Your may reading list

By IANSlife

New Delhi, April 30 (SocialNews.XYZ) Reading is not only a great activity, but it also gives us the opportunity to learn so much more than we could have ever imagined. Reading not only aids in knowledge acquisition but also in language development.

Small Wins Everyday by Luke Countinho

Nothing is as daunting as a goal. Many of us struggle with achieving them - be it in life, health, love and career. When you set unrealistic goals and keep failing, your intelligently designed brain tries to protect you from the pain and negative emotions that come with failure. In Small Wins Every Day, Luke Coutinho presents a simple premise with powerful results, teaching you to rewire your brain for success. The hack? Break down your goals into small wins that you can achieve every day. Stacked over time, these contribute to significant lifestyle changes, good health and happiness.

Simple and bite-sized but packed with a punch, here are 100 wins to change your life.

The Penguin Book of Modern Tibetan Essays, edited by Tenzin Dickie

A groundbreaking anthology of modern Tibetan non-fiction, this unprecedented collection celebrates the art of the modern Tibetan essay and comprises some of the best Tibetan writers working today in Tibetan, English and Chinese.

There are essays on lost friends, stolen inheritances, prison notes and secret journeys from-and to-Tibet. There are also essays on food, the Dalai Lama's Gar dancer, love letters, lotteries and the prince of Tibet. The collection offers a profound commentary not just on the Tibetan nation and Tibetan exile but also on the romance, comedy and tragedy of modern Tibetan life.

For this anthology, editor and translator Tenzin Dickie has commissioned and collected twenty-eight essays from twenty-two Tibetan writers, including Woeser, Jamyang Norbu, Tsering Wangmo Dhompa, Pema Bhum and Lhashamgyal.

This book of personal essays by Tibetan writers is a landmark addition to contemporary Tibetan letters as well as a significant contribution to global literature.

Lost to the World by Shahbaz Taseer

In late August of 2011, Shahbaz Taseer was driving to his office in Lahore, Pakistan when he was dragged from his car at gunpoint and kidnapped by a group of Taliban-affiliated terrorists.

Just seven months earlier, his father, Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab Province, had been shot dead by his guard for speaking out against Pakistan's blasphemy laws.

For almost five years Shahbaz was held captive, moved ever-deeper into the lawless Hindu Kush, frequently tortured and forced to endure extreme cruelty, his fate resting on his kidnappers' impossible demands and the uneasy alliances between his captors, the Taliban and ISIS.

Lost to the World is the remarkable true story of Taseer's time in captivity, and of his astonishing escape. It is a story of extraordinary faith, bravery and sorrow, with moments of kindness, humour and empathy, offering a hopeful light in the dark years of his imprisonment.

While deeply harrowing, this tale is also about resilience. Taseer countered his captors' narrative of a holy war by immersing himself in the Quran in search of hope and a means to see his own humanity under even the most inhumane conditions, and ultimately to find a way back to his family.

Dr Mathai's ABC to health by Issac Mathai

How often have you put off eating healthy food, starting those morning walks, hitting the gym or practising yoga because you are feeling well anyway? Dr Mathai's ABC to Good Health tells you why you must not postpone all those good habits required for staying healthy and what could happen to you if you ignore your fitness quotient.

Lab Hopping by Aashima Dogra and Nandita Jayaraj

Embark on this one-of-a-kind journey through India's science laboratories in pursuit of the true story behind the gender gap.

Aashima Dogra and Nandita Jayaraj engage in thought-provoking dialogues about the triumphs and challenges faced by women, and offer fresh perspectives on the gender gap that continues to haunt Indian science today. The book is a comprehensive examination of the state of women in science and a road map for the way forward.

Working to Restore by Esha Chhabra

A new and sustainable business blueprint for the twenty-first century.

In Working to Restore, reporter Esha Chhabra uses her vast experience of reporting on sustainability to highlight pioneering grassroots entrepreneurs who are building new business blueprints in the twenty-first century. Working across the world, they are focused on rethinking, restructuring and regenerating. This book describes the challenges the world faces in each area and how business models are helping to solve these problems.

Water in a broken pot by Yogesh Maitreya

A book about longing, loss and finding oneself in the chaos that is life.

Incredibly moving and hauntingly honest, Water in a Broken Pot is the memoir of Yogesh Maitreya, a leading independent Indian Dalit publisher, writer and poet. Encompassing experiences of pain, loneliness, deprivation, alienation and the political consciousness of his caste identity, this intimately moving memoir is a story of resilience and raw brutality.

The Case for Nature by Siddarth Shrikanth

A positive manifesto for regenerating our planet through the power of nature.

In a world where carbon emissions and climate financing are rightly rising up the agenda, there exists another catastrophe that is often overlooked but is just as dire-the global collapse of our ecosystems. Siddarth Shrikanth's The Case for Nature presents a compelling vision for tackling this other planetary crisis by rethinking our relationship with nature in economic, social and even personal terms.

My Father's Brain by Sandeep Jauhar

A deeply affecting memoir of a father's descent into dementia, and a revelatory inquiry into why the human brain degenerates with age and what we can do about it.

In this intimate memoir, rich with humour and heartbreak, distinguished physician and author Sandeep Jauhar sets his father's descent into Alzheimer's alongside his own journey towards understanding this disease and how it might best be coped with, if not cured. The result is a work of essential insight into dementia, and into how scientists, caregivers and all of us in an ageing society are reckoning with the fallout.

The Feluda Journal by Satyajit Ray

Felu, the super sleuth, is the nickname of Pradosh C. Mitter. Although Satyajit Ray wrote the Feluda stories for younger readers, it was found that they were being read by their parents as well. Soon, longer stories followed- novelettes-taking place in a variety of picturesque settings, from the historical setting of Lucknow-where Feluda solves the mystery of a diamond ring which once belonged to the Mughal emperor Aurengzeb-to the Blue Beryl of Kailash Chowdhury. This is the first-ever Feluda journal, which opens a window to unseen archived materials, illustrations and rare publicity stills created by Ray. A companion journal to scribble your thoughts, this collector's item brings to light the ever-popular adventures of Satyajit Ray's enduring creation, Feluda!

I'm a Climate Optimist by Aakash Ranison

Whenever climate change as a topic comes up in a conversation, someone ends up saying, 'What can I do about it?' This book is the answer to that question. The book covers all the aspects of day-to-day life, like food, textile, transportation, tourism, beauty, home, education, business, etc., along with industry-specific expert comments. This book focuses on simplifying climate change and sustainability so that everyone can understand and take action towards achieving the 'Sustainable Development Goals' of the United Nations.

Naam, Namak, Nishan- The Ultimate Quiz book by Anurakshat Gupta, Arnabh Sengupta, Hitesh Mahato, Anmol Shawan and Sagnik Sarkar

Do you know why the Indian Navy counts 'One, Two, Six' instead of 'One, Two, Three' while doing group tasks? Or that the Intelligence Bureau was set up in response to an assassination? Find out the answers to these and more as the authors take you on a journey across 250 questions, exploring trivia that connects the Indian armed Forces to topics ranging from mythology, history and art to geography, fashion and sports.

A new idea of India by Harsh Madhusudan and Rajeev Mantri

In the early 1990s, India began a gradual withdrawal from the Nehruvian path. In 2019, with Narendra Modi's second win in the elections, this philosophy began to be replaced by a worldview that acknowledges India as an ancient civilization and sees citizens as equal for developmental purposes. A New Idea of India expounds on this new framework.

Pugmarks and Carbon Footprints by Rohan Chakravarty

Pugmarks and Carbon Footprints is a collection of gag cartoons and comic strips based exclusively on wildlife and nature, with ten to twelve comics exclusive to the book. Staying true to their theme, the cartoons and comics in the book speak about wildlife, ecology, interesting trivia about the lives of wild animals and how the lives of these creatures are entwined with ours. A comprehensive and satirical take on various aspects of the natural world and the threats to its conservation, this book will appeal both to the scientifically inclined reader and the layman.

India's Secret War by Ushinor Majumdar

Triggered by the US-backed Pakistani junta's brutal measures against the Bengalis, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman proclaimed the independence of East Pakistan on March 26, 1971. They needed the world's support, and India was their first ally. The BSF, an elite Indian force, was only five years old at the time and became central to India's sustained military response in East Pakistan for nine months, until the alliance of Indian and Bangladeshi forces won Dhaka. With access to classified records and through exhaustive interviews with surviving veterans, Ushinor Majumdar has crafted this first comprehensive historical account of the BSF's role in the Bangladesh liberation war, which changed the course of South Asian history.

Dreams of a healthy India by Ritu Priya and Syeda Hameed (EDS)

The ninth volume of the Rethinking India series, Dreams of a Healthy India is an attempt to demystify the issues of health care and health systems for the general reader as well as to provoke rethinking on several critical dimensions by policymakers and academics. These provide solutions for the present times that can simultaneously contribute to sustainable health care for the future.

The Art and Science of Happiness by Swami Mukundananda

What if you could learn to create happiness? Yes, that's right. Just as we have learnt to produce thoughts and behaviours which make us miserable, we can also learn the art and science of being happy. Imagine joy that does not depend on externals, joy that is not fleeting and joy that grows forever. While this may sound impossible or like a fairy tale, this is the true happiness as explained in all the scriptures. It can withstand the harshest conditions and make you feel on top of the world-always. The aim of this book is to equip you with insights and wisdom that will ensure you choose wisely and set yourself on the path to master the art and science of happiness. You will learn the wisdom to cultivate happiness in your everyday life and identify the best practices and principles that will enable you to be cheerful and in high spirits, no matter what.

Madam President by Sandeep Sahu

Droupadi Murmu has risen through her circumstances with fortitude and resilience, making her the loved leader she is. As the first President from the tribal community, her phenomenal rise as an earnest and ambitious young woman, who would go on to become the most powerful woman in the country, presents a fascinating study of democratic empowerment in India.

The Perfect Way by Osho

'When there are no thoughts, it is then that we come to know the one hidden by our thoughts. When there are no clouds the blue sky is revealed. My friends, there is a sky within you as well'-Osho.

"A New Era of Giving: Insights on Philanthropy in India" by ISDM

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the philanthropic landscape in India and is the result of the collaborative efforts of many individuals. The book overall talks about how we are at a defining moment in India's development for Indian philanthropy to create an effective ecosystem of giving and reshape public action needed for promoting social justice. The essays in this book offer rich insights into what has been achieved so far (or not) and what it will take for philanthropy to more proactively promote social justice. The message is clear. A more concerted and strategic effort is needed for social philanthropy to step up its contribution towards expanding opportunities, reducing inequalities, ending discrimination, and building a more just, equitable and prosperous India.

"Giving with a Thousand Hands: The Changing Face of Indian Philanthropy" by Pushpa Sundar

Making an important distinction between charity and philanthropy, Giving with a Thousand Hands argues that while charity is alive and well in India, the country is short on philanthropy defined as altruistic giving on a large enough scale to bring about transformative social change. The author in this book offers a vision for the future of Indian philanthropy, maintaining that it has a vital role to play in the country and needs to be encouraged through various measures. The book dwells into some serious questions on how and what do these fabulously wealthy Indians contribute to the development of their own society? What is the nature of Indian philanthropy? Has the phenomenal wealth creation in recent decades seen an increase in altruistic spending in social development, and what role does the Indian state play in promoting or restraining the act of giving?

"Philanthropy in India: Promise to Practice" by Meenaz Kassam, Femida Handy, Emily Jansons

Philanthropy has a very long tradition in India. All practicing religions embody the idea of philanthropy and the concept of daanworks across religions and cultures. This book provides unique sociological and empirical perspectives, contrasting what is happening in India vis-a-vis other countries. It documents various government policies that have influenced philanthropy and identifies successful strategies practiced by the general population as well as organisations. Through case studies, narratives and interviews of philanthropists, the book examines various modes of giving formal and informal, religious and secular, charitable trusts and foundations, NGOs and corporates, diaspora as well as social media platforms that shape the practice and promise of philanthropy in India today.

"Samaaj, Sarkaar, Bazaar : a citizen-first approach" by Rohini Nilekani

A collection of over a decade of articles, interviews, and speeches by Rohini Nilekani, Samaaj, Sarkaar, Bazaar: A Citizen-First Approach, showcases her journey in civil society and philanthropy. She outlines her philosophy of restoring the balance between the state and markets, by positioning society as the foundational sector.

Through personal anecdotes and persuasive arguments, Nilekani asks us to critically examine our role as citizens and whether we can be more active in creating an equitable and just society.

Awe by Dacher Keltner

Award-winning social psychologist Dacher Keltner has spent his career speaking to different groups of people, from school children to prisoners to healthcare workers, about happiness and the good life. These conversations and his pioneering research into the science of emotion have convinced him that happiness comes down to one thing: finding awe.

In Awe, Dacher Keltner presents a radical investigation into this elusive emotion, which allows us to collaborate with others, to open our minds to wonder, and to see the deep patterns of life. Drawing on his own scientific research into how awe transforms our brains and bodies, alongside an examination of awe across history, culture, and within his own life during a period of immense grief, Keltner shows us how cultivating wonder in our everyday life leads us to appreciate what is most humane in our human nature. The book includes intensely moving, deeply personal stories of awe from people all over the world-doctors and veterans, environmentalists and poets, indigenous scholars and hospice workers, ministers and midwives.

At turns radical and profound, brimming with enlightening and practical insights, Awe is our field guide for how to uncover everyday wonder as a vital force within our lives.

Uncertain: How to Turn Your Biggest Fear into Your Greatest Power by Arie W. Kruglanski

How much do we reply upon certainty? And, how does the way we deal with uncertainty impact our future and our lives?

Uncertainty is one of the defining issues of our time. The stability we once had is disappearing, and fast. Vast changes in society are shifting our realities: extraordinary numbers of immigrants and refugees are upsetting the demographic, and the cultural and religious foundations of nations. Changing attitudes and approaches to employment, with an increase in freelance and temporary work undermines people's ability to plan for the future. And, there is an ever decreasing sense of trust in what once hallowed: the government, the media, in education, religion, in medicine. Instead, the internet provides us with a wave of conflicting advice.

When we can no longer make sense of the world together, insecurity takes over. We develop anxiety and confusion about our purpose, and in searching for certainty find it in autocratic leaders and populism. Democracy begins to fade as our uncertainty grows.

If we are aware of our need for certainty, and understand why we behave instinctively in the way that we do, we can better understand how stress and pressure affects our decisions. We can shed light not only on historical trends but understand how we change those trends for the future.

It's OK to Be Angry About Capitalism by Bernie Sanders

It's OK to be angry about capitalism. Reflecting on our turbulent times, Senator Bernie Sanders takes on the billionaire class and speaks blunt truths about our country's failure to address the destructive nature of a system that is fueled by uncontrolled greed and rigidly committed to prioritising corporate profits over the needs of ordinary Americans.

Sanders argues that unfettered capitalism is to blame for an unprecedented level of income and wealth inequality, is undermining our democracy, and is destroying our planet. How can we accept an economic order that allows three billionaires to control more wealth than the bottom half of our society? How can we accept a political system that allows the super rich to buy elections and politicians? How can we accept an energy system that rewards the fossil fuel corporations causing the climate crisis? Sanders believes that, in the face of these overwhelming challenges, the American people must ask tough questions about the systems that have failed us and demand fundamental economic and political change. This is where the path forward begins.

It's OK to Be Angry About Capitalism presents a vision that extends beyond the promises of past campaigns to reveal what would be possible if the political revolution took place, if we would finally recognise that economic rights are human rights, and if we would work to create a society that provides a decent standard of living for all. This isn't some utopian fantasy; this is democracy as we should know it.

Real Self-Care: Powerful Practices to Nourish Yourself From the Inside Out by Dr Pooja Lakshmin

What does self-care really mean? From juice cleanses to face rollers, we are sold breezy fixes to long-term social problems that manifest in us as burnout, disillusionment and stress. Yet, more than ever, many of us are feeling the consequences of these empty promises and are looking for a meaningful solution.

Now, psychiatrist and women's mental health specialist Dr Pooja Lakshmin offers a sustainable practice for real self-care: an ongoing internal process that puts us in the driver's seat of our own lives. Because real self-care isn't something to buy - it's a way to be. This is Pooja's answer to the scores of women who feel let down by our culture and come to her seeking help. Real self-care requires setting boundaries, treating yourself with compassion, making choices aligned with your values and asserting your power. When we practice it, we see changes in our relationships, our families, our workplaces - and our broken systems.

The result - reconnecting with ourself and having ownership over our life - is nothing less than a personal and social revolution.

Wonder Boy: Tony Hsieh, Zappos and the Myth of Happiness in Silicon Valley by Angel Au- Yeung and David Jeans

Wonder Boy is a riveting investigation into the turbulent life of Zappos visionary Tony Hsieh, whose radical business strategies revolutionized both the tech world and corporate culture, based on rigorous research and reporting by two seasoned journalists.

Tony Hsieh's first successful venture was in middle school, selling personalized buttons. At Harvard, he made a profit compiling and selling study guides. In 1998, Hsieh sold his first company to Microsoft for $265 million. About a decade later, he sold online shoe empire Zappos to Amazon for $1.2 billion.

The secret to his success? Making his employees happy.

At its peak, Zappos's employee-friendly culture was so famous across the tech industry that it became one of the hardest companies to get hired at, and CEOs from other companies regularly toured the headquarters. But Hsieh's vision for change didn't stop with corporate culture: Hsieh went on to move Zappos headquarters to Las Vegas and personally funded a nine-figure campaign to revitalise the city's historic downtown area. There, he could be found living in an Airstream and chatting up the locals. But Hsieh's forays into community-revival projects spun out of control as his issues with mental health and addiction ramped up, creating the opportunity for more enablers than friends to stand in his mercurial good graces.

Drawing on hundreds of interviews with a wide range of people whose lives Hsieh touched, journalists Angel Au-Yeung and David Jeans craft a rich portrait of a man who was plagued by the pressure to succeed but who never lost his generous spirit.

Pathogenesis: How Germs Made History by Jonathan Kennedy

According to the accepted narrative of progress, a few great humans have bent the arc of history. But in this revelatory book, Dr Jonathan Kennedy argues that germs have done more to shape humanity at every stage, from the first success of Homo sapiens over the equally intelligent Neanderthals to the fall of Rome and the rise of Islam.

How did an Indonesian volcano help cause the Black Death, setting Europe on the road to capitalism? How could 168 men extract the largest ransom in history from an opposing army of eighty thousand? And why did the Industrial Revolution lead to the birth of the modern welfare state?

The latest science reveals that infectious diseases are not just something that happens to us, but a fundamental part of who we are. Indeed, the only reason humans don't lay eggs is that a virus long ago inserted itself into our DNA, and there are as many bacteria in your body as there are human cells. We have been thinking about the survival of the fittest all wrong: evolution is not simply about human strength and intelligence, but about how we live and thrive in a world dominated by microbes.

By exploring the startling intimacy of our relationship with infectious diseases, Kennedy shows how they have been responsible for some of the seismic revolutions of the past 50,000 years. Provocative and brimming with insight, Pathogenesis transforms our understanding of the human story, revealing how the crisis of a pandemic can offer vital opportunities for change.

Filmi Stories by Kunal Basu

The eight stories in this collection are about unforeseen terrors and adventures, surreal comedies, the apocalypses and the sublime poetry of everyday life. A disgruntled trucker sets out to kill his rival, ending up as the saviour of migrant workers trapped by a pandemic. A novice jailer breaks the law only to learn that nothing in this world is beyond pardon. A corpse dressed immaculately in a suit is discovered on a beach, the trail of the suspects stretching across continents in casinos and cruise ships. The nude paintings of a dead artist set the stage for a murder in a gallery. The hunt for a terrorist leads to a dangerous game of luring a prey out of its lair using a human bait. A man finds himself as the sole passenger of an airplane flying from one deserted airport to another. An innocent shopkeeper learns the wisdom of the Mahabharata on the verge of losing his innocence. Written with words and marked by light and shadow, sounds and silence, these tales stalk a bunch of unruly actors performing roles that take on lives of their own.

Fear and Other Stories by Dalpat Chauhan, Hemang Ashwinkumar (TR.)

Fear and Other Stories is a reminder of the inherent dangers of the Dalit life, a life subjected to unimaginable violence and terror even in its most mundane moments. In this collection of short stories, veteran Gujarati writer Dalpat Chauhan narrates these lived experiences of exasperation and anger with startling vividity.

Soft Animal by Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan

Thirty-six-year-old Mallika Rao is mostly sheltered from the problems of the millions fighting for their existence around her. But, her Delhi flat and her husband threaten to become a prison, and she searches for confidence that has eluded her. Bringing deadpan humour and meticulous social observation to the self-delusions of India's privileged classes, Madhavan's latest channels an uncomfortably and heartbreakingly intimate experience of millennial marriage that is seldom portrayed but all too real.

Fruits of the Barren Tree by Lekhnath Chhetri, Anurag Basnet (TR.)

Thirty-six-year-old Mallika Rao is mostly sheltered from the problems of the millions fighting for their existence around her. But, her Delhi flat and her husband threaten to become a prison, and she searches for confidence that has eluded her. Bringing deadpan humour and meticulous social observation to the self-delusions of India's privileged classes, Madhavan's latest channels an uncomfortably and heartbreakingly intimate experience of millennial marriage that is seldom portrayed but all too real.

Rooh by Manav Kaul

A deeply sensitive novel that tries to make sense of the ethereal beauty of Kashmir and the broken existence of its people.

In this stream-of-consciousness novel, the protagonist, Manav, makes a physical and metaphoric journey back into Kashmir and relives the past as a part of the present. And Rooh emerges as a deeply touching story of tender but broken people he meets on this journey.

Nala Damayanti by Anand Neelakantan

When Brahma the creator, fed up with humans, wants to undo this mistake and erase them, Hemanga the swan is horrified and pleads with Brahma to give him a chance to prove true love exists among mankind. Narada the celestial troublemaker sends him to Vidarbha, saying Hemanga should unite Nala, the king of Nishadas, with Damayanti, the princess of Vidarbha. Hemanga almost succeeds in making them fall in love with each other when Kali hears of his plan. Trapped on earth as he is not the creator of Brahma, he can't be free unless humans cease to exist. When he learns about Hemanga's mission to save humans, he seizes his chance. If Damayanti gives up Nala, he can prove that no true love exists in a woman's heart. Brahma will erase the human race and Kali will be free. All that stands between the future of humans and the mighty Kali is a little bird and the determination of Damayanti.

I Hear You by Nidhi Upadhyay

Mahika is hoping that a baby will breathe new life into her dead marriage. But all her pregnancies meet the same fate, because no baby is perfect for Shivam, her genius geneticist husband. Until there is one. Rudra, the world's first genetically altered foetus, is Shivam's perfect creation and Mahika's last hope. The six-week-pregnant Mahika walks into her fertility clinic and finds an anonymous note that discloses the ugly truth behind her pregnancy. Before Mahika can come to terms with the fact that her husband's quest for perfection has marked its territory in her womb, she finds herself locked in her own house. But then she discovers that her unborn son has extraordinary powers. As weeks pass by, Rudra calibrates and recalibrates his powers with one aim-Mahika's freedom. But Rudra needs more than his newly acquired powers to free his mother. He needs to betray his creator, his father. And he must do it before it's too late.

Shivakami's Vow 2 & 3 by Kalki, Nandini Vijayaraghavan (TR.)

Expertly weaving suspense, romance and drama, Kalki's gripping narrative describes the tremendous efforts of the Pallavas to counter the Chalukya invasion and the growing intimacy between Mamallar and Sivakami in this action-packed second volume of the Sivakami's Vow series.

Shiva Purana (Three Volumes) by Bibek Debroy

The Shiva Purana is the fifth book in an eighteen-part series on the sacred Hindu texts known collectively as the Puranas. These have been translated with great rigour and precision by Bibek Debroy, recounting the tales of creation and the many myths that surround Lord Shiva, in 24,000 shlokas and an introduction that simplifies the myth and history of the Puranas. Brimming with insight and clarity, this translation presents readers with an opportunity to truly understand classical Indian texts. Previous translations by Bibek Debroy include the Bhagavata Purana, Markandeya Purana, Brahma Purana and Vishnu Purana.

The Empty Space by Geetanjali Shree, Nivedita Menon (TR.)

A bomb explodes in a university cafe, claiming the lives f nineteen students. Geetanjali Shree's poignant novel The Empty Space begins with the identification of those nineteen dead. The mother who enters the cafe last to identify the nineteenth body brings home her dead eighteen-year-old son packed in a box, as well as the sole survivor of the blast, a three-year-old boy who, by a strange quirk of fate, is found lying in a small empty space, alive and breathing. The Empty Space chronicles the memories of the boy gone, the story of the boy brought home, and the cataclysmic crossing of life and death.

The Roof Beneath their feet by Geetanjali Shree, Rahul Soni (TR.)

Roofs are meant for wild things-they are meant for romance and play, and are places to dry pickles and grains while exchanging gossip about quiet caresses. But above all, they are realms of freedom. Geetanjali Shree's The Roof Beneath Their Feet is the story of Chachcho and Lalna and their friendship. Chachcho lives with her husband in Laburnum House, a cluster of a hundred or so houses that share a common roof. She leads a lonely life until she takes in the abandoned Lalna, but their closeness makes many uncomfortable. Then suddenly one day, Lalna has to leave, and she returns only after Chachcho's passing.

Amidst rumours and gossip in the neighbourhood, Chachcho's nephew tries to piece together his memories of the two women-one of whom is his mother.

Subversive Whispers by Manasi, J. Devika (TR.)

Manasi's storytelling is surely in rebellious and subversive whispers-sometimes soft, sometimes rasping-but always echoing in the labyrinth of patriarchy. It is this whisper-like quality that J. Devika deftly conveys in translation. Manasi's stories are inevitably of or by women's voices that open up their inner worlds to the reader, struggling to capture the minutiae of their inner suffering.

My Poems are not for your Ad campaign by Anuradha Sarma Pujari, Aruni Kashyap (TR.)

In a recently globalised economy characterized by consumerist culture, Bhashwati is an increasingly disillusioned misfit who has, ironically, just started working in an advertising firm. But her life changes when she finds out about the mysterious Mohua, who left the company abruptly. Bhashwati's search for Mohua takes her to Calcutta's lanes, where she meets people who sacrificed immensely for the same values she finds eroded in a globalizing India.

Feeling Kerala by translated by J. Devika

The living, pulsating and ever-changing entity that is Kerala is best represented by its astute, critical and deeply insightful writers of the Malayalam short story. In Feeling Kerala, a selection of some of the best and sharpest narratives from the region are now translated and curated for English readers to love and enjoy. These stories cover the different landscapes of Kerala-the highlands, the coastal areas, the growing urban centres. They move in and out of homes, and take the readers into older spaces-convents, panchayats-and the new spaces of capital-airports, tourist resorts-as well as the world of criminals in contemporary Kerala.

Tiger Season by Gargi Rawat

Sunaina Joshi is a reporter with a leading news channel. Her day-to-day work sees her reporting on subjects that bore her and leave her jaded. Instead, her passion is a life in the great outdoors and reporting on wildlife and the environment. Out of the blue, a fabulous opportunity falls into her lap when her channel is commissioned to run a campaign on tiger conservation featuring a Bollywood star, himself trying to resurrect his image and career following a drug scandal. But to Sunaina's dismay, she finds herself becoming the epicentre of the converging controversies. Can she keep her wits about her while remaining professional about the things she loves?

Welcome to Aaraampur by Dhruv Nath

Set in the small, fictitious town of Aaraampur in Himachal, the episodes in this book are woven around a central character called Kaptaan Sahib and his family. Dotted with relatable, batty characters and the many Wodehousian situations they land themselves in-this is the perfect summer read to curl up with.

Girl to Goddess by Nishi

Through this collection of insightful poems, Nishi takes the reader on a journey of mistakes, failures, fears, lessons, perspectives and realizations about life, love and everything in between. She shares her vulnerabilities and opens up about her deepest emotions. Her words inspire readers to look inwards and embrace their own inner divinity, encouraging them to find their own path towards healing and self-love. Girl to Goddess is a powerful and moving book of poetry that speaks to the struggles of the human experience and how one surmounts them.

Greening the Earth by K. Satchidanandan and Nishi Chawla (EDS)

Greening the Earth is a rare anthology that brings together global poetic responses to one of the major crises faced by humanity in our time: environmental degradation and the threat it poses to the very survival of the human species. Poets from across the world respond here in their diverse voices-of anger, despair and empathy-to the present ecological damage prompted by human greed, pray for the re-greening of our little planet and celebrate a possible future where we live in harmony with every form of creation.

Icelight by Ranjit Hoskote

Icelight, Ranjit Hoskote's eighth collection of poems, enacts the experience of standing at the edge-of a life, a landscape, a world-assuming new contours or going up in flames. Hoskote's previous poetry collections include Vanishing Acts: New and Selected Poems 1985-2005 and Die Ankunft der Vogel. His translation of poems by the fourteenth-century Kashmiri mystic Lal Ded has been published as I, Lalla: The Poems of Lal Ded.

Varavara Rao by N. Venugopal and Meena Kandasamy (EDS)

VARAVARA RAO is the author of thirteen collections of poetry, all in Telugu. His body of work is remarkable, and in many ways, one of the strongest documents of Indian history since our independence. To read him is to reflect on who we are as a nation, and where we have come. This edited volume is his first book of poetry to be published in English.

Work 3.0 by Avik Chanda and Siddharth Bandyopadhyay

What will the worker, workplace and work itself look like in the future? Work 3.0 tackles this and some of the other most pressing and complex questions of the present age, head-on. Avik Chanda and Siddhartha Bandyopadhyay employ rigorous research to present a rich multidisciplinary narrative to help readers deal with the challenges presented by the changing nature of work and the workplace.

Exprovement by Raghunath Mashelkar and Hersh Haladker

Through the various examples highlighted in this book, Hersh Haladker and Raghunath Mashelkar emphasize that searching for growth opportunities within an offering's existing industry usually results in incremental improvement, whereas exponential improvement can be achieved by drawing parallels from outside of the current context.

The Big Bull of Dalal Street by Neil Borate, Aprajita Sharma and Aditya Kondawar

This book looks at the life of India's big bull, as Rakesh was famously known, both as a person and as a professional. Providing a fascinating account of his journey, it analyses the records of Jhunjhunwala's investments and interviews he has given over the years. More than just a biography, a large section of the book is devoted to understanding the stocks that made him rich and the mistakes he made. Looking at the journey of the legendary investor, the book offers retail investors some useful insights-benefits of long-term investing, mistakes one should avoid in the stock market and risk associated with leveraged trades, among others.

Silver Lining by Kamal Shah

This book looks at the life of India's big bull, as Rakesh was famously known, both as a person and as a professional. Providing a fascinating account of his journey, it analyses the records of Jhunjhunwala's investments and interviews he has given over the years. More than just a biography, a large section of the book is devoted to understanding the stocks that made him rich and the mistakes he made. Looking at the journey of the legendary investor, the book offers retail investors some useful insights-benefits of long-term investing, mistakes one should avoid in the stock market and risk associated with leveraged trades, among others.

Impactful Data Visualization by Kavitha Ranganathan

There is scarcely a role that does not require us to understand, analyse and present data. Charts, graphs and maps are everywhere. However, many of these data visuals leave the viewer bewildered, confused or (even worse) with an incorrect understanding of the data.

Packed with examples to clearly explain the dos and don'ts of data visualization and backed by empirical research, this book will transform the way you create and analyse graphs and charts.

Office Secrets by Harish Bhat

The corporate masks we wear hide many a secret. The most potent are not the secret financial numbers or confidential strategy documents hidden away in locked drawers or in safes but the simple ones-good filter coffee, generosity and thirty minutes of me-time. This book offers a selection of fascinating and useful secrets that can help you be far more successful at your workplace. As a bonus, they can make you happier as well. You will find in it a range of subjects- from the best methods of fighting exhaustion, organising your work desk, the power of listening, why kindness is so important, workplace lessons from Hercule Poirot to what you can learn from the cookies that your colleagues eat. Harish Bhat wields his pen with signature insight to delight, inspire, provoke and change the way you see offices forever.

Sachin by Gulu Ezekiel

Sachin Tendulkar made an immediate impact on the cricket world at the tender age of 16 in 1989. For the next 24 years he went from strength to strength and even in his teens was recognized as one of the world's greatest batsmen. By the end of his career in 2013 he had cemented his place as one of cricket's all-time greats.

This best-selling biography was first released in 2002, followed by the second and third editions in 2010 and 2012. The Collector's Edition marks the master's 50th birthday, a decade since his retirement.

Prolific author Gulu Ezekiel pens a compelling account of Sachin the man and the legend. He tracks him from his childhood and follows him on his meteoric rise to international stardom. With meticulous attention to detail, Ezekiel reconstructs the crucial matches and events that have marked Tendulkar's glittering career.

The Tatas, Freddie Mercury & Other Bawas by Coomi Kapoor

The Parsis are fast disappearing. There are now only around 50,000 members of the community in all of India. But since their arrival here from Central Asia, somewhere between the eighth and tenth centuries, the Parsis' contribution to their adopted home has been extraordinary. The history of India over the last century or so is filigreed with such contributions in every field, from nuclear physics to rock and roll, by names such as Dadabhai Naoroji, Dinshaw Petit, Homi Bhabha, Sam Manekshaw, Jamsetji Tata, Ardeshir Godrej, Cyrus Poonawalla, Zubin Mehta and Farrokh Bulsara (aka Freddie Mercury). This is a revised and updated new edition - engaging and accessible - making it as the most intimate history of the Parsis by senior journalist and columnist Coomi Kapoor, herself a Parsi. The book pores through the names, stories, achievements and the continuing success of this tiny but extraordinary minority. She delves deep into both the question of what it means to be Parsi in India, as well as how the community's contributions-from tanchoi silk to chikoos-became integral to what it meant to be Indian. In Kapoor's hands, the story of the Parsis becomes a rip-roaring, incident-filled adventure: from dominating the trade with China to being synonymous with Bombay, once, arguably, a city defined by its Parsis; from the business success of the Tatas, the Mistrys, the Godrejs and the Wadias, to such current contributions as the manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines by the Parsi-founded Serum Institute of India.

Moving to Goa by Katharina Kakar

Many people dream of escaping the stresses and strains of urban life and moving to Goa. Katharina Kakar and her husband, the psychoanalyst and writer Sudhir Kakar, followed their dream and boldly took that plunge-buying a charming old house in a tranquil south Goa village, where they hoped to find a whole new way of living and working. Ten years later, they are still there, living the idyll-and the reality-of life in Goa. So which is the real Goa? Is it all about sun and sand, beaches and bikinis, feni and vindaloo? This book captures the allure of all these, as well as the festivals and rituals that punctuate the rhythm of village life. It portrays fascinating local characters, ranging from ageing hippies, beach boys and elusive workmen to the aristocratic residents of Goa's grand old mansions. But it also reveals lesser-known aspects of Goa: the hidden-often shocking-histories of its colonial past; and the debates and fissures that engage and divide Goan society today. In part personal memoir and travelogue, in part an insightful look at Goan history and society, this book portrays Goa with all its paradoxes and problems, its seductive pleasures and, above all, its unique and enduring charm.

Legends of the Lepchas by Yishey Doma and Pankaj Thapar (Illustrator)

Thus begins one of the stories in this delightful book, a compilation of folk tales of the Lepchas, passed down through the ages.

Custodians of a language and script of the same name, the Lepchas inhabit regions that currently fall under the state of Sikkim, in Darjeeling district of West Bengal, Ilam district of eastern Nepal and the south-western parts of Bhutan. Ancient lore suggests that they have inhabited in the region from time immemorial.

The tales included in this collection-describing gods, goddesses, people, animals and nature in a cohesive world where one cannot do without the other-skilfully bring to life the beliefs and rich culture of this unique community. Accompanying each short story are stunning illustrations, etching the lyrical sweep and mood of the tale.

An Epic Life by Prem Sagar

On 25 January 1987, with the telecast of the very first episode of Ramayan, Indian television changed for all time to come. In a matter of weeks, the series became a national obsession. During the Ramayan slot, roads emptied out. No marriages and political rallies were scheduled for that time. More than three decades later, there has been nothing to match it.

Ramanand Sagar, the man behind the phenomenon and a successful filmmaker from Bombay, was among the first to recognise the immense power of television. He first made his mark as a writer in Raj Kapoor's Barsat (1949). From 1961 to 1970, Sagar wrote, produced and directed six consecutive silver jubilee hits-Ghunghat, Zindagi, Arzoo, Ankhen, Geet and Lalkar.

An Epic Life: Ramanand Sagar, From Barsaat to Ramayan, written by his son, Prem Sagar, an award-winning cinematographer, is an intimate look at the life of a visionary. It traces Sagar's life from his birth in Kashmir in 1917, his dramatic escape in 1947 when Pakistani tribesmen attacked the state, his arrival in Bombay and his subsequent glorious career-the crowning achievement of which was the smashing success of Ramayan.

A White Trail by Haroon Khalid

The formation of Pakistan and the search for an Islamic identity are inextricably interlinked. In recent years, the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in the country owing to the twists and turns of global politics has complicated matters. The religious intolerance that almost always accompanies fundamentalism has placed the minority communities of Pakistan in a precarious position.

A White Trail is an ethnographic study of these communities and their lives. At a time when almost all accounts of religious minorities in the country focus on the persecution and discrimination they experience, this work delves deeper into their lives, using the occasion of religious festivals to gain a deeper insight into the psyche of Pakistani Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Zoroastrians and Bahais. It seeks to understand, through the oral testimonies of the members of these communities, larger socio-political issues arising from the situation.

Make A Move (Box Set) by Stuti Changle

Join rising YouTube star Alara, struggling but hopeful stand-up comedian Aarav, and zany but zen beach shack owner Ricky on a quest for the truth in You Live Only Once.

Discover yourself with Myra, Kabir and Sandy, three individuals who refuse to give up on themselves as they make life-changing decisions, in On the Open Road.

Embark on the adventure of growing up with Iti, Nishit and Shelly in Where the Sun Never Sets.

Bestselling author Stuti Changle's trio of novels are life-changing stories of human relationships, of introspection, and of having the courage to follow your dreams.

Now together in this boxset, they promise to entertain, inspire and, of course, compel you to Make a Move.

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)

Source: IANS