Sunil Khilnani explores the idea of India through the profiles of fifty Indians who shaped history

Kanishk Tharoor creates fiction not from a castle of fancies but from the realm of history

What adds spice to the memoirs of Padma Lakshmi, model and celebrity chef whose story stretches from conservative Madras to haute Manhattan, is the portrait of her ex-husband Salman Rushdie, ‘all arched-eyebrows’

What is the lure of the adult colouring book? Is it a sign of boredom and loneliness? Does it alleviate stress? Is it a return to childhood? Or is it a symptom of ‘rage against the machine’?

Vivek Shanbhag has written a finely-woven novel which tells of the machinations of work and money, prosperity and globalisation through the story of a family

Benedikt Taschen has redefined the business of books as an exclusive experience in sensuality and aesthetics. He and his man in India talk to Open as they discover the potential of the Indian market

Harper Lee will always be celebrated for her portrayal of childhood and for showing us that most people are nice, when you finally see them

The Pulitzer-winning author finds a new but unstable address in her latest non-fiction work

Yann Martel handles life’s big mysteries with the lightest of touch. Will he finally emerge from the shadow of his blockbuster fiction? The novelist in conversation with Nandini Nair

Irish author Colm Tóibín is known for his accuracy of detail, whether it is in his descriptions of his walk along the Irish border (Bad Blood) or the emotions of Mary after her son’s crucifixion (The Testament of Mary). He talks to Nandini Nair about the rich solitude that domesticity offers, the genius of Jane Austen and watching his book come alive. Excerpts: