This monsoon we have a great list of new books for you! Whether you enjoy literary classic, thriller, fiction or mythology, we’ve got you covered with books by authors such as Devdutt Pattanaik, Premchand, Alex Salkever and Vikram Sood – to name a few.
So this summer, cuddle up with a cup of tea and a good read!
Take a look at our list of July books!
Acid
Two striking women, Kamala and Shaly, helm an unusual household, fuelled by their intense, tempestuous romance in a rapidly changing Bangalore. Acid unravels the secrets that lurk beneath the surface of our lives, and marks the entry of a searing new voice in the Indian literary landscape.
Bihar Diaries
Bihar Diaries narrates the thrilling account of how Amit Lodha arrested Vijay Samrat, one of Bihar’s most feared ganglords, notorious for extortion, kidnapping and the massacre of scores of people. Bihar Diaries captures vividly the battle of nerves between a dreaded outlaw and a young, urbane IPS officer.
Premchand Short Stories (Volume 1-5)
Munshi Premchand’s prolific writing contributed largely to shaping the genre of the short story as we know it in India. His range and diversity were limitless as he tacked the themes of romance, satire, gender politics and social inequality with unmatched skill and compassion and this miniseries brings together some of his most celebrated short stories.
This miniseries brings together some of his most celebrated short stories on the themes of women, caste, the city, village life and animals.
Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jehan
Acclaimed historian Ruby Lal uncovers the rich life and world of Nur Jahan, rescuing this dazzling figure from patriarchal and orientalist clichés of romance and intrigue, while giving a new insight into the lives of the women and the girls during the Mughal Empire, even where scholars claim there are no sources. In this book, Nur Jahan finally receives her due in a deeply researched and evocative biography that awakens us to a fascinating history.
How India Manages Its National Security
In this authoritative and comprehensive survey of the challenges a changing global security environment poses to India, former deputy national security advisor Arvind Gupta outlines the important aspects of the country’s security apparatus and how they interface to confront internal and external conflicts.
India Moving: A History of Migration
To understand how millions of people have moved-from, to and within India-India Moving: A History of Migration embarks on a journey laced with evidence, argument and wit, providing insights into topics like the slave trade and migration of workers, travelling business communities, refugee crises and the roots of contemporary mass migration from Bihar and Kerala, covering terrain that often includes diverse items such as mangoes, dosas and pressure cookers.
Daughters of Legacy: How a New Generation of Women Is Redefining India Inc.
What are the challenges and perks of handling age-old legacies?
If you come into a position of power through a position of privilege, how do you make sure that you earn respect, more so if you are a woman?
These and many more questions are what Daughters of Legacy seeks to answer through the stories of twelve successful women who grew up with strong business lineages.
Mandodari: Queen of Lanka
Borrowing from Sanghadasa’s Jaina version of the Ramayana, Mandodari-one of the least known characters of the Hindu epic-is finally given a voice.
Considered to be one of the most beautiful apsaras, she was married off to the mighty Ravana, the legendary king of Lanka. In her story, she speaks about her struggles after her marriage, her insecurities and her pious nature that challenged her husband’s growing aspirations. She narrates the rise of Ravana’s power and the blunders he made that ultimately caused the downfall of Lanka.
The Unending Game: A Spy’s Insights into Espionage
As a country’s stature and reach grow, so do its intelligence needs. This is especially true for one like India that has ambitions of being a global player even as it remains embattled in its own neighbourhood. The Unending Game tackles these questions while providing a national and international perspective on gathering external intelligence, its relevance in securing and advancing national interests, and why intelligence is the first playground in the game of nations.
The Dhoni Touch: Unravelling the Enigma that is Mahendra Singh Dhoni
For over a decade, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has captivated the world of cricket and over a billion Indians with his incredible ingenuity as captain, wicketkeeper and batsman. Bharat Sundaresan, author of The Dhoni Touch tracks down the cricketer’s closest friends in Ranchi and artfully presents the different shades of Dhoni-the Ranchi boy, the fauji, the diplomat, Chennai’s beloved Thala, the wicketkeeping Pythagoras-and lays bare the man underneath.
Master Growth Hacking – The best kept secret of new age Indian startups
Full of riveting stories, Master Growth Hacking lets you learn from the pioneers of growth hacking in India. There are interviews with the founders of Zomato, IndiaMART, ShopClues, UrbanClap, Paisabazaar, Furlenco, FusionCharts, WittyFeed, UpGrad and a lot more.
Growth hacking is the new growth mantra that start-ups are using and don’t want you to learn about!
Frontiers
Aurangzeb’s aim is to conquer the kingdoms of the Deccan and expand the great Mughal empire to include hitherto uncharted, rebellious territories. Raja Shivaji, a jagirdar from the hills of western Deccan, dreams of Swaraj and has raised his sword against all those who stand between him and his goal.
Theirs is a battle of wit and might-one in which neither will give up. Frontiers, a historical saga, brings to life the complex and ever-shifting dynamics between these two arch nemeses.
Chanakya and the Art of Getting Rich
Chanakya’s Arthashastra is an unrivalled political treatise that has been used by scholars, academics and leaders across the world. In Chanakya and the Art of Getting Rich, Radhakrishnan Pillai brings out the inherent lessons from Arthashastra to present a strategic and practical way of wealth creation. This is a holistic study, written for anyone and everyone.
Your Happiness was Hacked
We’ve become a tribe of tech addicts, and it’s not entirely our fault.
But we can reclaim our lives without dismissing technology. The authors of Your Happiness was Hacked explain how to avoid getting hooked on tech and how to define and control the roles that it plays and could play in our lives. This profound and timely book turns personal observation into a handy guide to adapting to our new reality of omnipresent technology.
Shyam: An Illustrated Retelling of the Bhagavata
The Bhagavata is the story of Krishna, known as Shyam to those who find beauty, wisdom and love in his dark complexion.
Shyam: An Illustrated Retelling of the Bhagavata seamlessly weaves the story from Krishna’s birth to his death, or rather from his descent to the butter-smeared world of happy women to his ascent from the blood-soaked world of angry men.
Category: Recommendations
30 Books You Must Read if you Love Football
Football is the unifying factor for many people across the world. Fans in those 90 minutes of play experience a wide range of emotions, from sadness to euphoria. There’s no doubt why football is deemed as one of the most spectated sports in the world.
So, if you also live and breathe football, here is a list of books you must read:
Ronaldo 2018
A three-time winner of the FIFA Ballon d’Or, Cristiano Ronaldo’s status as a footballing superstar is unquestionable. In this biography, Madrid-based journalist Luca Caioli tells the inside story of the global superstar, featuring insights from those who know him best and even the man himself. Updated to include all the action from the 2016/17 season, Ronaldo lays bare the career of a modern footballing icon.
Messi 2018
Having risen to the top of the game more than a decade ago, Lionel Messi has matured into the perfect team player. As the star of an exceptional Barcelona team, he has won more silverware than most football clubs. Messi is Luca Caioli’s classic portrait of a footballing icon, now fully updated to include all the action from 2016/17. Featuring exclusive testimony from those who know him best, it offers an unrivalled behind-the-scenes look at the career of a sporting giant.
Neymar 2018
Having long been hailed as a future star of world soccer, Neymar has thrived under the pressure of expectation. Already well on his way to becoming Brazil’s all-time top scorer, his legacy is already taking shape. Updated to include all the action from the 2016/17 season, Neymar paints a compelling picture of the life and career of a global superstar.
Pogba
When Manchester United re-signed their former youth player Paul Pogba for a world record fee in the summer of 2016, they made a powerful statement. In the four years since he had left the Reds, Pogba had blossomed into a midfielder of undoubted world class. With exclusive insights from those closest to the player, Luca Caioli’s Pogba is an in-depth portrait of one of modern football’s greatest talents.
Griezmann
Quick, incisive and versatile, Antoine Griezmann is the ultimate modern forward. Arriving in 2014 to join an Atletico Madrid side persistently challenging for the biggest trophies in Spanish and European football, he quickly established himself as the team’s key player and main goal threat. In this first biography of the Atleti and France star, Madrid-based journalist Luca Caioli examines the story behind Griezmann’s rise to the top.
Messi vs. Ronaldo 2017
In 2009 Real Madrid paid £80m, a then record fee, to sign a ready-made superstar in an effort to keep pace with a Barcelona side that had won it all. In doing so, they sparked a rivalry like no other; Messi vs Ronaldo. Drawing on testimonies from those closest to the two stars, Luca Caioli tells the inside story of this fascinating rivalry.
Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo 2017
Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo have risen from humble beginnings in Argentina, Brazil and Portugal to rank among the most exciting talents football has ever seen. Comparing their contrasting styles, stories, records and awards, Caioli presents a unique insight into what makes a modern player not just successful, but truly great.
Suarez 2016: The Remarkable Story Behind
Luis Suarez is one of the most brilliant and controversial players in world football. Signed by Barcelona in 2014 despite a lengthy ban for biting an opponent, he quickly became a central figure in their sensational treble-winning campaign. However, a history of violent on-pitch incidents has left supporters wondering whether the maverick centre forward can ever completely conquer his demons. This updated biography offers a unique behind-the-scenes look at the life and career of one of football’s most enigmatic stars.
Balotelli
Mario Balotelli has a reputation like no other in football. Since exploding on to the scene at Inter Milan in 2007, he has won league titles in both Italy and England, moving between Europe’s elite clubs. With exclusive access to friends, teammates and coaches, acclaimed football biographer Luca Caioli talks to the people best placed to explain the mystery that is Mario Balotelli.
Martial
On 1 September 2015, Anthony Martial completed his transfer from Monaco to Manchester United. At just 19 years of age, the fee of £36m (potentially rising to £58m) made the France international the most expensive teenager of all time. Renowned sports biographers Luca Caioli and Cyril Collot talk to coaches, teammates and even Martial himself, to provide an unrivalled behind-the-scenes look at the life of the teenage superstar.
Match of the Day Annual 2018
Complete with fun football trivia, quizzes, games, puzzles, top 10s, cartoons and more, this is the only annual fans of the beautiful game will need. Featuring Gary and all of the MOTD presenters, Paz, Bez and the planet’s top teams and players, Match of the Day Annual 2017 is the best around – it will be on the top of your Christmas list!
The Football Shirts Book
From the obscure to the ubiquitous, A Lover’s Guide to Football Shirts is packed with over 150 original and super rare shirts from the greatest game on earth. Covering everything from the iconic to the unusual, even the most hard-core fans will find out something new about the kit of their favourite team. Including full-colour photography, this guide offers a full exploration of the brands, design and sponsorship history behind the world’s best-loved football shirts..
Match of the Day: 50 Years of Football
Remember Sergio Aguero’s late goal to win the title for Man City? Or, best of all, Geoff Hurst’s hat-trick winning the World Cup for England in 1966? Over half a century, Match of the Day has witnessed some of the greatest moments in football history, week in, week out. In this milestone 50th year, Match of the Day celebrates the very best of the drama and the heartache. With evocative memorabilia and photography throughout, relive the story of the beautiful game, season-by-season.
The Periodic Table of Football
You can never take what you love too seriously and The Periodic Table of Football celebrates this fact. Instead of hydrogen to helium, here you’ll find Pelé to Sepp Blatter – 108 elements from the football pantheon arranged by their properties and behaviour on and off the pitch. This expert guide and accompanying poster spans over 150 years to offer an original perspective of the beautiful game.
The Football Manager’s Guide to Football Management
The Football Manager Guide to Football Management is for anyone who has ever believed that they could do a better job than their club’s manager. It’s for anyone who has ever tried to prove that point by taking the hot seat in the management simulation Football Manager. So if, at any point in your life, you have imagined yourself in a tracksuit, waving your arms in the air on the touchline, with your perfect XI scribbled on the back of a beer mat and thinking ahead to the press conference, then this book is for you. After all, you’re already a football manager… you just haven’t been appointed yet.
Barefoot to Boots: The Many Lives of Indian Football
A thrilling account of the incredible journey of Indian football. In Barefoot to Boots, renowned journalist Novy Kapadia reveals Indian football’s glorious legacy through riveting descriptions of on-field action, stories of memorable matches, lively anecdotes, and exclusive conversations with legendary players and officials.
The Football Book
The ultimate visual guide to planet football. Revised and updated to include details of all the stats, goal tallies and cup wins so you can now relive the excitement of the Brazil 2014 World Cup. With The Football Book, you’ll discover the finest moments of the players, coaches and teams who have created football history and learn everything from match highlights to the inside stories on the players, managers and fans.
Football – Bloody Hell!
Sir Alex Ferguson is the most controversial and compelling figure in football. For many he ranks as the greatest manager of all time. He is certainly the most successful. Ferguson has been instrumental in making the Premier League the most successful competition in football, and he has endured while the mountains of cash have turned to valleys of debt. Throughout, award-winning journalist Patrick Barclay has been pitch-side and spoken to all those who know Ferguson best – fellow managers, former players, colleagues and commentators. The result is Football – Bloody Hell!: the definitive work on the game’s greatest living legend.
Matt Busby: The Definitive Biography
Sir Matt Busby, who took Manchester United to unprecedented glory before seeing the club through profound tragedy, created the global entity that spreads from Old Trafford today. In this definitive biography, Patrick Barclay looks back at Busby’s phenomenal life and career, including the rise of the Busby Babes in the 1950s, the Munich disaster that claimed 23 lives and the Wembley victory ten years on that made United the first English team to win the European Cup.
The Illustrated History of Football
In The Illustrated History of Football, his first book, David Squires relives some of football’s most glorious moments and meets its greatest figures. In a sport full of handsome paycheques and corporate sponsors, he also casts a critical eye over corrupt backroom workings and helps pierce football’s overblown balloon. Funny, good-looking and preternaturally astute, this book is everything Sepp Blatter wishes he could be.
How to Watch Football
How can one striker be better than three? Why do the best defenders never need to make a tackle? What’s the secret of Tiki-taka? Welcome to Ruud Gullit’s masterclass on how to ‘read’ a match. From his unrivalled perspective as player, manager and pundit, the Dutch football legend shows us everything to look for in a 90-minute match. From formations and tactical decisions to player qualities and pivotal moments, Ruud Gullit unveils the hidden patterns on the pitch – as if he’s sitting right there on the sofa next to you.
The Secret Footballer: What Goes on Tour
Since his first book was published in 2012, The Secret Footballer has been able to take the reader behind the scenes of footballers’ lives like no other player has been able, or will ever be able, to do. From Marbella and Ibiza to Dubai and Las Vegas, The Secret Footballer lays bare the worst, most embarrassing and most hilarious excesses of these fit and mostly fickle young men whose million-pound salaries, to use his own words, ‘open up a host of recreational opportunities’.
Why Soccer Matters
The world’s most popular sport goes by many names – soccer, football, the beautiful game – but fans have always agreed on one thing: The greatest player of all time was Pele. During his twenty-year career, he was heralded as an international treasure and his accomplishments on the field proved to be pure magic. Now, for the first time, the legendary star and humanitarian explores the sport’s recent history and provides new insights into the game.
The Fall of the House of FIFA
In this definitive account of FIFA’s rise and fall, David Conn, the game’s most respected investigative journalist, chronicles its earnest foundation in 1904 and its work developing football around the world, through to the staggering sweep and breadth of scandal now uncovered and the controversial votes that sent the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar.
The Book of Football Quotations
This compilation includes quotes from everyone – Shakespeare to Suarez, Camus to Cantona, Busby to Beckham – who has made an apt, pithy or comical comment about football. And not just footballers and managers either – fans, pundits, groundsmen, directors and wives all get to have their say too. Every subject is covered, from tactical debates to changing lifestyles, to produce a sometimes hilarious and always thought-provoking commentary on the game.
Messi
This definitive biography profiles the Argentinean soccer star of FC Barcelona, Lionel Messi. It also discusses his early childhood success, his training with the Barcelona junior team, and features fun facts like his favorite foods and his pet peeves. Updated throughout with new stats from the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Messi, Neymar & Suarez
Lionel Messi, an attacking genius and longtime player on FC Barcelona, is widely recognized as one of the greatest soccer players in history. When the emerging Brazilian talent Neymar joined him in 2013, they became known as the Invincible Duo. Then, when the colorful Luis Suarez joined their roster the following year, the most unbeatable attacking unit in history had been created. Together, this trio has scored a record-breaking number of goals, and has proven time and again that their strategic unit outshines each player on his own.
Ronaldo
The story of the “ultimate footballer,” Cristiano Ronaldo. Covers the star’s youth in Madeira, his nicknames, his record with Manchester United, and includes a list of the numerous awards he has received. Updated throughout with stats from the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Stars of World Soccer
Everyone knows Messi and Ronaldo–the current twin peaks of the most popular sport in the world–but who are their main competitors and their fiercest rivals for the crown of modern soccer? With colorful photography and fun facts, this lively and accessible book provides some answers: Stars of World Soccer tells you who these players are, where they come from, and what they have accomplished.
Stars of the World Cup: World Soccer
Learn all about twenty-eight of the best players competing for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, from unstoppable scorers like Messi and Ronaldo to crafty playmakers like Iniesta and Modric, and ironclad defenders like Philipp Lahm and Thiago Silva. Get the inside scoop on their strengths and weaknesses heading into the showdown in Brazil. See incredible action shots of their on-field wizardry.
Kill time the cool way with these five must-reads
We believe you are always young at heart which means young adult books will always catch your attention no matter how old you are. This summer we have something for every type of reader- you like love stories, a little bit of magic, stories full of coincidences or mysteries about uncovering the truth? Don’t worry we have got you covered.
Here are 5 young adult books we can’t stop recommending enough this summer! Kill time the cool way by reading these must read books now!
The Sun is also a Star by Nicola Yoon
Natasha is a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. She is definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when her family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica.
Daniel has always been the good son, the good student, living up to his parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when he sees her, he forgets about all that. Something about Natasha makes him think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store―for the both of them.
Holding Up The Universe by Jennifer Niven
Everyone thinks they know Libby Strout, the girl once dubbed ‘America’s Fattest Teen’. But no one’s taken the time to look past her weight to get to see who she really is.
Everyone thinks they know Jack Maslin too. Yes, he’s got swagger, but he’s also mastered the art of fitting in. What no one knows is that Jack has a secret: he can’t recognize faces. Even his own brothers are strangers to him.
Until he meets Libby. When the two get tangled up in a cruel high school game which lands them in group counselling, Libby and Jack are both angry and then surprised. Because the more time they spend together, the less alone they feel. Because sometimes when you meet someone, it changes the world – theirs and yours.
Tradition by Brendan Kiely
The students at Fullbrook Academy are the elite of the elite, famous for their glamour and excess. Their traditions are sacred. But they can hide dark and dangerous secrets. Jules is in her senior year with one goal: to get out and start her life at college. Jamie is a sports star on a scholarship; Fullbrook is his chance to escape his past. After a school party ends in disaster, the two of them discover a terrible truth. Can the two of them stand together against Fulbrook’s most toxic traditions?
Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the strange bad luck biting at their heels.But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate – the Hazel Wood – Alice learns how bad her luck can really get. Her mother is stolen, by a figure who claims to come from the cruel supernatural world from her grandmother’s stories. Alice’s only lead is the message her mother left behind: STAY AWAY FROM THE HAZEL WOOD.
The Truth and Lies of Ella Black by Emily Barr
Ella Black seems to live the life most other seventeen-year-olds would kill for. Until one day, telling her nothing, her parents whisk her off to Rio de Janeiro. Determined to find out why, Ella takes her chance and searches through their things. And realises her life has been a lie. Her mother and father aren’t hers at all. Unable to comprehend the truth, Ella runs away, to the one place they’ll never think to look – the favelas. But there she learns a terrible secret – the truth about her real parents and their past.
Reader to Yogi: 14 Books That Will Help You Welcome Yoga In Your Life
Self-care is the new mantra of 2018 because you can’t feel healthy and happy without some quality time with yourself. While everyone’s self care differs, we recommend adding yoga into your self care routine because of a plethora of benefits and enriching qualities. For instance, Yoga is an ideal workout for anyone because it’s quiet, meditative and requires very little interaction with other humans. And if practised sincerely and regularly, yoga can cure anything from anxiety to back pain.
So if you are a beginner or an expert, commit yourself to regular yoga this yoga day and let these informative books about yoga and natural healing be your guide.
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra by Shyam Ranganathan
Patañjali’s Yoga Sutra (second century CE) is the basic text of one of the nine canonical schools of Indian philosophy. In it the legendary author lays down the blueprint for success in yoga; now practised the world over. Patañjali draws upon many ideas of his time; and the result is a unique work of Indian moral philosophy that has been the foundational text for the practice of yoga since. The Yoga Sutra sets out a sophisticated theory of moral psychology and perhaps the oldest theory of psychoanalysis.
Laughter Yoga by Madan Kataria
Laughter yoga is a revolutionary idea: simple and profound. A practice involving prolonged voluntary laughter, it is based on scientific studies that have concluded that such laughter offers the same physiological and psychological benefits as spontaneous laughter. This comprehensive book by the founder of the laughter yoga club movement, Dr Madan Kataria, tells you what laughter yoga is, how it works, what its benefits are and how you can apply it to everyday life.
Hair Yoga : Caring for your hair the right way by Jawed Habib
There are two things that are common to most people: we all want gorgeous hair and we all have at least one hair issue. From styling celebrities to running one of the most popular salon chains in India, Jawed Habib is undoubtedly someone you can trust with your hair. In Hair Yoga, Jawed takes you back to the basics of hair care and tackles all of your hair troubles. Packed with tips and remedies, this is the ultimate book to take hair health into your hands so that you have a good hair day, everyday.
The Essence of Yoga by Osho
In this book Osho explains how, through yoga, one can attain the grace of the body and of God. He talks about crucial concerns of love, marriage, faith and contentment. It is a perfect blend of ancient wisdom and contemporary knowledge.
Textbook of Yoga by Yogeswar
In the past few years, the popularity of yoga as the ultimate key to fitness, both physical and mental, has resulted in a plethora of books, videos and audio tapes designed to guide a learner through the various asanas prescribed by the Yogasutra. The Textbook of Yoga goes one step further: it is the one book that tells you not merely how to practise an asana the right way, to maximum effect, but also explains how best to share your knowledge and teach others the theory and practice of yoga. It is like a textbook in its approach: lesson by lesson, you are introduced first to the basics and then to the more advanced levels of practice. Alongside the text, the illustrations allow you to understand exactly how the body should be moved and positioned without fear of error or injury.
Own the Bump by Payal Gidwani Tiwari
Motherhood is a life-changing event in a woman’s life. Keeping in mind the fast-paced lives of nuclear families and sometimes unhealthy lifestyles, Bollywood’s most celebrated yoga expert, Payal Gidwani Tiwari, brings to fore the importance of preparing the body and soul for such a change. From pre-pregnancy to post-natal, Gidwani utilizes her age-old knowledge of yoga and provides essential advice to take care of oneself before, during and after the birth.
Body Goddess: The Complete Guide on Yoga for Women by Payal Gidwani Tiwari
Bollywood’s most celebrated yoga expert, Payal Gidwani Tiwari comes to your rescue. From the basics of yoga to their practical application in our day to day life–Payal’s essential mantras guarantee not just weight loss but also promise a healthier lifestyle. Designed for all age groups, this book comes enriched with easy to follow exercise regimes and invaluable tips. Body Goddess is indispensable for every woman who wants to look and feel like a diva.
Book of Woman by Osho
Osho talks about various issues like motherhood, relationships, family and birth control. Questioning the concept of marriage, he says it is the ‘ugliest institution invented by man’ as its aim is to monopolize a woman. He is equally critical of the institution of family which ‘corrupts the human mind’. A woman, he says, should not imitate man.
Book of Man by Osho
Osho perceives man as becoming increasingly alienated from his inner self, gradually losing his natural innocence and creativity in the mindless quest for worldly power and success. For Osho, the ideal man is Zorba, the Buddha—a perfect blend of matter and soul. This seamless collection of discourses takes the reader through the various stages of man’s evolution: from Adam to Slave, Son, Homosexual, Priest and Politician, until he attains the pinnacle of his consciousness as the Rebel or Zorba.
Developed from the Vedas, India’s ancient books of wisdom, Ayurveda combines physical, psychological and spiritual therapies in an approach to health that is as relevant to the modern world as it was to the ancient world. Utilizing herbs and minerals, proper nutrition and purification and, above all, affirmative ways of living, Ayurveda treats not just the ailment but the whole person and emphasises prevention of disease to avoid the need for cure.
Everyday Ayurveda by Bhaswati Bhattacharya
Time is scarce and precious in today’s world and we seek solutions that are quick. While allopathic medicine tends to focus on the management of disease, the ancient study of Ayurveda provides us with holistic knowledge for preventing disease and eliminating its root cause. Dr Bhaswati Bhattacharya takes you through a day in the life of Ayurvedic living.
From XL to XS: A fitness guru’s guide to changing your body by Payal Gidwani Tiwari
Yoga : The Supreme Science by Osho
Drawing on the teachings of Patanjali, Osho gives an entirely new perspective on the fundamental questions of life, the nature of heaven, religion and God. For Osho it is not a question of being ‘good’ or ‘bad’, or of a God in the sky, but of each individual becoming aware of his being and attaining kaivalya— the ultimate state of enlightenment when the meditator goes beyond all desire. This process draws on the inner science of yoga.
Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda
The story of a personal and spiritual awakening, Autobiography of a Yogi is a seminal work that continues to aspire and change millions of lives. In his wise, accessible and gentle manner, Paramahansa Yogananda has demystified ancient traditions like yoga and meditation; he imparts truths that are instructive and enriching; and he offers comfort and counsel. From Steve Jobs to the Beatles and Ravi Shankar, Autobiography of a Yogi has been a companion to all those who seek to lead a more spiritual, content life.
5 Reasons Why Bhutan Should be your Next Travel Destination
A country of pristine forests and flower, dotted with imposing fortresses and serene monasteries, Bhutan has captured the world’s imagination not only with its beauty but also with its unique philosophy of governance, which measures the country’s progress and development through gross national happiness rather than gross domestic product. Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck’s portrait Treasures of the Thunder Dragon is a captivating blend of personal memoir, history, folklore and travelogue. It provides intimate insights into Bhutanese culture and society and vivid glimpses of life in its villages, monasteries and palaces.
The author also reveals Bhutan’s ‘hidden treasures’, discovered during her arduous journeys on foot to the remotest corners of her country, from obscure highland hamlets in the shadow of great Himalayan peaks to rainforests that are among the world’s richest biodiversity hotspots.
Here are 5 reasons why you should visit Bhutan this summer:
Treading the passion path: 5 Off-beat Careers that are worth leaving your Current Job for
Venkat Iyer was living a fast-paced life in the IT world in Mumbai when he decided to stop and take a long, hard look at where he was headed. Disheartened by his stressful existence in the city, he decided to give it all up and take up organic farming in a small village near Mumbai.
Just like him, do you think you have what it takes to tread on the passion path? Can you quit what you are currently doing and start doing what you really love? If you are ready to take the plunge, we have listed 5 offbeat careers that we bet are certainly worth leaving your boring, 9-5 desk job for. Scroll below and get thinking!
Diver
For all water lovers, the chance of being in water all day and get paid for it too, is like a dream come true. So why not become a scuba diving instructor? We love the idea of beachy hair and a forever-tan.
Ice-cream taster
Working as an ice-cream taster is sure to thrill your inner child.
A full-time taster is asked to assess the quality of each flavor on the basis of texture, colour, smell, appearance, and other factors in addition to taste. While an exact job description depends on the employer and specific role, a taster’s additional responsibilities can include inventing new ice cream flavours and products.
Personal Shopper
Why did our school counsellors never recommend personal shopping as a career? Being paid to shop all day sounds like a pretty fabulous job profile to us!
You need to get into your client’s mind to truly understand what makes them feel and look good. If you can achieve this, you have a pretty envious career waiting out there for you.
Dog Groomer
Some benefits of becoming a dog groomer are: working with dogs on a daily basis (complete bliss), a great business opportunity- learn up the tricks of the trade as a groomer and then start your own dog grooming studio. Sounds amazing right? We agree!
Farmer
Do you wish for a job that lets you use your green thumb, with complimentary advantage of always breathing clean and fresh air and consuming the best quality organic food? Then farming is THE career for you.
Business Books to Look Out For
“Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs” – Farrah Gray
Whether you’re thinking of setting up your own business – and need some inspiration or advice – or whether you need help making improvements in your already-existing business, we’ve got a set of books for you. Here we have a list of business books for you to pick up, by authors with lots of experience in the field that are bound to help you take your company to new heights.
Let’s take a look!
Talent Wins: The New Playbook for Putting People First
Turning conventional views on their heads, talent and leadership experts Ram Charan, Dominic Barton, and Dennis Carey provide leaders with a new and different playbook for acquiring, managing, and deploying talent–for today’s agile, digital, analytical, technologically driven strategic environment–and for creating the HR function that business needs.
Disrupt and Conquer: How TTK Prestige Became a Billion-Dollar Business
In this book, the current chairman T.T. Jagannathan, along with Sandhya Mendonca, takes us through the journey of this extraordinary company which fought off bankruptcy and rose like a phoenix to become a highly profitable, successful entity. With invaluable business lessons, decades of experience and innovation distilled in these pages, Disrupt and Conquer is a must-read for aspiring entrepreneurs, executives and business leaders.
The Fuzzy and the Techie: Why the Liberal Arts Will Rule the Digital World
At Stanford University, If you had majored in the humanities or social sciences, you were a fuzzy. If you had majored in the computer sciences, you were a techie. This informal division quietly found its way into a default assumption that has misled the business world for decades-that it’s the techies who drive innovation. But in this brilliantly contrarian book, Scott Hartley reveals the counter-intuitive reality of business today: it’s actually the fuzzies-not the techies-who are playing the key roles in developing the most creative and successful new business ideas.
Shortcut Your Start-Up
The world of startups is more competitive than ever: what will make yours stand out from the crowd? Shortcut Your Startup has the answers you need. Star entrepreneurs Courtney and Carter Reum have invested in such global successes as Lyft, Pinterest and SpaceX, as well as launching a multimillion-dollar business of their own – they have the hands on experience, insights and tips that will make all the difference.
Games Customers Play – What they don’t tell you about buyer-seller relationships
Business has been an endless series of games played by buyers and sellers-with one difference. Both sides could win at the same time. But somewhere along the way, many customers have changed the rules of these games in their favour. In Games Customers Play, Ramesh Dorairaj shows you how to spot such games and change the rules to your advantage. So that it doesn’t matter what the deal is, you will always win!
The Two Minute Revolution: The Art of Constantly Creating Value in Business
Sangeeta Talwar, the first woman executive in the FMCG industry, who established one of the most beloved and enduring brands of India-Maggi Noodles-shares creative and strategic lessons which can help you grow and add value to your business. Insightful and packed with fascinating examples, this book suggests tried and trusted strategies for building extraordinary brands.
Creating Signature Stories
In Creating Signature Stories, branding guru David Aaker applies the power of intriguing, authentic, involving stories to communicate strategic messaging internally and externally, a critical and difficult task. Creating Signature Stories, full of case studies, discusses how to find, evaluate, refine and leverage great stories and use them to build brands, enhance customer relationships and inspire employees.
Bill Clinton: my favourite James Patterson books
Ahead of the release of their eagerly anticipated thriller, The President is Missing, President Bill Clinton shared his favourite James Patterson novels with us.
Along Came a Spider – an Alex Cross book
Two children have been kidnapped from an elite private school in Washington DC, and Alex Cross is charged with finding them. The kidnapper is their maths teacher, a man named Gary Soneji. As Cross gets pulled deeper into the strange world of the kidnapper, it becomes clear he is not what he seems…
Kiss the Girls – an Alex Cross book
Alex Cross’s niece, Naomi, is missing. Cross fears the disappearance could be linked to a string of recent abductions and murders. Two brilliant and twisted killers, operating on opposite sides of the country, are collaborating and competing, encouraging each other to perpetrate increasingly horrific crimes. Cross must hunt down these two brutal masterminds – not only to rescue his niece, but also to save the lives of the many others still in danger…
Both Along Came a Spider and Kiss the Girls were made into Hollywood blockbusters starring Morgan Freeman as Alex Cross.
The Black Book
Being a cop runs in Billy Harney’s family. The son of Chicago’s Chief of Detectives whose twin sister, Patti, also followed in their father’s footsteps, Billy would give up everything for the job – including his life. After a brutal shooting, Billy is left for dead alongside his tempestuous former partner and an ambitious assistant district attorney. But somehow Billy survives – and is charged with double murder.
Billy remembers nothing about the shooting. Retracing his steps to find proof of his innocence, he discovers the existence of a little black book that he suspects contains the truth that will either set him free, or confirm his worst fears…
Haunted – a Michael Bennett book
Detective Michael Bennett is ready for a vacation after a series of crises push him, and his family, to the brink. He settles on an idyllic small town in the beautiful Maine woods. But just when Bennett thinks he can relax, he gets pulled into a case that has shocked the tight-knit community. Kids are disappearing with no explanation – until several bodies turn up in the woods.
Far from the city streets he knows so well, Bennett is fighting to protect a town, the law, and the family that he loves above all else.
Try Something Different; June Reads for you
With the new month comes a number of new books across various genres. How about you leave the comfort of your favorite subject and try something new? From politics to mythology, business, love and fun fiction, we have a range of options for you!
Here is the list of books to look out for this June.
Goodbye Freddie Mercury
Nadia Akbar’s audacious debut has all the makings of a cult novel-parties, drugs, mysteries, love triangles, political intrigue and power struggles-but its lush, sexy writing has the assuredness and precision of the most acute style of our time. Told in alternating voices and brimming with sharp observation, Goodbye Freddie Mercury hits the rocks and trails atwist.
For Reasons of State: Delhi Under Emergency
In For Reasons of State, two staff reporters at the Patriot have supplied first-hand evidence of the ruthlessness with which people’s homes were torn down and the impossible resettlement schemes introduced. Part reportage and part human stories, this definitive volume evokes the life and times of the Emergency and how it unfolded, and remains perennially relevant.
Kannur: Inside India’s Bloodiest Revenge Politics
Kannur, a sleepy coastal district in the scenic south Indian state of Kerala, has metamorphosed into a hotbed of political bloodshed in the past few decades. Even as India heaves into the age of technology and economic growth, the town has been making it to the national news for horrific crimes and brutal murders with sickening regularity. Ullekh’s investigations and interviews reveal a bigger game at work involving players who will stop at nothing to win.
Shekhar: A Life
On the night before he is to be hanged as a political prisoner, Shekhar finds himself drawn into a vortex of scattered memories–flashes of childhood angst and youthful love amidst days of high idealism and constant struggle against the British Raj. Enveloped by his past and wracked by a tumult of emotions, he muses on the philosophical questions that have consumed him and the ideological fervour that has led him to his inevitable fate. And as the appointed hour approaches, he must reconcile himself with who he has become and what he truly stands for.
Prison Days and Other Poems
Agyeya was jailed as a revolutionary by the British authorities in the early 1930s-an experience that indelibly shaped his literary output. The verses in this collection vividly conjure the horror and tedium of imprisonment: the sound of iron gates clanging shut and the shadows cast by the bars of a cell. But Agyeya’s vision never descends into bleakness.
Requiem in Raga Janki
Based on the real-life story of Hindustani singer Janki Bai Ilahabadi (1880-1934), Requiem in Raga Janki is the beautifully rendered tale of one of India’s unknown gems. Moving from Hindustani classical music’s earliest times to the age of the gramophone, from Tansen’s mysticism to Hassu Khan’s stringent opposition of recordings, this is a novel that brings to life a golden era of music through the eyes of a gifted performer.
Familiar Strangers
Priya and Chirag are like several other modern couples, living life at breakneck speed, unknowingly stuck in the rut of a marriage that is obviously dying, if not already dead. But things start to change when Priya’s position in Chirag’s life is threatened by his past-his ex-girlfriend, who returns when they least expect it. A third person’s entry into their marriage awakens emotions that have been dormant for too long. But is it too late? Is the damage beyond repair?
Little Things
You don’t need big things to happen. A little love, a little togetherness and a little happiness are all you need! Unpretentious and honest, this book offers a peek into the life of a young couple who knows how to find meaning in the ‘little things’. Adapted from Dice Media’s immensely popular web series by the same name, Little Things is both delightful and entertaining.
Games Customers Play – What they don’t tell you about buyer-seller relationships
Business has been an endless series of games played by buyers and sellers-with one difference. Both sides could win at the same time. In Games Customers Play, Ramesh Dorairaj shows you how to spot such games and change the rules to your advantage. So that it doesn’t matter what the deal is, you will always win!
The Two Minute Revolution: The Art of Constantly Creating Value in Business
Unlike usual business books, The Two-Minute Revolution provokes you to think big-about innovation as well as excellence in on-the-ground execution. Insightful and packed with fascinating examples-from creating and launching Maggi Noodles to spearheading the highly effective Jaago Re campaign for Tata Tea-this book suggests tried and trusted strategies for building extraordinary brands.
Storywallah
In 2011, the screenwriter, lyricist and journalist Neelesh Misra started mentoring a handpicked group of writers called the Mandali. These were men and women of all ages, backgrounds and dispositions. Translated for the first time in English, this collection represents the Mandali at the height of its powers. These are fresh, untamed voices aided and abetted by a master storyteller.
The Most Dangerous Place: A History of the United States in South Asia
The definitive history of US involvement in South Asia, The Most Dangerous Place presents a gripping account of America’s political and strategic, economic and cultural presence in the region. By illuminating the patterns of the past, this sweeping history also throws light on the challenges of the future.
Me Against the Mumbai Underworld
Me against the Mumbai Underworld is the story of Isaque Bagwan, three-time recipient of the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry and a small-town boy who pursued his big-city dreams and ambitions as an upright police officer. His life, which has captured the imagination of many writers and filmmakers, is presented here with all its gut-wrenching details.
Ha Ha Hu Hu: Reasons to Make This Your Next Read
Viswanadha Satyanarayana (1895–1976) is regarded as one of the most important writers and poets of the Telugu canon. He was the first Telugu writer to win the Jnanpith Award in 1971 and was also awarded the Padma Bhushan.
Ha Ha Hu Hu; A Horse-Headed God in Trafalgar Square contains two novellas by him, Ha Ha Hu Hu: A Horse-Headed God in Trafalgar Square and Vishnu Sharma Learns English and is translated by Velcheru Narayana Rao.
Ha Ha Hu Hu tells the delightful tale of an extraordinary creature that mysteriously appears in London one fine morning, causing considerable excitement and consternation among the city’s denizens.
In the hilarious satire Vishnu Sharma Learns English, a Telugu lecturer is visited in a dream by the medieval poet Tikanna and the ancient scholar Vishnu Sharma with an unusual request: they want him to teach them English!
Here are a few reasons to make this your next read.
