As we enter into the new year, some of us would want to focus on our physical health and wellbeing while the others may want to foray into new avenues related to wealth and prosperity. The list of resolutions is surely going to be a long one, but don’t put down your pen just yet as Penguin India through its new programme – Penguin Transform has another point of action on the cards for the people who like the employees at Penguin expect 2022 to be the year of great transformation.
As part of the Penguin Transform programme, Penguin India has curated a list of 12 international titles to be read over 12 months that promise to transform your outlook on life. On the journey that you undertake with the 12 books, you would find characters from works of fiction who would resonate with you, who would make you laugh and cry but would also teach you valuable lessons along the way about the different definitions of love and friendship, what it means to be independent and free and to live in a world that is ever changing. Along with fiction, there are also widely recognized non-fiction titles that will make your mind reel with new information and your heart soar with new knowledge. At the end of the journey, you are sure to meet a better version of yourself.
Here are the 12 titles and a little something put together by the Penguin employees about why you should pick them up ASAP!
- Forty Rules of Love
“I read this book for the first time when it had just come out. I think it was 2010. At that time the book didn’t do anything for me. I didn’t get the goosebumps I was assured of by the bookshop owner from whom I bought the book. I was a cynic at that time in my life and maybe didn’t give this book the attention and love it deserved. I picked it up again recently and saying that I was blown away by it would be an understatement. The book made realize how being in love and having faith could make you feel vulnerable but can also lend you the greatest strength. How loving someone changes you always for the better even if the journey is full of thorns and the only rose in sight is the colour in front of your eyes that is keeping you in thrall even after what was once love is long gone. Yes, the book has a lot of references about Rumi and his poetry and yes, all the rules listed in the book are beautiful but what is more beautiful is that with every reading of the book, you are bound to learn something new.” – A Penguin Employee
- Zen and the Art of Simple Living
“I am not religious, but I always like to read up on things that help me understand the art of mindfulness and I cannot stress the importance of it enough especially given the tumultuous times we live in. While there is a storm raging outside, all we can do is find some peace and quiet within. This book has helped me align my day around small, meaningful activities like neatly organizing things to clear my head, planting a flower, and watching it grow that have brought me immeasurable happiness and peace. There is something for everyone. With about 100 suggested activities, I feel anyone can work towards finding happiness while leading a simple life with this book” – A Penguin Employee
- Think Again
“I have to admit I am a big Adam Grant fan. You see his comments and thoughts on Twitter, and you realize this guy is way ahead of us in terms of how he thinks about things and to be honest, all of us could gain a little from his insights about people’s minds. Did you guys see his post about introverts? How they are just pro-quiet and not antisocial? Or the one about greatest antidote to fear being grounded hope? Anyhow, this book is a must read and it invites us to let go of views that are no longer serving us well and prize mental flexibility, humility, and curiosity over foolish consistency” – A Penguin Employee
- Midnight Library
“I suffer from depression and anxiety and this book was almost like a warm hug for me. It tries to answer the question I think all of are grappling with mental health issues or no mental health issues – “What is the best way to live?” Full of heart and quick wit, this book moved me deeply and helped me fight some of my inner demons. It is definitely worth all the hype.” – A Penguin Employee
- Breath
“This book came as a complete surprise. We may think we know everything there is to know about breathing but that sadly just isn’t true. Breathing incorrectly, a habit most of us are prey to, has adverse effects on the health of our internal organs, our immunity and can even cause allergies. James Nestor in this book writes about his travels around the world to discover the hidden science behind ancient breathing practices to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it.” – A Penguin Employee
- A Wrinkle in Time
“You talk about this title, and I am instantly taken back to my school days. I agree many of us would have read this gem of a book when we were young but not enough of us have read it and that is why I fought for this title to be on this list. As adults, sometimes we forget how it was to be young and carefree, to have loved our family with the purest of hearts and to have supported and fought for the ones we love no matter what” – A Penguin Employee
- Normal People
“This was a joy to read. I saw myself and my husband in many of the passages in the book. Something as simple as a conversation can change you forever – that is exactly what I have experienced in my own life too. Normal People is a story of mutual fascination, friendship, and love. It takes us from that first conversation to the years beyond, in the company of two people who try to stay apart but find they can’t.” – A Penguin Employee
- Girl, Woman, Other
“This book broke me and them put me back together – all in the span of a week. The story where the best friend becomes infatuated with the charismatic and domineering alpha woman and gets trapped in the relationship hit me right in the solar plexus. The other stories were equally engaging and wonderful. I cannot praise this book enough” A Penguin Employee
- Thinking Fast and Slow
“Please read this book if you haven’t already. The world would start making so much more sense once you do. Why is there more chance we’ll believe something if it’s in a bold type face? Why are judges more likely to deny parole before lunch? Why do we assume a good-looking person will be more competent? The answer lies in the two ways we make choices: fast, intuitive thinking, and slow, rational thinking. This book reveals how our minds are tripped up by error and prejudice (even when we think we are being logical), and gives you practical techniques for slower, smarter thinking” A Penguin Employee
- 12 Rules for Life
“There are many rules in this book like fixing your posture, improving your own game instead of others etc. All of them have a deep and relevant rationale behind them. My favourite is – Care for yourself like you would for someone who you are responsible for. Written by acclaimed clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson, it is a truly enlightening read. Make sure you have it on your 2022 TBR. “- A Penguin Employee
- When Breath Becomes Air
“I have heard people say that you really must look death in the face before you can truly start appreciating life. I could never bring myself to accept this until I read this book. Through the experience of Paul Kalanithi, who one day he was a doctor treating the dying, the next a patient struggling to live, I found a new perspective on my life. I practice gratitude every day now for the precious moments I get to spend with my family, especially my kids. I cannot thank this book enough and I know that I would be going back to it more often than not.” – A Penguin Employee
- Educated
“All the people I know are so privileged, including me. It is funny how lightly I took my own education till I read this book. I am what I am today because of the education I received, and we forget that there are so many in the world who are denied this transformative experience because of prejudice and beliefs rooted in misogyny. What more can I say about this book but the fact that even Barack Obama has sung its praises.“ – A Penguin Employee