Get ready for a magical January! This month’s titles promise a world of adventure and discovery, replete with beautiful illustrations and easy-to-read narration. From historical events to cultural encyclopaedias, these books are sure to fly off your child’s TBR shelf.
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Heroes The Colour of Dust || Amit Majumdar
Gandhi and his followers intend to set out on their long walk to Dandi to protest a salt tax, but little do they know of the dangers that stand in their way. They mustn’t despair, for a group of fearless sparrows are ready for self-sacrifice and derring-do. They’ve made a resolution, you see, to protect Gandhi from any foe-bird, mutt or Britisher.
Open this book to join the ranks of the Mahatma’s Guards-heroes six, with India’s greatest poet in the mix-as their adventure takes wing!
We All Celebrate! || Chitra Soundar
Sprinkled with stunning illustrations, We All Celebrate! is bursting with facts about the many cultures and religions of the world. This joyful book offers a glimpse into the beautiful multicultural traditions, language, history, food and so much more-a true celebration of diversity!
The Chowpatty Cooking Club || Lubaina Bandukwala
With Mahatma Gandhi’s call to the British to Quit India, the city has become a hotbed of revolutionary activity-student protests, secret magazines and even an underground People’s Radio which broadcasts news that the British want concealed.
Sakina and her friends Zenobia and Mehul desperately want to be part of this struggle for freedom. But there is little that they are permitted to do. But at least, they are trying to do something useful, while their mothers are only running a cooking club …
That Year at Manikoil || Aditi Krishnakumar
While World War II rages in Europe and the Japanese army draws closer to India, Raji and her sisters are sent off with their mother to stay in Manikoil, her mother’s family village. But with her brother now a soldier in the British Indian Army and refugees fleeing from Malaya, Burma and other eastern countries back to India, Manikoil is no longer the peaceful haven it once was.
And while there is hope of Independence in the air, Raji is uncertain whether it will come to pass-and what it will truly mean for her and her family.
Chatur Chanakya vs the World Wide Web || Radhakrishnan Pillai
The Super Six of Ganesh Colony are back, with new faces and new challenges. Lakshmi is all set to represent Vani Vidyalaya at an inter-school maths tournament, Chanakya is busy learning about the World Wide Web and Arjun . . . well, he’s up to his usual shenanigans.
But Lakshmi seems to be harbouring a terrible secret: she’s being bullied online! As she receives one nasty message after another, she fears being disqualified from the tournament. Can Chanakya and Arjun combine the intelligence of the past and the future to catch the culprit?
Get ready to join the gang on an exciting adventure-cum-whodunnit! Get ready for Chatur Chanakya.
Tales from the World || Geeta Ramanujan
Collected from storytellers on snow-capped mountains, and in eerie forests, opulent palaces and countries near and far, the captivating folk tales in this book have mesmerized generations.
Injected with freshness, mystery, adventure and magic, Geeta Ramanujam retells her all-time favourite stories with a song here and a twist there.
Travel along with this imaginative storyteller as she shares peculiar myths and incredible trivia from around the world in this magnificently illustrated volume of twenty tales from Russia, Japan, France, Tibet, India, Korea, Scotland and more.
Ritu Weds Chandni || Ameya Narvankar
Ayesha is excited to attend her cousin Ritu’s wedding. She can barely wait to dance at the baraat! But not everyone is happy that Ritu is marrying her girlfriend, Chandni.
Some have even vowed to stop the celebrations. Will Ayesha be able to save her cousin’s big day?
Centering Ayesha’s love for her cousin as much as it showcases Ritu and Chandni’s love for each other, this warm-hearted story celebrates the power of young voices to stand up against prejudice and bigotry.
The Puffin Book of 100 Extraordinary Indians
Written as short anecdotal biographical sketches, the book presents the lives of scientists, doctors, activists, painters, sportspeople, dancers, political leaders and many more from different walks of life. Among 100 extraordinary Indians are names like Irom Sharmila, Dutee Chand, Bhagat Singh, Gauri Sawant, Virat Kohli, Satya Nadella, Chatrapati Shivaji. Whether they climbed the heights, swam the depths, mastered science or track and field, picked the baton of education or activism, each of their stories is replete with big and small victories that continue to inspire.
While some kids love to read, there are some who are yet to be introduced to the world of books. And for both kinds, Penguin brings something special- audiobooks!
Bring back the nostalgic habit of storytelling to kids with their own personal storyteller! Before you know it, your child would become a bibliophile and perhaps even a storyteller!
Here are some of our favourite audiobooks for you to choose from:
Grandparents’ Bag of Stories || Sudha Murty
Grandparents’ Bag of Stories
By Sudha Murty
It’s 2020, and children are stuck indoors as the novel coronavirus finds its way into India. A nationwide lockdown is announced, and amidst the growing crisis, Ajja and Ajji welcome their grandchildren and Kamlu Ajji into their house in Shiggaon.
From stitching masks, sharing household chores, preparing food for workers to losing themselves in timeless tales, the lockdown turns into a memorable time for the children as they enter the enchanting world of goddesses, kings, princesses, serpents, magical beanstalks, thieves, kingdoms, and palaces, among others. The myriad stories told by their grandparents become the biggest source of joy, making the children compassionate, worldly-wise and more resilient than ever.
Grandma’s Bag of Stories || Sudha Murty
Grandma’s Bag of Stories
By Sudha Murty
Memories of a grandparent spinning tales around animals and mysterious characters have kept many of us rapt till date. Sudha Murty’s Grandma’s Bag of Stories is simply delightful. The story starts with Anand, Krishna, Raghu and Meena arriving at their grandparents’ house in Shiggaon. Overjoyed Ajji and Ajja (Grandmother and Grandfather in Kannada) get the house ready, while Ajji prepares delicious snacks for children. Finally, times comes when everyone gathers around Ajji, as she opens her big bag of stories. She tells stories of kings and cheats, princesses and onions, monkeys and mice and scorpions and hidden treasures.
This book is ideal for young children and those who are 5+ in age. Stories are accompanied morals. Lucid and simple language of the book make it thoroughly enjoyable.
Unfair || Rasil Ahuja
Unfair by Rasil Ahuja
Auditions are on for the seventh-grade annual play. Lina sets her heart and sights on the lead role, but the drama teacher seems to think Lina isn’t the right shade for the part. All Lina wants is a fair chance to try out for the role.
Meher finds math far more interesting, and less dramatic, than Macbeth. When her extroverted BFF Lina suddenly becomes distraught and withdrawn, Meher tries to figure out what she may have done wrong. Will their friendship fade, or will Meher find a solution to this problem?
Nava Durga || Nalini Ramachandran
Nava Durga by Nalini Ramachandran
Durga, as this powerful warrior-goddess is known,
Has nine special forms – each one unique, not just a clone.
Shailaputri, Brahmacharini and Chandraghanta, Kushmanda and Skandamata,
Katyayani and Kaalratri,
Maha Gauri and Siddhidatri…
They are the Nava Durga,
Worshipped during Navaratri,
The festival of nine nights and nine days
That’s celebrated across India and the world in myriad ways
To praise the goddesses and their glory.
This is their story!
7 dream jobs and how to find them || Chandan Deshmukh
7 Dream Jobs and How to Find Them
By Chandan Deshmukh
On an average, 11 hours a day for the rest of your life, you’ll either be working or traveling to your workplace. Now imagine being stuck in the wrong job! A study says that 80 percent of Indians are unhappy with their jobs. Then how can we find a job that makes us happy? Is there a formula we can use to find our dream job?
Go on a journey with national best-selling author Chandan Deshmukh as he guides you through the various opportunities, challenges, and turning points of any career and most of all, finding a job that makes you happy.
Amma, Take Me to The Golden Temple || Bhakti Mathur
Amma, Take Me to The Golden Temple
by Bhakti Mathur
Join Amma and her children as they travel to the famous Golden Temple in Amritsar. Take a tour through the wonderful sights, sounds, and history of Darbar Sahib. Hear stories about the Sikh gurus. Visit Darshani Deori and Akal Takht.
Savour a drink from the sacred waters at Har Ki Pauri and the langar from the world’s biggest kitchen! Learn Guru Nanak’s eternal message of equality, love, and service. Told through interesting stories with captivating illustrations, this new series introduces listeners to the history of different faiths and their associated monuments.
Amma, Take me to Shirdi || Bhakti Mathur
Amma, Take Me to Shirdi
By Bhakti Mathur
Join Amma and her boys as they travel to Shirdi, home to one of India’s most celebrated saints – Sai Baba. Hear the story of one of the most loved and revered mystics. Walk around the neem tree that gave him shelter. Relish a few moments in Dwarka Mai, the dilapidated mosque that became his home. Visit Dhuni Mai, the ever-burning fire Sai Baba had lit, and receive his blessings.
Let Amma take you on a journey to witness the life of this unique saint who taught by example, compassion, and kindness, and who, for a century, has been drawing millions of adoring devotees every year. Told through interesting stories with captivating illustrations, this book brings alive an important place of worship in an engaging and non-preachy way.
Which book are you going to make your kids listen to next?
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and as your little ones celebrate this festive season, make the most of their time at home with our exclusive selection for December. Winter is all about spreading warmth and joy, and with our exclusive section of books for your bundles of joy, we are celebrating the essence of this season. From wholesome books such as You Are Simply Perfect that will help young teens and tweens to navigate through this tumultuous time, to inspiring reads such as Malhar in the Middle, we have the best December treats for your holiday heart!
Jealousy. Bullying. Anger. Anxiety. Body image issues. Selfies and social media addiction . . . Are you grappling with any of these?
Let’s be honest, juggling school, extra classes, home, friendships and new relationships can be hard. It’s difficult to find balance and tough not to get affected by the ‘happy’ content we see online. But what is genuine happiness vis-à-vis short-term pleasure? Are we even looking for it in the right place?
Written by a renowned psychologist, this beautifully illustrated book is divided into five parts that will help in easing everyday anxieties. Learn to make friends with yourself, your body, mind and feelings, and to deal with difficult emotions and situations.
You Are Simply Perfect! will equip you with life-changing tools to find contentment–in school and outside. Find your own quiet spaces inside this book with journal pages left for you to write and reflect.
The dangerous virus is making everything go into lockdown. But the village poacher trying to catch the pangolin Chumki has befriended. How will Chumki save the rare animal in these tough times?
Malhar wants to be a famous tabla player. But why do tabla players always sit to one side of the stage? Are they not important enough? Malhar wants answers–and he wants to sit in the middle!
This collection of 15 mini board books is more than just a set of adorable books for a child’s first library–they are also engaging learning tools! The format includes activities like stacking, sorting, counting, matching and identifying colours that encourage interactive learning of basic concepts and facilitate developmental skills in kids.
The box set comprises mini books with sturdy board pages and rounded corners that are perfect for tiny hands. With adorable illustrations and a modern design, this box set includes a variety of relevant topics like first words, animals, numbers, shapes, colours and more.
From adventures in the galaxy, hot air balloon ride, treasure hunt to helping the lion finds its way and much more, each maze provides hours of fun and learning. Amazing Mazes features full-color pages filled with different puzzles and mazes, along with search and find activities to keep little minds engaged. Designed to encourage logical thinking, sharpen hand-eye coordination, these activity-filled pages are sure to keep little puzzlers engaged.
Grab your pencils, trace the squiggly path and follow each amazing maze to a new discovery!
These books are for very young readers, aged five and above. The books work well for reading out loud to kids or for young readers just starting to read by themselves. Written by some of the best-known writers for children, and illustrated in exuberant colour by some of India’s most-loved illustrators, these stories are set largely in non-urban settings. Hawaldar Hook is the endearing mascot of the Hook Books. Each book includes short and fun language exercises at the end.
The vividly illustrated stories of Teejan Bai and Satyajit Ray in Lavanya Karthik’s Dreamers Series are inspiring for young kids. Karthik’s stories and artworks are perfectly synced with the high and low notes of Teejan Bai’s life and have captured the most significant shots of Satyajit Ray’s life. Both of them are acknowledged and appreciated for their unique talents.
Get your children hooked to the pages of the Dreamers Series and let them get inspired to hone their skills. Here’s a glimpse of the younger selves of Teejan Bai and Satyajit Ray.
Recognizable by the hOle at the top corner of each book, these chapter books are aimed at kids learning to read independently. They are full of fun stories, gorgeous illustrations and hOles!
The hOle books are early chapter books for children transitioning from picture books to longer books. The stories are contemporary, Indian and with protagonists who are the age of the potential readers, facing dilemmas and challenges which the readers would be familiar with.
Over the years, the hOle books have been shortlisted for or won every major book award in India and a couple internationally.
And That Is Why . . . Manipuri Myths Retold||L. Somi Roy
A collection of endearing and vibrant retellings of Manipuri myths told for the first time to the outside world! Discover twelve magical tales from Manipur, the mountain land in the northeast of India on the border with Myanmar. Passed down by learned scholars, balladeers and grandmothers over hundreds of years, these unknown myths and fables are enriched with beautifully rich paintings that will transport you to Manipur!
Have you heard of the king who sacrificed his flesh to keep his word to a pigeon? Or about the throne that gives anyone who sits on it the unique ability to dispense justice! And how about the sculptor who managed to make magnificent statues with no hands at all?
There’s something for everyone in this collection of tales of wisdom and wit!
From quarrels among gods and the follies of great sages to the benevolence of kings and the virtues of ordinary mortals, Sudha Murty spins fresh accounts of lesser-known stories in Indian mythology. Accompanied by fantastical illustrations and narrated in an unassuming fashion, The Sage with Two Horns is sure to delight fans of the beloved storyteller.
What if our world was a lot more? Filled with unknown creatures-some friendly, some scary.
An outcast to the world of humans, Maithili lives in the outskirts of a magical wilderness. But as she makes new friends in the realm of monsters, she must learn to be careful. Because some monsters are just like humans: mean, nasty and out for blood.
Perfect for fans of Hilda and Arthur and the Golden Rope, join Maithili and the Minotaur on their very first adventure in an outlandish world where nothing is as it seems.
The Very Glum Life of Tootoolu Toop||Stuti Agarwal
A delicious adventure set in Darjeeling about a young witch’s attempts at living a human life. For readers of Roald Dahl, Enid Blyton and David Walliams.
To every witch, wizard and glum,
I’m Tootoolu Toop, a ten-year-old, fully trained witch of the Oonoodiwaga tribe from the Darjeeling mountains. Like every other ordinary human who wants to live a life of magic, we witches and wizards want to experience the non-magical world too (I do for sure). For me, the ‘ordinary’ world is nothing short of an adventure. So I have left my tribe to live life as a glum.
This is my story.
Tootoolu is on the run. From her mundane life of stirring grasshopper’s legs into potions and her underground home where her tribe has been in hiding for 569 years. Will Tootoolu find what she’s looking for-best friends, books and a chance to be who she truly is?
What if your life depended on being able to tell a good story?
Schariar, King of Persia, would marry a woman every night only to chop off her head every morning. He had sentenced the clever Scherazade to the same fate. Determined to save herself and other women from this gruesome decree, Queen Scherazade begins telling him stories one night-of magic lamps and genies, of fishermen and caliphs, of treasure caves and strange potions.
Tales so wonderful that the one night turns into 1001 . . . But what will happen when Scherazade runs out of yarns to spin? Illustrated afresh, this tenth-anniversary edition offers tales from the Arabian Nights as told by the magical storyteller Scherazade. Narrated in an engaging, tongue-in-cheek style complete with vivid imagery, The Storyteller will keep you spellbound for days!
In the forests of central India, where teak meets sal and plateaus meet hills, natural history meets detective fiction in an inquisitive Ruddy Mongoose’s investigations. Join Naturalist Ruddy as he unearths some of nature’s most fascinating mysteries in this one-of-a-kind comic book set across India’s various natural habitats.
Learn more about lesser-known animals, insects and organisms of India, and how they interact with their environment!
October is the month of adventure. Introduce your young ones to Rachita and Aarti, who have a nemesis out to get them, and the Naturalist Ruddy Mongoose, who combines natural history with detective fiction. Ruskin Bond’s famous character, Ranji, is back in a heart-warming story and so is Rumi, who encounters a ghost–Rain! Muhammad bin Tughlaq, the Sultan of Dihli, is outraged; but why? Maithili and the Minotaur are on their very first adventure in an outlandish world where nothing is as it seems…
We’ve also included something for the youngest readers – those learning to read!
My First Words
My First Words
This collection of 15 mini board books is more than just a set of adorable books for a child’s first library–they are also engaging learning tools! The format includes activities like stacking, sorting, counting, matching and identifying colours that encourage interactive learning of basic concepts and facilitate developmental skills in kids.
The box set comprises mini books with sturdy board pages and rounded corners that are perfect for tiny hands. With adorable illustrations and a modern design, this box set includes a variety of relevant topics like first words, animals, numbers, shapes, colours and more.
The Tunnel
The Tunnel || Ruskin Bond
Fascinated by the midday train, Ranji would find himself waiting near the tunnel to catch a glimpse of the engine come roaring out of it. But the tunnel has more surprises for him. From a jungle full of lush green trees comes a timeless tale of unexpected friendship, curiosity, duty and wildlife.
Peppered with delightful illustrations, Ruskin Bond brings to his readers another heart-warming story packaged as a charming chapter book-a perfect introduction for beginners to the world of India’s favourite writer!
Tughlaq and the Stolen Sweets
Tughlaq and the Stolen Sweets || Natasha Sharma
For Ages: 8+ years
Muhammad bin Tughlaq, the Sultan of Dihli, is outraged. Someone has stolen his favourite dessert, the sugared melons from Khurasim. What’s worse, people are questioning his plans of torture and punishment. Who can help the Sultan solve this mystery?
The Case of the Nosy
The Case of the Nosy || Archit Taneja
For Ages: 11+ years
Rachita and Aarti have a nemesis who is out to destroy them …
Garbage vandals are defacing walls of residential societies. Aarti’s birthday presents include miniature coasters. Rachita starts having egg-themed nightmares …
Are these happenings related to the mysterious time-travelling detective gang that is challenging the Superlative Supersleuths? And will they be able to foil their rivals or will they end up getting owned?
Case notes:
1. Why do the eggs have banana heads?
2. The Harappans cared about home furnishings.
3. The Nemesis might be a time traveller!
Rain Must Fall
Rain Must Fall || Nandita Basu
For Ages: 12+ years
Rumi is not too enthusiastic about accompanying Baba to the sleepy village of Shankerpur, where he is planning to convert their ancestral home into a bed and breakfast. But Rumi is happy to be away from school and friends who have problems understanding Rumi’s identity.
In the middle of one night, Rumi encounters a ghost–Rain, who does not remember his own story or why he is compelled to be a ghost. And it is in trying to help Rain find his peace, that sets Rumi on a journey of love, friendship and acceptance.
This is a tale of love and loss, of rejection and affirmation, and above all, the healing and illuminating power of friendship.
Maithili and the Minotaur
Maithili and the Minotaur || C.G. Salamander
For Ages: 10+ years
An outcast to the world of humans, Maithili lives in the outskirts of a magical wilderness. But as she makes new friends in the realm of monsters, she must learn to be careful because some monsters are just like humans: mean, nasty and out for blood.
Perfect for fans of Hilda and Arthur and the Golden Rope, join Maithili and the Minotaur on their very first adventure in an outlandish world where nothing is as it seems.
Naturalist Ruddy
Naturalist Ruddy || Rohan Chakravarty
Are you ‘Ruddy’ for adventure?
In the forests of central India, where teak meets sal and plateaus meet hills, natural history meets detective fiction in an inquisitive Ruddy Mongoose’s investigations. Join Naturalist Ruddy as he unearths some of nature’s most fascinating mysteries in this one-of-a-kind comic book set across India’s various natural habitats.
Amitav Ghosh is a name that needs no introduction, but being proponents of his literary art form, we find ourselves compelled to acquaint you with his life and accomplishments. For those who already know this, think of it as a refresher course.
Born in Calcutta during the summer of 1956, Ghosh spent his formative years hopping from place to place thanks to his father’s military background. He had the opportunity to experience living in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India. He studied at the Universities of Delhi and Oxford and has been awarded multiple honorary doctorates. In addition to these impressive qualifications, he has been the receiver of numerous awards, including the Jananpith Award, the highest and oldest literary award in the country.
He possesses the ability to spin words in ways that create the most captivating tapestries, often using ornamental English, elevating his literary works to what appears to be high art and literature. Though he does not confine himself to one genre, a theme that often appears in his work is that of untold histories, ones that no one else sought to pursue. This is what he does in his newest piece of writing, The Nutmeg’s Curse, where he reveals the profoundly remarkable ways in which human history is shaped by non-human forces.
Yes, we are all extremely excited about this book, but since we have to wait a few days before we can get our hands on it, here are a few (easy to obtain) Amitav Ghosh classics everyone ought to read!
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Gun Island by Amitav Ghosh
Gun Island
Bundook. Gun. A common word, but one which turns Deen Datta’s world upside down.
A dealer of rare books, Deen is used to a quiet life spent indoors, but as his once-solid beliefs begin to shift and he is forced to set out on an extraordinary journey. A journey that takes him from India to Los Angeles and Venice via a tangled route through the memories and experiences of those he meets along the way. There is Piya, a fellow Bengali-American who sets his journey in motion; Tipu, an entrepreneurial young man who opens Deen’s eyes to the realities of growing up in today’s world; Rafi, with his desperate attempt to help someone in need and Cinta, an old friend who provides the missing link in the story they are all a part of. It is a journey that will upend everything he thought he knew about himself, about the Bengali legends of his childhood and about the world around him.
Gun Island is a beautifully realised novel that effortlessly spans space and time. It is the story of a world on the brink of increasing displacement and unstoppable transition. However, it is also a story of hope of a man whose faith in the world and the future is restored by two remarkable women.
Sea Of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh
Sea Of Poppies
A motley array of sailors and stowaways, coolies and convicts is sailing down the Hooghly aboard the Ibis on its way to Mauritius. As they journey across the Indian Ocean old family ties are washed away, and they begin to view themselves as jahaj-bhais or ship brothers who will build new lives for themselves in the remote islands where they are being taken.
A stunningly vibrant and intensely humane work, Sea of Poppies, the first book in the Ibis trilogy, confirms Amitav Ghosh’s reputation as a master storyteller.
River of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh
River of Smoke
September 1838. A storm blows up on the Indian Ocean and three ships – the Ibis, the Anahita and the Redruth – and those aboard are caught in the whirlwind. River of Smoke follows the fortunes of these men and women to the crowded harbours of China where they struggle to cope with their losses – and for a few, unimaginable freedoms – in the alleys and teeming waterways of nineteenth-century Canton.
Written on the grand scale of a historical epic, River of Smoke, book two in the Ibis trilogy, will be heralded as a masterpiece of twenty-first-century literature.
Flood of Fire by Amitav Ghosh
Flood of Fire
It is 1839. The British, whose opium exports to China have been blockaded by Beijing, are planning an invasion to force China’s hand. In Calcutta, Zachary Reid, an impoverished young sailor, dreams of his lost love and of a way to make his fortunes. Heading towards Calcutta is Havildar Kesri to lead a regiment of Indian volunteers in the upcoming war. In Mumbai, Shireen Modi prepares to sail alone to China to reclaim her opium trader husband’s wealth and reputation.
In Canton, Neel becomes an aide and translator to a senior Chinese official as Beijing begins to prepare for war with Britain and the more he sees, the more worried he becomes for the Chinese have neither the ships nor the artillery to match the British in modern warfare. The future seems clear but do the Chinese know it?
The Shadow Lines by Amitav Ghosh
The Shadow Lines
As a young boy, Amitav Ghosh’s narrator travels across time through the tales of those around him, traversing the unreliable planes of memory, unmindful of physical, political and chronological borders. But as he grows older, he is haunted by a seemingly random act of violence. Bits and pieces of stories, both half-remembered and imagined, come together in his mind until he arrives at an intricate, interconnected picture of the world where borders and boundaries mean nothing. They are mere shadow lines that we draw dividing people and nations.
Out of a complex web of memories, relationships and images, Amitav Ghosh builds an intensely vivid, funny and moving story. Exposing the idea of the nation state as an illusion, an arbitrary dissection of people, Ghosh depicts the absurd manner in which your home can suddenly become your enemy.
The Great Derangement by Amitav Ghosh
The Great Derangement
Are we deranged?
Amitav Ghosh, argues that future generations may well think so. How else can we explain our imaginative failure in the face of global warming? In this ground-breaking return to non-fiction, Ghosh examines our inability-at the level of literature, history and politics-to grasp the scale and violence of climate change. The climate crisis asks us to imagine other forms of human existence-a task to which fiction, Ghosh argues, is the best suited of all forms. The Great Derangement serves as a brilliant writer’s summons to confront the most urgent task of our time.
Dancing in Cambodia by Amitav Ghosh
Dancing in Cambodia and Other Essays
Through extraordinary first-hand accounts Amitav Ghosh presents a compelling chronicle of the turmoil of our times.
Dancing in Cambodia recreates the first-ever visit to Europe by a troupe of Cambodian dancers with King Sisowath, in 1906. Ghosh links this historic visit, celebrated by Rodin in a series of sketches, to the more recent history of the Khmer Rouge revolution.
‘The Town by the Sea’ records his experiences in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands just days after the tsunami; and in ‘September 11’ he takes us back to that fateful day when he retrieved his young daughter from school in New York, sick with the knowledge that she will be marked by the same kind of tumult that has defined his own life.
The Imam and the Indian by Amitav Ghosh
The Imam and the Indian
The Imam and the Indian is an extensive compilation of Amitav Ghosh’s non-fiction writings. Sporadically published between his novels, in magazines, journals, academic books and periodicals, these essays and articles trace the evolution of the ideas that shape his fiction. He explores the connections between past and present, events and memories, people, cultures and countries that have a shared history.
Ghosh combines his historical and anthropological bent of mind with his skills of a novelist, to present a collection like no other.
The Calcutta Chromosome by Amitav Ghosh
The Calcutta Chromosome
In this extraordinary novel, Amitav Ghosh navigates through time and genres to present a unique tale. Beginning at an unspecified time in the future and ranging back to the late nineteenth century, the reader follows the adventures of the enigmatic L. Murugan. An authority on the Nobel Prize-winning scientist Sir Ronald Ross, who solved the malaria puzzle in Calcutta in 1898, Murugan is in search of the elusive ‘Calcutta Chromosome’. With its astonishing range of characters, advanced computer science, religious cults and wonderful portraits of Victorian and contemporary India, The Calcutta Chromosome expands the scope of the novel as we know it, as Amitav Ghosh takes on the avatar of a science thriller writer.
The Circle Of Reason by Amitav Ghosh
The Circle Of Reason
Following the form of the raga in Indian classical music, Amitav Ghosh slowly builds the tempo of The Circle of Reason. The first part spans several decades, the second unfolds over a few weeks, and the third, like a scherzo, races through a day. Ghosh’s debut novel centres on Alu, an orphan enlisted by his foster father as a soldier in his crusade against the forces of myth and unreason. Suspected of terrorism, they are about to be arrested when a tragic accident forces Alu to flee his village. Pursued by a misguided police officer, Alu finds his way through Calcutta to Goa and on to a trawler that runs illegal immigrants to Africa. Tracing Alu’s journey across two continents, The Circle of Reason is an exceptional novel by one of India’s most celebrated writers in English.
In An Antique Land by Amitav Ghosh
In An Antique Land
Packed with anecdotes and exuberant details, In an Antique Land provides magical and intimate insights into Egypt from the Crusades to Operation Desert Storm. It exposes the indistinguishable and intertwining ties that bind together India and Egypt; Hindus, Muslims and Jews.
By combining fiction, history, travel writing and anthropology, to create a single seamless work of imagination, Ghosh characteristically makes us rethink the political boundaries that divide the world and the generic boundaries that divide narratives.
The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh
The Glass Palace
Set in Burma during the British invasion of 1885, this masterly novel tells the story of Rajkumar, a poor boy lifted on the tides of political and social chaos, who goes on to create an empire in the Burmese teak forest. When soldiers force the royal family out of the Glass Palace and into exile, Rajkumar befriends Dolly, a young woman in the court of the Burmese queen, whose love will shape his life. He cannot forget her, and years later, as a rich man, he goes in search of her. Through this brilliant and impassioned story of love and war, Amitav Ghosh presents a ruthless appraisal of the horrors of colonialism and capitalist exploitation.
The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh
The Hungry Tide
Between the sea and the plains of Bengal, on the easternmost coast of India, lies an immense archipelago of islands. Some are vast and some no larger than sandbars; some have lasted through recorded history while others have just washed into being. These are the Sundarbans. Here there are no borders to divide fresh water from salt, river from sea, even land from water. The settlers of the Sundarbans believe that anyone without a pure heart who ventures into the watery labyrinth will never return. Survival is an everyday battle for these people who have managed to strike a delicate balance with nature.
But the arrival of Piyali Roy, of Indian parentage but stubbornly American, and of Kanai Dutt, a sophisticated Delhi businessman, threatens to upset this balance. Kanai has returned to the islands on the request of his aunt, a local figure, for the first time since the death of his uncle, a political radical who died mysteriously in the aftermath of a local uprising. When Piya, who is on the track of the rare river dolphins, hires Fokir, an illiterate but proud local man to guide her through the backwaters, Kanai becomes her translator. From this moment, the tide begins to turn.
Amitav Ghosh has discovered another new territory, summoning a singular, fascinating place, another world, from its history and myth, and bringing it to life. Yet The Hungry Tide also explores another and far more unknowable jungle: the human spirit. It is a novel that asks at every turn: what man can take the true measure of another?
Countdown by Amitav Ghosh
Countdown
On 11 May 1998 the Indian government tested five nuclear devices some forty kilometers from Pokaran. Seventeen days later Pakistan tested nuclear devices of its own. About three months after the tests, Amitav Ghosh went to the Pokaran area, after which he visited Kashmir as part of the defense minister’s entourage. He also went to the Siachen glacier in the Karakoram Mountains where Indian and Pakistani soldiers have been exchanging fire since 1983. Ghosh then travelled through Pakistan and Nepal. Countdown is partly a result of these journeys and conversations with many hundreds of people of the subcontinent. In its description the book is haunting and evocative; and its analyses of the compulsions behind South Asia’s nuclearization, and the implications of this, are profound, deeply disturbing and, ultimately, chilling.
Bookworms can sometimes have too much on their plate, have sore eyes or just be in a situation where reading is impossible. But you know what? Don’t let that get you down because we’ve got the perfect answer to your prayers. Be it while doing chores or travelling or simply being too tired to read, audiobooks will have your back. Here are ten of the newest audiobooks we’ve just released. We’re certain you won’t want to hit pause on any of these!
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Corporate Divas||Sonia Golani
Corporate Divas
Eighteen extremely talented and determined women have balanced the home and the boardroom with equal aplomb, setting standards in the corporate world for all to follow. Corporate Divas offers inspiring insights into what motivates and sustains India’s leading corporate women. Through a series of in-depth conversations, this book reveals the unconventional styles and the secret mantras they use to achieve phenomenal success in their professions. A riveting and an uplifting listen, it is an indispensable resource for anyone striving to build the right attitudes for success in today’s highly competitive global environment.
The Vijay Mallya Story||K. Giriprakash
The Vijay Mallya Story
Giriprakash’s book, titled The Vijay Mallya Story, is an intriguing story of the life of Vijay Mallya, an Indian industrialist with a history of ground breaking success. He was given numerous titles, like the King of Good Times, The Liquor King of India, King of Good Thrones, and many more. The making of this industrial tycoon, his success story, the story of his decline with the downfall of Kingfisher, and a lot of important events from his life are presented in the book.
Vijay Mallya is a name that has been heard with relation to a lot of important and prime events, be it through his presence in Indian parliament, being an owner of IPL team Royal Challengers, Bangalore, or being an industrialist. Giriprakash has included lesser-known facts and stories from the professional events of Mallya’s life in this book. Mallya had three decades of success with numerous businesses. The book not merely includes the professional life of Mallya but also of his childhood events, the business acumen he was born with, and how he shared his relationship with his father. The book explains how his skills and the business-dealing abilities got him a long period of unmatched success, while the fall of Kingfisher has been a break in his reign.
The author has done in-depth research on Mallya’s life, and the major and minor events of his business life with some interesting details of his young days are all
Roses Are Blood Red||Novoneel Chakraborty
Roses Are Blood Red: Even True Love Has a Dangerous Side
“I’ll gift you a love story that every girl desires, but few get to live.”
He’d told me once. And boy, did he stick to his words! Vanav Thakur is the most perfect boyfriend that any girl can have. He ticks every box you can ever have for your Mr. Right. Trust me on this. He cares for me, respects me, never objectifies me, never says no to me for anything, understands me, is progressive, and has no shadow of any male chauvinism in him. Sometimes, I wonder if I really deserve him. My parents, like me, had no option but to accept him as my boyfriend. Everything was hunky-dory, and I thought I would be that one girl who would never have any relationship hiccup until I stumbled upon the reason behind his perfection.
I’m Aarisha Shergill, and my life is about to get ripped apart because I should have known some things should be left alone.
Is love capable of healing the deep wounds that love itself creates within you?
Mysteriously thrilling in its essence, Roses Are Blood Red is the haunting story of a passion and eternal love.
The Mind of a Consultant ||Sandeep K. Krishnan
The Mind of a Consultant
Management consulting is seen as a glamorous profession. Behind the mystique are the consultants who put in extraordinary effort, synthesize great problem-solving skills, and display fine personal attributes that enable them to capture the attention and respect of their clients. This book opens up to that world through the story of Samanta Thomas, a character based on countless excellent consultants, through whom we get inside the very mind of a consultant and their journey. As you traverse the journey of a management graduate growing to a partner in a top consulting firm, The Mind of a Consultant helps you understand various key skills that makes a successful consultant. The real-life experiences of consulting leaders bridge the gap between concepts and practical insights.
Problem-solving, management models, financial acumen, client management, leadership, networking, and work-life integration – this book hands you the tools to professional career success in a hands-on and easy-to-understand manner.
Life in the Uniform||Amit Lodha
Life in the Uniform: The Adventures of an IPS Officer in Bihar
Amit Lodha is a decorated IPS officer holding the rank of inspector general. But before he rose the ranks in the service, he was an IIT graduate who was struggling to find his true purpose.
In this book, Lodha tells us how he turned his life around and studied for the UPSC exams. He also tells us how he trained to be an officer and had the most memorable beginning to his career, in Bihar. Punctuated with his signature humour and adventure-packed stories on everything from solving a kidnapping to handling a mob, Life in the Uniform gives us a chance to experience an IPS officer’s life through his own eyes.
My Olympic Journey||Digvijay Singh Deo, Amit Bose
My Olympic Journey
Chronicling the stories of 50 of India’s leading Olympians for the first time ever in one comprehensive edition, Digvijay Singh Deo and Amit Bose bring you the games through the eyes of some of the best sportspersons in the country. These first-person accounts of Olympic medalists from 1948 till 2012, such as Balbir Singh, Leander Paes, Karnam Malleswari, Abhinav Bindra, and Sushil Kumar, and pioneers like Milkha Singh, P. T. Usha, and Anjali Bhagwat, reveal their hopes, superstitions, grit, and challenges. Their experiences and interactions are sure to make you laugh and shed a tear and, most importantly, open your eyes to the struggles they had to endure to reach the Olympics.
These personal stories give a close-up view of what it means to represent India at the most prestigious sporting event in the world, making you a part of the soaring glory and shattering disappointment that only an Olympic Games can deliver. With photos from the personal archives of each athlete, this is a front-row seat to the privileged Olympic experience.
Ground Scorching Tax||Arun Kumar
Ground Scorching Tax
On 1 July 2017, Goods and Services Tax (GST) became a reality. The government hailed it as the biggest tax reform of independent India which would herald a new freedom for the nation and unify it with ‘One Nation One Tax’. Some of the claims made by the government were that GST would bring about ease of doing business; increase tax collection; lower inflation; increase GDP growth by one to two percent; and check the black economy.
More than a year later, we have more questions than answers.
Why did the economy slow down?
Is the government likely to collect more taxes?
Why have prices continued to rise?
Why has Malaysia withdrawn GST?
Turns out that problems with GST are both transitional and structural. To correct for these, there have been a few hundred notifications and orders from the government which have added to the confusion.
In this book, well known economist Arun Kumar explains the reality behind GST. Known for not pulling any punches, the author explains why GST is a double-edged sword for the common man, why it will increase inequality across sectors and regions, why it will hurt small businesses – everything the government does not want you to know.
Shadow City||Taran N. Khan
Shadow City
When Taran N. Khan first arrived in Kabul in the spring of 2006 – five years after the Taliban government was overthrown – she found a city both familiar and unknown. Falling in with poets, archaeologists, and filmmakers, she begins to explore the city, and, over the course of several returns, discovers a Kabul quite different from the one she had expected.
Shadow City is an account of these expeditions, a personal and meditative portrait of a city we know primarily in terms of conflict. With Khan as our guide, we move from the glitter of wedding halls to the imperiled beauty of a Buddhist monastery, slip inside a beauty salon and wander through book markets. But as these walks take us deeper into the city, it becomes clear that to talk of Kabul’s various wars in the past tense is a mistake.
Part reportage and part reflection, Shadow City is an elegiac prose map of Kabul’s hidden spaces – and the cities that we carry within us.
Across the Line||Nayanika Mahtani
Across The Line
A tale of borders and beliefs shaped by the games people play.
The year: 1947. New Delhi. Cyril Radcliffe’s hands are clammy, partly from the heat but mostly from the enormity of the task assigned. Mopping the sweat off his brow, he picks up his pen, draws a deep breath – and a dark line.
Rawalpindi. A barbaric frenzy of rioters fills the streets, disrupting a game of pithoo between Toshi and her brother, Tarlok, shattering their lives unimaginably.
The year: 2008. Rawalpindi. Cricket-crazy Inaya is sneaking out behind her father’s back for net practice when she discovers that she is not the only one in her family keeping a secret.
New Delhi. Jai accidentally stumbles upon an old, hidden away diary in his kitchen. The date of its last entry: August 17, 1947.
As Jai and Inaya’s unlikely worlds collide, another story unfolds. A story that started with the drawing of a line. A story that shifts the truth in their lives.
Karma||Sadhguru
Karma
A much-used word, karma is loosely understood as a system of checks and balances in our lives, of good actions and bad deeds, of good thoughts and bad intentions. A system that seemingly ensures that at the end of the day one gets what one deserves. This grossly oversimplified understanding has created many complexities in our lives and taken away from us the very fundamentals of the joy of living.
Through this book, not only does Sadhguru explain what karma is and how we can use its concepts to enhance our lives, he also tells us about the sutras, a step-by-step guide to navigating our way in this challenging world. In the process, we get a deeper, richer understanding of life and the power to craft our destinies.
As the little ones step into the ninth month of the year, we know they need some good company to welcome the no-melting-no-freezing September. So, look nowhere else! We wholeheartedly sign up to accompany them, match their enthusiasm for reading, and give them a chance to taste the different flavors of imagination. Our books promise to stay by their bedside, on their study table, and make just enough space to be warmly packed in their already stuffed vacation bags. The vibrant covers of the books will have the kids googly eyes even before they begin reading the diverse stories.
Here’s our specially curated list of books that will get your children hooked and will transport them to the fantastical realms while they complete the plethora of engaging activities. It’s time to get them ready to cross the whirlpool of mazes and traverse through the wild alleys to meet mermaids and unicorns.
Boy, Bear
Boy, Bear || Adithi Rao
For ages: 5+ years
Boy and Bear have grown up together on the streets of Mumbai. Baba is a madari. But now that Baba is gone, how are Boy and Bear to survive?
The Hook Book series of short simple stories for beginning readers come with fun stories set in different parts of India. The gorgeous illustrations and short exercises are sure to enhance their reading experience.
Shoo, Crow!
Shoo, Crow! || Kavitha Punniyamurthi
For ages: 5+ years
The crows of Rajipuram are eating up all the corn in the fields. Can Velu and Akif find a way to shoo them away?
The Hook Book series of short simple stories for beginning readers come with fun stories set in different parts of India, gorgeous illustrations and short exercises to enhance the reading experience.
The Great Indian Mathematicians
The Great Indian Mathematicians || Gaurav Tekriwal
For ages: 10+ years
India’s mathematicians have made significant contributions over the last 5000 years. From the ever-popular Aryabhata, widely recognized for revolutionizing the number system and Shakuntala Devi, universally admired for her fast mental calculations to pioneers forgotten by time, like Baudhayana, who explained the Pythagoras’ theorem nearly 3000 years ago, the figures included in this book are trailblazers in the world of mathematics.
Fresh, accessible and inspiring, The Great Indian Mathematicians celebrates persistent mathematicians throughout Indian history. This book is an ideal introduction for the next generation of tenacious and curious maths wizards, and features a goldmine of tips and tricks, nuggets of surprise and much more!
Fantastic Creatures in Mythology
Fantastic Creatures in Mythology || Bulbul Sharma
For ages: 8+ years
Did you know that a celestial elephant once hid in the ocean after causing mischief ?
What happened when Rama and Lakshmana encountered a one-eyed headless demon?
Why did Ilvala turn his brother Vatapi into a goat and serve him to passers-by?
Find answers to these and meet many strange and wonderful creatures in this hand-picked collection of legends. Delve into the exploits of gods who took on magical avatars, birds and animals with superpowers, and demons and demonesses who were once good souls.
Bestselling children’s author Bulbul Sharma’s deft prose accompanied by bewitching illustrations will transport you to the fantastical realms inhabited by the Hindu pantheon. This book is sure to leave you spellbound!
Mazes and more: Funny Mazes
Mazes and more: Funny Mazes
For ages: 3+ years
Funny Mazes is a book from the series Mazes and More that features full-colour pages filled with different puzzles and mazes, along with search and find activities to keep little minds engaged. Designed to encourage logical thinking, sharpen hand-eye coordination, these activity-filled pages are sure to keep little puzzlers engaged. Grab your pencils, trace the squiggly path and follow each funny maze to a new discovery! With eye-catching illustrations, the book has puzzles organized by themes such as Circus, Island adventure, Fairyland, Camping among others. All mazes and puzzles come with answers to help kids if they get stuck on a puzzle.
Princesses, Mermaids and Unicorns Activity Book
Princesses, Mermaids and Unicorns Activity Book
For ages: 3+ years
From mermaids and princesses to unicorns and fairies, the fairyland brought alive inside this quirky activity book provides hours of creative fun for kids. Jam-packed with colouring pages and fantastic activities like interactive puzzles, dot-to-dot, spot the difference and playing peek-a-boo with fairies, Princesses, Mermaids and Unicorns Activity Book is the perfect companion to keep young minds engaged.
Children can follow mazes that feature prompts for problem-solving along the way. They can trace the path to the desired end, colour in the pictures, use the colour by number prompt to create a mystery picture, find the differences between two pictures, complete the drawings, connect the dots, learn to draw a simple picture, match the identical objects, find and circle objects, order the events, and much more. This carefully researched book aims to build vocabulary through picture-word association for toddlers and pre-schoolers and is suitable for parent-child association.
Yes, we have made it to September, said goodbye to ‘hot girl summer’ and prepared ourselves for the lazy season. But before you go asking people to wake you up when September ends, you have to see all the amazing book releases you’d miss if you chose the Sleeping Beauty life. Our latest literary haul has the potential to keep you occupied until next fall. If you take our advice into consideration, we’d suggest you settle down with a strong cup of your favourite caffeinated beverage instead, because you’re going to want to stay awake for this months reading recommendations.
The Elephant in the Womb||Kalki Koechlin
The Elephant in the Womb
Motherhood is the greatest job in the world…right?
In this unique graphic narrative, we finally have that candid, funny and relatable book on pregnancy and parenting that mothers, expectant mothers, and anyone even thinking about motherhood have been waiting for. Actor and writer Kalki Koechlin opens up about so much that we don’t talk about-the social stigma of abortions and unmarried pregnancies, the toll that pregnancy takes on a body, the unacknowledged domestic labour of women, the emotional rollercoaster of giving birth, bouts of postpartum melancholy, the unsolicited parenting advice from every corner, and of course the innumerable moments of joy and delight in bringing a real little person into this very weird world.
With whimsy and compassion, with uproariously funny art and spellbinding honesty, The Elephant in the Womb blends the deeply private with the blazingly political. It’s an eye-opener for anyone who has ever thought that pregnancy was all about the glow and that motherhood was all about fulfilment. From fixing broken parts to enduring untimely farts, Koechlin’s nuanced prose-gorgeously illustrated by Valeriya Polyanychko-tells us the bare-faced truth about the physiological discomfort and manic expectations that make it a bittersweet experience.
With a combination of personal essays and think-pieces, journal entries captured in real time, reflections and anecdotes, this is the motherload!
The Blind Matriarch||Gokhale Namita
The Blind Matriarch
The blind matriarch, Matangi-Ma, lives on the topmost floor of an old house with many stories. From her eyrie, she hovers unseeingly over the lives of her family. Her long-time companion Lali is her emissary to the world. Her three children are by turn overprotective and dismissive of her. Her grandchildren are coming to terms with old secrets and growing pains. Life goes on this way until one day the world comes to a standstill-and they all begin to look inward.
This assured novel records the different registers in the complex inner life of an extended family. Like
the nation itself, the strict hierarchy of the joint-family home can be dysfunctional, and yet it is this home that often provides unexpected relief and succour to the vulnerable within its walls.
As certainties dissolve, endings lead to new beginnings. Structured with the warp of memory and the weft of conjoined lives, the narrative follows middle India, even as it records the struggles for individual growth, with successive generations trying to break out of the stranglehold of the all-encompassing Indian family.
Ebbing and flowing like the waves of a pandemic, the novel is a clear-eyed chronicle of the tragedies of India’s encounter with the Coronavirus, the cynicism and despair that accompanied it, and the resilience and strength of the human spirit.
On a Wing and a Prayer||Kushal M Choksi
On A Wing and a Prayer
What would you do if your life turned upside down overnight?
Witnessing the devastation of 9/11 before his eyes and narrowly escaping death, Kushal’s life was never going to be the same again. Suddenly, all his pursuits felt meaningless and he felt a void within him like he had never felt before-until one day, when he reluctantly decided to spend an afternoon with a spiritual master in New York City.
From being a Wall Street trader immersed in the material world to embarking on a quest to find answers to life’s biggest questions, Kushal Choksi writes about his doubts, struggles and revelations on a spiritual path as a left-brained sceptic.
On a Wing and a Prayer is one such (true) account of one man finding himself on a fifteen-year long journey shadowing the spiritual leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
The Lovers of Rampore||Ashok Chopra
The Lovers of Rampore
In The Lovers of Rampore, Ashok Chopra delves into the many mysterious forms of love thus introducing a mystic quality to the everyday lives of his characters. From the thrills of lust to the joys and fears of genuine commitment, to the exploration of desire and dispassion that exist in all relationships, this is the story of love in all its different manifestations.
Raja Rajvendra Veer Bahadur Singh married Rani Padmakshi Devi Singh, a woman thirty-three years younger to him, after losing his first wife. Theirs is a love built on respect, trust and the desire to support each other against all odds. In Rampore, their son, the dashing Yuvraj, is curiously averse to the very ideals his parents’ marriage embodies, choosing instead the path of instant gratification. In Mumbai, we’re introduced to Vikram Desai-an enigmatic architect whose principles, charm and persona change the course of all those whom he interacts with.
Ashok Chopra weaves a contemporary Bayeux tapestry of richly detailed stories which are mature, slow-burning and strum with a quiet passion that cuts across class, gender, and age, fundamentally altering the way we perceive love. In doing so, he also challenges society’s archaic understanding of the bonding between people.
10 Steps to the Boardroom||G.S. Rattan
10 Steps to the Boardroom
There is no linear path to reach the top. In today’s day and age, when there is so much competition and nepotism that is being spoken about, one has to wonder: Does talent and merit have a chance? In my opinion, they do. So how does one knock on the door of success and reach the boardroom?
This book takes you through the crucial ten steps you need to climb as you progress in your career to reach the top via the author’s own personal journey. Each chapter deals with one specific quality that a CEO is required to have and is accompanied with a worksheet next to it that will help you chart your growth. Peppered with wisdom and experience, each story will help you understand the implications of your decisions and the right career stage that one should look at making a move. An absolute must-have for anyone looking to make a mark in their corporate career.
The Battle of Rezang La||Kulpreet Yadav
The Battle of Rezang La
On 18 November 1962, the Charlie Company of the 13 Kumaon Battalion, Kumaon Regiment, fought a Chinese attack at Rezang La Pass in Ladakh, India. The company comprised 120 soldiers and was led by Maj. Shaitan Singh. Of these soldiers, 110 were martyred in the attack.
The Indian search party, which visited the battlefield on 10 February 1963, made a startling discovery-the frozen bodies of the men who had died were still holding guns in their hands, having taken bullets on their chests. One PVC (Param Vir Chakra), eight VCs (Vir Chakras), four SMs (Sena Medals) and one M-in-D (Mentioned-in-Dispatches) were awarded to the soldiers of the Charlie Company, making it one of the highest decorated companies of the Indian Army to this day. The valour of the Charlie Company not only successfully stopped China’s advance, but it also resulted in the Chushul airport being saved, thereby preventing a possible Chinese occupation of the entire Ladakh region in 1962. According to reports, a total of 1300 Chinese soldiers were killed trying to capture Rezang La. The Charlie Company was an all-Ahir company, and most of the soldiers who fought the battle at 18,000 feet came from the plains of Haryana. The Battle of Rezang La is their story.
Yogiplate||Radhavallabha Das
Yogiplate: The Basics of Sattvik
Ayurvedic diet varies by body type, a person’s nature, their lifestyle and the food they grew up eating. Nobody knows that better than Radhavallabha Das, who cooked for thousands of devotees and monks at the ISKCON ashram in Mumbai and the adjoining Govinda’s restaurant.
In Yogiplate, he teaches us how to identify our unique body type, lists the vegetables, fruits, grains and spices that will suit us, and e xplains how sāttvic food nourishes the body, mind and inner soul. Written in a conversational style, Radhavallabha shows us how to pair the correct ingredients, avoid the ones that are harmful to us, and focus on the oil, salt and water that we use for cooking.
This book will teach you how to tailor a unique diet that will form the foundation of a happy and healthy life.
The Unforgiving City and Other Stories||Vasudhendra
The Unforgiving City and Other Stories
From the Karnataka Sahitya Akademi winner Vasudhendra comes a powerful collection of stories that shock, move and amuse by turns. As the characters struggle to find their feet in a fast-changing India, they mirror our unspoken dilemmas, torn loyalties and the loss of innocence.
In the extremely popular ‘Red Parrot’, an innocuous image from childhood returns to haunt a man when he visits his idyllic hometown. In ‘Recession’, the desire for a child leads a couple down unexpected paths. In other stories, a young woman in love rethinks her future when buried family secrets are suddenly revealed; a boy learns that insomnia may be the symptom of something more ominous; lonely apartment residents discover the thrills and perils of social media.
Deftly crafted with gentle wit and a lightness of touch, each gripping story exposes the deepest contradictions of modern life. The fluid translation retains the flavour and nuances of the original Kannada, creating a rich reading experience.
Sita||Bhanumathi Narasimhan
Sita
Sita, the beloved princess of Mithila, is one of the most revered women in Indian history; so well known, yet probably the least understood. At every crossroad of her life, she chose acceptance and grace over self-pity. Her life was filled with sacrifice yet wherever she was, there was abundance. It was as if she was carved out of an intense longing for Rama, yet she had infinite patience. In every situation she reflected his light and he reflected her love.
In her, we find someone who is so divine yet so human.
In this poignant narration, Bhanumathi shows us the world through the eyes of Sita. We think what Sita thinks, we feel what she feels, and for these few special moments, we become a part of her. And perhaps, through this perspective, and Sita’s immortal story, we will discover the true strength of a woman.
Passionate About Baking||Deeba Rajpal
Passionate about Baking: Everything Chocolate
A home baker for over 20 years, food stylist and photographer Deeba Rajpal put her passion to the test when she decided to blog about her adventures in the kitchen. Soon, her simple yet delectable dessert recipes accompanied by beautiful, evocative imagery struck a chord with people across the globe, turning her blog, Passionate about Baking, into one of the most popular blogs in the country.
Inspired by her blog, this book is a collection of some of her most loved chocolate dessert recipes for every kind of indulgence. With healthy, tasty yet easy-to-make chocolate delights — from tarts, tea cakes and cupcakes to cookies, traybakes and cakes for special occasions — and simple tips and tricks, Deeba shows you how working with chocolate can be oh so fun!
Good Genes Gone Bad||Narendra Chirmule
Good Genes Gone Bad
The field of biotechnology has evolved over the past four decades, developing medicines which are curing diseases. But this journey of success has been tough and arduous, built upon the shoulders of major failures. Good Genes Gone Bad highlights seven such colossal failures in drug development-all of which culminated in the development of novel drugs-weaving together various analogies through the stories and thus allowing the reader to understand complex biological phenomena. These stories include treatment of medical conditions such as genetic clotting disorder (haemophilia), childhood-diarrhoea (rotavirus vaccine), preventing HIV infection, activation of the immune systems to treat cancer, gene therapy for treatment of diseases caused by gene-defects/mutations, cell therapy for treatment of leukaemias, and finally the success of Biocon’s approval of the first biologic drug for breast cancer.
Written by the former R&D head of Biocon, India’s largest pharmaceutical company, Good Genes Gone Bad is a fascinating look at the complex world of medicine and drug development, providing the readers with a sense of magnitude of challenges and the extent of difficulty that it takes to make novel medicines.
Economist Gandhi||Jaithirth Rao
Economist Gandhi
The Political Economy of the Mahatma, Its Roots and Relevance.
This book is a refreshing take on Gandhi’s economic philosophy. It provides insights into the hidden facet of Gandhi’s personality, and his thoughts on economics and capitalism. The book captures aspects of Gandhi’s thinking usually missed by those who are sure they know Gandhi.
This is probably the first book on Gandhi that claims that Gandhi was not against business and capitalists. In fact, the author maintains that Gandhi was a Baniya by caste, and this is what explains Gandhi’s positive approach towards business, trade and wealth.
Kathmandu Dilemma||Ranjit Rae
Kathmandu Dilemma
The first two decades of the new millennium have witnessed a dramatic socio-political transformation of Nepal. A violent Maoist insurgency ended peacefully, a new constitution abolished the monarchy and established a secular federal democratic republic. Nevertheless, political stability and a peace dividend have both remained
elusive. Nepal is also buffeted by changing geopolitics, including the US-China contestation for influence
and the uneasy relationship between India and China.
As a close neighbour, India has been deeply associated with the seminal changes in Nepal, and the bilateral relationship has seen many twists and turns. Partly a memoir, this book examines India’s perspective on these developments, in the context of the civilizational and economic underpinnings of the India-Nepal
relationship, as well as issues that continue to prevent this relationship from exploiting its full potential. Though there are several Nepalese accounts that deal with this subject, there are few from an Indian point of view. Kathmandu Dilemma fills this gap.
A Thousand Cuts||T.J. Joseph
A Thousand Cuts: An Innocent
In 2010, T.J. Joseph, a professor of Malayalam at Newman College, Kerala, framed an innocuous question for an internal examination that changed his life forever. Following a trumped-up charge of blasphemy, members of a radical Islamist organization set upon him in public, viciously maiming him and chopping off his right hand. His memoir, told with amazing restraint and wry humour, is the moving tale of his life and family as they went through hell and beyond. Here’s the extraordinary story of a man who survived dismembering only to be betrayed by his
own Church. Let alone stand by him, it robbed him of his livelihood and isolated him from his community, driving Joseph’s long-suffering wife to melancholia and eventual suicide. Joseph’s story is one of fortitude, will power, forgiveness and compassion, told with rare wit that will make readers chuckle through their tears.
This is a tale that will leave the reader seething, weeping and smiling by turns.
Eternal Echoes||Sadhguru
Eternal Echoes
Beautifully designed, Eternal Echoes is a compilation of poems by Sadhguru between the time period of 1994 and 2021. These poems cover every aspect of his life and travels. There are poems on nature, environment, human nature, the experiences, and resonances he has felt during these three decades and many more. These poems seem simple at first. However, as one reads, one begins to understand the hidden layers within. The words and meanings linger on…
This book is a very special collector’s item for all the followers of Sadhguru that they can savour for years to come. It is also perfect as a gift to loved ones
Sudha Murty is loved by children and adults alike. Many of us grew up reading her and would love for our children to enjoy her work as well.
Not only a beloved writer, Sudha Murty is a very accomplished and inspiring woman. She did her MTech in computer science (and was the only girl in her class!) and is now the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation.
If you’ve not really ever read her work, but would like your young ones to start – this is the right article for you! We have put together some of her most loved books below. Let’s celebrate her together!
Grandma’s Bag of Stories
Memories of a grandparent spinning tales around animals and mysterious characters have kept many of us rapt till date. Sudha Murty’s Grandma’s Bag of Stories is simply delightful.
Though unlikely in combination, stories makes perfect sense when Grandma is the one narrating them. This book is ideal for young children and those who are 5+ in age. Stories are accompanied by colourful illustrations and morals. Lucid and simple language of the book, makes reading a pleasure.
The Magic of the Lost Temple
Nooni is a city girl who is very surprised at the unexpected pace of life in her grandparent’s village in the state of Karnataka. Not being fazed with the turn of events, she engages herself in many of the odd jobs that are available in the village. She resorts to doing work like Papad making, organising enjoyable picnics, learning to ride a cycle and a long list of activities with her new found friends.
How I Taught My Grandmother to Read
What do you do when your grandmother asks you to teach her the alphabet? Or the President of India takes you on a train ride with him? Or your teacher gives you more marks than you deserve? These are just some of the questions you will find answered in this delightful collection of stories recounting real life incidents from the life of Sudha Murty teacher, social worker and bestselling writer.
The Magic Drum and Other Favourite Stories
A princess who thinks she was a bird, a coconut that cost a thousand rupees and a shepherd with a bag of words kings and misers, princes and paupers, wise men and foolish boys, the funniest and oddest men and women come alive in this sparkling new collection of stories. The clever princess will only marry the man who can ask her a question she cannot answer the orphan boy outwits his greedy uncles with a bag of ash and an old couple in distress is saved by a magic drum.
The Bird with the Golden Wings: Stories of Wit and Magic
A poor little girl is reward with lovely gifts when she feeds a hungry bird all the rice she has. What happens when the girl’s greedy, nosy neighbour hears the story and tries to get better gifts for herself? Why did the once sweet sea water turn salty? How did the learned teacher forget his lessons only to be aided by the school cook? And how did the king hide his horrible donkey ears from the people of his kingdom?
For answers to all this and more, delve right into another fabulous collection of stories by Sudha Murty.
The Upside-Down King: Unusual Tales
The tales in this collection surround the two most popular avatars of Lord Vishnu-Rama and Krishna-and their lineage. Countless stories about the two abound, yet most are simply disappearing from the hearts and minds of the present generation.
Bestselling author Sudha Murty takes you on an arresting tour, all the while telling you of the days when demons and gods walked alongside humans, animals could talk and gods granted the most glorious boons to common people.
The Man from the Egg
The Trinity, consisting of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu, is the omnipresent trio responsible for the survival of the human race and the world as we know it. They are popular deities of worship all over India, but what remain largely unknown are some of their extraordinary stories.
Award-winning author Sudha Murty walks by your side, weaving enchanting tales of the three most powerful gods from the ancient world. Each story will take you back to a magical time when people could teleport, animals could fly and reincarnation was simply a fact of life.
The Daughter from a Wishing Tree
The women in Indian mythology might be fewer in number, but their stories of strength and mystery in the pages of ancient texts and epics are many. They slayed demons and protected their devotees fiercely. From Parvati to Ashokasundari and from Bhamati to Mandodari, this collection features enchanting and fearless women who frequently led wars on behalf of the gods, were the backbone of their families and makers of their own destinies.
We know that the little ones are busy adoring the blue sky these days turning into purple-pink and are wondering whether to mutter ‘Oh! August is finally here!’ or ‘Aww! It’s only August’. So, taking care of their visual palette, we intend to captivate their attention with our vibrant and colourful covers of our latest releases in August and promise to keep them entertained, engrossed, and ecstatic. The curated list ranges from care to courage, mantra to nostalgia, and struggle to success. It’s time for you to make some space in your bookshelves for these amazing titles.
Here is a list of our recommendations for August.
A Giant Leap
A Giant Leap || Thomas Scotto, Translated by Nakashi Chowdhry
This is one of the books in the One Day Elsewhere series. It’s 20 July 1969. At home, June is waiting for a big event, the biggest of her life: the birth of the baby that’s in her mother’s belly. But in the hospital, on the streets, everyone else is waiting for another big event: a man is about to walk on the Moon.
My Father’s Courage
My Father’s Courage || Anne Loyer, Translated by Nakashi Chowdhry
Aslam helplessly witnesses his father’s arrest: he disobeyed the British authorities by harvesting salt-a heavily taxed item. The boy is assailed with doubt. Why did his father break the law? Why doesn’t sea salt belong to everyone? When he learns that Gandhiji is going to be marching through his village of Jalalpore, Aslam feels hopeful. He is the only one who can oppose the authorities and, maybe, free his father.
The Black Tide
The Black Tide || Marie Lenne-Fouquet
Yann, the son of a fisherman in Portsall, loves selling fish at the port with his father. He lays out the ice, puts the fish on it and plays shop. But one day, the sea is very rough. The storm and the wind bring a terrible smell and devastating news: there has been a shipwreck and an oil spill!
Shyam, Our Little Krishna
Shyam, Our Little Krishna || Devdutt Pattanaik
In this all-in-one storybook, picture book and colouring book, India’s most-loved mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik introduces the story of Krishna, fondly known as Shyam, to a new generation of readers. Told simply in his inimitable style, Shyam, Our Little Krishna is perfect as a read-aloud to acquaint young readers with the beauty, wisdom and love that Krishna embodied. The book is curated with fascinating bite-sized stories, myths and trivia about the young god, and it features over forty playful artworks accompanied by pages dedicated for colouring.
How the Earth Got Its Beauty
How the Earth Got Its Beauty || Sudha Murty
Have you ever stopped to marvel at the earth’s beauty: at snow-capped mountains and oceans so deep; at colourful flowers and extraordinary animals? The tale of how such beauty came into existence is a curious one indeed. India’s favourite storyteller brings alive this timeless tale with her inimitable wit and simplicity. Tricked out with enchanting illustrations, this gorgeous chapter book is the ideal introduction for beginners to the world of Sudha Murty.
10 Indian Heroes Who Help People Live With Dignity
10 Indian Heroes Who Help People Live With Dignity || Somak Ghoshal
This book tells the stories of ten Indian heroes who have been working in diverse fields to help society’s most vulnerable live a better life–from securing mobility rights for people with disability to abolishing the practice of manual scavenging. While their challenges are different, what they have in common is the desire to see all human beings live a life of dignity. Journalist Somak Ghoshal writes about the below-mentioned women and men who are trying to make the world a more just and equitable place for everyone.
Irom Sharmila Chanu
Aruna Roy
Bezwada Wilson
Medha Patkar
Dr Devi Shetty
Bhanwari Devi
Menaka Guruswamy
Anup Surendranath
Satinath Sarangi
Mahantesh GK
Bringing Back Grandpa
Bringing Back Grandpa || Madhuri Kamat
As his Grandpa gets ill and more confused, Xerxes’ life becomes correspondingly difficult. There are boys at school playing all kinds of mean tricks on him and his mother wants him to excel, as usual-but it is hard when his main ally Grandpa is not himself. How is Xerxes going to cope with the different things people expect of him? Will he make peace in school? And most importantly, can he help Grandpa become better?
Let’s Go Time Travelling Again!
Let’s Go Time Travelling Again! || Subhadra Sen Gupta
How did Indian mulmuls make it into Cleopatra’s wardrobe? Who popularized the Mahabharata in households across the country? Did our ancestors really identify Jupiter and Saturn without even a telescope?
Find the answers to these and many other unusual questions about the India of yesterday. Go time travelling through the alleys of history and explore the many occupations that have existed through time-from dancers and playwrights to farmers and doctors. Sift through snapshots of the rich life led by ordinary Indians and discover unexpected titbits about language, food and culture.
Told through portraits of children growing up in the villages, towns and courts of our country, this sequel to the award-winning Let’s Go Time Travelling is a vivid glimpse into our past.
A Cello on the Wall
A Cello on the Wall || Adèle Tariel, Translated by Nakashi Chowdhry
On an ordinary afternoon in West Berlin, Charlie discovers a cello that once belonged to his grandmother. His parents had fled East Berlin with this cello many years ago, while Charlie,s grandparents still live on the other side of the wall. But the year is 1989 and revolt rumbles in the streets of Berlin to tear down the wall. This book is another one in the One Day Elsewhere series.
Postbox Kashmir
Postbox Kashmir || Divya Arya
Do only Muslims live in Kashmir?
Why do girls in Kashmir do stone pelting?
Whom do they want freedom from?
Can you imagine being confined to the four walls of your home with no internet, no social media?
Are Kashmiris really invisible to the rest of the country?
These are some of the questions two teenagers–Saumya in Delhi and Duaa in Kashmir–asked through letters they exchanged over almost three years.
Framing these letters is the detailed history and commentary provided by Divya Arya, a BBC journalist who asked them to be pen pals, which places their conversations against the backdrop of the political history and turbulent present of Kashmir and India. Postbox Kashmir takes on the challenging task of attempting to portray life in Kashmir from the perspective of the young minds growing inside it and providing a context of understanding for the young generation watching it from the outside.