Editor Unplugged (PB): Media, Magnates, Netas and Me

I would have given 'Lucknow Boy' 6 stars. However, this books is equally good and eminently readable. I have seen very few writers - after Khushwant Singh - being so brutally frank about and honest to themselves. That is the beauty of this book as it was about its predecessor.Great that he has also discussed about coporatisation of media and the danger that it poses for Democracy. Hopefully, people who matter are listening.

This book follows post the critical and commercial success of his memoir cum autobiography Lucknow Boy. This book is a mix bag : On politics he gives his views on Narendra Modi, Arvind Kejriwal and the Nehru Gandhi dynasty, his take on the significance of the 2014 General elections...On media he analyses the changes taking place in print and television and addresses the crucial question of whether corporate control of media houses will be detrimental to the freedom of the press. His pen portrait of personalities he admires is also revealing. By far for me the most interesting chapters are the ones dealing with the blowout of the Niira Radia tapes, the high point in his stint with Outlook, who Niira Radia really is, how Ratan Tata vengefully withdrew all advertising from the Outlook group and more...overall the book is an enjoyable read written in his lively, irreverant, honest and humorous style

I'm an ardent lover of Vinod Mehta's Delhi Diary, his column writings and most importantly, his remarkable humour sense. Already having read his first part memoir - Lucknow Boy, which was a good read but not great - I expected just a bit about his second work, Editor Unplugged. But after reading few chapters I felt the first part is a better one. This is more of like a Gossip writing than of any insight commentary on politics, leaders.If you are a Journalistic Student or the one want to enter into Media this is a must buy. For others this is just an Ok Read.

Predictably excellent book, Vinod Mehhta's humor and capacity to laugh at himself takes you through the book like a breeze. He covered all the political happenings in the past five decades as well as the events in the corporate world very interestingly. I am really going to miss this 'Lucknow boy" - rest in peace Vinod Mehta!

An interesting, very readable memoir by Mr Mehta; lively anecdotes from his life as an editor / journalist, vignettes from the world of Indian media, the people, the characters, the stories. It's all there. Highly recommended reading for anyone interested in media and journalism 👍👍

Absolutely readable

One of the most entertaining and engaging starts to a book I have ever come across. A generally easy to read style that makes for good story telling in my opinion. the author does tend to ramble on at times and a lot of skimming is necessary.

This is a book on current staate of the relative status of print and Audio-visual mediaThis is book basically coveringthe current status of print media status vis a vis the audio-visualtHIS IS A BOOK BASICALLY DEALING WITH THE STATUS OF PRINT MEDIAVISA VIS THE AUDIO-VISUAL(TV)ONES WHILE GIVING THE STORY OFvINOD MEHTA AND THEIR RELATIVE MERITS AND DEMERITS. IT ALSO SPECIFICALLYDEALS WITH THE SPECIFIC ISSUA OF THE RADIA TAPES PUBLISHED/EXPOSED UNDER THE \EDITORSHIP OF THE AUTHOR. THIS EXPOSE IS IMPORTANCE AS IT BRINGS OUT THE UNHOLY NEXUS BETWEENPOLITICIANS,MEDIA PERSONNEL OF NOTE, LOBBYISTS ETC.9

This is a superb follow-up to Lucknow Boy. As a sequel, it touches upon more professional aspects of Mr Mehta's life and his commentary on a variety of current-affairs topics. But each essay, each anecdote is written with his quintessential charm, a style which is so utterly unique. One of the traits of his writing -- and storytelling -- is the very rich 'nukkad value'. Meaning, even as you read it, there's a sense that he is narrating a juicy story or comment while sitting with you, sipping tea and exchanging hi-fives at a roadstall stall, just how college brats would. In the amount of colour that his every memory contains, in the sheer entertainment of his stories, I feel Mr Mehta is second only to Khushwant Singh. It's unfortunate that there are no more memoirs in the pipeline, but his fans should do themselves a favour and read his highly acclaimed biographies of Meena Kumari and Sanjay Gandhi.

Some years ago I had read A Lucknow Boy. I wasn't aware Vinod Mehta had written a sequel till his demise and the eulogies I read revealed the existence of this book. I promptly bought it. While not as much an unputdownable read as Lucknow Boy (the book seems half-hearted in parts) it is still worth a read as the indefatigable Vinod Mehta still shows through. And oh, lots of hitherto unknown spicy trivia in the book from the Radia tapes to Indira Gandhi down to Narendra Modi.

I had read Vinod Mehta's earlier book "Lucknow Boy" in 2013 and had liked it in parts. His admiration of the Nehru-Gandhi Dynasty in general and barely hidden liking for Sonia Gandhi appeared to be a curious case for someone eager to prove himself objective and independent. The same story continues in the sequel as well and that is the major disappointing part. By no means, it is great or even a good autobiography, though the easy prose and the anecdotal narrative provides fairly good engagement of few hours. Despite being appreciative of his contributions to frank journalism in India, I had no plans to read this sequel. I took it up after his untimely demise as somewhat strange tribute to the largely fair journalism he practised. His self deprecating humour is enjoyable but his views on certain personalities like Narendra Modi, Arvind Kejriwal and Nehru-Gandhi Dynasty appear to be childish. His fascination with Arvind Kejriwal is as much curious as that for Sonia Gandhi. But then it is his memoir. If he didn't have a problem in being called a Sonia Chamcha, why the reader should care? RIP Vinod Mehta. He was one of the best editors and the posterity will judged him for his fearless and straight forward journalism rather than his memoirs.

After I read his first book - Lucknow Boy, I went all out to read more of his stuff. His book on -Meena Kumari is astounding. The characteristic of his writing is the flow. He is gifted to hold your interest page after page. Probably he is born with a talent and in journalism he found his true calling. This book is his racy account of his hates and admirations, comments on relevant people in politics and journalism and his struggle along the way to make sense of it all. Just like his other books, this book is Unputdownable.

This book is extremely readable and honest. The faintly self disparaging humour adds to its piquancy and charm. It also gives a fairly honest appraisal of the emergency, the aftermath and the rise of Sanjay Gandhi , his death and the coming of Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia's rise to power and the reluctant Rahul.