Bookspotting: India

This weekend was a big one for India, which scored its first victory in the Cricket World Cup since 1983 (Roger Angell just posted on the game over at News Desk). I recently spent a few weeks traveling in the subcontinent, and while I still can’t pretend to follow cricket (unless “it’s like baseball, only slower” counts), I did come away with some distinct impressions of the country. One thing, in particular, was both a surprise and a delight: for those of us who love the written word—especially the kind printed on dead trees—India is a treasure trove. In Delhi alone, there’s close to a dozen English-language newspapers, many of which sell for a a few rupees a piece, and English-language bookstores are well-stocked with cheap Penguin classics. Best of all, used-book markets abound, where yards of frayed paperbacks and magazines provide dangerous temptation for packrats like me. Here are some of my favorite book sightings from the trip—which included stops in Delhi, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Kumbhalgarh, and Puri.

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