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Cozy Up with September’s Newest Releases

Step into a world of literary wonders this September with our spectacular lineup of newest releases! From insightful explorations of India’s ed-tech revolution to poignant tales of love and self-discovery, these books are your passport to out-of-this-world narratives. Learn about achieving financial success, discover innovative leadership strategies, and embark on adventures in various fields. This collection guarantees an enriching escape that informs, inspires, and utterly captivates.

Get ready to be amazed!

Educating A Billion
Educating A Billion || Arjun Mohan

Educating a Billion is an insider’s take on how edtech companies in India are trying to solve the issues plaguing our education system and trying to deliver quality at scale. It covers the formative days of India’s well-known edtech start-ups-BYJU’S, Unacademy, upGrad and Whitehat Jr, among others, and how these companies created products with a promise that made a difference. The growth of these start-ups is synonymous with the growth of venture capitalist led capital deployment in privately held Indian companies (private markets). The book covers Covid-19-induced changes in our educational system which led to the hypergrowth of the edtech ecosystem, a watershed event for digital start-ups globally.

 

World's Best Girlfriend
World’s Best Girlfriend || Durjoy Datta

D and A meet under improbable circumstances in the most unlikely of places-a posh resort in the Andamans. While A is fighting hard to escape the shackles of a lower middle-class existence, D is aimless and unsure of what his future holds. Strangely, they are drawn to each other.

‘My gaze drifts to her exposed back, and the tiny knot that secures her shimmering choli in place. Emotions of anger mix with a strange desire in me.’

Four years later, when they meet again, D’s world has crumbled around him. The burden of caring for his sick father and six-year-old sister has left him with little time for anything else. Yet, despite their diverging paths, D and A find themselves reconnecting in unexpected ways. Their mutual attraction deepens.

Till now, fate has been pushing them together, but what will happen when they decide to take matters into their own hands? Will life be as they’ve imagined, or will destiny take even that away from them?

 

Money Works
Money Works || Abhijeet Kolapkar

If you are clueless at the end of every month about where your hard-earned money has gone and if you are ready to achieve financial success-this book is for you!

Instead of focusing on ‘How big should your income be?’, Money Works gives excellent tips on how to save intelligently, how you can achieve your life goals with careful financial planning, how to manage your debts and insurance, how to make your hard-earned money grow through investments and finally, how to live a happy and contented life!

 

Leading from the Back
Leading from the Back || Ravi Kant, Harry Paul, Ross Reck

Through an engaging parable about the travails of an upcoming young manager, Shiv Kundra, whose leadership style hampers both his ability to lead and his ability to deliver, the authors outline the fascinating concept of ‘leading from the back’.

Leading from the Back is a distillation of the collective experience and wisdom of Ravi Kant (former CEO, vice chairman, Tata Motors), Harry Paul (co-author of the bestseller FISH! A Proven Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results) and Ross Reck (co-author of The Win-Win Negotiator).

 

The Perfect 10
The Perfect 10 || Yasmin Karachiwala

The Perfect 10 will show you that all it takes is ten minutes a day to start that journey and will be packed with exercise plans, movement ideas and lifestyle changes punctuated by stories of real journeys of real people. Get up. Move with Yasmin Karachiwala. And see how your body and your life changes.

 

 

How the Light Gets In
How the Light Gets In || Ashok Alexander

There is an adventure inside every person, waiting to be had . . . the discovery of a self, long buried within.
This personal belief reverberates through Ashok Alexander’s How the Light Gets In. In his memoir of an improbable start-up in public health, he writes about an organization with the audacious goal of ending needless deaths and sickness at scale, amongst India’s poorest mothers and children. It is a great leap emboldened by an unshakable faith in the ‘idea that cannot be denied’. It is a tale of adventure filled with twists and turns, told with a disarming honesty.

 

 

After Messiah
After Messiah || Aakar Patel

Now the Big Man is gone, with nobody named as his successor. Into this void is pushed Mira, who is reluctant at first but increasingly interested in the position she finds herself in. Will she use her authority to further her agenda, or will she hold on to her principles? Watched by her political rivals, Jayeshbhai and Swamiji, and guided by well-wishers Ayesha, Prabhu and Du Bois, she marches on and discovers something about power-and about herself.

 

 

Middle of Diamond India
Middle of Diamond India || Shashank Mani

Middle of Diamond India proposes a revolutionary idea – that India has long ignored its largest and most talented segment, citizens in the Tier 2 and Tier 3 districts, its Middle.

The book reveals the hidden stories of those in its Middle who have been ignored owing to their location and language. By examining India’s revolutionary past, its culture, its citizens, its innovators, and its spirit, the book illuminates this Diamond shaped India.

 

 

Soma
Soma || A K Ramanujan

For A.K. Ramanujan, who infused his diverse knowledge of Indian literatures and traditions into his poetry, the idea of Soma, the mysterious plant used by Vedic priests to extract ambrosia, fed his creativity.
Sifting through Ramanujan’s archives, the editors discovered a series of unpublished ‘Soma poems’ whose style and theme set them apart from his earlier work. This volume includes these poems beside essays and an interview that contextualizes them.

 

 

The Illustrated Masala Lab
The Illustrated Masala Lab || Krish Ashok

Masala Lab by Krish Ashok is a scientific exploration of Indian cooking aimed at inquisitive chefs who want to turn their kitchens into joyful, creative playgrounds for gastronomic experimentation. In this special edition, Meghna Menon’s vibrant illustrations effortlessly complement Krish Ashok’s lighthearted approach to the demystification of culinary science, making it the perfect vehicle to absorb the exhaustive testing, groundbreaking research and scientific rigour that went into the making of this revolutionary book.

 

 

Shades of Blue
Shades of Blue || Harini Nagendra Seema Mundoli

In this passionate and extensively researched tribute to the elixir that sustains us all, authors Harini Nagendra and Seema Mundoli take us on a panoramic view of the water bodies of India and the urgent need to address their emergent ecological threats. From the Yamuna in Delhi to the Cauvery in Karnataka and the Pichola Lake in Udaipur to the Brahmaputra in Assam, Shades of Blue is epic in its sweep and yet deeply moving in its intimate concerns.

 

 

Naulakhi Kothi
Naulakhi Kothi || Ali Akbar Natiq, Naima Rashid

Ali Akbar Natiq’s epic saga, Naulakhi Kothi, is an insightful portrayal of the zeitgeist of the times. The sweeping narrative begins in the years leading up to Partition and goes on till the eighties.
Translated by Naima Rashid, it is one of the most important novels of the twenty-first century.

 

 

Burning Roses in My Garden
Burning Roses in My Garden || Taslima Nasrin, Jesse Waters

Have I not, having kept a man for years, learnt that it’s/ like raising a snake?/ So many animals on this earth, why keep a man of all things?’ writes one of the world’s most celebrated writers, Taslima Nasrin, in her first-ever comprehensive collection of poetry translated from the original Bangla into English. The poems get to the heart of being the other in exile, justifying one’s place in a terrifying world. They praise the comfort and critique the cruelty of a loved one. In these are loneliness, sorrow, and at times, exaltation. Relying almost entirely upon the free verse form, these poems carry a diction which is at once both gentle and fierce, revealing the experiences of one woman while defining the existence of so many generations of women throughout time, and around the world.

 

 

The Girl Who Kept Falling in Love
The Girl Who Kept Falling in Love || Rheea Mukherjee

Told through the lens of urban myths, accounts of past lovers, bared confessions and half-truths that make up Kaya’s world, The Girl Who Kept Falling in Love dives deep into the futilities of being attached to global aspiration and fighting institutionalized hate while chasing a universal need for love and acceptance.

 

 

Curse of the Pir
Curse of the Pir || Mukesh Singh, Anupama Pandey

As the terror outfit intensifies its network in Jammu and Kashmir and carries out the most devastating attacks, Rajveer must think on his feet, juggling different aspects of a counterterrorism operation, leading from the front, all the time handling his family life as best he can. It’s a constant game of chess and hide-and-seek between him and the terrorists. This is the riveting story of an officer who will do everything he can to serve the nation.

 

 

Tiger Season
Tiger Season || Gargi Rawat

Sunaina Joshi is a reporter with a leading news channel.
Her day-to-day work involves reporting on urban-centric, health-related issues; myriad subjects that bore her, leaving her jaded. Her real passion is a life in the great outdoors, and reporting on wildlife and the environment, something she is unable to do as often as she would like. Unexpectedly, a fabulous opportunity falls into her lap when her channel is commissioned to run a campaign on tiger conservation, featuring a Bollywood star who is trying to resurrect his image and career following a drug scandal.

The shoot takes a dramatic turn when the television team finds itself in the middle of a local conflict and a heated incident involving a tiger attacking a forest guard. Controversy follows, with the decision to relocate the tiger to a zoo, leading to protests and fresh outrage over the action. To Sunaina’s dismay, she finds herself becoming the epicentre of the converging controversies. Also complicating matters are the run-ins she has with the arrogant owner of the resort. But is her aggravation with him turning to attraction?
Can she keep her wits about her while remaining professional about the things she loves?

 

 

Sivakami's Vow 4 Shattered Dream
Sivakami’s Vow 4 Shattered Dream

To meditate lifelong at the feet of our lord-Kalki’s choice of Thirunavukkarasar’s words to end his magnum opus, Sivakami’s Vow, is indicative of the shift from romance to reflection, from the mundane to the spiritual.

As Kalki expertly weaves together various strands of honour, love and friendship in this fourth and final volume of Sivakami’s Vow, he takes the reader through a gamut of emotions. It is no surprise that this novel is considered a classic.

 

 

Fugitive of Empire
Fugitive of Empire || Joseph McQuade

A complex, controversial, and often contradictory figure, Bose has been described as a committed democrat, an authoritarian, an advocate of religious harmony, a Hindu chauvinist, an anti-communist, a political pragmatist, an idealist, a Japanese collaborator, an anti-racist, a cultural conservative, a Pan-Asianist, an Indian nationalist, and much more. Drawing on extensive archival research
from India, Japan, and the UK, this refreshing new biography brings to life the largely forgotten story of one of twentieth-century Asia’s most daring revolutionaries.

 

Divorce is Normal
Divorce is Normal || Shasvathi Siva

A divorce rate of around 1 per cent is often boasted about with pride in this country, without much critical thought spared for what it actually means. When Shasvathi Siva decided to end her marriage, she realized exactly how difficult getting a divorce was in our society and legal system. Since then, she has been working towards ensuring that others have it easier, and this book is an endeavour to share her learnings with great empathy and sagacity. Divorce Is Normal is an invaluable companion for anyone contemplating separation and divorce, and a necessary reminder for everyone else that divorce is normal.

 

 

Fintech for Billions
Fintech for Billions || Bhagwan Chowdhry, Syed Anas Ahmed

The biggest problem with fintech in India is that the full potential of financial technology and policy is not really reaching the poorest of the poor. Thoroughly researched and expertly written, FinTech for Billions reveals why many of the existing solutions have faltered and fumbled along their path to inclusion. But things are not without hope. Through meticulous research across India – from towns in Rajasthan to villages in Goa, from hamlets in Odisha to districts in Telangana and Himachal Pradesh — Fintech for Billions offers simple, human and ubiquitous solutions that can transform the lives of people at the bottom of the pyramid.

Peng-wins at the Golden Book Awards! ?

Penguin Random House created history this year with seven major victories at the Golden Book Awards! These wins serve as a testament to our commitment to promoting great stories and fostering a love of reading in people around the world. If you haven’t already, add these seven page-turners to your to-read list.

 

The Dolphin and the Shark by Namita Thapar

The Dolphin and the Shark
The Dolphin and the Shark || Namita Thapar

The Dolphin and the Shark is inspired on Namita Thapar’s experiences as a Shark Tank India judge, operating the India business of the pharmaceutical company Emcure, and establishing her own entrepreneurship institute. The book emphasises how today’s leaders must create a balance between being a shark (an aggressive leader) and a dolphin (empathetic leader).

 

Doglapan by Ashneer Grover

Doglapan
Doglapan || Ashneer Grover

Ashneer becomes a household figure as a judge on the renowned TV show Shark Tank India, even as his life is turned upside down. Controversy, media exposure, and raucous social media conversation overwhelm, making it difficult to separate fact from fantasy. This is the uncensored narrative of Ashneer Grover, the beloved but misunderstood poster boy of Start-up India. This is storytelling at its best: honest, gut-wrenching in its honesty, and completely from the heart.

 

Energize Your Mind by Gaur Gopal Das

Energize Your Mind
Energize Your Mind || Gaur Gopal Das

Gaur Gopal Das, renowned author and life coach, decodes the mind in this book. He uses anecdotes and analytical studies to educate us how to shape our minds for higher well-being. He gives engaging activities, meditation techniques, and worksheets throughout the book to help us take control of our minds.

 

Build, Don’t Talk by Raj Shamani

Build, Don’t Talk
Build, Don’t Talk || Raj Shamani

Our schools taught us how to run in the race, but not how to win. This book does what our schools couldn’t. To assist you in winning the race. Build, Don’t Talk by Raj Shamani is a must-read since it is packed with excellent tips gathered from his own journey as an entrepreneur and content developer.

 

Rahul Bajaj by Gita Piramal

Rahul Bajaj
Rahul Bajaj || Gita Piramal

Rahul Bajaj is a millionaire businessman, former member of Parliament, and the chairman emeritus of the Bajaj Group. This book tells the tale of India, not solely Rahul Bajaj. From the time Rahul Bajaj’s mother was imprisoned during the freedom movement to the prism of his eventful life, the author brings us through the country’s evolution.

The book is packed with tales, business lessons, and political asides based on unconstrained interviews. At its heart, it is a touching human narrative.

 

The Wisdom Bridge by Kamlesh D. Patel

The Wisdom Bridge
The Wisdom Bridge || Kamlesh D. Patel

Daaji outlines nine ideas in The Wisdom Bridge to help you, the reader, live a life that inspires your children and loved ones. These concepts are useful resources for parents, soon-to-be parents, grandparents, and carers who want to live satisfying and joyful lives. They will not only help you enrich your children’s lives and create responsible teenagers, but they will also prepare the way for an inspired life and strong family relationships.

 

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Diary of a Wimpy Kid || Jeff Kinney

In Diper Överlöde, book 17 of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series from #1 international bestselling author Jeff Kinney, Greg Heffley is finding out that the road to fame and glory comes with some hardships.

Greg has no idea what he’s getting himself into when he decides to join his brother Rodrick’s band, Löded Diper. But he soon discovers that late hours, unpaid gigs, band member feuds, and financial difficulties are all part of the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. Can Greg assist Löded Diper in becoming the legends they believe they are? Will spending too much time with Rodrick’s band be detrimental?

8 books to help you prioritize your mental health in 2023!

Hey, you! We are here to remind you that mental health is as important as physical health. So, prioritize your mental health in 2023!

Some of you might have missed adding ‘self-care’ to your long list of resolutions this year. However, each one of us should take an extra step in taking care of our bodies, mind, and soul right from the beginning of the year. To help you in the journey of refreshing your mind and relieving your worries, we bring to you five books that can be a good starting point. Scroll through this list and choose the books that will become your companions in your self-care journey and help you understand your mind better.

 

front cover if i'm honest
If I’m Honest||Sidhartha Mallya

 

Sidhartha Mallya has had a unique life to say the least. Born into one of India’s most prominent business families, he has had-from an outside perspective-what many would consider a blessed life. Appearances can often be deceiving, though, and at times what was going on inside was a very different story. In 2016, he went through depression. Something that came as a bit of a surprise to him, given that he seemingly had the world at his feet: he was young, had just graduated from a prestigious drama school and had upcoming film projects. However, despite all the wonderful opportunities that awaited him, he felt desperately unhappy, constantly low and like his insides were being crushed by a vice. That was when Sidhartha realized that something was not right and he sought professional help. Thus began the journey to understanding his current mental state as well as an exploration of the other mental issues he has suffered throughout his life and where they might have stemmed from. Sidhartha also writes about what helped him face and overcome his challenges.

 

 

Energize Your Mind

Energize Your Mind
Energize Your Mind || 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 minds.

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

 

 

And How Do You Feel About That?

And How Do You Feel About That?
And How Do You Feel About That? || Aruna Gopakumar, Yashodhara Lal

 

Ever wondered what REALLY happens in the therapy room?
For too long, therapy has been seen as taboo in our society and is shrouded in myth–it’s only for the weak or ‘crazies’, it’s just blaming your parents, a therapist ‘only listens’ and so on. In this book, Aruna Gopakumar and Yashodhara Lal bust those myths and show you how therapy actually works.
With decades of combined experience in the field, these two therapists share fascinating stories based on their practice. You’ll meet the woman who sends secret messages to her husband during arguments; the towering tattooed man who realizes he can’t save his sister; the teenager whose life is revealed in the tale of a lonely bear; the divorced man angry with his ex-wife for starting to date again; the fiery gay young man impatient to change the world; the lady who won’t relax until her daughter is perfect; and many more.
Written with authenticity, warmth, simplicity, and lightness, And How Do You Feel About That brings you an understanding of the world of possibilities that opens up when we embark on an inner exploration – in dialogue with another.

 

Chemical Khichdi

Chemical Khichdi
Chemical Khichdi || Aparna Piramal Raje

 

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.

 

 

The Wisdom Bridge

The Wisdom Bridge
The Wisdom Bridge || Kamlesh D. Patel

 

The intentions, thoughts and actions of the elders are caught by the hearts of the children. The children observe, learn and imbibe the teachings quickly and faithfully, and the elders have the responsibility to not only raise the children well, but nurture and guide them in a way that they can lead fulfilling lives.

Daaji in The Wisdom Bridge offers nine principles to guide you, the reader, to live a life that inspires your children and your loved ones. These principles are important references for parents, parents-to-be, grandparents and caregivers to create fulfilling and happy lives. They will not only help you enrich the lives of your children and raise responsible teenagers, but pave the way for an inspired life and resilient bonds in your family.

 

 

The Friend

The Friend
The Friend || Sri M, Mohini Kent Noon

 

Sri M is widely known as a spiritual leader and teacher. However, he believes, for him to truly connect with someone and guide them, they must be friends.
In this book, Mohini Kent asks him about love, life, religion, marriage, death and everything in between making it a one-stop shop complete collection of Sri M’s teachings and philosophy. Following the ancient form of a conversation between a guru and a disciple, this book is easy to read and relatable for people of all ages.

 

 

Slow is Beautiful by Ahlawat Gunjan

Slow is Beautiful
Slow is Beautiful || Ahlawat Gunjan

 

Slow is Beautiful serves as an invitation to engage in a voyage of mindfulness and to tune out the clutter and noise in your environment. You’ll learn to see, watch, reflect, and practise using artistic methods developed through years of training under the direction of artist and visual designer Ahlawat Gunjan in order to rekindle a lost instinct. By developing a relationship with form, colour, and composition in a particularly approachable manner, this lovely collector’s edition equips you to accept a fresh artistic perspective into your lives. In order to encourage readers to draw, erase, paint, experiment, create, and, most importantly, embrace their errors, each of the book’s sixty simple prompts is highlighted by vibrant ink and watercolour paintings created and curated by the artist himself.

 

25 Small Habits by Manoj Chenthamarakshan

25 Small Habits
25 Small Habits || Manoj Chenthamarakshan

 

We all recognize that our habits influence how we live, but when we also know how challenging it can be to adopt a new habit. Most individuals struggle after the first week to keep up with a new habit. This book doesn’t teach you how to create habits; instead, it provides you with a list of 25 quick, easy routines that you can adopt right away.

The practises in this book are meant to help you develop holistically in terms of your personal growth, as well as your community, job, relationships, physical health, and mental health. You can decide which habits you can incorporate into your daily plan.

 

October releases for your kids to fall in love with

The fall and the festive season are here…and so are our October releases! After all, what’s a better way to welcome this new month than by reading diverse stories to your little ones? So, spend time exploring the magic in the world, learning about gods and goddesses, and embarking on great adventures with our October releases!

Scroll through our recommendations and discover the best October releases for your kids!

 *

The Magic of the Lost Story

Sudha Murty book
The Magic of the Lost Story || Sudha Murty

After staying in the lockdown for over a year, Nooni is now visiting her Ajja-Ajji in Somanahalli. Memories of excavating the famous stepwell and experiencing village life for the first time in The Magic of the Lost Temple are still afresh in Nooni’s mind. Excited to finally step out of the confines of her home, little does Nooni know she will make yet another discovery, only this time it’s a missing puzzle in her family’s history.

Written in India’s favourite storyteller’s inimitable style, The Magic of the Lost Story captures the value of asking questions and keeping the answers alive. Packed with delightful artworks and wondrous terrains, this story takes you on an unforgettable journey as it follows the magnificent Tungabhadra River.

 

 

 

The People of the Indus

The People of the Indus
The People of the Indus || Nikhil Gulati, 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.

 

 

 

My Little Book of Durga

My Little Book of Durga

When Mahishasura makes the world weep and moan,
Who can stop him? Mighty Durga alone!
With charming illustrations and simple language, this short tale about the eternally powerful Goddess Durga will entertain and delight.

This series of charmingly illustrated board books introduces kids to some of the best-known and best-loved gods from popular Hindu mythology, including Krishna, Ganesha, Lakshmi, Hanuman, Shiva, and Durga.

Read aloud or read together with kids as they hear fascinating stories about the mighty Goddess Durga who is worshipped as Shakti or female power.

Dotted with interesting facts about each god as well as an interactive seek-and-find activity. Suitable for bedtime reading and parent-child association. Perfect way to familiarize children with India’s rich cultural fabric. These books offer a fun and enjoyable introduction to timeless myths and festivals for modern kids.

For ages: 3+ year

 

 

My Little Book of Hanuman

My Little Book of Hanuman
My Little Book of Hanuman

 

Hanuman wants to be big and strong.
But why does it have to take so long?

With charming illustrations and simple language, this short tale about Hanuman will entertain and delight.
Collect all six books in the series!

For ages: 3+ year

 

 

 

 

My Little Book of Shiva

My Little Book of Shiva
My Little Book of Shiva

There are lots of stories about Shiva’s greatness and might.
Which one will Ganesha and Kartikeya hear tonight?
With charming illustrations and simple language, this short tale about Shiva will entertain and delight.

Collect all six books in the series!

This series of charmingly illustrated board books introduces kids to some of the best known and best loved gods from popular Hindu mythology, including Krishna, Ganesha, Lakshmi, Hanuman, Shiva and Durga.

For ages: 3+ year

 

Ramanujan

Ramanujan
Ramanujan || Arundhati Venkatesh

Srinivasa Ramanujan wants to go to school in Kumbakonam only to do maths but his class has no maths teacher this year.

Instead, there is a series of substitutes making the boys do strange exercises–lifting iron ingots, measuring milk, jumping from one island to another and frying fish. Ramanujan wants no part in it, but he and his team, the Kumbakonam Krackerjacks are drawn into a challenge with the Triumphant Trio–and in any maths challenge, Ramanujan has to win!

Filled with rollicking humour, puns, puzzles, this meticulously researched novel describes the childhood of one of the world’s greatest mathematicians in a vividly imagined historical setting. Priya Kuriyan’s joyful illustrations capture his daily life in striking detail.

The Great Minds at Work series looks at the childhoods of people who made history against the backdrop of the times and places they grew up in.

 

 

 

Inni & Bobo: Go to the Park

front cover of Inni & Bobo: Go to the Park
Inni & Bobo: Go to the Park || Soha Ali Khan, Kunal Kemmu

Little Inni adopts the scruffy-looking Indie puppy Bobo, and finally, he is home! But Bobo is still scared of everything-even the running water. Now it is all up to Inni, his new best friend, to help him learn and adapt to the ways of his new life. And what better way to do it than to head out to the park on Sunday the Funday! After all, it’s the best place to explore new things and even meet new people.

Endearing and narrated with a lot of heart, the Inni and Bobo Series, is not only about a little child finding friendship but also about the beauty of adopting dogs. It’s about learning empathy and imperative life lessons, and most importantly opening one’s heart and homes-which is what life is all about.

For ages: 4+ years

 

 

Andaman Adventure: The Jarawa

Andaman Adventure: The Jarawa
Andaman Adventure: The Jarawa || Deepak Dalal

This is the seventh book in the Vikram-Aditya series following from Koleshwar’s Secret and is the first of the two-part ‘Andaman Adventure’ books.

The Andaman coast, north and west of the capital city of Port Blair, is an unspoiled stretch of beauty. This untamed coast has only been partly explored. Large sea eagles prowl its blue skies, saltwater crocodiles patrol meandering creeks, and lush and dense forests unfold behind isolated beaches.

These magnificent forests are home to the proud and ancient people of this land known to outsiders as the Jarawa. Wielding arrows and spears, the Jarawa fiercely protect their wild abode, attacking those who dare enter into their sacred space.

Vikram and Aditya, accompanied by Chitra, a free-spirited girl much like the islands themselves, embark on an adventure of a lifetime along this very coast. On a moonlit night they venture up a forbidden creek where danger lurks in the shadows awaiting them. Find out what happens next in this thrilling adventure series set in India’s farthest-most region.

 

Andaman Adventure: Barren Island

Andaman Adventure: Barren Island
Andaman Adventure: Barren Island || Deepak Dalal

This is the eighth and final book in the Vikram-Aditya series and the second of the two-part ‘Andaman Adventure’ books after The Jarawa.

When the book begins, Vikram, Aditya and Chitra are in Port Blair, the capital city of the Andamans. The trio are recuperating from their recent adventure in the remote Jarawa Jungles in the Andaman Islands. While exploring this colourful city, Vikram stumbles upon a series of intriguing clues. However, the investigations he conducts end up ruffling some feathers and manage to upset some powerful criminals. To escape their wrath, Vikram is forced to undertake a secret voyage destined for unknown shores, under cover of darkness.

In the remote corners of the Andaman Sea lies an island called Barren. Vikram arrives at this uninhabited and forgotten outpost of India, and soon discovers that it is not just a band of desperate men he must pit his wits against. Primal forces of nature, the very ones that shaped our planet, are at work on Barren Island, and Vikram and his companions have to face these challenges as well. Finally, this scintillating adventure series comes to a fiery and exhilarating climax on Barren Island’s isolated shores.

 

 

Run to the bookstore to get your copies of these October releases or order them online. Have a good time reading our curated October releases!

What to read this Poila Boisakh?

Let’s celebrate Bengali New Year with these new translations from our Bangla list. It’s your chance to read these timeless stories by some of India’s most loved Bengali authors and we assure you that you won’t find anything lost in the translation. So, scroll through these special recommendations and start reading!

 

Four Chapters
Four Chapters
Four Chapters || Rabindranath Tagore

Char Adhyay (1934) was Rabindranath Tagore’s last novel, and perhaps the most controversial. Passion and politics intertwine in this narrative, set in the context of nationalist politics in pre-Independent India. Ela, a young working woman, comes under the spell of Indranath, a charismatic political activist who advocates the use of terror for the nationalist cause. She takes a vow never to marry, and to devote her life to the nationalist struggle. But she falls in love with Atindra, a poet and romantic from a decadent aristocratic family. Through their relationship, she becomes aware of the hollowness of Indranath’s politics. Afraid that she might expose them to the police, the political group gives Atin the task of eliminating Ela. In the dramatic final sequence of the novel, Ela offers herself to Atin, with tragic consequences.
This new translation, intended for twenty-first-century readers, will bring Tagore’s text to life in a contemporary idiom, while evoking the flavour of the story’s historical setting.

 

Aranyak
Aranyak
Aranyak || Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay, Translated from the Bengali by Bhaskar Chattopadhyay

Aranyak, written in 1939, is a famous Bengali novel by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay based on his long and arduous years in northern Bihar. There he came into contact with a part of the world that, even now, remains unknown to most of us. ‘Aranyak’ literally means ‘Of the Forest’.
This novel explores the simple and heart-warming story of a man who gets a job as an estate manager in Bihar, and slowly falls in love with the beautiful and tranquil forest around him. The dichotomy of urban and rural life comes alive, reflecting the great love that human beings and nature can share, one that Bandyopadhyay experienced in his heart. Written by one of the greatest Bengali authors, this haunting novel is rooted in guilt and sadness but also tremendous beauty.

Malloban
Malloban
Malloban || Jibanananda Das

Malloban is set in North Calcutta in the winter of 1929. The eponymous protagonist, a lower-middle-class office worker, lives in College Street-a locality known for its bookstores, publishing houses, and universities-with his wife Utpala and their daughter Monu. The novel unfolds through a series of everyday scenes of dysfunction and discontent: bickering about bathrooms and budgeting, family trips to the zoo and the movies, a visit from Utpala’s brother’s family which displaces Malloban to a boarding house, and the appearance of a frequent late-night visitor to Utpala’s upstairs bedroom. Meanwhile, the daughter Monu bears the brunt of her parents’ “unlove.”
Arguably the most beloved poet in modern Bangla after Tagore, Jibanananda wrote a significant number of novels and short stories discovered and published after his death. Malloban is his most popular novel.

 

Can’t wait to read these gems and some more? Then, bookmark the Classics Store online to keep your reading list up to date!

7 must-read books on Kashmir

To understand Kashmir’s timeline, its people, and the continuing dilemmas and conflicts, it’s imperative for us to navigate through the pages of history and learn about the often untold and lesser-heard stories. So, we’ve compiled a list for you to dive into Kashmir’s saga and understand in depth the experiences of the natives, the ever-evolving landscape of the region, and the crisis that exists in this paradise.

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Rooh by Manav Kaul
Rooh
Rooh || Manav Kaul

When Rooh tells Manav in a bar in New York that he ought to go to back home to the hills in Kashmir, he’s suddenly thrown into the loop of his past-a blue door, white walls and a house at the end of a lane. Soon, the seemingly small worlds in which his memories reside coalesce into a giant mass and envelop both his past and present, like dark clouds covering a brilliant blue sky.

Two young boys on the cusp of growing up, the cruelty of being a refugee in their own country, a father who is unable to come to terms with this confusing reality-an undercurrent of pain sweeps through his life. In this stream-of-consciousness novel, the protagonist, Manav, makes a physical and metaphorical journey back to Kashmir and relives the past as a part of the present. Rooh emerges as a deeply touching story of tender but broken people he meets along this journey.

Curfewed Night by Basharat Peer
Curfewed Night
Curfewed Night || Basharat Peer

Basharat Peer was a teenager when the separatist movement exploded in Kashmir in 1989. Over the following years countless young men, seduced by the romance of the militant, fuelled by feelings of injustice, crossed over the Line of Control to train in Pakistani army camps. Peer was sent off to boarding school in Aligarh to keep out of trouble. He finished college and became a journalist in Delhi. But Kashmir-angrier, more violent, more hopeless-was never far away.

In 2003, the young journalist left his job and returned to his homeland to search out the stories and the people which had haunted him. In Curfewed Night he draws a harrowing portrait of Kashmir and its people. Here are stories of a young man’s initiation into a Pakistani training camp; a mother who watches her son forced to hold an exploding bomb; a poet who finds religion when his entire family is killed. Of politicians living in refurbished torture chambers and former militants dreaming of discotheques; of idyllic villages rigged with landmines, temples which have become army bunkers, and ancient sufi shrines decapitated in bomb blasts. And here is finally the old story of the return home-and the discovery that there may not be any redemption in it.

 

The Country Without A Post Office by Agha Shahid Ali
The Country Without A Post Office
The Country Without A Post Office || Agha Shahid Ali

Amidst rain and fire and ruin, in a land of ‘doomed addresses’, a poet evokes the tragedy of his birthplace.
The Country Without a Post Office is a haunted and haunting volume that established Agha Shahid Ali as a seminal voice writing in English. In it are stunning poems of extraordinary formal precision and virtuosity, intensely musical, steeped in history, myth and politics, all merging into Agha Shahid Ali’s finest mode, that of longing.

 

The Lost Rebellion by Manoj Joshi
The Lost Rebellion
The Lost Rebellion || Manoj Joshi

The Lost Rebellion is an acclaimed classic on the rise of Kashmir militancy, which chronicles how a simple call for azadi by bands of disgruntled youth was transformed within a year into a full-scale jihad against India. It dwells at length on Pakistan’s proxy war against India, exposes the US position on Kashmir and unsparingly critiques the political bungling and bureaucratic ineptitude that hamstrung the fight against insurgency.

This updated edition includes an insightful foreword by Amitabh Mattoo, a new introduction and a detailed aftermath chapter on what has transpired in the new millennium. Manoj Joshi reveals that although violence has come down drastically, there has been no closure to the nearly three-decade-old conflict. The alienation of the Kashmiris has, if anything, grown and is now manifesting itself in violent civil protest.

Raw, compelling and meticulously researched, The Lost Rebellion is a riveting account of the human drama that lies at the heart of the crisis that is Kashmir.

 

Our Moon Has Blood Clots by Rahul Pandita
Our Moon Has Blood Clots
Our Moon Has Blood Clots || Rahul Pandita

Rahul Pandita was fourteen years old in 1990 when he was forced to leave his home in Srinagar along with his family, who were Kashmiri Pandits: the Hindu minority within a Muslim-majority Kashmir that was becoming increasingly agitated with the cries of ‘Azadi’ from India.

The heartbreaking story of Kashmir has so far been told through the prism of the brutality of the Indian state, and the pro-independence demands of separatists. But there is another part of the story that has remained unrecorded and buried.

Our Moon Has Blood Clots is the unspoken chapter in the story of Kashmir, in which it was purged of the Kashmiri Pandit community in a violent ethnic cleansing backed by Islamist militants. Hundreds of people were tortured and killed, and about 3,50,000 Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave their homes and spend the rest of their lives in exile in their own country.

Rahul Pandita has written a deeply personal, powerful and unforgettable story of history, home and loss.

 

This World Below Zero Fahrenheit by Suhas Munshi
This World Below Zero Fahrenheit
This World Below Zero Fahrenheit || Suhas Munshi

On 5 August 2019, Suhas Munshi was returning to Srinagar from a visit to legendary poet Habba Khatoon’s relic in Gurez, when an unprecedented curfew was imposed upon Jammu and Kashmir, and Article 370 was abrogated. Through his travels and conversations with people across the Valley, Munshi tries to give a sense of what that moment has meant to the common Kashmiri.
This insightful travelogue breaks away from the clichéd view of Kashmir, one that sees it either as an earthly paradise or a living hell. It takes you to unexpected places, into the homes of poets, playwrights and street performers; to a heartwarming Christmas service with the minuscule Christian community in Baramulla; and inside the barricaded city of Srinagar’s football stadium, which is a lively refuge for the elderly and their memories of a glorious past. Over three weeks, for fear of being abandoned in harsh terrain, Munshi struggles to keep up with a group of Bakarwal nomadic shepherds as they make their way from Srinagar to Jammu over the mighty Pir Panjal mountains. And he finds a lone Pandit family living in a decrepit ghost colony in Shopian, the hub of militancy in Kashmir.
This World below Zero Fahrenheit presents a portrait of a people who’ve been overshadowed by the place they live in, even as it ruminates on the idea of home and exile.

 

Postbox Kashmir by Divya Arya
Postbox Kashmir
Postbox Kashmir || Divya Arora

Do only Muslims live in Kashmir?

Why do girls in Kashmir do stone-pelting?

Whom do they want freedom from?

Can you imagine being confined to the four walls of your home with no internet, no social media?

Are Kashmiris really invisible to the rest of the country?

These are some of the questions two teenagers–Saumya in Delhi and Duaa in Kashmir–asked through letters they exchanged over almost three years.

Framing these letters is the detailed history and commentary provided by Divya Arya, a BBC journalist who asked them to be pen pals, which places their conversations against the backdrop of the political history and turbulent present of Kashmir and India. Postbox Kashmir takes on the challenging task of attempting to portray life in Kashmir from the perspective of the young minds growing inside it and providing a context of understanding for the young generation watching it from the outside.

Best of Bond: 5 books you must read

What is nostalgia, after all, but an attempt to preserve that which was good in the past?
― Ruskin Bond, Roads to Mussoorie

 

It’s rare that an author’s writings pull the heartstrings of adults and young alike and Ruskin Bond is one such author. His writer’s pen flings fairy dust on our childhood memories, brings back our fond experiences with friends, family, and nature, and offers solace while transporting us to a new world. Bond, despite his slowed-down gait, has kept his childlike wonder alive and sprinkles it in his short stories every now and then. The characters in his books, mostly culled from the real world, are fresh, diverse, and relatable. The recollection of his indelible memories make his readers nostalgic about their own past and leave an everlasting impact on their lives.

Like us, if it’s impossible for you also to read only one book by Ruskin Bond, then scroll through this list with some of our favourites by him.

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Writing for My Life
Writing for My Life
Writing for My Life || Ruskin Bond

If only the world had no boundaries and we could move about without having to produce passports and documents everywhere, it really would be ‘a great wide beautiful, wonderful world’, says Ruskin Bond.

From his most loved stories to poems, memoirs and essays, Writing for My Life opens a window to the myriad worlds of Ruskin Bond, India’s most loved author. Capturing dreams of childhood, anecdotes of Rusty and his friends, the Ripley-Bean mysteries, accounts of his life with his father and his adventures in Jersey and London among others, this book is full of beauty and joy-two things Ruskin’s writing is mostly known for.

With a comprehensive introduction, this is the perfect gift to all the ardent readers and lovers of Ruskin’s effervescent writing. A wide collection of carefully curated and beautifully designed stories, this book is a collector’s edition.

Words From My Window
Words From My Window
Words From My Window || Ruskin Bond

I need a window to look at the world without; for only then can I look at the world within. A room without a window is rather like a prison cell, and the soul is inclined to shrivel up in a confined space. … Car horns, children calling to each other as they return from school, a boy selling candyfloss, several crows chasing a hawk! Never a dull moment. And the magic mountain looks on, absorbing everything.

 

A Handful Of Nuts
A Handful Of Nuts
A Handful Of Nuts || Ruskin Bond

This collection of six novels sparkles with the quiet charm and humanity that are the hallmarks of Ruskin Bond’s writing. Evoking nostalgia for a time gone by; these poignant chronicles of life in India’s hills and small towns describe the hopes and passions that capture young minds and hearts; highlighting the uneasy reconciliation of dreams and destiny.

The six novels included in the collection are:

  • The Room on the Roof
  • Vagrants in the Valley
  • Delhi Is Not Far
  • A Flight of Pigeons
  • The Sensualist
  • A Handful of Nuts
A Little Book of India
A Little Book of India
A Little Book of India || Ruskin Bond

As India completes 75 years of independence, we bring to you a slice of our beloved country in the words of our favourite author, Ruskin Bond. Drawing on his own memories and impressions of this unique land, he pays homage to the country that has been his home for 84 years. Bond talks fondly about the diverse elements that make up this beautiful land-its rivers and forests, literature and culture, sights, sounds and colours. A Little Book of India is an amalgamation of the physical and spiritual attributes of our homeland, and takes you on a journey filled with nostalgia and devotion.

The Little Book of Comfort
The Little Book of Comfort
The Little Book of Comfort || Ruskin Bond

So, do you wish to go out into the night, walke up the hill, discover new things about the night and yourself, and come home refreshed? For just as the night has the moon and the stars, so the darkness of the soul can be lit up by small fireflies – such as these calm and comforting thoughts that Ruskin Bond has jotted down for you in The Little Book of Comfort. This book will give you an opportunity to discover yourself in this post-pandemic world to become more thoughtful and to discover the art of slowing down.

March towards our latest releases

How grateful are we to welcome March, for the little ones can finally come out of their blankets and bask in the soft rays of the sun with a great book in hand! While they are on the lookout for the best reading corners in and around their houses, we are taking care of their reading lists.

Scroll through our latest releases for the month and you’ll find something for the young readers to discover in these engaging stories and beautifully-illustrated books. We are sure that our penguinsters would want to bookmarch…bookmark all of them!

 

The Sweet Shop Wars

The Sweet Shop Wars
The Sweet Shop Wars || Chatura Rao

For ages: 5+

Best Sweets has opened next to Firoza’s dadu’s sweet shop and is taking away all the customers. How can Firoza make her dadu’s shop better than Best?

The Hook Book series of short simple stories for beginning readers come with fun stories set in different parts of India, gorgeous illustrations and short exercises to enhance the reading experience.

 

A Birthday Present for Aaji

A Birthday Present for Aaji
A Birthday Present for Aaji || Parinita Shetty

For ages: 5+

Aaji’s birthday is coming up, but Jyoti has no idea what to get her. Fortunately, everyone in their village has lots of very different ideas…

The Hook Book series of short simple stories for beginning readers come with fun stories set in different parts of India, gorgeous illustrations and short exercises to enhance the reading experience.

 

Help! My Aai Wants to Eat Me

Help! My Aai Wants to Eat Me
Help! My Aai Wants to Eat Me || Bijal Vachharajani

For ages: 7+

Avi has an extremely annoying habit of seeing the good side (pros) and the bad side (cons) of situations that life tosses his way-just like the curveballs his best friend HJ tosses while playing cricket.

Only this time, Avi is in the soup. Just like the mama bear who is known to eat her sickly baby, Avi is pretty sure that his aai wants to dunk him in soup and eat him up. Even though he definitely would not taste good.

Now, the only two options in front of Avi are fight or be fried.

Avi’s thoughts on this book:

Pro: Reading this book will make you a smart cookie and feed your imagination, especially about all things wild.

Con: Cookies are edible and Aai is hungry! Uh-oh.

Dig in at your own risk.

 

Curious Tales from the Desert

Curious Tales from the Desert
Curious Tales from the Desert || Shaguna Gahilote, Prarthana Gahilote

For ages: 9+

Deep in the wild jungles of Rajasthan resides a magical sparrow that grants wishes…

In Gujarat, a pandit haggles with vendors and chastises merchants as he chases an elusive bargain…

A bullocky in Multan encounters a mysterious and wise old man who charges money to talk!

A pandemonium of fools, geniuses and everyone in between gambol across the deserts of India to amusing and delightful results. So sit back with a bowlful of kheench and get ready to be enchanted by the beauty of the Thar, the nights at the Cholistan, and the markets of Kutch.

 

The Worlds Within You

The Worlds Within You
The Worlds Within You || Shreya Ramachandran

For ages: 13+

The Worlds Within You tells the story of Ami Shekar, who has decided to take a break from her first year of university in the UK and return to her home in Chennai. Ami is stuck, and finds herself fretting, overthinking and retreating into her own head. But she knows that whatever it is that makes her feel ‘weird’ all the time must have a name to it. And so, Ami is back home, to come to terms with many things: her mental health, her own identity, memories of her grandfather and, finally, herself.
Set over the course of seven writing classes, this is an unconventional and melancholic take on what it means to be alive and find your own emotional support system-no matter how flawed the people within your system might be.

In the limelight—Notable books of 2021

2021, an extraordinary year, charted a trajectory of emotional experiences and most people found their respite in the domain of books. Books comforted adults and kids when their plans went awry, they provided sheer warmth when the world was socially distanced, they allowed people who were homebound to travel and they offered solace to those hunkered down on the couch. During such unprecedented times, we became more reliant on books for our daily dose of entertainment or learning than ever before! We started to see them as companions and friends rather than pages with coherent ink stains. So, let’s pat our backs and raise our glasses for making it through this tumultuous year.

From best memoirs to historical fiction, from non-fiction to self-help books, we stayed close to you the entire year. The following books are only a few of the many remarkable literary releases this year.

 

Unfinished
Unfinished
Unfinished || Priyanka Chopra Jonas

In this thoughtful and revealing memoir, readers will accompany one of the world’s most recognizable women on her journey of self-discovery. A remarkable life story rooted in two different worlds, Unfinished offers insights into Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s childhood in India; her formative teenage years in the United States; and her return to India, where against all odds as a newcomer to the pageant world, she won the national and international beauty competitions that launched her global acting career. Whether reflecting on her nomadic early years or the challenges she’s faced as she’s doggedly pursued her calling, Priyanka shares her challenges and triumphs with warmth and honesty. The result is a book that is philosophical, sassy, inspiring, bold, and rebellious. Just like the author herself.
From her dual-continent twenty-year-long career as an actor and producer to her work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, from losing her beloved father to cancer to marrying Nick Jonas, Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s story will inspire readers around the world to gather their courage, embrace their ambitions, and commit to the hard work of following their dreams.

 

Sach Kahun Toh
Sach Kahun Toh
Sach Kahun Toh || Neena Gupta

An unsparingly honest memoir by an actor who is known to lead 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 a 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.

 

Whereabouts
Whereabouts
Whereabouts || Jhumpa Lahiri

Exuberance and dread, attachment and estrangement: in this novel, Jhumpa Lahiri stretches her themes to the limit. The woman at the center wavers between stasis and movement, between the need to belong and the refusal to form lasting ties. The city she calls home, an engaging backdrop to her days, acts as a confidant: the sidewalks around her house, parks, bridges, piazzas, streets, stores, coffee bars. We follow her to the pool she frequents and to the train station that sometimes leads her to her mother, mired in a desperate solitude after her father’s untimely death. In addition to colleagues at work, where she never quite feels at ease, she has girl friends, guy friends, and “him,” a shadow who both consoles and unsettles her. But in the arc of a year, as one season gives way to the next, transformation awaits. One day at the sea, both overwhelmed and replenished by the sun’s vital heat, her perspective will change. This is the first novel she has written in Italian and translated into English. It brims with the impulse to cross barriers. By grafting herself onto a new literary language, Lahiri has pushed herself to a new level of artistic achievement.

 

Karma
Karma
Karma || Sadhguru

A much-used word, Karma is loosely understood as a system of checks and balances in our lives, of good actions and bad deeds, of good thoughts and bad intentions. A system which seemingly ensures that at the end of the day one gets what one deserves. This grossly over-simplified understanding has created many complexities in our lives and taken away from us the very fundamentals of the joy of living.

Through this book, not only does Sadhguru explain what Karma is and how we can use its concepts to enhance our lives, he also tells us about the Sutras, a step-by-step self help & self improvement guide to navigating our way in this challenging world. In the process, we get a deeper, richer understanding of life and the power to craft our destinies.

 

A Rude Life
A Rude Life
A Rude Life || Vir Sanghvi

Vir Sanghvi’s has been an interesting life – one that took him to Oxford, movie and political journalism, television and magazines – and he depicts it with the silky polish his readers expect of him. In his autobiopgrahy, A Rude Lifehe turns his dispassionate observer’s gaze on himself, and in taut prose tells us about all that he’s experienced, and nothing more for he’s still a private man.

He unhurriedly recounts memories from his childhood and college years, moving on to give us an understanding of how he wrote his biggest stories, while giving us an insider’s view into the politics and glamour of that time.
This is an explosively entertaining memoir that details one of the most eventful careers in Indian journalism. Studded with a cast of unforgettable characters like Morarji Desai, Giani Zail Singh, Amitabh Bachchan, Dhirubhai Ambani and a host of other prominent political and cultural figures, A Rude Life is a delicious read.

 

#Tatastories
#Tatastories
#Tatastories || Harish Bhat

The Tatas have a legacy of nation-building for over 150 years. Dancing across this long arc of time are thousands of beautiful, astonishing stories, many of which can inspire and provoke us, even move us to meaningful action in our own lives.

A diamond twice as large as the famous Kohinoor pledged to survive a financial crisis; a meeting with a ‘relatively unknown young monk’ who later went on to be known as Swami Vivekananda; the fascinating story of the first-ever Indian team at the Olympics; the making of India’s first commercial airline and first indigenous car; how ‘OK TATA’ made its way to the backs of millions of trucks on Indian highways; a famous race that was both lost and won; and
many more.

#TataStories is a collection of little-known tales of individuals, events and places from the Tata Group that have shaped the India we live in today.

 

The Nutmeg’s Curse
The Nutmeg’s Curse
The Nutmeg’s Curse || Amitav Ghosh

Before the 18th century, every single nutmeg in the world originated around a group of small volcanic islands east of Java, known as the Banda Islands. As the nutmeg made its way across the known world, they became immensely valuable – in 16th century Europe, just a handful could buy a house. It was not long before European traders became conquerors, and the indigenous Bandanese communities – and the islands themselves – would pay a high price for access to this precious commodity. Yet the bloody fate of the Banda Islands forewarns of a threat to our present day.

Amitav Ghosh argues that the nutmeg’s violent trajectory from its native islands is revealing of a wider colonial mindset which justifies the exploitation of human life and the natural environment, and which dominates geopolitics to this day.

Written against the backdrop of the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests, and interweaving discussions on everything from climate change, the migrant crisis, and the animist spirituality of indigenous communities around the world, The Nutmeg’s Curse offers a sharp critique of Western society, and reveals the profoundly remarkable ways in which human history is shaped by non-human forces.

 

Diamonds in the Dust
Diamonds in the Dust
Diamonds in the Dust || Saurabh Mukherjea, Rakshit Ranjan, Salil Desai

Over the last few years, there has been a growing realization among Indians that their life’s savings, the bulk of which are parked in physical assets like real estate and gold, are unlikely to help them generate sufficient returns to fund their financial goals, including retirement. At the same time, many have lost their hard-earned money trying to invest in financial assets, including debt and equities. Such losses have occurred due to many reasons, such as corporate frauds, weak business models and misallocation of capital by the companies in whose shares unsuspecting investors parked their savings. What options do Indian savers then have to invest in, and build their wealth?

Diamonds in the Dust offers Indian savers a simple, yet highly effective, investment technique to identify clean, well-managed Indian companies that have consistently generated outsized returns for investors. Based on in-depth research conducted by the award-winning team at Marcellus Investment Managers, it uses case studies and charts to help readers learn the art and science of investing in the US$3 trillion Indian stock market.

The book also debunks many notions of investing that have emerged from the misguided application of Western investment theories in the Indian context.

 

All-Time Favourites for Children
All-Time Favourites for Children
All-Time Favourites for Children || Ruskin Bond

All Time Favourites for Children celebrates Ruskin Bond’s writing with stories that are perennially loved and can now be enjoyed in a single collectible volume. Curated and selected by India’s most loved writer, this collection brings some of the evocative episodes from Ruskin’s life, iconic Rusty, eccentric Uncle Ken, ubiquitous grandmother, and many other charming, endearing characters in a single volume while also introducing us to a smattering of new ones that are sure to be firm favourites with young readers. Heart-warming, funny and spirited, this is a must-have on every bookshelf!

 

Shyam, Our Little Krishna
Shyam, Our Little Krishna
Shyam, Our Little Krishna || Devdutt Pattanaik

Devdutt Pattanaik introduces the story of Krishna, fondly known as Shyam, to a new generation of readers. Told simply in his inimitable style, Shyam, Our Little Krishna is perfect as a read-aloud to acquaint young readers with the beauty, wisdom and love that Krishna embodied.

Curated with fascinating bite-sized stories, myths and trivia about the young god, it features over forty playful artworks accompanied by pages dedicated for colouring.

One-of-a-kind, this book is a must-have for every curious mythology enthusiast and budding artist!

 

The Sage with Two Horns
The Sage with Two Horns
The Sage with Two Horns || Sudha Murty

ave you heard of the king who sacrificed his own flesh to keep his word to a pigeon? Or about the throne that gives anyone who sits on it the unique ability to dispense justice! And how about the sculptor who managed to make magnificent statues with no hands at all?

There’s something for everyone in this collection of tales of wisdom and wit!

From quarrels among gods and the follies of great sages to the benevolence of kings and the virtues of ordinary mortals, Sudha Murty spins fresh accounts of lesser-known stories in Indian mythology. Accompanied by fantastical illustrations and narrated in an unassuming fashion, The Sage with Two Horns is sure to delight fans of the beloved storyteller.

India’s favorite author, Sudha Murty brings a follow-up to the bestselling Serpent’s Revenge: Unusual Tales from the MahabharataThe Upside-Down King: Unusual Tales about Rama and Krishna and The Daugher from the Wishing Tree: Unusual Tales about Women in Mythology.

 

My First Library of Learning
My First Library of Learning
My First Library of Learning

Make early learning years fun and enjoyable for your baby with My First Library of Learning, a complete collection of 10 expertly researched, carefully curated essential baby board books with beautiful bright images to add to your child’s library!

Foster a habit of reading in your little ones with this box set of 10 gorgeously designed and thoughtfully created board books. These books equip toddlers and preschoolers with essential reading, language, visual, motor and imagination skills.

This bright, handy, easy-to-read, and fun library contains:

– My First Books Of Abc
– My First Books Of Numbers
– My First Books Of Colours
– My First Books Of Shapes
– My First Books Of Things At Home (And Around Us)
– My First Books Of Fruits And Vegetables
– My First Books Of Seasons And Opposites
– My First Books Of Transport
– My First Books Of Animals (Domestic And Wild)
– My First Books Of Insects

September’s list of books in sight

As the little ones step into the ninth month of the year, we know they need some good company to welcome the no-melting-no-freezing September. So, look nowhere else! We wholeheartedly sign up to accompany them, match their enthusiasm for reading, and give them a chance to taste the different flavors of imagination. Our books promise to stay by their bedside, on their study table, and make just enough space to be warmly packed in their already stuffed vacation bags. The vibrant covers of the books will have the kids googly eyes even before they begin reading the diverse stories.

Here’s our specially curated list of books that will get your children hooked and will transport them to the fantastical realms while they complete the plethora of engaging activities. It’s time to get them ready to cross the whirlpool of mazes and traverse through the wild alleys to meet mermaids and unicorns.

 

Boy, Bear
Boy, Bear || Adithi Rao

For ages: 5+ years

Boy and Bear have grown up together on the streets of Mumbai. Baba is a madari. But now that Baba is gone, how are Boy and Bear to survive?

The Hook Book series of short simple stories for beginning readers come with fun stories set in different parts of India. The gorgeous illustrations and short exercises are sure to enhance their reading experience.

 

Shoo, Crow!
Shoo, Crow! || Kavitha Punniyamurthi

For ages: 5+ years

The crows of Rajipuram are eating up all the corn in the fields. Can Velu and Akif find a way to shoo them away?

The Hook Book series of short simple stories for beginning readers come with fun stories set in different parts of India, gorgeous illustrations and short exercises to enhance the reading experience.

 

The Great Indian Mathematicians
The Great Indian Mathematicians || Gaurav Tekriwal

For ages: 10+ years

India’s mathematicians have made significant contributions over the last 5000 years. From the ever-popular Aryabhata, widely recognized for revolutionizing the number system and Shakuntala Devi, universally admired for her fast mental calculations to pioneers forgotten by time, like Baudhayana, who explained the Pythagoras’ theorem nearly 3000 years ago, the figures included in this book are trailblazers in the world of mathematics.

Fresh, accessible and inspiring, The Great Indian Mathematicians celebrates persistent mathematicians throughout Indian history. This book is an ideal introduction for the next generation of tenacious and curious maths wizards, and features a goldmine of tips and tricks, nuggets of surprise and much more!

 

Fantastic Creatures in Mythology
Fantastic Creatures in Mythology || Bulbul Sharma

For ages: 8+ years

Did you know that a celestial elephant once hid in the ocean after causing mischief ?
What happened when Rama and Lakshmana encountered a one-eyed headless demon?
Why did Ilvala turn his brother Vatapi into a goat and serve him to passers-by?

Find answers to these and meet many strange and wonderful creatures in this hand-picked collection of legends. Delve into the exploits of gods who took on magical avatars, birds and animals with superpowers, and demons and demonesses who were once good souls.

Bestselling children’s author Bulbul Sharma’s deft prose accompanied by bewitching illustrations will transport you to the fantastical realms inhabited by the Hindu pantheon. This book is sure to leave you spellbound!

 

Mazes and more: Funny Mazes
Mazes and more: Funny Mazes

For ages: 3+ years

Funny Mazes is a book from the series Mazes and More that features full-colour pages filled with different puzzles and mazes, along with search and find activities to keep little minds engaged. Designed to encourage logical thinking, sharpen hand-eye coordination, these activity-filled pages are sure to keep little puzzlers engaged. Grab your pencils, trace the squiggly path and follow each funny maze to a new discovery! With eye-catching illustrations, the book has puzzles organized by themes such as Circus, Island adventure, Fairyland, Camping among others. All mazes and puzzles come with answers to help kids if they get stuck on a puzzle.

 

Princesses, Mermaids and Unicorns Activity Book
Princesses, Mermaids and Unicorns Activity Book

For ages: 3+ years

From mermaids and princesses to unicorns and fairies, the fairyland brought alive inside this quirky activity book provides hours of creative fun for kids. Jam-packed with colouring pages and fantastic activities like interactive puzzles, dot-to-dot, spot the difference and playing peek-a-boo with fairies, Princesses, Mermaids and Unicorns Activity Book is the perfect companion to keep young minds engaged.

Children can follow mazes that feature prompts for problem-solving along the way. They can trace the path to the desired end, colour in the pictures, use the colour by number prompt to create a mystery picture, find the differences between two pictures, complete the drawings, connect the dots, learn to draw a simple picture, match the identical objects, find and circle objects, order the events, and much more. This carefully researched book aims to build vocabulary through picture-word association for toddlers and pre-schoolers and is suitable for parent-child association.

 

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