Book Review: Everyday Reading by Aakriti Mandhwani 

Namrata reviews Everyday Reading by Aakriti Mandhwani (Speaking Tiger, 2024) exploring how it offers a compelling narrative of how print culture became a silent yet revolutionary force in shaping the modern Indian psyche.

Everyday Reading by Aakriti Mandhwani is a fascinating exploration of the evolving landscape of Hindi print culture during the tumultuous two decades following India’s independence. Through an incisive and nuanced analysis, Mandhwani sheds light on the rise of middlebrow magazines like Sarita and the paperback revolution pioneered by Hind Pocket Books, illustrating how these platforms transformed not just what people read but also how they read. This book delves into the intersection of print, politics, and culture, offering a window into the lives and aspirations of the North Indian middle class during a time of significant social and political change.

One of the book’s greatest strengths lies in its seamless weaving of the narratives of publishers and readers, creating a multidimensional portrayal of Hindi print culture. Mandhwani crafts compelling portraits of visionary figures like Vishwa Nath of the Delhi Press, whose multilingual expertise and editorial acumen made Sarita a revolutionary platform for Hindi readership. Similarly, Dina Nath Malhotra of Hind Pocket Books emerges as a pioneer whose affordable paperbacks democratized literature, making reading accessible to a burgeoning middle class. Equally fascinating is her discussion of Dharmyug under the leadership of Dharmvir Bharti, a writer whose creative vision transformed the magazine into an unparalleled success story in Hindi publishing. These publishers, as Mandhwani deftly argues, were far more than entrepreneurs—they were cultural activists, reshaping the contours of Hindi readership and expanding the scope of literary consumption in post-independence India.