Good News - I got Engaged

Reading a book more than 30 pages was never my cup of coffee. All atempts from my close friends to make me read a book till date had been unsuccessful. During my trip to US Open (Thanks to my friend VKE, I got a chance to read the first chapter of Engaging India by Strobe Talbott and something in the book got me interested.

Is it the Pakistan bashing or Is it the carefully selected titles of the chapter..I really dont know...

First thing I did coming back from the trip was to order the book in Amazon using Expedite shipping. It raised couple of eyebrows in my friends circle, because I was doing something which is not characteristic of me. Before I knew, I was reading a 270 page book on the series of talks Jaswant Singh and Strobe Talbott had after India announced itself as a nuclear power.

It gives a good picture of how US tried to play the sanctions card to make India sign CTBT/NPT and how we resisted from doing it. After reading this book, I got really impressed by the way BJP especially Jaswant handled the whole Pokhran II.

The book starts with USA having upperhand in the negotiations, but when we get to fag end of the book...We get a feel of US begging India to sign CTBT/NPT or atleast give a timetable on when India is planning to do so.

I have always been impressed the way Jaswant handles the media back in India...After this book which depicts his diplomatic strenghts, I have started admiring him.

Now that my book reading jinx is broken, I am planning to read couple more on India's Nuclear Program (Weapons of Peace - Raj Chengappa)and one by Strobe Talbott on September 11 attacks (Age of Terror)

Engaging India had me Engaged