Of discovery, misery and smart shopping

New Delhi, Sep 22 (IANS) Read a step-by-step programme to discover a new you; know the miserable stories around foreign nationals brought to the United Arab Emirates to construct its towering skyscrapers; get an interesting guide to learn smart shopping; and flick through the story of a young Punjabi boy who chases his unidentified dreams and ends up in solitude.

The IANS bookshelf has a variety of reads to offer for this weekend.

1. Book: How to Unleash the Power of Your Subconscious Mind; Author: Joseph Murphy; Publisher: Harper Collins; Pages: 285; Price: Rs 299
   A 52-week Guide provides a step-by-step programme to discover a new you. You have the incredible potential to be, do and receive whatever you desire, imagine and truly believe. Unfortunately, however, only a small number of people achieve their full human potential, because they fail to recognise and harness the infinite power of the subconscious mind. By following the guidance offered here, you can stop going through life as a victim of circumstances and become the master of your own destiny within a year.

2. Book: Temporary People; Author: Deepak Unnikrishnan; Publisher: Penguin; Pages: 251; Price: Rs 399
   In the United Arab Emirates, foreign nationals constitute over 80 percent of the population. Brought in to construct the towering monuments to wealth that punctuate the skylines of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, this labour force works without the rights of citizenship, endures miserable living conditions and is ultimately forced to leave the country.

   Until now, the humanitarian crisis of the so-called guest workers of the Gulf has barely been addressed in fiction. With his stunning, mind-altering debut novel "Temporary People", Deepak Unnikrishnan delves into their histories, myths, struggles and triumphs.

   Here are 28 linked stories that careen from construction workers who shapeshift into luggage and escape a labour camp, to a woman who stitches back together the bodies of those who've fallen from buildings in progress, to a man who trains workers designed to live 12 years and then perish -- until they don't -- and establish a rebel community in the desert.

3. Book: The Ultimate Guide to Smart Shopping; Author: V. Rajesh; Publisher: Rupa; Pages: 167; Price: Rs 295
   Eat a banana before you go shopping! No, that's not a diet advice, but a tip for smart shopping. A whole host of such smart shopping ideas is what this book is all about. Contrary to what we would like to believe, shopping is not a rational or logical activity. There are various facets of human subconscious which influence a person's choice, especially with regard to shopping. In the majority of instances, the person is unaware of all these aspects and thus is unable to control the shopping.

   The book details all these facets and provides clear, actionable steps to help develop smart shopping habits. It covers various facets of shopping such as: Why should you always check when you see an unbelievable offer? Should take your children along to shop or not? How to get good service? Read the book and start smart shopping today.

4. Book: Gone Are The days; Author: Gaurav Sharma; Publisher: Kalpaz; Pages: 177; Price: Rs 190
   Ever since the world came into existence, mankind has been racing against time. This is the story of Gaurav, a boy who hails from Sitamarhi, a small town in Bihar. As Gaurav was born in a Punjabi family, spent his childhood in Bihar, lived in Delhi and went to Canada thereafter, he faces a huge mismatch in life. He recalls his memories from the past and shares it with the world. He carries with himself a thirst to control time. He rushes to chase his unidentified dreams, make his life comfortable and often overlooks what life brings for him; what life has to offer.

   In this hodgepodge of reaching out somewhere, achieving something big, seeking happiness and securing the future, he somehow remains deprived of his very own moments of life. In this quest to leave everyone behind and reach the top, he soon finds himself alone; not because he left everyone behind, but because he couldn't keep up with them.

(This story has not been edited by Social News XYZ staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)