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A Journalist's Murder and the Rise of Autocracy in India
by Rollo Romig
A gripping investigation into the mysterious assassination of a journalist in India, revealing the courage and vulnerability of those who are fighting the decline of democracy around the world
When Gauri Lankesh, an outspoken journalist in the South Indian city of Bangalore, was assassinated in September 2017 outside her home, it wasn't just a loss to her close-knit community of writers and activists—the shock reverberated nationwide, making headlines and sparking mass protests. Why was she targeted, and who was behind it? Following the case to its stunning, unsettling conclusion, Rollo Romig uncovers a world of political extremists, fearless writers, organized crime, and shadowy religious groups. I Am on the Hit List is an epic narrative that moves between a historic booksellers' district and brand-new high rises funded by IT wealth, to a secretive ashram in Goa and the kitchens of an international vegetarian restaurant chain, boldly interrogating whether we can break the cycle of polarization and bloodshed inspiring political murder across the globe.
"A riveting true crime narrative and an insightful and ominous forecast of India's political direction." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Compelling, sometimes chilling ... A sharp, captivating, penetrating inquiry that evolves into something more profound than just a true-crime book ... Each time the narrative twists and turns between past and present, with militant groups, former colleagues, and acts of corruption and inefficiency beginning to bleed together, Romig smoothly, steadily reminds readers of the enormity of what is at stake ... [I Am on the Hit List] serves as a powerful vehicle for exploring India's precarious position." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Romig forms undeniably dark linkages between a single deplorable and deadly act and the larger forces behind it." —Booklist (starred review)
"If you want to understand the grave threat to democracy in present-day India, and South India in particular, you could do no better than to read Rollo Romig's gripping book of reportage. It's a murder mystery, travelogue, and deeply felt homage to Romig's adopted country. Reading it will inform and outrage you. (It will also make you crave a dosa)." —Suketu Mehta, author of Maximum City
"Rollo Romig expertly crafts this tale of an awful murder and its ramifications while bringing alive the dark underbelly of India's Silicon City, Bangalore. You may never have heard of Gauri Lankesh but her assassination has serious ramifications for everyone everywhere who fears escalating political violence." —Paul French, author of Midnight in Peking
"Rollo Romig is a powerful storyteller. I Am on the Hit List, he charts India's strident march towards autocracy by telling the remarkable story of Gauri Lankesh —her life, death, and the ideas that made her dangerous. Romig writes with lyricism and empathy, fear and hope in equal measure, telling stories within stories that meander across three southern states." —Suchitra Vijayan, author of Midnight's Borders
This information about I Am on the Hit List was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Born and raised in Detroit, Rollo Romig is a journalist, essayist, and critic. He has been reporting on South India since 2013, most often for The New York Times Magazine.
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