On music

The list is chronologically ordered.

Recommended

Dhar, S. (2017). Raga'N Josh. The Orient Blackswan.

Sheila Dhar’s witty reflections on the world of Indian classical music. Some descriptions are unforgettable, like when Pandit Pran Nath tuned a Tanpura for over an hour until it sounded just perfect.

Mukhaopadhyay, K. P. (2014). Kudrat Rangibirangi (1st edition). Ananda Publishers. (In Bengali)

Informative and sometimes fun, but the overall snobbish tone ruined it for me.

Ayyangar, R. R. (2019). History of South Indian (Carnatic) Music, Third edition. Vipanci Charitable Trust.

Krishna, T. M. (2022). Sebastian & Sons: A Brief History of Mrdangam Makers. Westland Publications Limited.

TMK has strong opinions, and I sometimes disagree with him, but the book is informative, empathetic, and well-written. Recommended. Incidentally, an organization—Kaahon—has a YouTube channel and they produced a couple of good documentaries on instrument makers from Bengal, like this one on Rudra Veena makers and this one on Sitar makers. Their tales are similar to the mridangam makers—especially the lack of recognition.

Chatterjee, S. (2023). Choral Voices: Ethnographic Imaginations of Sound and Sacrality. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.

Ethnographic studies of choirs in Shillong and Goa to explore choral singing and postcolonial musical practices, highlighting the interplay of individual and collective identities. The tone is academic, yet it's accessible and well-written—a fairly rare occurrence.