Category: Recommendations

The simple act of reading and writing by women automatically flipped the narrative for humanity. Since then, there has been no looking back, and certain stories have gone beyond breaking that mould by consciously demanding new perspectives and structures. Here’s a list of five literary works that continue to be the blueprint for reading—and writing—as a woman in the subcontinent.

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Lajja by Taslima Nasreen

A savage indictment of religious extremism and man’s inhumanity to man, Lajja was banned in Bangladesh but became a bestseller in the rest of the world. on 6 December 1992, the Babri Masjid is demolished. The world condemns the incident, but its immediate fallout is felt most acutely in Bangladesh, where Muslim mobs begin to seek out and attack Hindus. The nightmare inevitably arrives at the Duttas’ doorstep, and their world begins to fall apart. 

Lifting The Veil by Ismat Chughtai

At a time when writing by and about women was rare and tentative, Ismat Chughtai explored female sexuality with unparalleled frankness and examined the political and social mores of her time. She brought the idiom of the middle class to prose, and totally transformed the complexion of Urdu fiction. 

The twenty-one pieces in this selection are Chughtai at her best, marked by her brilliant turn of phrase, scintillating dialogue and wry humour, her characteristic irreverence, wit and eye for detail. 

A Promised Land by Khadijah Mastur

In the wake of the Partition, a new country is born. As millions of refugees pour into Pakistan, swept up in a welter of chaos and deprivation, Sajidah and her father find their way to the Walton refugee camp, uncertain of their future in what is to become their new home. 

With subtlety and insight, Khadija Mastur conjures a dynamic portrait of spirited women whose lives are wrought by tragedy and trial even as they cling defiantly to the promise of a better future. 

Fish In A Dwindling Lake by Ambai

‘The body was the only truth she knew. It was the body alone that was left, even as she went beyond the body.’ 

Translated by Lakshmi Holstrom, these stories by Ambai engage uninhibitedly with a woman’s relationship to her body. These stories are illuminated by vivid and unusual characters: from an eccentric, penurious singer-couple who adopt an ape as their son; to a male prostitute who is battered by bimbos for not giving ‘full’ satisfaction; journeys form the leitmotif of these astonishing new stories.

A Gujarat Here, A Gujarat There by Krishna Sobti

Delhi, 1947. The city surges with Partition refugees. Eager to escape the welter of pain and confusion that surrounds her, young Krishna applies on a whim to a position at a preschool in the princely state of Sirohi, itself on the cusp of transitioning into the republic of India. She is greeted on arrival with condescension for her refugee status and treated with sexist disdain by Zutshi Sahib, the man charged with hiring for the position. Undaunted, Krishna fights back. But when an opportunity to become a governess to the child maharaja presents itself, there is no telling how long this idyll will last. 

The Roman god Janus, his two faces looking back into the past and the future, embodied endings and beginnings. This makes him the perfect namesake for the first month of the year.
Halfway through January, we want to know: are you excited about 2022, or are you already feeling tired?
Our January TBR pile is all about moving beyond the spark of New Year Resolutions. From heartwarming memoirs to tongue-in-cheek satire to history from a never-before-seen perspective, each story has the essence of a journey, complete with its ups and downs. We are sure they will inspire you into movement, accept the unexpected, and help you map out your 2022. 

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Written in a frank, fun, no-holds-barred and incisive first-person narrative, Tusshar reveals interesting childhood anecdotes, the process of raising a child as a single man in India, how the search for the perfect soulmate doesn’t stop after having a child and finally how, his son, Laksshya, changed his life forever.  

A double-volume translation, this is a fresh new rendition of one of the oldest Puranas. Reading almost like a travel guide, it celebrates temples and sites related to Vishnu, Shiva and Devi as it focuses on places like modern-day Odisha and Rajasthan. Brimming with insight and told with clarity, this luminous text is a celebration of a complex mythological universe populated with gods and mortals, providing readers with an opportunity to truly understand Indian philosophy. 

Dhirendra K. Jha’s spectacular study lays bare Godse’s relationship with the organizations that influenced his worldview and gave him a sense of purpose. The book draws out the gradual hardening of Godse’s resolve and the fateful decisions and intrigue that eventually led to, in the chaotic aftermath of India’s independence in 1947, Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination.

The internet cannot be avoided, but our relationship with it can change. 

The Art of Bitfulness helps create healthy boundaries between you and the floodgates of the internet. It offers new strategies to reclaim your time, privacy and attention. This book is all about how to live with tech, not how to live without it. 

The goal is not to spend less time on your devices; it is to spend your time on your devices better.

In Kodagu, Karnataka, years of illegal logging and poaching had ravaged the land and decimated the wildlife. Today, with the forests and the ecosystem restored, and the wildlife protected, the SAI sanctuary is a treasure trove of a rich variety of indigenous trees and plants, and a refuge for numerous rare and threatened species of animals, some found nowhere else on the planet. In this deeply fascinating and inspiring personal narrative, Pamela recounts how she connected and communicated with animals and trees at both physical and spiritual levels, and how the only way to save humanity is through understanding and preserving Nature.

Drawing on his own memories and impressions of this unique land, Bond talks fondly about the diverse elements that make up this beautiful land that has been his home for 84 years. From India’s rivers and forests to literature and culture, sights, sounds and colours, A Little Book of India is an amalgamation of the physical and spiritual attributes of our homeland and takes you on a journey filled with nostalgia and devotion. 

From Ananda Coomaraswamy to the Art of Calligraphy, The Meaning of Silence to Farid-ud-din Attar’s great Sufi parable of the Conference of the Birds, among others, Goswamy invites the general, but generally interested and literate, readers to enter, through these pieces, the field of the arts and savour its pleasures. Definitive, engaging, and comprehensive, Conversations promises to be a truly accessible primer on art in India and South Asia. 

When Maneka Pataudi is arrested as the prime suspect for the murder of her ex-husband, she reveals a chilling tale of marital abuse and neglect.
But is her confession the truth or a lie? Is she telling the story as a victim or a perpetrator? And, is it better for women to kill for love or be killed for it?
Based on a true story (mostly), Boys Don’t Cry is a gripping, compelling and courageous novel that takes you behind the closed doors of a modern Indian marriage.  

The serial killer known as the Clipper has enjoyed nine years of infamy as India’s most notorious butcher—until he is cast aside by the media in favour of the sick new slayer, the Doll Maker. The Clipper turns his fury into blood-soaked revenge to capture the top spot. As corpses start to pile up, Simone Singh, assistant superintendent of police, fights to maneuver the Doll Maker into a clever trap. But the Clipper is hell-bent on striking first and regaining the crown with his most grisly murder yet.
Can Simone take down the two serial killers and stop the psychotic competition before it gets out of hand?

As the one-year anniversary of her husband’s death approaches, Renu Amin is binge-watching soap operas and simmering with old resentments. She can’t stop wondering if, thirty-five years ago, she chose the wrong life. In Los Angeles, her son, Akash, has everything he ever wanted, but as he tries to kickstart his songwriting career and commit to his boyfriend, he is haunted by the painful memories he fled a decade ago. When his mother tells him she is selling the family home, Akash returns to Illinois, hoping to finally say goodbye and move on.
Together, Renu and Akash pack up the house, retreating further into the secrets that stand between them. And when their pasts catch up to them, mother and son must decide between the lives they left behind and the ones they’ve since created. The inaugural pick for Lilly Singh’s book club, Tell Me How to Be is the love story of a mother and son each trying to figure out how to be in the world. 

Altaf Hussein, a young Muslim student, has been abducted from his college hostel. The divide between Liberals and Nationalists invades the Sengupta household in Kolkata when Joy, a bank manager, and Rohini, his schoolteacher wife learn the shocking news that their only son Bobby has become a leader of the Nationalist students and is implicated in Altaf’s disappearance. 
Out to solve the mystery of Altaf, Joy and Rohini discover conspiracy and hate, forbidden love and exceptional courage, come face to face with a world caught between the real and the ideal. But will they succeed in absolving their son of the heinous crime? Will Altaf be found after all? Or will they, and this fractured nation, pay the ultimate price for harbouring a fractured heart?

National Award-winning author, journalist and film critic Anupama Chopra writes about fifty films, artistes and events that have left an indelible impression on her and shaped her twenty-five-year-long career. A smorgasbord of cinematic delights to ‘spark joy’  A Place in My Heart is a testament to Chopra’s enduring love for all things cinema. 

The Art and Science of Frugal Innovation comes at a time when the world is grappling with unprecedented issues, including the Covid-19 pandemic that has left all humanity in the eye of the storm. In this book, Malavika Dadlani, Anil Wali and Kaushik Mukerjee deftly explore the scientific underpinnings and social gains of frugal innovations. They also explain how these frugal innovations can help the world overcome a variety of obstacles. While differentiating between frugal and low-cost innovations, this straightforward book also picks the common thread between the two and demonstrates how durable solutions to problems can be found through scientific planning and systematic testing.
 

Rebels Against the Raj tells the story of seven people who chose to struggle for a country other than their own: foreigners to India who across the late 19th to late 20th century arrived to join the freedom movement fighting for independence from British colonial rule. Through these entwined lives, wonderfully told by one of the world’s finest historians, we reach deep insights into relations between India and the West, and India’s story as a country searching for its identity and liberty beyond British colonial rule. 

If we take Ghalib and his myriads of followers out of the equation, will Hindustan be left with a gaping hole or become something quite new? The Muslim Vanishes, a play by Saeed Naqvi, attempts to answer that question. 
A Muslim-free India, as a character speculates naively in the play, would be good for socialism, since what the 200 million Muslims leave behind would be equitably shared by the general population. Meanwhile, another character, a political leader, is traumatized by the sudden disappearance of the Muslim voter base and the prospect of a direct electoral confrontation with the numerically stronger Dalits and other backward classes. 
In this razor-sharp, gentle and funny play, Saeed Naqvi draws on a mix of influences to spring an inspired surprise on us, taking us on a journey into the realms of both history and fantasy.

An organization becomes an iconic brand by retaining only 3 per cent of its products.
A CEO gets more done by organizing ten-minute focused meetings.
A tired person transforms his life by embracing one micro habit of waking up at 5 a.m.
These choices say YES to a small set of things that matter and say NO to everything else. Using extensive research, life experiences, and hands-on exercises, this book reveals the Small Is Big source code and outlines how to apply it.

In Leadership to Last, Geoffrey Jones and Tarun Khanna interview iconic leaders in India who have demonstrated leadership to last. There are leaders from South Asia and other emerging markets as well to illustrate that the ideas Indian entrepreneurs speak about are echoed by their counterparts in the Global South. The authors corroborate how these stories are less about building a get-rich-quick organization and much more about triggering a foundational and institutional change in society. Ratan Tata, Anu Aga, Adi Godrej, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Devi Shetty and Rahul Bajaj, to name a few, inspire awe by displaying audacity of intent, the humility of demeanour and steadfastness of purpose. 

The Bharatiya Janata Party is an idea that was seeded into the minds of nationalist Jana Sangh leaders when they began to envision India after Independence. In this book, senior BJP leader and cabinet minister Bhupender Yadav and leading economist Ila Patnaik come together to trace the BJP’s journey from its humble roots, through ups and downs and to eventually getting 303 seats in Lok Sabha in 2019 and becoming the world’s largest political party. The Rise of the BJP tells us the inside story of how one of the most powerful political parties makes decisions, implements ideas and executes policy. 

December is already here and it feels like it’s getting colder day by day. As daylight wanes faster and our breath spews fog like dragon breath, there’s nothing that distracts us from the winter quite like the perfect read.

Wrap your hands around a cup of your favourite hot drink, tuck yourself into your favourite blanket, and scroll through to find your next favourite book!

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What did Swami Vivekananda recommend about the eating of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food?
Which of these did Swamiji enjoy the most: his mother’s chorchori, his father’s pulao or his own khichuri?
Was he fond of spicy food, sweets, or ice cream?

While many thinkers wonder at Swamiji’s immense enthusiasm for teaching Indian cooking, yet it is not quite clear why no complete book about our culinary-enthusiast monk Vivekananda has ever been published in any language. Swami Vivekananda: The Feasting, Fasting Monk is the humble, illumination of a thousand faceted diamond by Sankar.

You probably know Seema Goswami from her weekly columns for the Brunch and Hindustan Times. In Madam Prime Minister she imports her witty style into a novel centring on Asha Devi, a 29-year-old woman who becomes the leader of the country. Her predecessor’s (who is also her father) assassination, a volatile coalition and inevitable sexism are only some of the shadows hanging over her legacy as India’s youngest Prime Minister. Madam Prime Minister is a must-read for those who enjoy political drama with high stakes.  

Originally written in Italian, Marco Moneta’s book is a unique work of non-fiction about an intriguing figure from Indian history. Venetian Nicolò Manucci’s life in the subcontinent is a chronology of seminal events. From being a chief artilleryman in Dara Shukoh’s battle against Aurangzeb to joining Rajput general Jai Singh against Shivaji, Manucci shifted gears when he became court physician for Aurangzeb’s son, future Mughal Emperor Shah Alam. Later in his life, Manucci’s in-depth knowledge regarding the Mughal Court would serve him as playing a crucial role in diplomacy between the Mughals and European authorities.
A Venetian at the Mughal Court offers a fascinating perspective into a famous historical period, with its focus on an unlikely protagonist.  

Is it even the holiday season if we don’t feel guilty about eating Christmas plum cakes?
Award-winning nutritionist Munmun Ganeriwal would say otherwise. 
In Yuktahaar: The Belly and Brain Diet, Ganeriwal argues that the reason why none of the diets in the past have seemed to work is that they focused on the wrong cause—you, the reader. While we may continue to have a fling with low carb diets, vegan diets, low-fat diets, and everything in between, a long-lasting solution will be far from our reach until we shift our focus from ‘you’ to ‘them’ I.e., the human-gut microbiome connection.
Munmun gives an actionable 10-week holistic program that encourages a gut balancing lifestyle, mainly consisting of food, exercise, sleep hygiene, and neural retraining. It is a three-phased program that focuses on improving the balance and diversity of our microbial community. This book will make sure you have your cake and eat it too!  

Awarded the Padma Shri, the Padma Bhushan and the OBE, Dr Tehemton Erach Udwadia is widely regarded as the father of laparoscopy in India. From 1951, during his years as a medical student, to the present day, he has not only witnessed first-hand the avalanche of surgical progress but has also seen lives saved as a result of these advances, be it a disposable plastic syringe or a liver transplant. 
More Than Just Surgery is a warm personal account of people, incidents, mentors, failures and absurdities against the backdrop of surgery. 

Four Belgian Malinois puppies raised by an ex-serviceman, N. K. Kuruppu, who end up in four different life situations; an old man and a younger man who play a game of death notices cut out from newspapers; two men who argue about the inexplicable change of character of an old-time rowdy with fatal consequences; a nurse and her boyfriend who travel to Kerala with the body of her father who died in Bangalore.
Hareesh’s Adam presents nine unusual stories that explore the more difficult of human emotions—lust, anger, jealousy, vengeance, greed—in a non-judgemental yet detached manner. With an irreverent and sarcastic tone, Hareesh makes these stories invigorating and pushes the craft of the short story to new and refreshing realms. 

A Place in My Heart is a blend of recommendations and remembrances, nostalgia and narratives. National Award-winning author, journalist and film critic Anupama Chopra writes about fifty films, artistes and events that have left an indelible impression on her and shaped her twenty-five-year-long career. Including stories about, Super Deluxe and the Cannes Film Festival, this memoir is a testament to Chopra’s enduring love for all things cinema. 

A month or so before Christmas 2008, Kia Scherr lost her husband and teenage daughter to the horrific Mumbai terrorist attack at the Oberoi. In a second, her life was clouded with grief, and since then, it has been a convoluted journey of resilience and recovery.
In Forgiveness is a Choice, Scherr peels back the many layers of personal bereavement. She moves beyond the incident, focusing on the reality of dealing with sorrow that rears its ugly heads in myriad forms. A tender and understanding guide on getting a grip and taking life one day at a time. 

Why do the Gorkha soldiers of 4/5 GR attack a heavily defended enemy post with just naked khukris in their hands?
Does Pakistan find out the real identity of the young pilot who, after having ejected from a burning plane, introduces himself as Flt Lt Mansoor Ali Khan?
What awaits the naval diver who cuts made-in-India labels off his clothes and crosses into East Pakistan with a machine gun slung across his back?

1971 is a deeply researched collection of true stories of extraordinary human grit and courage that shows you a side to war that few military histories do. 

The C Squadron 45 Cavalry waged an attack on the Pakistani army that brought the latter to its knees. 
On 21 November 1971, the two warring armies clashed in a tank versus tank battle at Garibpur. In one fell swoop, the 3 (Independent) Armoured Squadron, consisting of fourteen American M-24 Chaffee tanks, was destroyed and two infantry battalions badly mauled, followed by the shooting down of three Sabre F-86 jets for the loss of two PT-76 tanks. The biggest attack planned by General AAK Niazi to teach the Indians and the Mukti Bahini a lesson had gone up in smoke. 
The Burning Chaffees is a thrilling war account of the victorious battle by Brigadier BS Mehta.  

Even twenty-five years after he stepped down as prime minister, H.D. Deve Gowda has remained relevant in Indian politics. Despite this long, arduous yet fascinating journey that began in a poor peasant household in the plains of Hassan, there has been no comprehensive assessment of his life and work. This biography endeavours to professionally fill the gap.
The book’s narrative is instructed by Gowda’s rich parliamentary record, archival material and interviews conducted with people associated with him at various stages of his life. The layered narrative is further nuanced by Gowda’s own voice and gargantuan memory. When Gowda became prime minister, many people intuitively registered that Indian democracy had not been rigged or captured by elites and dynasts, and there was indeed space in the system for a self-made person, with no godfathers, to rise. Gowda’s story generated hope then and continues to do so today. 

Eden is the garden of happiness that humanity was cast out of when Adam and Eve, the first human couple, disobeyed the one true God and ate the fruit of the forbidden tree.
This is the essence of Abrahamic lore that emerged over 3000 years ago in the Near East, blossomed in the Middle East, and has since spread to every corner of the world in three forms: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. 
In his uniquely Indian style of storytelling, intimate but not irreverent, Devdutt Pattanaik introduces the readers to the many tales of angels, demons, prophets, patriarchs, judges and kings. It also retells stories from Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Zoroastrian mythologies that influenced Abrahamic monotheism in its long 5000-year-old history. 

Simone Singh, assistant superintendent of police, would rather spend her days locking up criminals than apologizing for her lack of social skills. And she refuses to let anyone stand in the way of her pursuit of the Doll Maker, a ruthless serial killer who dresses up little kids as Barbie dolls and displays their bodies in glass cases.
Another serial killer, the Clipper, who enjoyed nine years of infamy as India’s most notorious butcher, erupts into an all-consuming rage when he is cast aside by the media in favour of the sick new slayer-the Doll Maker. The Clipper turns his fury into blood-soaked revenge to capture the top spot. As corpses start to pile up, Simone fights to manoeuvre the Doll Maker into a clever trap. But the Clipper is hell-bent on striking first and regaining the crown with his most grisly murder yet.
Can Simone take down the two serial killers and stop the psychotic competition before it gets out of hand?
The Girl in the Glass Case is a jaw-dropping psychological crime thriller. If you like determined heroines, nail-biting twists and chilling serial murderers, then you’ll love this rollercoaster ride. 

Karnali Blues, the first novel by the Nepali writer Buddhisagar (b. 1981), was published in Nepali by Fine Print in 2007.
The story draws us into young Brisha Bahadur’s world, a backwater district of a country that is about to undergo radical social, political and cultural change. We share his dreams, his games and his mischief, his loves, his hopes and his fears. We meet the wealth of characters who surround him: the schoolmates, shopkeepers, tea sellers, teachers, policemen, porters, drunkards and rogues of his childhood and youth, and the staff and patients of the hospital where his father lies dying.
With some of the most authentic characters captured by prose, Karnali Blues is a father-son narrative that transcends time and language.  

‘Barkat’ means abundance. An abundance of blessings and auspiciousness. Where there is no dearth and there is no scarcity, a much bigger word that cannot be done justice in translation. 
Born in the small town of Amritsar, Vikas Khanna grew up to be an international chef and fulfilled his dream of getting a Michelin Star. He narrates how his grandmother infused in him the values of sharing food, while the langars of the Golden Temple showed him that community kitchens are perhaps the only way to ensure no one goes hungry.
From these values developed around food, he got the goal and the grit to build one of the world’s largest food drives called ‘Feed India’ during the COVID-19 lockdown.
This deeply personal and heart-touching narrative is a testimony of one man’s vision to showcase Indian culture and the intrinsic value of sharing food to the world. 

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We hope you found something to keep you busy this holiday season!