Publish with Us

Follow Penguin

Follow Penguinsters

Follow Penguin Swadesh

© 2020 Penguin India

Archives: Books

Success Is a Numbers Game: Achieve Bigger Goals by Changing the Odds

For fans of James Clear, Nassim Taleb, and Malcolm Gladwell: Stop being someone who could succeed and become someone who predictably should succeed by using a revolutionary “probability hacking” framework to increase your odds of success.

Every goal that you’re pursuing has two hidden numbers attached to it—a probability of success and a probability of failure. Whether you’re trying to start a business, run a marathon, get a promotion, earn a pilot’s license, grow a bumper crop of tomatoes, or sign an acting deal, these two percentages are always lurking in the shadows predicting what is going to happen.

But most of us never think about them. We assume our odds are unknowable and unchangeable. This dangerous lie leads millions of people to fail at goals where they were perfectly capable of succeeding. You can choose a smarter path.

In Success is a Numbers Game, you’ll discover:

• A game-changing new way to diagram a goal and deepen your understanding of how likely you are to achieve it.
• A five-step framework for hacking your “success diagram” to dramatically improve your odds of getting the outcome you want. • A simple test for knowing which of your biggest goals to prioritize and which to quit immediately.
• An upgraded approach to decision making that illuminates optimal choices by exposing potential futures.

Developed by award-winning strategy consultant Kyle Austin Young — a writer for Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Psychology Today — this probability hacking framework harnesses tactics that have been battle tested in business, art, education, philanthropy, politics, sports, and more.

In the context of a single goal, Young’s system could be the secret advantage that changes your outcome. Over the course of several goals, it could transform the trajectory of your career. Applied to a lifetime of goals, it can level up your legacy.

Beyond Life and Death: The Way of True Freedom

Martial arts legend and international movie star Jet Li distills ten powerful insights from his iconic career, his personal life and philosophies, and his thirty-year Buddhist practice

Jet Li’s story defies legend. Born into extreme hardship, he fought his way to become the youngest national martial arts champion in Chinese history at twelve years old, dominating opponents twice his size. He then became one of the first internationally renowned movie stars from China with films including Once Upon a Time in China, Hero, and Fearless. These films redefined martial arts for the modern world, making him a household name.

But behind the glory lay a deeper battle: a search for meaning beyond fame, fortune, and physical skill. After a near-death encounter in the 2004 tsunami, Li turned inward, deepening his study of Tibetan Buddhism and dedicating his life to philanthropy, though he was at the height of his Hollywood career.

For the very first time, Li shares the ten insights that have guided his life, in which anyone can find wisdom, guidance, and power, including:

• life is movement;
• the secret to self-defense;
• separate the bitterness from the pain;
• be a grandson to the world; and
• learn from everyone.

Li invites readers to share his interior life, to hear untold stories from his martial arts and film career, and to meditate with him on the nature of spiritual awakening. If you look deeply, you can see Li’s life philosophy in many of his movies, and in Beyond Life and Death he fully links his own story and spiritual journey with ten actionable insights that anyone can apply to live a healthy and happy life.

The Courage to Choose Yourself: Transforming Life’s Transitions into Your Greatest Growth

‘This book will rebuild you from the ground up with a confidence that will transform as many areas of your life as you allow.’ – Africa Brooke, author of The Third Perspective

Finding the right path starts with trusting yourself to see it.

Looking back, we instinctively know which choices felt right – and which didn’t. So why is it so difficult to know at the time? At these pivotal moments, our inner voice can be drowned out by limiting beliefs, expectations and emotional wounds.

Intelligent Change co-founder Mimi Ikonn understands life transitions. Since emigrating from Azerbaijan to Canada at 16, she’s navigated marriage, motherhood, divorce and the challenges of building successful business. Learning to thrive through change inspired her to write The Courage to Choose Yourself, a soulful, practical guide to reflection, self-trust and alignment with what we value most.

Mimi combines vulnerable personal stories, practical tools, reflective exercises, and a transformative seven-step framework to help readers navigate change with confidence, clarity and self-belief. You’ll learn how to:

– Uncover your own dreams, rather than other people’s expectations of you
– Build self-trust and alignment with your values
– Move through uncertainty with greater confidence and grace
– Transform fear and self-doubt into resilience
– Live more fully, authentically, and unapologetically as yourself

Because the most important decision you’ll ever make is learning to choose yourself.

Contemplation: Expand Time, Transform Your Emotions and Unleash Your Natural Brilliance

Shift from reaction to reflection.

A radically accessible three-step guide to building self-awareness, rewiring emotional habits and practising intentional living.

Drawing on timeless wisdom but writing for today’s challenges, Gene Keys founder Richard Rudd shares a practical and transformative approach to help you slow down, gain perspective and reconnect with what really matters.

Unlike mindfulness or meditation alone, contemplation is an active, integrative technique – one that engages your mind, emotions and body to create deep, lasting change. The more you practise it, the greater the results: sharper insight, higher emotional intelligence and a renewed sense of personal freedom.

You’ll learn how to:

• Pause the mental noise, Pivot emotional patterns and Merge presence with action
• Exercise contemplation every day; no special tools, setting or belief system required
• Unlock your creativity, deepen relationships and bring more abundance to different areas of your life

In a world overloaded with information and urgency, Contemplation offers something rare: a simple path back to yourself. Whether you’re feeling burnt out, disconnected or finally ready to live more reflectively, this is one of those rare books about spirituality that reveals an uncomplicated way to bring more meaning to the everyday.

The Other Side of Justice: An Insider’s View of Indian Judicial System

A no-holds-barred narrative—perhaps the first of its kind—that brings to life the edifying and not-so-edifying realities of India’s ‘temples of justice’.

In February 1994, Justice S. S. Sodhi was transferred from the Punjab and Haryana High Court following a run-in with the then chief minister of Haryana. Sent to Allahabad in what was widely regarded as a ‘punishment posting’—one many of his contemporaries carefully avoided—he had little inkling of what awaited him.

Once celebrated for its decorum, etiquette and ethical standards, the Allahabad High Court, along with several other courts in Uttar Pradesh, had come under the sway of a belligerent group of lawyers who showed scant respect for the law. These lawyers had acquired the dubious ability to browbeat judges at will. Nor were all the judges entirely above reproach.

Determined to restore order, Justice Sodhi undertook serious efforts to clear the cobwebs and streamline the system. As judge and later chief justice, he navigated the politico-legal labyrinth around him while confronting caste prejudice, challenges to his religion and character, arbitrary judicial diktats, and the low cunning that often masqueraded as legal wisdom. Along the way, he made both friends and enemies—the latter ultimately costing him an elevation to the Supreme Court.

Told with remarkable candour and objectivity, this is Justice Sodhi’s story. A compelling—and at times disturbing—account of the Allahabad High Court, it offers a rare glimpse into the sordid episodes that usually remain hidden on ‘the other side of justice’.

Wisdom from the Chariot: Echoes from the Bhagavad Gita for Modern Warriors

In a world of endless distractions, hidden anxieties, and constant noise, the greatest battle is often the one within.

More than two thousand years ago, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna stood paralysed between duty and doubt. Beside him stood Krishna, his charioteer, as a guide to life’s deepest struggles, rather than distant philosophy.

Wisdom from the Chariot brings the teachings of the Gita into the modern world with clarity and practicality. Across eighteen chapters inspired by the Bhagavad Gita, this book explores how to:

• Master your attention in a distracted world
• Recognise the hidden vices that derail your path
• Hear your inner guide amid modern noise
• Build discipline in work, relationships, and habits
• Transform failure into growth and meaning
• Act with purpose without attachment to outcomes

Blending ancient spiritual wisdom with the realities of modern life, this book is a companion for anyone seeking clarity, discipline, resilience, and inner peace. Because the battlefield is not somewhere far away in history . . . it lives within you.

And so does the wisdom needed to navigate it.

The Pill Problem: An Ayurvedic Approach to Listening to Your Body for Lasting Wellness

Why are we more medicated than ever, yet not truly healthy?

The Pill Problem challenges our unquestioned reliance on medication and symptom-based treatment in a world facing rising rates of gut disorders, hormonal imbalance, anxiety, and chronic fatigue.

Drawing on personal experience, clinical practice, and the time-tested traditional wisdom of Ayurveda, the author explores how modern health culture has drifted away from prevention, body awareness, and common sense. This book also helps readers understand what their symptoms are trying to communicate through:

• Simple and effective kitchen remedies
• The principles of seasonal living
• Functional ways to rebuild body awareness and preventive habits

Practical and relevant, The Pill Problem guides readers seeking sustainable health beyond temporary relief and quick fixes, helping them to step out of the pill cycle and reconnect with their bodies.

From Shiva to Schrödinger: Unravelling Cosmic Secrets with Trika Shaivism and Quantum Insights (Limited Edition with Sprayed Edges)

From Shiva to Schrödinger offers a revelatory journey into the teachings of Trika Shaivism and their remarkable alignment with the discoveries of modern quantum physics. This thought-provoking book demonstrates how the profound insights of this ancient spiritual tradition predate and parallel the concepts emerging from the cutting-edge world of quantum mechanics.

With clarity and depth, the author illustrates how the Trika Shaivism philosophy anticipated many of the important discoveries that modern physicists are just beginning to comprehend. He delves into the heart of both ancient spirituality and contemporary science to showcase how concepts like non-duality, the interconnectedness of all existence, and the illusion of separation resonate powerfully with the latest scientific theories of entanglement, quantum superposition, and the observer effect.

All in all, From Shiva to Schrödinger is not just a bridge between ancient wisdom and contemporary insights; it is a beacon illuminating the path to a deeper understanding of our universe and ourselves. So, whether you are drawn to spiritual inquiry or scientific discovery, this book offers a transformative perspective that will enrich your contemporary quest for knowledge.

The Power of Caring: Who Cares, Why It Matters, and How Conscious Caring Creates a Fulfilling and Connected Life

A radical understanding of caring through the lens of consciousness, from a renowned neuroscientist, Vedic scholar, and New York Times best-selling author

Who cares?

It’s a phrase often said with a shrug—a signal of indifference, fatigue, or even quiet frustration. But it may also be one of the most important questions we can ask.

What if it’s the starting point of a better life?

In The Power of Caring, renowned Vedic scholar and neuroscientist Dr. Tony Nader explores the nature of caring itself—what shapes it, why it so often leads to overwhelm or withdrawal, and how it can become a source of clarity rather than confusion.

Drawing on neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, and decades of experience with Transcendental Meditation, Dr. Nader reveals a deeper perspective: caring is not just a personal act—it reflects a fundamental connection we share with others and with life itself. When understood this way, caring becomes not a burden, but a powerful source of purpose, resilience, and fulfillment.

Moving from the personal to the planetary, this book explores essential questions: What is the true nature of caring, and why should we care at all?

• How can we care for both ourselves and others without burning out?
• When does caring turn into control, and how do we set wise boundaries?
• How does care expand beyond the personal, shaping ethics, culture, and the future?

Through engaging reflections, relatable examples, and practical “reset” tools, readers will learn how to:

• Care without becoming overwhelmed
• Set boundaries without losing compassion
• Align their actions with what truly matters
• Transform everyday choices into meaningful contributions

Caring—done consciously—is not just something we give. It’s something that shapes how we live.

Truth and Love

Mahatma Gandhi and Leo Tolstoy are two of the most influential figures in the history of non-violence, truth and social justice. Penned in the early twentieth century, their correspondence forms a powerful dialogue, sharing their philosophies of peaceful resistance, moral courage and spiritual awakening. These letters provide not just a historical record of their shared beliefs in non-violence and peace, but also a continuing dialogue that speaks to the challenges of the present day.

In Truth and Love, Gopalkrishna Gandhi (grandson of Mahatma Gandhi) and Daniil Tolstoy (descendant of Leo Tolstoy), offers a fresh, deep dive into the intellectual legacy, exploring the profound influence their ancestors had on one another, and reintroduces these iconic letters to modern audiences, while offering critical reflections on their ongoing relevance. It emphasizes the power of non-violence both as a practical and spiritual tool for social change, exploring its importance in a world that increasingly finds itself at the crossroads of global conflict, technological advancements and environmental crisis.

error: Content is protected !!