Of cartoons, healthy foods, road safety and world records

New Delhi, Jan 5 (IANS) Read about Rajinder Puri's virtuosity as a prescient columnist, fearless writer and activist and flick through a collection of his best political cartoons; know about the food that helps us strengthen our mind and memory; get guidelines on road safety through very interesting stories written by a bunch of contemporary writers; and get informed about hundreds of exciting new records that mark our nation's and its people's attempts at bettering the best.

The IANS bookshelf has varied fare for this weekend.

1. Book: What A Life; Authors: Partha Chatterjee and Arvindar Singh; Publisher: Niyogi Books; Pages: 147; Price: Rs 495
   In this kaleidoscopic collection are some of the best political cartoons since Independence by Rajinder Puri. Used as a vehicle for spreading public awareness on the burning issues of the day, these cartoons give us a glimpse of Puri's virtuosity as a prescient columnist, fearless writer and activist.

   His work exudes a certain directness and purity of purpose that continue to impress and intrigue discerning readers in its combination of realism and humour. No matter how controversial some of Puri's cartoons seem, his vision of society, politics and life will continue to play an important role in contemporary culture.

2. Book: Super Foods For Awesome Memory; Author: Shipra Khanna; Publisher: Rupa; Pages: 153; Price: Rs 395
   We are what we eat and so our memory is linked to food. The helplessness that overwhelms us when one forgets a name can be embarrassing. In this age of instant googling, this is just the start of the ebbing process where memory is gradually relegated to a shrinking space in our brains. Enter Master Chef India Shipra Khanna who tells you about the fish that helps you meditate or a walnut that prevents you from going nuts.

   This amazing book of recipes brings to us on a platter the food that helps us in strengthening our mind and memory. And this food is to be found not in some exotic location but in our own kitchen. Try her recipes and see for yourself how you can fight the complacency and sloth that come in the way of your exercise and positive action, thereby making for a better life. From chicken recipes that keep ageing away to recipes made with coconut oil that help fight memory loss, super foods for awesome memory is the book you will never forget.

3. Book: Have A Safe Journey; A compilation of short stories by 25 authors; Publisher: Amaryllis; Pages: 241; Price: Rs 299
   "Have a Safe Journey" is a collection of short stories on road safety. It attempts to make readers realise the importance of road safety, not through boring guidelines, rules and regulations but through interesting stories that will force you to be always careful on the road.

   It includes stories by bestselling writers Ashwin Sanghi, Anand Neelakantan, Kiran Manral, Shinie Antony, Priyanka Sinha Jha, Pankaj Dubey and Arvind Passey among others.

   These are the stories of pain, loss and hope that make the readers realise the dangers of drunken driving, talking on the phone while driving, speeding, importance of wearing helmets and seat belts, use of a baby seat, etc.

   The stories also talk about the importance of helping road accident victims and being a good Samaritan instead of running away from accident sites. The stories are not preachy; instead they use humour, wit, tragedy, horror and futuristic ideas to encourage readers to observe traffic rules and drive safely.

4. Book: Limca Book Of Records 2018; Publisher: Hachette; Pages: 424; Price: Rs 550
   Be amazed. Be informed. Be Proud. Get to know about our country's best in human endeavour, education, defence, government, adventure, cinema, literature and the arts, along with additional chapters on science and technology, business and economy, the natural world and structures.

   With a brand new look and reader-friendly infographics, charts and tables, this photo-filled book now includes all the fascinating absolutes you always wanted, such as the longest, tallest, fastest and heaviest records that have stood steadfast across years and decades. Plus hundreds of exciting new records that mark our nation's and its people's move towards always bettering the best.

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