Category: Recommendations

As one year melts into a new one, we remember the things we are grateful for. All the people we met and held close, all the things we got to experience and most of all, the stories we call our own. Celebrate this New Year with these new books releasing this month – fresh, exciting and intriguing stories from different personalities from different fields to refresh your palette and make it ready for all the incredible things 2023 has to offer! This New Year, don’t build a sky-high TBR. Instead, take things slow, one book at a time.

And to help you with selecting you first few, here are some new books replete with self-help, historical fiction, intriguing biographies and more!

Presenting to you, the very first new releases from 2023:

Tirukkural

The Book of Desire

Meena Kandasamy, Tiruvalluvar

Written by the poet Thiruvalluvar, the Kamattu-p-pal is the third part of the Tirukkural – one of the most important texts in Tamil literature. The most intimate section of this great work – it is also, historically, the part that has been most heavily censored. Although hundreds of male translations of the text have been published, it has also only ever been translated by a woman once before. Tirukkural is award-winning writer Meena Kandasamy’s luminous translation of the Kamattu-p-pal.

Meena Kandasamy delves into this classic, and provides the first feminist interventionist translation into English-remaining true to the desire throbbing through the lifeblood of the text, while retaining the drama that pervades the quintessential Tamil world of exaggerated hurt, lover’s quarrels and evenings lost to longing.

Energize Your Mind

Learn the Art of Mastering Your Thoughts, Feelings and Emotions

Gaur Gopal Das

In this book, bestselling author and life coach Gaur Gopal Das decodes how the mind works. He combines his anecdotal style with analytical research to teach us how to discipline our mind for our greater well-being. Throughout this book, he provides interactive exercises, meditation techniques and worksheets to help us take charge of our mind.

This book is an essential read for anyone who wants to work towards a better, more fulfilling future for themselves.

Missing In Action

Why You Should Care About Public Policy

Pranay Kotasthane, Raghu S Jaitley

In Search of an Adarsh Indian State

In India, public policies are all around us. Despite this pervasiveness, yeh public sab nahin jaanti hai (the public doesn’t know it all).

Questions are rarely asked of the Indian State-the institution that makes rules, bends them and punishes others for breaking the laws it creates. The privileged can afford not to think about the State because we have given up on it. The not-so-privileged have resigned themselves to a State that provides short-term benefits. Either way, we seldom pause to reflect on why the Indian State works the way it does.

Missing in Action aims to change such perceptions through sketches from everyday experiences to illustrate India’s tryst with public policymaking. It acquaints the reader with some fundamental concepts of the public policy discipline. It explains the logic (or the lack of it!) of the Indian State’s actions, shortcomings, constraints, and workings.

Jargon-free and accessibly written, the book achieves the difficult task of both entertaining and educating.

Souffle

Anand Ranganathan

One sultry Mumbai night, business tycoon Mihir Kothari takes a bite of a soufflé and drops dead. According to the CCTV footage, celebrity chef Rajiv Mehra is the killer. It seems like an open-and-shut case.

Or is it?

A catastrophic accident on the day the chef is to be hanged allows him to escape and, driven by an inner calling, pursue a new life. Chased by shadows he thought he had left behind, torn by spurned love, the chef
returns in search of the real killer so that he can prove his innocence. But there is a problem. Unknown to him, the killer has chosen his next target: the chef himself!

Soufflé is a rich, layered thriller that explores life, love and the passions that motivate people to do unexpected and impossible things.

The Company We Keep

Insights Into Indian Corporate Culture

Divya Khanna

There are many challenges facing business corporations today-the pandemic we have barely moved on from, economic recession, rapid changes in consumer behaviour and technological and competitive disruptions. These challenges stick out like the visible tip of an iceberg, while culture, the biggest challenge, is like the slow-moving, gigantic mass that lurks deep under the surface. We cannot deal sufficiently with superficial problems if we do not understand the depths that drive them.

‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast’ is a widely accepted saying in the business world, often attributed to Peter Drucker. This is as true for corporate India as it is for its consumers. Yet, we spend more time and money studying our consumers and their cultures than we do ourselves. The Company We Keep is a market research-based exploration of Indian corporate culture. It looks beyond the glamour and jargon of the business world to individual stories that share real personal insights into the aspirations, vulnerabilities, pressures and possibilities of corporate careers and lives. These are urgent conversations we need to keep having as we reflect, review and decide where we can go from here.

The Financial Independence Marathon

Unlock the Power of Your Money

Vinod N. Bhat

‘Time is money’. But the opposite is also true, i.e., ‘money is time’. Money, if used wisely, gives us the free time to do what makes us happy. It is crucial to understand the concept that money creates time because time is a non-renewable resource. And becoming financially independent is akin to finding a hidden treasure of time. It’s similar to discovering a gold mine, because it gives us the ability to live life on our own terms.

The key is not to think of financial independence as a goal but as a marathon, which we need to enjoy. This book is an easy, entertaining and actionable guide to becoming financially independent and avoiding any pitfalls on the journey.

Black Soil

Ponneelan, J. Priyadarshini

Kannappan is posted to Perumalpuram as the new schoolteacher. The village lies in the black soil region of Tamil Nadu where the river Tamirabarani flows. He’s an outsider in this village with Veerayyan, a local farmer, as his only guide and friend.
Once settled in his role, Kannappan observes the everyday brutality faced by the farmers at the hands of the sadistic, all-powerful landlord-the Master. Child marriage is common in the village and so is the appalling practice of marrying young lads to older women who then serve as their father-in-law’s consort. Through his gentle yet probing conversations with the villagers, Kannappan tries his best to show the villagers a better way of life. The farmers who had begun protesting the excesses meted out to them by the upper-caste landlord soon find an ally in Kannappan. The schoolteacher’s sympathies for their cause bolster their waning spirits and replenishes their resolve to fight back.
Ponneelan’s first novel is a tour de force. Now translated for the first time, Black Soil lays bare the atrocities faced by the farmers and the human cost of building a better tomorrow.

The Half Empress

Tripti Pandey

Among the rulers of Jaipur, Maharaja Sawai Jagat’s name is taken with contempt, because of his affair with a tawaif, or courtesan, Raskapoor, the daughter of a Muslim mother and a Brahmin father. The Maharaja defied all norms and bestowed upon her the title of ‘Half Empress’. With little experience, Raskapoor resiliently navigated her way through the cobwebs of the royal life. But, pitched against a fleet of plotters in an atmosphere filled with deceit, she finally fell into their trap and was imprisoned. There are many stories about how her life ended-the compassionate prison chief allowed her to flee or she flung herself on to the pyre of Jagat Singh. But today, she is best remembered by the guides who routinely mention her as a celebrity prisoner at the famous Nahargarh Fort.

In her historical novel The Half Empress, Tripti Pandey transports the reader to the royal corridors of nineteenth-century Jaipur and brings to life the story of a formidable woman who has been deliberately omitted from history.

The Half Known Life

In Search of Paradise

Iyer Pico

Paradise: that elusive place where the anxieties, struggles, and burdens of life fall away. Most of us dream of it, but each of us has very different ideas about where it is to be found. For some it can be enjoyed only after death; for others, it’s in our midst-or just across the ocean-if only we can find eyes to see it.

Traveling from Iran to North Korea, from the Dalai Lama’s Himalayas to the ghostly temples of Japan, Pico Iyer brings together a lifetime of explorations to upend our ideas of utopia and ask how we might find peace in the midst of difficulty and suffering. Does religion lead us back to Eden or only into constant contention? Why do so many seeming paradises turn into warzones? And does paradise exist only in the afterworld – or can it be found in the here and now?

For almost fifty years Iyer has been roaming the world, mixing a global soul’s delight in observing cultures with a pilgrim’s readiness to be transformed. In this culminating work, he brings together the outer world and the inner to offer us a surprising, original, often beautiful exploration of how we might come upon paradise in the midst of our very real lives.

25 Small Habits

Simple Daily Habits to Improve Wealth, Health and Happiness

Manoj Chenthamarakshan

We all know that our habits shape our lives, but when we try to incorporate a new habit into our lifestyle, we understand how difficult it can get. Most people fail to retain a new habit past the first week. This book doesn’t teach you how to develop habits; instead, it offers you a set of twenty-five small habits that take very little time and can be held on to without much effort.

The habits in this book are designed to give you holistic growth in terms of self-development, community, career, relationship, and physical and mental health. You can choose the habits that you are able to fit into your daily schedule.

Lata

A Life in Music

Yatindra Mishra

An ode to the majestic life of the late Lata Mangeshkar, Lata: A Life in Music celebrates art in its totality and tells the life story of India’s most loved vocal artists. The result of Yatindra Mishra’s decade-long dialogue with the great singer, it also explores the lesser-known aspects of the great artist, introducing the readers to Lata Mangeshkar as an intellectual and cultural exponent and providing a rare glimpse into the person behind the revered enigma.
At the confluence of cinema, music and literature, this is the most definitive biography of the voice of the nation that also documents sociocultural changes from the late British era through post-Independent India right up to the twenty-first century. This is the story of the various myths, mysteries, truths and contradictions which make a human an icon and also make an icon incredibly humane.

Unfinished Business

Evolving Capitalism in the World’s Largest Democracy

Nandini Vijayaraghavan

Unfinished Business is a chronicle of contemporary Indian corporate history, narrated through the professional trajectories of four high-profile businessmen: Anil Ambani, Naresh Goyal, V.G. Siddhartha and Vijay Mallya.
By no means unique in their proclivity for debt and penchant for politics, these four men belonged to a rarefied club of entrepreneurs, who could raise a sizeable quantum of financing with ease despite their businesses not generating adequate cash flows and/or possessing sufficient collateral.
So, what competitive advantage(s) did this guild of Indian entrepreneurs have? What caused their enterprises to struggle, while other similar organizations whose CEOs shared these attributes survived and even flourished? How did the Indian business ecosystem, regulatory norms, lenders’ underwriting practices and investor due diligence influence the organizations helmed by this quartet?
Following these four entrepreneurs’ careers and professional decisions, Unfinished Business throws light on the evolution of Indian capitalism during the first two decades of the twenty-first century, set against the backdrop of a dynamic political, regulatory and business climate in India. And, with great insight, clarity and analysis, Nandini Vijayaraghavan explores the takeaways for entrepreneurs, regulators, lenders and investors in this compelling, illuminating read.

Hacking Health

The Only Book You’ll Ever Need to Live Your Healthiest Life

Mukesh Bansal

We live in a world where there is a new fad diet, superfood, supplement or nutrition theory every month. There are so many tricks to optimizing workouts, peak performance, burning fat, living longer, sleeping better and biohacking your immune system. Wellness has become a part of mainstream discourse like never before, and the result is an overwhelming barrage of seemingly contradictory information.

But here’s one simple truth: good health impacts every aspect of life, be it productivity at work, interpersonal relationships or a balanced family life. In Hacking Health, Mukesh Bansal takes on the mammoth task of demystifying the science, simplifying the research and tracing the story of our relationship with our body. Through a combination of personal experience and cutting-edge science, this is a book that draws from ancient wisdom and also debunks unscientific myths to help you make smart choices in pursuit of good health. From nutrition and fitness to sleep and immunity, weight management and mental health to ageing and longevity, this book delves into the breadth and depth of holistic health and helps you navigate the lines between science and pseudoscience.

Imaginary Rain

Vikas Khanna

Prerna, a woman now in her fifties, has been running an Indian restaurant in downtown Manhattan for two decades. She is on the cusp of a midlife crisis, and her life indeed unravels when she suddenly loses her son, her lease, and with these, her passion for cooking as well. Caught in the grip of newly awakened emotions, Prerna finds herself confronted by many haunting questions from her past, which take her back to her motherland, India. And so begins an intensely personal struggle that will lead Prerna to forgive herself, escape her past and rediscover her true passion for cooking.
This novel is a celebration of life as well as an immigrant’s story of survival, forgiveness and moving on.

91 Predictions

The Fate of the World and Its People in the Next Half Century

Greenstone Lobo

Is Pluto a planet? Or a dwarf planet? The controversy rages. But this planet, on the fringes of our solar system, has immense astrological significance, unexplored by the Vedic and Western astrologers. Author and scientific astrologer Greenstone Lobo believes Pluto symbolises destruction and regeneration-as the mythological Rudra Shiva.
In a scary and uncertain world-on the edge because of a pandemic, economic crises, ecological disasters and pandemonium in politics, Lobo looks towards Pluto to make sense of the past, present and the future.
He describes the planet’s journey over the last 250 and the next fifty years, as well as the grand scale on which it can operate. Exploring its character and impact, Lobo discusses his techniques for predictions, the cyclical nature of Pluto, how it changed the world order and its relationship with astrological signs.
From his unique insider’s perspective-as someone familiar with the ways of Pluto through his research-Lobo predicts what to expect and how to prepare for it through 91 predictions. What will the next fifty years bring? When will the world see the last of the pandemic? Who will lead India next? Can India win the next Cricket World Cup? What does the future hold for Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt? What lies in store for star kids Suhana Khan, Hrehaan Roshan, Aarav Akshay Kumar and Aaradhya Bachchan? What about Messi, Angelina Jolie, Rihanna, Beyoncé and others who hold our imagination today?

The Nitopadesha

Nitin Pai

In the distant land of Gandhara, there once was a janapada called Chakrapuri. Its elders were a worried lot. Their children were uninterested in the welfare and upkeep of the janapada. Most of them were consumed by self-interest and avarice, seeking personal gains, even at the cost of their fellow citizens. Realizing that the young must learn the arts and crafts of citizenship, the Sabha of Chakrapuri decided to employ Nitina of Takshashila, whose wisdom was said to be unparalleled, to teach their children. So it came to pass that the unconventional scholar was entrusted with the charge of these boys and girls for the next ninety days.

Thus begins the Nitopadesha. A labyrinth of stories in the style of the Panchatantra and the Jataka tales, this is a book about good citizenship and citizen-craft that will speak to the modern reader. Covering aspects such as what citizenship means, the ethical dilemmas one faces as a citizen and how one can deal with social issues, Nitin Pai’s absorbing translation is an essential read for conscientious citizens of all ages.

The Book of Dals

Pratibha Karan

Dals have been an essential part of the human diet for centuries and they are an integral part of Indian cuisine. There are many enticing varieties of dals to choose from.

Pratibha Karan, in The Book of Dals, takes you on an incredible journey to different regions of the country and shows how locally available spices and herbs, vegetables and fruit impact the food of that region. The variety of dals and dal-based dishes that you can make with these are phenomenal and mind-boggling.

This book offers many varieties of beautiful, fragrant and beguiling dals that will have anyone savouring them in raptures. From the southern India, you will find Telangana Sambar, Khatti Dal and Dalcha with Vegetables and Meat. They are made using delicious combinations of chillies, tamarind, cloves, cardamom, pepper, coconut, curry leaves and drumsticks. It also has recipes such as Kootu from Tamil Nadu and the famous Bisi Bele Huliyana from Karnataka. This book is not limited by borders. It includes exotic dal recipes from the neighbouring countries like Nepal and Sri Lanka, and some delicious and wholesome dal-based soups too.

The Best of Satyajit Ray (Boxset, Volume 1 & Volume 2)

Ray Satyajit

While Ray’s films are fairly well-known, his writings-fiction and non-fiction-written in Bengali and English continue to attract attention. His illustrations, design works, comic strips, science fictions, detective stories are gems of Indian literature. Ray’s non-fictions are gems, which bring to lights his thoughts on film-making, film appreciation, composition of music, art, design and screenplay, among others. ‘The Penguin Ray Library’ is an endeavour to open a window to the master’s writings to a wide spectrum of readers.

From the ever-popular adventures of Ray’s enduring creation, the professional sleuth Feluda to the chronicles of Professor Shonku; short stories; writings on filmmaking; and thoughts on world as well as Indian cinema, among others, this anthology, a two-volume boxset, The Best of Satyajit Ray is not only a treat for the Ray enthusiasts but also a collector’s edition.

Anthill

Vinoy Thomas, Nandakumar K.

Bounded by dense Kodagu forests on the south and west, and rivers on the north and east, Perumbadi, at the border between Kerala and Karnataka, has hidden itself from the world. Its very isolation has attracted varied settlers from south Kerala over the years. The first settler on this land, Kunji Varkey, was fleeing the opprobrium of getting his own daughter pregnant. Those who followed had similar shameful secrets.

Anthill, the exquisite translation from the Malayalam of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi-winning novel Puttu, is the story of common people who tried to wriggle out of the shackles of family, religion and other restraining institutions, but eventually also struggle to civilize themselves-from their beginnings of a hillbilly existence and life as a promiscuous community.

As Perumbadi moves into modernity and feels the need for refined justice, Jeremias comes to be known by the moniker President and becomes the unchallenged adjudicator of Perumbadi, thanks to his equanimity and sense of fairness. However, even as he resolves local disputes, he is troubled by developments in his own home and by his own moral failure.

Which is going to be your new pick this New Year 2023?

We’ve got you 22 books to read in 2022!

Tis’ the season to read and revel. Winter is here, and it is the best time to snuggle in a blanket with a cup of coffee and a book. If you are new to the reading realm or still wondering what you should read, then you are at the right place. Before you welcome the new year, bookmark your favourite reads from this curated list of 22 books to read before 2022 ends.

1. Degh To Dastarkhwan, Tarana Husain Khan

Tarana was an indifferent eater and an unenthusiastic cook until a chance encounter with a nineteenth-century Persian cookbook in Rampur’s fabled Raza Library started her off on a journey into the history of Rampur cuisine and the stories around it. Part food memoir and part celebration of a cuisine, Degh to Dastarkhwan answers the question- ‘what constitutes and distinguishes Rampur cuisine?’ Each chapter represents an emotion, an observance or a celebration. The spread of Rampuri food from the grand royal cuisine to the simple daily fare becomes the arena to express love, loss, forgiveness and spirituality. Peopled with compelling characters from all walks of life, the book is a tour de force that includes recollections of a princess to the spiritual ambiance of a Sufi shrine, with stories of khansamas, weddings and funerals.

2. Chemical Khichdi: How I Hack My Mental Health, Aparna Piramal Raje

Some said children were out of the question, but she is a mother of two boys. Some said she couldn’t handle business life, but she has interviewed over a hundred CEOs, and counting. Some said she wouldn’t be able to write a book on mental health, but here it is. Aparna Piramal Raje is happy, thriving and bipolar. And this is her story.

Part memoir and part self-help guide, Chemical Khichdi provides a pathway for anyone with a mental health condition and the family, friends, colleagues, and medical professionals that love and care for them. Empathetic, candid and accessible, it outlines ‘seven therapies’ that have enabled Aparna to ‘hack’ her mental health and find equilibrium over the years, and shows how you or someone you know can also do the same. Empathetic, candid and accessible, it outlines ‘seven therapies’ that have enabled Aparna to ‘hack’ her mental health and find equilibrium over the years, and shows how you or someone you know can also do the same.

3. Garden Up, Dr Ekta Chaudhary

Have you been trying to grow plants at home?
Do you want to be able to eat fresh, organic produce and herbs grown in your balcony?
Do you want beautiful plants around your home to add that extra love and warmth to your space?

YouTube sensation Ekta Chaudhary has been teaching gardening to her millions of followers, and for the first time, she is putting it all down in an easy-to-use, fun and simple beginner’s guide to growing plants at home. Rich in information on the amount of light plants need, the kind of soil to use and plants that can thrive indoors and outdoors, with answers to all ‘silly’ questions, Garden Up will gift anyone a green thumb.

4. When Blackbirds Fly, Hannah Lallanpuji

Life is sweet growing up in Aizawl, with his family and friends, and all the narrator wants is a peaceful life. But the independence movement in Mizoram means that regardless of what he wants, he is drawn inexorably into a world where everyone has to choose where they stand …
Set in the initial stages of the two-decade-long struggle for Mizoram’s independence and against the backdrop of the 1966 bombing of Aizawl, this stunning debut novel is a universal story of how individual dreams and lives are shattered when larger conflicts arise.

5. Young Indian Innovators and Change-maker, Rupangi Sharma

Let’s meet:
the teen whose tech company got a $75 million funding
the boy who created the world’s smallest satellite
the nine-year-old who set up her own software firm
the girl who started a social initiative to impart life skills through sports and many more!

These are the inspiring stories of India’s future generations-innovative thinkers, dreamers and tinkerers-who have created amazing solutions to real-life problems. Aged seven to twenty-one, these youngsters are effecting change from far-flung rural villages, small towns and urban cities. There’s no stopping these kids!

6. The People of the Indus, Nikhil Gulati with Jonathan Mark Kenoyer

Who were the people of the Indus?
Why didn’t they build pyramids like the Egyptians?
And ultimately what happened to them?

Supported by extensive research from a leading Indus archaeologist, this graphic novel seeks answers to precisely these questions. It is not history in the form of a dull record of dates and events but a beautifully illustrated glimpse into the lives of the people of the Indus civilization, dating all the way back to 3200 BCE. The People of the Indus is a rare account of how one of the most unique and enigmatic civilizations of the ancient world changed the course of human history. It is sure to enthrall young adults and older readers alike.

7. The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, Shehan Karunatilaka

Colombo, 1990. Maali Almeida, war photographer, gambler and closet gay, has woken up dead in what seems like a celestial visa office. His dismembered body is sinking in the Beira Lake and he has no idea who killed him. At a time when scores are settled by death squads, suicide bombers and hired goons, the list of suspects is depressingly long, as the ghouls and ghosts who cluster around him can attest. But even in the afterlife, time is running out for Maali. He has seven moons to try and contact the man and woman he loves most and lead them to a hidden cache of photos that will rock Sri Lanka. Ten years after his prizewinning novel Chinaman established him as one of Sri Lanka’s foremost authors, Karunatilaka is back with a rip-roaring epic, full of mordant wit and disturbing truths.

8. Rohzin, Rahman Abbas

The love story of Asar and Hina begins abruptly and ends tragically. It is love at first sight which takes place in the premises of Haji Ali Dargah. The arc of the novel studies various aspects of human emotions, especially love, longing and sexuality as sublime expressions. The emotions are examined, so is love as well as the absence of it, through a gamut of characters and their interrelated lives: Asrar’s relationship with his teacher, Ms Jamila, a prostitute named Shanti and, later, with Hina; Hina’s classmate Vidhi’s relations with her lover and others; Hina’s father Yusuf’s love for Aymal; Vanu’s indulgence in prostitutes. Rohzin dwells on the plane of an imagination that takes readers on a unique journey across the city of Mumbai, a highly intriguing character in its own right.

9. The Newlyweds, Mansi Choksi

10. The Art of Bitfulness, Nandan Nilekani and Tanuj Bhojwani

Bitfulness is being effortlessly mindful of your technology. In this short, practical book, Nandan Nilekani and Tanuj Bhojwani describe a framework to tune out the overwhelming noise of the internet. They empower you with tools to take back your time, attention and privacy from those who want to capture and sell it. They reveal their own personal systems, and how they stay on top of a constant flow of information. This book doesn’t believe our excessive screen time usage is a personal failing. The internet creates winner-take-all market conditions, which in turn create an attentional race to the bottom. It doesn’t have to be this way. The book covers how we, as a collective, can take back control of our future. The authors even analyse the promise of web3 & cryptocurrencies to see where that alternative will take us. The reason to read this book is simple: If you don’t design your technology around your life, someone else will design your life around their technology.

11. Explaining Life Through Evolution, Prosanta Chakrabarty

Looking forward to a book that explains life? Well, here it is! Explaining Life Through Evolution opens a window to the four billion year history of the millions of species we see on this planet. This book does not simply narrate the story of evolution: It brings to light who we are and where we came from. As humans we often focus on identifying our differences, no matter how small; Prosanta Chakrabarty demystifies our perceived differences and emphasizes our similarities. As more and more people take ancestry tests, sending their DNA samples and money to genealogy testing centres, we need to be educated on what the results actually mean scientifically; and we all have to decide together what it means socially. He thinks we should be celebrating the fact that our diversity comes from the same little drops of water and sunlight, each of us just shining a little differently as seen through the prism of evolution. Evocative, comprehensive and thought-provoking, this is a book which will compel you to reimagine life.

12. Tejo Tungabhadra, Vasudhendra and Maithreyi Karnoor

Tejo Tungabhadra tells the story of two rivers on different continents whose souls are bound together by history. On the banks of the river Tejo in Lisbon, Bella, a young Jewish refugee, and her family face daily threats to their lives and dignity from the deeply antisemitic society around them. Gabriel, her lover, sails to India with General Albuquerque’s fleet seeking wealth and a secure future for themselves. Meanwhile, on the banks of the Tungabhadra in the Vijayanagara Empire, the young couple Hampamma and Keshava find themselves caught in the storm of religious violence and the cruel rigmarole of tradition. The two stories converge in Goa with all the thunder and gush of meeting rivers. Set in the late 15th and early 16th century, Tejo Tungabhadra is a grand saga of love, ambition, greed, and a deep zest for life through the tossing waves of history.

13. The Last Heroes, P. Sainath

So who really spearheaded India’s Freedom Struggle? Millions of ordinary people-farmers, labourers, homemakers, forest produce gatherers, artisans and others-stood up to the British. People who never went on to be ministers, governors, presidents, or hold other high public office. They had this in common: their opposition to Empire was uncompromising. In The Last Heroes, these footsoldiers of Indian freedom tell us their stories. The men, women and children featured in this book are Adivasis, Dalits, OBCs, Brahmins, Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus. They hail from different regions, speak different languages and include atheists and believers, Leftists, Gandhians and Ambedkarites. The people featured pose the intriguing question: What is freedom? They saw that as going beyond Independence. And almost all of them continued their fight for freedoms long after 1947. The post-1947 generations need their stories. To learn what they understood. That freedom and independence are not the same thing. And to learn to make those come together.

14. Shurjo’s Clan, Iffat Nawaz

During the hours of daylight, young Shurjomukhi’s family is like any other in Dhaka, going through the motions of school, work, and domesticity in a nation still in the flush of youth. But every night, once darkness falls over their asymmetrical house, they switch over to the Unknown world. Death does not exist in the Unknown side and the family is joined for dinner by Shurjo’s freedom fighter uncles, who were martyred in the tea gardens of Sylhet at the start of the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war, and her grandmother who killed herself by jumping into a well in the aftermath of 1947. These dinners are festive affairs, replete with the joy of reunion, music and stories, but underneath the celebration, Shurjo’s family is riddled with the traumas of their past: death, war, migration, separation, the inability to belong to a land, dwelling in an in-between space, an eternal limbo. And when the miasmic shadow of the past inevitably falls on young Shurjo, the pitfalls of their dual reality is laid bare.

15. Writer Rebel Soldier Lover, Akshaya Mukul

Sachchidanand Hirananda Vatsyayan ‘Agyeya’ is unarguably one of the most remarkable figures of Indian literature. From his revolutionary youth to acquiring the mantle of a (highly controversial) patron saint of Hindi literature, Agyeya’s turbulent life also tells a history of the Hindi literary world and of a new nation-spanning as it does two world wars, Independence and Partition, and the building and fraying of the Nehruvian state. Writer, Rebel, Soldier, Lover features a formidable cast of characters: from writers like Premchand, Phanishwarnath Renu, Raja Rao, Mulk Raj Anand and Josephine Miles to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, revolutionary Chandra Shekhar Azad and actor Balraj Sahni. And its landscapes stretch from British jails, an intellectually robust Allahabad and modern-day Delhi to monasteries in Europe, the homes of Agyeya’s friends in the Himalayas and universities in
the US. This book is a magnificent examination of Agyeya’s civilizational enterprise.

16. Tomb of Sand, Geetanjali Shree and Daisy Rockwell

In northern India, an eighty-year-old woman slips into a deep depression after the death of her husband, and then resurfaces to gain a new lease on life. Her determination to fly in the face of convention – including striking up a friendship with a transgender person – confuses her bohemian daughter, who is used to thinking of herself as the more ‘modern’ of the two. To her family’s consternation, Ma insists on travelling to Pakistan, simultaneously confronting the unresolved trauma of her teenage experiences of Partition, and re-evaluating what it means to be a mother, a daughter, a woman, a feminist. Rather than respond to tragedy with seriousness, Geetanjali Shree’s playful tone and exuberant wordplay results in a book that is engaging, funny, and utterly original, at the same time as being an urgent and timely protest against the destructive impact of borders and boundaries, whether between religions, countries, or genders.

17. Here and Hereafter, Vineet Gill

How is a writer formed? Yes, through labour, commitment, perseverance, grit and various other things that we keep hearing about. But equally, a writer is formed through the workings of a particular kind of sensibility. As Vineet Gill attempts to understand this writerly sensibility in Nirmal Verma’s life and work, he finds that the personal and the literary are, on some level, inseparable. In this masterly deep dive into the world of one of Hindi literature’s pioneers, Gill looks at the scattered elements of Verma’s life as ingredients that went into the making of the writer. The places he lived in, the people he knew, the books he read are all reflected, in Gill’s view, in Verma’s stories and novels. This is a work of intense readerly analysis and considered excavation-a contemplation on Verma’s oeuvre and its place in world literature.

18. Nights of Plague, Orhan Pamuk

It is April 1900, in the Levant, on the imaginary island of Mingheria-the twenty-ninth state of the Ottoman Empire-located in the eastern Mediterranean between Crete and Cyprus. Half the population is Muslim, the other half are Orthodox Greeks, and tension is high between the two. When a plague arrives-brought either by Muslim pilgrims returning from the Mecca or by merchant vessels coming from Alexandria-the island revolts. As the plague continues its rapid spread, the Sultan sends a second doctor to the island, this time a Muslim, and strict quarantine measures are declared. But the incompetence of the island’s governor and local administration and the people’s refusal to respect the bans doom the quarantine to failure, and the death count continues to rise. Faced with the danger that the plague might spread to the West and to Istanbul, the Sultan bows to international pressure and allows foreign and Ottoman warships to blockade the island. Now the people of Mingheria are on their own, and they must find a way to defeat the plague themselves.

19. The Song of The Cell, Siddhartha Mukherjee

From Pulitzer Prize-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Emperor of All Maladies and The Gene, The Song of The Cell is the third book in this extraordinary writer’s exploration of what it means to be human-rich with Siddhartha Mukherjee’s revelatory and exhilarating stories of scientists, doctors, and all the patients whose lives may be saved by their work. The discovery of cells-and the reframing of the human body as a cellular ecosystem-announced the birth of a new kind of medicine based on the therapeutic manipulations of cells. A hip fracture, a cardiac arrest, Alzheimer’s, dementia, AIDS, pneumonia, lung cancer, kidney failure, arthritis, COVID-all could be viewed as the results of cells, or systems of cells, functioning abnormally. And all could be perceived as loci of cellular therapies. In The Song of the Cell, Mukherjee tells the story of how scientists discovered cells, began to understand them, and are now using that knowledge to create new humans. He seduces readers with writing so vivid, lucid, and suspenseful that complex science becomes thrilling.

20. The Life and Times of George Fernandes, Rahul Ramagundam

George Fernandes(1930-2019)-a firebrand trade union leader, socialist politician and incredibly powerful orator-is popularly known for leading the All India Railwaymen’s Federation (AIRF) in May 1974 and calling upon its approximately 1.7 million employees to strike, which brought India to a halt for twenty days. The Life and Times of George Fernandes chronicles the story of George, who rose from the streets of Bombay to stride the corridors of power. In this extraordinary biography, Rahul Ramagundam opens a window to George’s political evolution and traces the course of the Socialist Party in India from its inception in 1930s to its dissolution into the Janata Party in the late 1970s. In the process, this book explores the trail of India’s opposition parties that worked to displace the long-ruling Congress Party from its preeminent position. Comprehensive, evocative and fascinating, this first definitive biography of George Fernandes is an unputdownable tour de force.

21. Where The Cobbled Paths Lead, Avinuo Kire

Where the Cobbled Path Leads is a folk fantasy novel, interweaving fantasy fiction with Naga spirit stories and folklore. Eleven-year-old Vime is struggling to come to terms with the demise of her beloved mother. She has a special place she frequents-a cobbled footpath near her house which leads to a forest. On the day of her mother’s death anniversary, not wanting to return home, Vime follows the cobbled footpath all the way to the deep end of the woods and discovers that the trail leads to a magnificent tree. She falls asleep under it only to wake up and find that the footpath has disappeared. Tei, a forest spirit, helps her relocate the missing pathway. Vime is soon to discover that this tree is no ordinary tree. It is a portal between the human and spirit world, and Vime keeps finding her way back to it. Distressed that her father might remarry, she decides to leave her earthly life and join her mother in the spiritual world. As she travels to, from and through these realms, she understands what it is to embrace and survive grief, and what it means to surrender herself to these old spirits, not all of whom are good.

So, which of these 22 books are you planning to read?

22. Grasping Greatness

Grasping Greatness explores the various tasks pertaining to this push for eminence in world affairs. It elaborates the economic, state-building, and international dimensions of this ambition. Eminent thinkers like Rakesh Mohan, Ila Patnaik, Surjit Bhalla, Arjun Subramanian, and others reflect upon the tasks at hand and the desirable routes to achieve them.

Edited by Ashley J. Tellis, Bibek Debroy and C. Raja Mohan, Grasping Greatness is an important contribution to the intellectual debates as India enters into a new era on the world stage.

With the festive season coming to an end, step into a more relaxed month of November. An exciting transition between autumnal breeze and winter freeze, this is the perfect time to stock up on sweaters and some comforting reads.

In fact, we have just the right collection of books to preoccupy your mittens with! So, wait no more and scroll through our November releases.

Leapfrog

Six Practices to Thrive at Work

Mukesh Sud, Priyank Narayan

Are maestros born or made?
By making ideas mate, can you create new ones?
How do you develop a mindset that helps you thrive?
Can you nudge yourself into being more productive at work?
Is it possible for you to debunk bullshit from the clutter all around?
Find the answers to these questions and several more in Leapfrog.

The Sacred Wordsmith

The Sacred Wordsmith, a curated compilation of legendary Indian writer – Raja Rao’s astounding work, noted acceptance speeches and exclusive unpublished pieces is the perfect addition to your collection of classics. A venture into the Sahitya Akademi Award and Neustadt International Prize recipient’s remarkable trajectory as an author and academic. 

The Last Heroes

There are numerous books on freedom fighters and the struggle for Independece, but very little account of the flag bearers of freedom post 1947. P Sainath’s ‘The Last Heroes’ narrates the story of the footsoldiers of Indian freedom and describes how independence and freedom are mutually exclusive. Revive the patriot in you and celebrate the contributions of the less- recognized. 

Hicky’s Bengal Gazette

In this digital age, all sorts of information is available at a single tap. News, which was once a revelation to the common man, can now be accessed via apps and websites.  Revisit your roots and immerse yourself in the historic trajectory of India’s First Newspaper with Hicky’s Bengal Gazette. A tumultuous research which has found a significant place in the history of subcontinental journalism, it is an account of James Augustus Hicky and his attempt at establishing a newspaper in 18th century- Calcutta. which subsequently posed a threat to the British Empire and their suspicious endeavours. Revel in this book and explore themes of censorship, struggle and imperialism. 

Manjhi’s Mayhem

Three words: Thriller, Temerity and Tabaahi, perfectly sums up this explosive, yet gripping novel, Manjhi’s Mayhem. What starts off as a simple story of Santosh, the hostess of a restaurant across the street and her encounter with Sewaram Manjhi, a security guard of a pricey Bombay Cafe turns into a whirlwind of toxicity, deceit and a bloody affair. Apart from the gore, Manjhi’s discovery of destiny and fortune in the City of Dreams, Bombay,  is an important lesson for all. 

An Island’s Eleven

India’s most revered sport, cricket, has found a special place in everyone’s heart. It being the game that is most judiciously watched and cheered for – the hype is prevalent all-year round. Rejuvenate the cricket fanatic in you and explore a new cultural paradigm by reading: An Island’s Eleven – which describes the triumphs and tragedies of the Gentleman’s game from  Srilanka’s perspective. A country known for its stellar players, strategic tactics and emerging victorious time and again, the success story goes way back in time. After all, Cricket is Sri Lanka, and Sri Lanka is cricket.

Rani Durgawati

India is incomplete without the feisty, powerful females that shaped its glory as a nation today. One such forgotten, yet formidable is Rani Durgawati, a model monarch of the Garha Mandla who displayed tenacity, righteousness and profound courage to look after the welfare of her people. Nandini Sengupta’s intricate exploration of Rani’s legacy is compiled in a beautifully articulated biography which can easily occupy a prominent space  in every Indian history fanatic’s heart! 

Bravehearts of Bharat

Some stories don’t make it to most of our history books growing up but are integral lessons in struggle, patriotism and sacrifice. India – a land known for its tumultuous freedom struggle, has several unsung heroes whose contributions were remarkable, yet unacknowledged. The Bravehearts of Bharat, sheds light on the fifteen neglected heroes and heroines of our past and narrates their stories of valour and determination. 

It Was Always You

Love in itself is a complex emotion and difficult feeling to process. Lost Love is another layer of emotional angst and conflict. What happens when Lost Love resurfaces in a happy marriage? How do the rules of monogamy change? How does one navigate these conflicting emotions? Immerse yourself in #ItWasAlwaysYou by Sudeep Nagarkar, a story about a happily married couple, Karan and Shruti and the pyramid of ethical dilemmas that they have to deal with. 

Finding Your Balance

Women, menopause is not the end, period. A time of confusion and ambiguity regarding old age, menopause has several negative connotations and myths associated with it. This can take a toll on your physical, mental and emotional state of being. Gynaecologist  Dr Nozer Sheriar and macrobiotic nutritionist Shonali Sabherwal debunk all misconceptions with regards to peri-menopause with their bite-sized, professional and informative book: Finding Your Balance. So, grab a copy and put a PAUSE to your worries about the years ahead of you! 

Forks in The Road

The architect of India’s economy, C. Rangarajan describes his life as a matter of circumstance. A prolific economist and policymaker, Forks in The Road is a memoir of Rangarajan’s days at RBI and beyond.  From tracking India’s financial journey between 1982 and 2014, to his innovative reforms in the domain of banking – he highlights the nitty-gritties of the sub-continent’s economic growth weighing external political, social factors in mind.  Exclusive insights from the former Governor of RBI himself, it is truly unputdownable. 

My Life with Dr. Ambedkar

We know Ambedkar as a prolific social reformer and the Father of the Indian Constitution. Savita Ambedkar, his wife, provides an intimate lens and never-before-documented portrait of Babasahed. His life beyond political and social reform, a personal insight into his likes, dislikes and disposition. Translated by Nadeem Khan, My Life with Dr. Ambedkar is a brilliant corroborated account of the astounding scholar’s personal life and should be your next read! 

Gautam Adani

A business tycoon who needs no introduction, Gautam Adani has emerged as one of the most powerful people, globally. R.N Bhaskar’s biography of Adani’s journey from childhood to establishing a powerful business empire is interspersed with fascinating anecdotes, tactful business strategies and how he became the strongest contender in ports and renewable energy. Truly an inspiring, detailed and meticulous compilation of his success. Onwards and upwards! 

Winning Middle India: The Story of India’s New-Age Entrepreneurs: 

Awaiting the latest season of Shark Tank? Tired of boring classroom lectures, and need something to stimulate your entrepreneurial mindset? Winning Middle India by T.N. Hari and Bala Srinivasa introduce the digital age innovators who have taken the world by storm! These young, adaptive entrepreneurs are determined to reshape India’s destiny through rapid digitization. This book is truly at your tech and call, in case you want to fuel your passion and get insta-inspired! 

Zikr: In the Light & Shade of Time

The Jack of All Trades, Muzaffar Ali, has ventured into multiple domains over the years. Whether it’s cinema, philosophy or advertising – he has done it all! Zikr is an autobiographical peak into the mastermind’s multiple artistic endeavours and how he has been able to carve a niche for himself in so many industries. From working with icons such as;  Satyajit Ray and Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Ali carries his erstwhile Awadhi cultureough it all! 

The Book of Dals:

Dals are not only an integral part of every Indian household but also responsible for a sumptuous, happy tummy. From Sambars to Varan Bhat, Dals, too are diverse like its native country, India. The Book of Dal by Prabhita Karan explores the permutation and combinations of lentils, spices and vegetables, meat etc. that make Dal unique, regionally. PS: there’s a section of lip-smacking recipes that will make you want to run to your Tawa and start cooking! 

All The Right People

If Koffee with Karan was your supplier of B-Town chatpata gossip, All The Right People by Priyanka Khanna is just the  juicy, eccentric pick for you! It revolves around three college besties, Tara, Shaan and Aria who went through the ebbs and flows of both school and university. These sworn best-friends eventually get caught-up in a whirlwind of problems that could potentially put their friendship on a standstill. A book that navigates friendship, cohesion and decision-making amongst the most creme-de-la-creme tier of society, explores unexpected themes of control and individual agency as well. 

Build, Don’t Talk

Life has several lessons that cannot be shoved into rigid curriculum, like school. But what if there was a book that taught you all that school DID NOT? Build, Don’t Talk is a one-stop guide for young adults to navigate through crucial yet overlooked topics such as; mental health, personal financing and building relationships. Written by Raj Shamani, the book provides invaluable insights that one could not find in the conventional classroom setting. 

Fifteen Judgments

What happens when law meets finance? A splendid work of art, Fifteen Judgments! Saurabh Kirpal, an esteemed practitioner of law at the Supreme Court has covered a range of matters from commercial to constitutional law. His latest, Fifteen Judgement is an account of the cases that have shaped India’s financial landscape weighing jurisprudential philosophies and macroeconomic dimensions in mind.

Everyone wants to own a business and become an entrepreneur these days. So, what can you do to stay ahead of the curve? Browse through this list of best books on business and entrepreneurship to ensure your success in all your ventures!

The Art of Management by Shiv Shivakumar

Careers are changing, and the capabilities required to stay relevant are changing even more rapidly. We seem to have endless choices, at least at the beginning of a career, but these start narrowing after middle management. How does one think about one’s own life and career in this changing decade? In this book, Shiv Shivakumar points out that today, unlike in the past, all the three elements are your responsibility. With in-depth interviews with top leaders across the spectrum and an insightful foreword by Sachin Tendulkar, The Art of Management is a must-read.

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The Dolphin and the Shark by Namita Thapar

The Dolphin and the Shark is born out of Namita Thapar’s experiences of being a judge on Shark Tank India and running the India business of the pharma company Emcure as well as her own entrepreneurship academy. The book emphasizes how leaders of today need to strike a balance between being a shark (aggressive leader) and a dolphin (empathetic leader).

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Transform by Chandramouli Venkatesan

Transform focuses on people management, which the author demonstrates is a very important pillar of success. That is because leadership and managing are the means, while the end impact is what they do to people.

Insightful and practical, Transform is a comprehensive book on leadership and management which covers all important concepts while giving practical implementation techniques for each.

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How Come No One Told Me That by Prakash Iyer

From the bestselling author of The Habit of Winning and The Secret of Leadership comes a new book on life and success. In How Come No One Told Me That?, bestselling author Prakash Iyer shares the stories and observations that have made an immense impact on his life.

The book is divided into ten sections, exploring life lessons, ways of improving oneself, leadership and the importance of doing small things right, among other subjects. Through powerful anecdotes and charming essays, followed by practical, actionable advice, this book will help you make those minor adjustments to your professional and personal lives that can truly make you unstoppable.

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Design Your Thinking by Pavan Soni

Creative problem-solving is at the heart of innovation, and some of the world’s most innovative companies are very systematic in following this approach. Most people would assume that creativity and discipline can’t coexist, and that only when resources are replete and the talent best-in-class can one be creative. But nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, creativity thrives amid constraints and calls for great discipline.

This book attempts to offer a practitioner’s perspective on how the tenets, methods and discipline of design thinking can be applied across a range of domains, including to everyday problems, and help us become expert problem-solvers through the use of the appropriate toolsets, skill sets and mindsets.

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Funding Your Startup by Dhruv Nath and Sushanto Mitra

Are you finding it tough to fund your start-up? Especially in the post-COVID-19 world, where money is scarce? Well, then, this book is for you.
It takes you through stories of early-stage start-ups and how they successfully managed to raise funding. Even better, it takes you through stories of failures-start-ups that couldn’t raise funding, and why. After all, you can learn as much from failures as you can from successes.

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The Dream Founder by Dhruv Nath

The DREAM Founder is an essential business and entrepreneurship guide for early-stage Indian start-ups. It also has interviews with some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world of start-ups, such as Sanjeev Bikhchandani of Naukri.com, Deepinder Goyal of Zomato, Meena Ganesh of Portea Medical and Dr Annurag Batra of Businessworld.

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Skill It, Kill It by Ronnie Screwvala

In this book, Ronnie Screwvala shares personal stories and observations from his many failures and few successes to give you an insider’s view of the ‘invisible’ skills, which can cut years off your learning curve. Practical, actionable and peppered with advice from successful leaders, Skill It, Kill It will ensure you’re future-proof in these ever-changing times and ready to stand out among your peers.

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The Black Box

Combining insights from the disciplines of economics and management, the book highlights the complexity of policy choices, identifies certain focus areas and argues for consistency across various policy instruments to create an appropriate environment for innovation in India.

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Let’s Build a Company

Harpreet Grover and Vibhore Goyal met in college and then spent the next decade of their lives building a company before exiting successfully.

This is that story – the story that you don’t always hear. But if you want to be an entrepreneur, and you prefer straight talk to sugar-coating, it’s one you should read. The go-to book in the business and entrepreneurship guide!

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The Solutions Factory

In The Solutions Factory, Arun Maira digs deep into his experiences as a consultant and presents twenty human-led business stories that cover all kinds of problem-solving techniques told through carefully picked personal experiences and anecdotes. By distilling the essence of the work that consultants do, he offers a management handbook that is unique to Indian business and entrepreneurship practices. From cultural understanding to communication skills, this book illustrates the applicability of simple tips for a diverse range of business roles and levels.

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The Custodian of Trust by Rajnish Kumar

He was silently managing the crisis in India’s banking sector then.
Now he shares these stories in his memoir.

In the aftermath of demonetization, the YES Bank fiasco, the crisis in Jet Airways and NPLs, among others, The Custodian of Trust is a candid memoir by the former Chairman of India’s largest commercial bank. Anecdotal, engaging and evocative, this book is an unputdownable memoir of a former banker.

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 Broke to Breakthrough by Harish Damodaran

Broke to Breakthrough is a business biography of India’s largest dairy products company – Hatsun Agro – and its founder R.G. Chandramogan.
Hailing from Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu, Chandramogan started this venture in 1970 as a twenty-one-year-old, making ice candies with three people in a 250 sq. ft. rented place and selling in pushcarts. By the mid-1980s, ‘Arun’ ice cream had become the market leader in the state. But Chandramogan didn’t stop at that – he branched into the dairy business by leveraging his brand-building experience with ‘Arun’ and forging connections with farmers.

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The Economics of Small Things by Sudipta Sarangi

In The Economics of Small Things, Sarangi using a range of everyday objects and common experiences like bringing about lasting societal change through Facebook to historically momentous episodes like the shutting down of telegram services in India offers crisp, easy-to-understand lessons in economics.

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Whether they are translations or written in the original Hindi, a largely multilingual audience like the Indian readership gets to experience literary and non-fiction narratives from diverse perspectives. Keep scrolling to find the best books to read on Hindi Diwas.

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Angels & Demons (Hindi) by Dan Brown

When a CERN scientist is found murdered, the investigators decide to contact Robert Langdon for assistance. A Professor of Symbology at Harvard, Langdon can’t understand why the police need his help. When he arrives, he discovers a series of strange symbols which link the murder to the Vatican, where the College of Cardinals has assembled for one purpose: the election of the new Pope. The entire world is watching as the ballot boxes are collected, but unless Langdon can help solve the clues in time, a deadly bomb waits beneath the city, waiting to go off.

Yog Sanjeevani by Dheeraj Vashistha

This book focuses on health questions of the present time and engages with the readers in an easy way. The book discusses the Yogic treatment of stress, anxiety and other lifestyle diseases. This is a collection of selected practices from the vast ocean of Yoga, among which any can be chosen according to one’s personal needs.

Manoj Bajpayee: Kuch Paane Ki Zid by Piyush Pandey

Manoj Bajpayee is among those select few actors who achieved big heights in Hindi cinema from an early age. He is known for his acting skills, and he draws people to the theatre as his fans know that he signs up only those films that are close to his heart.
This biography is the story of his commitment and his madness for acting. It reveals many hitherto unknown aspects of his life to his readers like how very few people knew that his father too went to Pune Film institute for audition, or how his ancestors had come to Champaran from Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh; also how he spent his early childhood in the village where Mahatma Gandhi had visited during Champaran Satyagraha.

Samaaj: Jismein Main Rehta Hoon by Narendra Kohli

As much as Narendra Kohli is known for the narrative and flow of his writings, he is also for the clarity of his thoughts. He often hears that people are afraid to talk to him. Do not know what he would say next. He believes that ‘we should always speak the truth.’ Society says so, but most people do not have the courage to listen to it. Most people speak what others want to hear. But these small things, which we do not give much importance to or do not consider necessary, are a mirror of our personality.
Samaaj: Jismen main rahataa hoon, reflects the same ideology of the author. This memoir of the sweet and sour experiences of Narendra Kohli’s writings and life is also interesting and serious as well. There is sarcasm in this as well as poise. It is also the truth of life, and life itself. Kohli’s strong writing has made it more intense and livelier.

Main Apradhi Janam Ka by Surendra Mohan Pathak

He’s not a man if gets scared of the bloody view in front of him.
It is necessary to live in that condition, which is difficult to live in.
‘Time helps forget the greatest sorrows.
If it is not so, it will become hell to live,
And every person a living dead,
So, don’t forget that you are Sohal,
That Sohal,
Whose name is enough to frighten the enemies,
when you are in front of them,
they hold their breaths,
Because they do not know,
whether they will survive the next moment or not.’

Love Drug by Era Tak

Love can arrive unexpectedly and it’s addictive like drugs.
Shazia couldn’t escape from Martin’s charm. Despite being totally different from each other, they are insanely in love.
Love Drug is the narrative of their intense, magical love saga which will keep you captivated.
To learn more about these love birds, read Era Tak’s new novel Love Drug. 

Jeevan Ke Adbhut Rahasya by Gaur Gopal Das

While navigating their way through Mumbai’s horrendous traffic, Gaur Gopal Das and his wealthy young friend Harry get talking, delving into concepts ranging from the human condition to finding one’s purpose in life and the key to lasting happiness.

Whether you are looking at strengthening your relationships, discovering your true potential, understanding how to do well at work or even how you can give back to the world, Gaur Gopal Das takes us on an unforgettable journey with his precious insights on these areas of life.

Inner Engineering by Sadhguru

Inner Engineering is Sadguru’s new revolutionary book, in which he distills his own experiences with spirituality and yoga and introduces the transformational concept of Inner Engineering. Developed by him over several years, this powerful practice serves to align the mind and body with energies around and within, creating a world of limitless power and possibilities.

Aapke Avachetan Man Ki Shakti by Dr Joseph Murphy

Since its publication in 1963, The Power of Your Subconscious Mind has inspired millions of readers to unlock the unseen forces and invisible power within them. Dr Murphy’s mind-focusing techniques are based on a simple principle: If you believe in something without reservation and picture it in your mind, you can remove the subconscious obstacles that prevent you from achieving the results you want, and your belief can become a reality.

As practical as it is inspiring, Dr Murphy’s work uses real-life examples to demonstrate how anyone can unleash their extraordinary mental powers to build self-confidence, create harmonious relationships, gain professional success, amass wealth, conquer fears and phobias, banish bad habits, affect physical healing, and promote overall well-being and happiness.

Sach Kahun Toh by Neena Gupta

An unsparingly honest memoir by an actor who is known to lead a life on her own terms. Neena Gupta’s most awaited auto-biography!

In Sach Kahun Toh, actor Neena Gupta chronicles her extraordinary personal and professional journey from her childhood days in Delhi’s Karol Bagh, through her time at the National School of Drama, to moving to Bombay in the 1980s and dealing with the struggles to find work. It details the big milestones in her life, her unconventional pregnancy and single parenthood, and her successful second innings in Bollywood. A candid, self-deprecating portrait of the person behind the persona, it talks about her life’s many choices, battling stereotypes, then and now, and how she may not be as unconventional as people think her to be.