Chronicle
June 2024
Ambassador K.V. Rajan and Atul K Thakur
Book Chat | Ambassador K.V. Rajan and Atul K Thakur
June 2024
OP Singh
Reading List | OP Singh
April 2024
CONQUERING THE MAHARAJAS
An Extract | Conquering the Maharajas
April 2024
BHARAT JODO YATRA
An Extract | Bharat Jodo Yatra
April 2024
Shooting the Sun
Book Review | Shooting the Sun
April 2024
2024
An Extract | 2024
April 2024
Rajeev Bhattacharyya
Reading List | Rajeev Bhattacharyya
March 2024
UNEQUAL
An Extract | UNEQUAL
March 2024
ULFA
An Extract | ULFA
March 2024
Ajay Bisaria
Reading List | Ajay Bisaria
February 2024
FAULT LINES IN THE FAITH
An Extract | Fault Lines in the Faith
February 2024
Hyperwar
An Extract | Hyperwar
February 2024
Being Muslim in Hindu India
An Extract | Being Muslim in Hindu India
January 2024
Another India
An Extract | Another India
January 2024
City on Fire
An Extract | City on Fire
January 2024
Red Sky over Kabul
An Extract | Red Sky over Kabul
December 2023
Poetry as a Weapon
An Extract | H-POP
December 2023
BULLETS AND BYLINES
An Extract | Bullets and Bylines
November 2023
The Indian Village
An Extract | The Indian Village
November 2023
Breakup
An Extract | Breakup
November 2023
THE PEACEMAKERS
An Extract | The Peacemakers
August 2023
WHO CARES ABOUT PARLIAMENT
An Extract | Who Cares About Parliament
August 2023
INDIAN AIR FORCE IN ITS CENTENNIAL DECADE
An Extract | Indian Air Force in its Centennial Decade
August 2023
Book Extract | Nation Fast <br />July 2023
An Extract | Nation Fast
July 2023
Book Extract | VAJPAYEE: The Ascent of the Hindu Right <br />July 2023
An Extract | VAJPAYEE: The Ascent of the Hindu Right
July 2023
Book Extract | SWARM TROOPER <br />July 2023
An Extract | SWARM TROOPER
July 2023
Book Extract | The Next Major War <br />June 2023
An Extract | The Next Major War
June 2023
Book Extract | Police State <br />May 2023
An Extract | Police State
May 2023
Book Extract | End of an Illusion <br />May 2023
An Extract | End of an Illusion
May 2023
An Extract | Close to Peace
April 2023
An Extract | Time Capsule
April 2023
An Extract | Quick Reads
April 2023
Book Extract | Behind the Scenes March 2023
An Extract | Behind the Scenes March 2023
A Fear That Refuses To Go
An Extract | A Fear That Refuses To Go March 2023
Anuradha Bhasin, author of A Dismantled State: The Untold Story of Kashmir After Article 370
Reading List | Anuradha Bhasin March 2023
Gilded Cage
An Extract | The Tragedy of Kashmir February 2023
Flaming Forest
An Extract | Unheard Voices February 2023
Pravin Sawhney, author of The Last War
Book Chat | Pravin Sawhney, author of The Last War
January 2023
August in Kabul
An Extract | Andrew Quilty: August in Kabul
January 2023
Insurgency and the Art
An Extract | Vinay Lal : Insurgency and the Artist
January 2023
Tuhin Sinha
Reading List | Manash Firaq Bhattacharjee
December 2022
Manash Firaq Bhattacharjee
An extract | The Politics of History
December 2022
Maj. Gen. Ian Cardozo (retd)
An extract | Always a Soldier
December 2022
Maj. Gen. B.K. Sharma (retd)
Reading List: | Maj. Gen. B.K. Sharma (retd)
August 2022
How China-Russia combine forced the US’ Third Offset Strategy. An Extract
An Extract | Louis A. Del Monte
August 2022
Edited by Air Vice Marshal Anil Golani (retd) and Gp Captain Vijay Shankar Rana
An Extract | Gp Capt. TH Anand Rao
August 2022
Lt Gen Raj Shukla (Retd)
Reading List: | Lt Gen Raj Shukla (Retd)
July 2022
WAR TIME: THE WORLD IN DANGER
An Extract | Asian Hegemon
July 2022
Reading List: | Lessons in Self Reliance
June 2022
West Asia at War
An Extract | Terror and Turmoil
June 2022
The World in a Flux
An Extract | The World in a Flux
June 2022
Gallantry & Glory
An Extract | Gallantry & Glory
May 2022
Pramod Kapoor, author of 1946: Last War of Independence, Royal Indian Navy Mutiny
An Extract | Pramod Kapoor, author of 1946
May 2022
INDIA IN A NEW KEY NEHRU TO MODI: 75 YEARS OF FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY
An Extract | China Challenges Modi
May 2022
Book Chat | Sudeep Chakravarti
Book Chat | Sudeep Chakravarti
April 2022
DECEMBER IN DACCA
An Extract | The Story up to March 1971
May 2022
Christophe Jaffrelot, author of Modi’s India: Hindu Nationalism and the Rise of Ethnic Democracy
Book Chat: Christophe Jaffrelot
February 2022
Modi India
An Extract: The Art of Victimhood
February 2022
ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE: INDIA’S MOST LOVED PRIME MINISTER
An Extract: A Man of Many Parts
February 2022
ESCAPE FROM PAKISTAN: THE UNTOLD STORY OF JACK SHEA
An Extract: The Great Escape
February 2022
BRIGADIER SATISH K. ISSAR, VSM (RETD)
An Extract: A Profile in Courage
February 2022
Maj. Gen. Vijay Singh
Book Chat: Maj. Gen. Vijay Singh
January 2022
Brig. R.R. Palsokar
Book Chat: Brig. R.R. Palsokar
January 2022
POW 1971: A SOLDIER’S ACCOUNT OF THE HEROIC BATTLE OF DARUCHHIAN
An Extract: Courage and Dignity
December 2021
An Extract: Price of the Modi Years
December 2021
Shiv Kunal Verma, author of the book 1965 A Western Sunrise: India’s War With Pakistan
Book Chat: Shiv Kunal Verma
November 2021
1965: A WESTERN SUNRISE
An Extract: 1965: A Western Sunrise
November 2021
An extract from Dr N.C. Asthana’s forthcoming book State Persecution of Minorities and Underprivileged in India
An Extract: State Persecution of Minorities and Underprivileged in India
November 2021
Martin C. Libicki
Book Chat: Martin C. Libicki
October 2021
Cyberspace in Peace and War
An Extract: Cyberspace in Peace and War
October 2021
Tibet Brief
An Extract: Tibet Brief 20 / 20
October 2021
Josy Joseph
Book Chat: Josy Joseph
September 2021
THE SILENT COUP: A HISTORY OF INDIA’S DEEP STATE
An Extract: The Silent Coup
September 2021
Spy Stories
An Extract: Spy Stories
September 2021
THE WAR THAT MADE RAW
An Extract: The War That Made Raw
August 2021
FLYING BLIND
An Extract: Flying Blind
August 2021
A.S. Bhasin
Book Chat: A.S. Bhasin
July 2021
Nehru, Tibet and China
An Extract: Nehru Tibet and China
July 2021
India vs China
An Extract: India Versus China
July 2021
INDIA: THE LAST SUPER POWER
Extract: INDIA: The Last Super Power
June 2021
Book Chat: Samrat Choudhury
June 2021
Extract: The Braided River
June 2021
AI AT WAR
Extract: AI AT WAR
May 2021
Born a Muslim
Born a Muslim
May 2021
INDIA AND ASIAN GEOPOLITICS:
Extract: India And Asian Geopolitics
May 2021
MILITARY MUSINGS
Book Chat: Military Musings
April 2021
Turning Adversity into Advantage
Reading List: Turning Adversity into Advantage
April 2021
Books
Book Chat: Kingshuk Nag
April 2021
Book Chat: Suchitra Vijayan
March 2021
Midnight’s Borders
Extract: Midnight’s Borders
March 2021
Book Chat: Meha Dixit
February 2021
Himalayan-Challenge
Extract: Himalayan-Challenge
February 2021
Books Are Integral One’s Progress as an Officer
Reading List: Books Are Integral One’s Progress as an Officer
January 2021
AYO GORKHALI
Book Chat: Ayo Gorkhali: A History of the Gurkhas
January 2021
India’s Battlefields
Extract: India’s Battlefields: From Kurukshetra to Balakot
January 2021
National Security and Conventional Arms Race: Spectre of a Nuclear War
Extract: National Security and Conventional Arms Race
January 2021
Book
Book Chat: Arjun Subramaniam
December 2020
FULL SPECTRUM
Extract: Full Spectrum
December 2020
Reading List: Dr N.C. Asthana, IPS Retd
December 2020
THE WELLINGTON EXPERIENCE A Study of Attitudes and Values Within the Indian Army
Extract: The Wellington Experience
November 2020
Reading List: Lt Gen. Vinod Bhatia (retd)
November 2020
CASSANDRA IN OZ
Extract: Cassandra In OZ: Counterinsurgency and Future War
November 2020
BORDER SECURITY FORCE: THE EYES AND EARS OF INDIA
Book Chat: Border Security Force: The Eyes and Ears of India
November 2020
Humans and Machines
Extract: One Nation, Under Drones
October 2020
On the Same Page
Reading List: On the Same Page
October 2020
Book Chat: Capt. John E. Jackson, United States Navy (retd)
October 202
Reading List: Read and Reflect
September 2020
Extract: Shadow Wars
September 2020
Extract: Esprit de Corp Over Patriotism
September 2020
The Fifth Domain: Defending Our Country, Our Companies, our Ourselves in the Age of Cyber Threats
The Fifth Domain
April 2020
PLASSEY: THE BATTLE THAT CHANGED THE COURSE OF INDIAN HISTORY
Plassey: The Battle That Changed The Course of Indian History
April 2020
Hot Spot of Invention
Hot Spot of Invention
January 2020
The Absent Dialogue
The Absent Dialogue
December 2019
THE BABRI MASJID-RAM MANDIR DILEMMA
The Babri Masjid – Ram Mandir Dilemma
November 2019
Red Star Over the Pacific
Red Star Over the Pacific
Second Edition
September 2019
The Untold Story of Christian Michel and AgustaWestland
The Untold Story of Christian Michel and AgustaWestland
September 2019
Strategic Advantage of Air Power
Strategic Advantage of Air Power
August 2019
China Maritime Grey Zone Operations
China Maritime Grey Zone Operations
July 2019
CYBERSPACE IN PEACE AND WAR
Cyberspace in Peace and War
June 2019
Line of Fire: Ceasefire Violations and India–Pakistan Escalation Dynamics
Line of Fire: Ceasefire Violations and India–Pakistan Escalation Dynamics
May 2019
Chinese Naval Shipbuilding
Chinese Naval Shipbuilding : An Ambitious and uncertain Course
April 2019
Age of Anger: The History of the Present
Age Of Anger: The History Of The Present
April 2019
Military Strategy for India in the 21st Century
Military Strategy for India in the 21st Century
February 2019
Jodhpur Lancers
Jodhpur Lancers: Michael Creese
January 2019
The Paradoxical Prime Minister: Narendra Modi And His India
The Paradoxical Prime Minister: Narendra Modi And His India
November 2018
The Sarkari Mussalman: The Life and Travails of a Soldier Educationist
The Sarkari Mussalman – The Life and Travails of a Soldier Educationist
October 2018
How India Manages Its National Security
How India Manages Its National Security
September 2018
Kashmir – Glimpses of History and the Story of Struggle September 2018
A Soldier's Diary: Kargil the Inside Story
A Soldier’s Diary: Kargil the Inside Story
August 2018
Techonology from below hi-tech and backyard inventors: My story of their partnership in a growth economy
Techonology from below hi-tech and backyard inventors
June 2018
The Hollow Kingdom: ISIS and the Cult of Jihad
The Hollow Kingdom: ISIS and the Cult of Jihad
March 2018
Beyond the Victory India Campaign: Articles and Debates by Military Veterans
Beyond the Victory India Campaign: Articles and Debates by Military Veterans
March 2018
August Voices: India-Pakistan-Bangladesh Confederation Sudheendra Kulkarni April 2017
August Voices: India-Pakistan-Bangladesh Confederation
Sudheendra Kulkarni
April 2017
"Himalaya:
Himalaya: Adventures, Meditations, Life
An Anthology Edited By Ruskin Bond And Namita Gokhale March 2017
Dragon On Our Doorstep: Managing China Through Military Power Pravin Sawhney and Ghazala Wahab January 2017
Dragon On Our Doorstep: Managing China Through Military Power
Pravin Sawhney and Ghazala Wahab January 2017
The New Arthashastra: A Security Strategy For India
The New Arthashastra: A Security Strategy For India
Brig. Gurmeet Kanwal
January 2017
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