Recommendations Archives - Penguin Random House India

Echoes of the Epics: Audiobooks to Hear This Diwali

Posted on October 6, 2025October 8, 2025 by bhavika

Diwali is a time to pause — to take a breath between the noise and the light, and to remember the stories that have shaped us. Stories of courage, grace, and faith that continue to speak across centuries.
This year, experience them differently.

Here’s a curated list of audiobooks that bring the spirit of Diwali alive — stories of Lakshmi’s abundance, Rama’s dharma, Hanuman’s devotion, and Sita’s strength. Each one a reminder that light doesn’t just come from lamps — it comes from listening, reflecting, and rediscovering where we come from.

Treasures of Lakshmi: The Goddess Who Gives

Edited by Namita Gokhale and Malashri Lal
The goddess of fortune and grace takes center stage in the concluding volume of Gokhale and Lal’s celebrated goddess trilogy. Treasures of Lakshmi explores the sacred feminine through myth, devotion, and philosophy — from Lakshmi’s 108 names to her thousand blessings. A luminous listen for a festival that celebrates prosperity in all its forms.

Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana

By Devdutt Pattanaik
Through Sita’s eyes, Devdutt Pattanaik reimagines one of India’s oldest epics — tracing her journey from Janak’s daughter to the heart of the Ramayana. With poetic insight, Pattanaik reflects on love, exile, and divinity, turning Sita into more than a symbol — a woman of quiet strength and agency. A moving listen for those who seek new meaning in familiar myths.

The Book of Hanuman

By Parvez Dewan
Hanuman — scholar, warrior, and eternal devotee — comes alive in Parvez Dewan’s engrossing narrative. Divided into two parts, the audiobook first traces Hanuman’s legendary journey alongside Ram, then delves into his divine attributes, iconography, and worship. A powerful story of faith and humility, perfect for when you need courage and calm this festive season.

The Book of Ram

By Devdutt Pattanaik
Who is Ram — man, king, or god? Pattanaik’s intimate portrait explores all three. From his vow to uphold dharma to his contradictions and doubts, The Book of Ram presents a deeply human look at one of the most worshipped figures in Hindu mythology. A profound listen that captures Ram’s serenity amid chaos — the perfect companion for moments of reflection this Diwali.

The Mahabharata (10 Volumes)

Translated by Bibek Debroy
For those who want to dive deep, Bibek Debroy’s complete translation of The Mahabharata — now available in ten volumes — is an unmatched listening experience. Epic in scale and rich in insight, it offers every conflict, question, and revelation that defines this monumental text. Start with Volume 1 and let the voices of the Pandavas and Kauravas fill your evenings.

Jaya: A Retelling of the Mahabharata

By Devdutt Pattanaik
In Jaya, Pattanaik brings together Sanskrit verses, folk versions, and regional retellings of the Mahabharata into one seamless narrative. With over 250 illustrations and 108 concise chapters, this audiobook captures the moral complexity and enduring human truths of India’s greatest epic — from Draupadi’s fire to Krishna’s calm.

The Book of Lakshmi

By R. Mahalakshmi
Lakshmi — goddess of wealth, fertility, and beauty — is explored here not as a symbol, but as a living idea that has evolved through centuries of faith and art. R. Mahalakshmi’s account draws from scriptures, rituals, and iconography to reveal how Lakshmi came to embody both abundance and balance. An insightful listen for those seeking wisdom beyond worship.

The Essentials of Hinduism

By Trilochan Sastry
Curious about the roots of Hindu philosophy? Trilochan Sastry offers a clear, contemporary introduction to the vast universe of Hindu texts — from the Vedas and Upanishads to the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Accessible and insightful, this audiobook helps decode the ideas and principles that have guided Indian thought for millennia.

Rama

By Priya Arora
A lucid, heartfelt retelling of Valmiki’s Ramayana, Rama blends storytelling with moral insight. Priya Arora explores not just the story of the prince of Ayodhya, but the world around him — Vedic life, his descendants, and the poet Valmiki’s own journey. It’s a modern yet faithful narration that captures the essence of dharma and leadership — timeless Diwali lessons in every sense.

Sita’s Ascent

By Vayu Naidu
Vayu Naidu’s powerful reimagining gives Sita her own voice. Through multiple perspectives — Sita, Lakshmana, Soorpanakka, and Rama — the novel explores exile, love, and redemption. It’s a deeply moving listen about resilience and transformation, perfect for those who seek new meanings in old myths.

The diyas will fade, the sweets will be gone, but the stories stay.
They travel through time — from the sage’s voice to the storyteller’s mic, from the page to your ears.
So when you listen this Diwali, you’re not just hearing mythology — you’re part of its echo.

The Labyrinth of Langdon: A Reading Guide for the Curious

Posted on August 12, 2025August 13, 2025 by bhavika

Some books don’t just tell a story.
They open a door.

For over two decades, Robert Langdon, Harvard’s symbologist-in-residence and history’s favorite reluctant detective, has been our guide through hidden corridors of power, faith, and art. Dan Brown’s novels turn cities into codes, paintings into puzzles, and history into a living, breathing manuscript.

This August, as we celebrate Dan Brown Reading Month, it’s time to retrace Langdon’s steps—before a new chapter begins on 9th September.

Angels & Demons

The beginning of the trail.
In Rome, a murdered scientist and a single word—Illuminati—pull Langdon into the eternal dance between science and faith. Every altar becomes a coordinate, every church a cipher in this high-stakes chase through Vatican secrets.

The Da Vinci Code

The one that shook the world.
When a body is discovered beneath the Louvre’s pyramid, Langdon unravels a series of riddles hidden in Da Vinci’s art, leading to the most controversial secret of all—the one tied to the Holy Grail.

The Lost Symbol

America’s hidden manuscript.
In Washington, D.C., the very streets become a codebook. Langdon deciphers Freemason symbols woven into the city’s architecture while racing to uncover truths buried in the foundations of a nation.

Inferno

Hell is just a map.
Guided by Dante’s verses, Langdon races across Florence, Venice, and Istanbul to stop a global catastrophe. Every line of poetry becomes a breadcrumb, each painting a warning etched into the canvas of history.

Origin

The ultimate question.
In Spain, a futurist’s discovery threatens to rewrite the oldest debate in human history: Where do we come from, and where are we going? Art, science, and faith converge as Langdon confronts an answer humanity may not be ready to face.

The Secret of Secrets (Coming 9th September)

The next door awaits.
Little is known. Whispers suggest a revelation buried deeper than any Langdon has faced before—a truth entwined with the very fabric of human civilization. The symbols are already in place. All that remains is for the right mind to read them.

Each book is a cipher. Together, they are a map.
And on 9th September, Dan Brown will draw the next line.

This month, walk the path again.
Decode the past. Prepare for the future.

Shrimp, Gold Bars and Generational Baggage: Meet the Wildly Brilliant 2025 Booker Longlist

Posted on August 4, 2025August 4, 2025 by bhavika

The Booker longlist is here — and it’s anything but boring.

This year’s 10 books take us from shrimp-shanking on a foggy British coast to a gold-bar murder on a Yorkshire farm, from trains where strangers meet and fall in love to Greek cafés where grief lingers like cigarette smoke.

And we at Penguin are celebrating big: five of these bold, brilliant titles are by our authors, including Kiran Desai’s luminous new novel The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny.

The Books Everyone Will Be Talking About

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai (Penguin Random House India)

When Sonia and Sunny first glimpse each other on an overnight train, they are captivated — yet haunted by their families’ failed matchmaking in the past. Sonia, an aspiring novelist back in India after a painful chapter abroad, and Sunny, a struggling journalist fleeing family strife in New York, embark on a search for happiness together. Spanning continents and generations, this is a sweeping tale of love, family, and the alienations of our modern world — and Kiran Desai at her most ambitious yet.

Front Cover The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny — The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny || Kiran Desai

Seascraper by Benjamin Wood (Penguin Random House UK)

Thomas lives a quiet, unchanging life scraping for shrimp on a gloomy British beach, until a charismatic American visitor promises him a future beyond the horizon. This haunting and timeless novel captures the tension between a life constrained by circumstance and the risky pursuit of dreams.

Front Cover Seascraper — **Seascraper || Benjamin Wood**

Audition by Katie Kitamura (Penguin Random House UK)

An actress and a much younger man meet for lunch in Manhattan. Who are they to each other? And what truths lie beneath the performances of their everyday lives? With her trademark precision, Kitamura unspools two competing narratives, rewriting our understanding of intimacy, identity, and the roles we play.

Front Cover Audition — **Audition || Katie Kitamura**

Flashlight by Susan Choi (Penguin Random House UK)

From post-war Japan to suburban America and the North Korean regime, Choi crafts a generational saga teeming with intelligence and heart. When ten-year-old Louisa’s father vanishes on a coastal walk, the reverberations of that night echo across decades and continents in this hypnotic, layered novel.

Front Cover Flashlight — Flashlight || Susan Choi

Flesh by David Szalay (Penguin Random House UK)

An unflinching meditation on mortality, vulnerability, and desire, Szalay’s novel confronts the very essence of what it means to inhabit a human body.

Front Cover Flesh — Flesh || David Szalay

The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits (Faber & Faber)

A poignant and often humorous road trip novel that asks: what’s left when your children are grown and the roles that once defined you have shifted? Markovits delivers a compassionate portrait of long-term marriage and midlife reckoning.

Front Cover The Rest of Our Lives — **The Rest of Our Lives || Ben Markovits**

Universality by Natasha Brown (Faber & Faber)

On a Yorkshire farm, a man is brutally bludgeoned with a gold bar, leading a young journalist deep into a web of power, rhetoric, and rebellion. With the incisiveness that made Assembly a critical hit, Brown delivers a slippery, daring novel about truth, language, and how narratives shape our world.

Front Cover Universality — Universality || Natasha Brown

Love Forms by Claire Adam (Faber & Faber)

Dawn Bishop left Trinidad as a teenager and gave up her baby for adoption in Venezuela. Decades later, a stranger contacts her claiming to be that lost child. In this tender, heart-wrenching story, Adam explores motherhood, longing, and the many forms that love can take.

Front Cover Love Forms — **Love Forms || Claire Adam**

Misinterpretation by Ledia Xhoga (Daunt Books)

An Albanian interpreter in New York becomes entangled in the traumas of those she translates for — and in her own buried memories. Propulsive and unsettling, Xhoga’s debut is a sharp meditation on compassion, communication, and the cost of unchecked altruism.

Front Cover Misinterpretation — **Misinterpretation || Ledia Xhoga**

One Boat by Jonathan Buckley (Fitzcarraldo Editions)

After her father’s death, Teresa returns to a small Greek coastal town to grieve, reflect, and revisit her past encounters there. Quietly powerful and exquisitely constructed, Buckley’s novel grapples with identity, free will, and the enduring ties that bind us.

Front Cover One Boat — One Boat || Jonathan Buckley

Celebrating storytelling without borders

It’s fearless. It’s genre-blurring. It’s full of books that will make you think, feel, and maybe even yell a little.

The shortlist drops in September, and the winner will be revealed later this year. Until then, start reading — these are the books everyone will be talking about.

Which one are you picking up first?

Voices of Wisdom, Echoes of the Sacred

Posted on July 29, 2025August 4, 2025 by bhavika

The Art of Decluttering by Bhawana Pingali
A sensory exploration of nine Indian rituals that help declutter the body and mind. Pingali blends nostalgia, tradition, and mindfulness into a minimalist lifestyle guide.

Front Cover The Art of Decluttering — The Art of Decluttering || Bhawana Pingali

OTP Please: Online Buyers, Sellers and Gig Workers in South Asia by Vandana Vasudevan
A ground-level dive into South Asia’s digital economy through personal stories. Vasudevan captures the triumphs and trials of gig workers, online sellers, and everyday buyers.

Front Cover OTP Please: Online Buyers, Sellers and Gig Workers in South Asia — OTP Please: Online Buyers, Sellers and Gig Workers in South Asia || Vandana Vasudevan

Bhairavi: Maha-Asura Series: Book 2 by Brahmachari Parakh Om
A mythic thriller where Ravana’s deadly yagna threatens cosmic balance. Parakh Om fuses divine avatars, dark goddesses, and real-world terror in this gripping sequel.

Front Cover Bhairavi: Maha-Asura Series: Book 2 — Bhairavi: Maha-Asura Series: Book 2 || Brahmachari Parakh Om

Longform 2025 by Pinaki De, Debkumar Mitra, et al.
A striking anthology of graphic narratives from India’s best artists. Surreal, dystopian, and visually bold, it reinvents longform storytelling through illustrated form.

Front Cover Longform 2025 — Longform 2025 || Pinaki De, Debkumar Mitra, et al.

Trial by Water: Indus Basin and India–Pakistan Relations by Uttam Kumar Sinha
An incisive analysis of the Indus Waters Treaty and its geopolitical weight. Sinha blends history, strategy, and climate challenges in this timely diplomatic study.

Front Cover Trial by Water: Indus Basin and India–Pakistan Relations — Trial by Water: Indus Basin and India–Pakistan Relations || Uttam Kumar Sinha

God’s Own Empire by Raghu and Pushpa Palat
A riveting account of Travancore’s legendary king who defeated European forces. This biography brings naval warfare and southern Indian statecraft vividly to life.

Front Cover Marthanda Varma — Marthanda Varma || Raghu Palat, Pushpa Palat

Life is a Battlefield: Insights from the Eternal Wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita by Priya Arora
A fresh interpretation of the Gita’s timeless lessons for the modern world. Arora distills spiritual truths into practical reflections on courage, clarity, and choice.

Front Cover Life is a Battlefield: Insights from the Eternal Wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita — Life is a Battlefield: Insights from the Eternal Wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita || Priya Arora

The CEO Mindset by Shiv Shivakumar
A no-nonsense playbook for navigating high-stakes leadership in modern India. Shivakumar draws on decades of CEO experience to distill mental models for clarity, resilience, and impact.

Front Cover The CEO Mindset — The CEO Mindset || Shiv Shivakumar

After the Spike by Dean Spears & Mike Geruso
A startling look at the risks of global population decline and why fewer people might mean less innovation. Spears and Geruso make the human case for investing in families and the future.

Front Cover After the Spike — After the Spike || Dean Spears, Mike Geruso

The Legacy of Capt Saurabh Kalia: Kargil’s First War Hero by N.K. Kalia & Sreemati Sen
A poignant tribute to Kargil’s first martyr, drawn from personal letters and military accounts. It recounts the courage, capture, and legacy of a soldier who became a national symbol.

Front Cover The Legacy of Capt Saurabh Kalia: Kargil's First War Hero — The Legacy of Capt Saurabh Kalia: Kargil’s First War Hero || N.K. Kalia, Sreemati Sen

Twenty-One Habits to Yogic Living by Juhi Kapoor
A practical wellness guide rooted in yogic tradition, offering daily habits for body, breath, and spirit. Kapoor’s rituals aim to align modern life with ancient balance.

Front Cover Twenty-One Habits to Yogic Living — Twenty-One Habits to Yogic Living || Juhi Kapoor

Why Your Strategy Sucks by Sandeep Das
Reveals the power of storytelling in driving business success and trust. Das blends corporate insight with narrative psychology to craft a modern strategic toolkit.

Front Cover Why Your Strategy Sucks — Why Your Strategy Sucks || Sandeep Das

The Day The Chariot Came Home by Subroto Bagchi
Part memoir, part leadership guide, this book reflects on public service in Odisha’s skilling mission. Bagchi explores how real change is built through persistence and people.

Front Cover The Day The Chariot Came Home — The Day The Chariot Came Home || Subroto Bagchi

Lore of Love and Saint Gorakhnath by Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nalin Verma
Folk legends and mystic wisdom converge in this poetic retelling of Gorakhnath’s spiritual influence. Stories of Heer-Ranjha and Bharthari reveal the heart of India’s devotional soul.

Front Cover Lore of Love and Saint Gorakhnath — Lore of Love and Saint Gorakhnath || Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nalin Verma

Babur 2 by Aabhas Maldahiyar
A revisionist take on the early Mughal empire through Babur’s political and spiritual struggles. Maldahiyar delves into lesser-known texts to challenge dominant historical narratives.

Front Cover Babur 2 — Babur 2 || Aabhas Maldahiyar

It’s Okay by Jaya Kishori
A heartfelt guide for emotional healing and spiritual calm in turbulent times. Kishori offers warm reminders that it’s okay to falter—and necessary to rise.

Front Cover It's Okay — It’s Okay || Jaya Kishori

Real Life by Amrita Mahale
Set in a remote valley, this literary mystery uncovers memory, desire, and surveillance. Mahale’s lyrical storytelling blurs the line between truth and forgetting.

Front Cover Real Life — Real Life || Amrita Mahale

The Gallery of Upside-Down Women by Arundhathi Subramaniam
A lyrical tribute to women who defy gravity, expectation, and silence. Subramaniam weaves myth, memory, and rebellion into a bold poetic vision.

Front Cover The Gallery of Upside-Down Women — The Gallery of Upside-Down Women || Arundhathi Subramaniam

She Stood By Me by Tarun Vikash
A heartfelt story of love, distance, and growing up in middle-class India. Vikash explores how emotional endurance shapes young relationships.

Front Cover She Stood By Me — She Stood By Me || Tarun Vikash

Human Edge in the AI Age by Nitin Seth
A blueprint for thriving alongside AI through timeless human skills. Seth’s POSSIBLE framework helps navigate leadership, balance, and purpose.

Front Cover Human Edge in the AI Age — Human Edge in the AI Age || Nitin Seth

Please Stop Overthinking by Rithvik Singh
A no-frills guide to silencing mental noise and reclaiming peace. Singh offers practical tools to break the spiral of anxious thoughts.

Front Cover Please Stop Overthinking — Please Stop Overthinking || Rithvik Singh

Beyond the Syllabus by Ankur Warikoo
A practical guide for teens navigating life beyond textbooks. Warikoo tackles confidence, money, and purpose with honesty and heart.

Front Cover Beyond the Syllabus — Beyond the Syllabus || Ankur Warikoo

Big Ideas to Social Change – Parenting Hacks to Inner Peace

Posted on June 30, 2025July 21, 2025 by bhavika

Silent Journeys by Benyamin (translated by Anoop Prathapan)
A poignant collection that captures lives shaped by migration, memory, and silence. Benyamin returns with stories that are deeply human, mapping the quiet dislocations of global movement.

Front Cover Silent Journeys — Silent Journeys || Benyamin (translated by Anoop Prathapan)

Caste: A Global Story by Suraj Yengde
An incisive investigation into caste as a global system of inequality, spanning continents and centuries. Through personal history and sharp analysis, Yengde challenges readers to confront the persistence of social hierarchies.

Front Cover Caste: A Global Story — Caste: A Global Story || Suraj Yengde

Caught Yapping: A History of Cricket in 100 Quotes by Abhishek Mukherjee
From sledges to stump mics, this book tells the story of cricket through its most iconic words. It’s a witty, insightful tribute to the voices that have shaped the game.

Front Cover Caught Yapping: A History of Cricket in 100 Quotes — Caught Yapping: A History of Cricket in 100 Quotes || Abhishek Mukherjee

The Paths We Choose by Monica Rana
A heartfelt memoir of resilience, ambition, and finding one’s way in a world full of expectations. Rana reflects on identity, purpose, and the power of choosing differently.

Front Cover The Paths We Choose — The Paths We Choose || Monica Rana

The Calm Prescription by Luke Coutinho
A science-backed guide to managing stress, improving health, and living with intention. This book offers 75 simple yet powerful strategies to unlock long-term wellness.

Front Cover The Calm Prescription by Luke Coutinho — The Calm Prescription || Luke Coutinho

Charlottesville by Deborah Baker
A gripping narrative that examines the fault lines of race and memory in modern America. Baker blends reportage with reflection in this chronicle of a city—and a country—at a crossroads.

Front Cover Charlottesville — Charlottesville || Deborah Baker

Enter Prompt: How to Navigate India’s AI Future by Barsali Bhattacharyya & Sidharth Sreekumar
A crisp, compelling primer on India’s emerging AI landscape. This book explores how technology is reshaping jobs, ethics, and everyday life in the world’s largest democracy.

Front Cover Enter Prompt: How to Navigate India's AI Future — Enter Prompt: How to Navigate India’s AI Future || Barsali Bhattacharyya & Sidharth Sreekumar

Breaking the Glass Ceiling by Lt. Gen. Shakti Gurung
The inspiring memoir of the Indian Army’s first ethnic Gorkha lieutenant general. It’s a tale of perseverance, service, and rising above historical and systemic barriers.

Front Cover Breaking the Glass Ceiling — Breaking the Glass Ceiling || Lt. Gen. Shakti Gurung

Rhythmic Parenting by Salone Zutshi and Aprajita D. Sadhu
Parenting meets neuroscience in this guide to building strong, secure family rhythms. Grounded in research and experience, it offers a roadmap to help children thrive in a fast-paced world.

Front Cover Rhythmic Parenting — Rhythmic Parenting || Salone Zutshi, Aprajita D. Sadhu

Secession of the Successful by Sanjaya Baru
A provocative analysis of regional aspirations and economic divides in modern India. Baru explores how ambition, growth, and identity are driving a new kind of secessionism.

Front Cover Secession of the Successful — Secession of the Successful || Sanjaya Baru

Shoorveer: The Story of the Hat-Trick Fauji Col R.K. Sharma by Col R.K. Sharma
The true story of a soldier who served on three critical frontlines. Col Sharma’s memoir is a testament to grit, leadership, and unwavering patriotism.

Front Cover Shoorveer: The Story of the Hat-Trick Fauji Col R.K. Sharma — Shoorveer: The Story of the Hat-Trick Fauji Col R.K. Sharma || Col R.K. Sharma

This Book Will Not Teach You Parenting by Riri Trivedi & Anagha Nagpal
A refreshing take on raising kids that throws away the rulebook. Blunt, funny, and full of real-life insights, it celebrates parenting as a messy, evolving journey.

Front Cover This Book Will Not Teach You Parenting — This Book Will Not Teach You Parenting || Riri Trivedi & Anagha Nagpal

On the Brink of Belief: Queer Writing from South Asia edited by Kazim Ali
An evocative anthology that captures the complexities of queer life and belief in South Asia. These bold, intimate voices challenge binaries and carve space for new forms of expression.

Front Cover On the Brink of Belief: Queer Writing from South Asia — On the Brink of Belief: Queer Writing from South Asia || Kazim Ali

Holy Tirthankars: In the Light of Heartfulness by Daaji
A spiritual exploration of Jain Tirthankars through the lens of Heartfulness meditation. Daaji brings ancient wisdom into conversation with present-day inner growth.

Front cover Holy Tirthankars — Holy Tirthankars || Daaji

One Minute Wisdom by Debashis Chatterjee
Short, sharp reflections on leadership, learning, and living with purpose. Perfect for busy readers, each insight is a spark for transformation.

Front Cover One Minute Wisdom — One Minute Wisdom || Debashis Chatterjee

The Nurturing Quotient by Rajesh Ramakrishnan & Nirupama Subramanian
A practical framework for leaders who want to grow people, not just profits. It blends empathy and strategy to build more conscious leadership cultures.

Front Cover The Nurturing Quotient — The Nurturing Quotient || Rajesh Ramakrishnan & Nirupama Subramanian

The Power of Gold by Sundaravalli Narayanaswami
A sweeping history of gold’s influence on India’s economy, society, and identity. From temples to trade routes, it reveals how the precious metal has shaped a civilization.

Front Cover The Power of Gold — The Power of Gold || Sundaravalli Narayanaswami

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion by Vaishnavi Patel
A radical reimagining of mythology through ten fierce female lenses. Patel blends rebellion, divinity, and power in this bold narrative retelling.

Front Cover Ten Incarnations of Rebellion by Vaishnavi Patel — Ten Incarnations of Rebellion || Vaishnavi Patel

The Conscience Network by Sugata Srinivasaraju
A riveting account of journalists, thinkers, and dissenters during India’s Emergency. This book is a tribute to those who stood their ground when it mattered most.

Front Cover The Conscience Network — The Conscience Network || Sugata Srinivasaraju

The Dark Secrets of Johnson & Johnson by Gardiner Harris
An exposé of one of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical empires. Harris uncovers a web of corporate deception, health crises, and broken trust.

Front Cover The Dark Secrets of Johnson & Johnson — The Dark Secrets of Johnson & Johnson || Gardiner Harris

From War Rooms to Boardrooms, Poems to Startups: 20 Must-Read Books of May

Posted on June 3, 2025June 3, 2025 by bhavika

May has arrived with a powerhouse list of new releases that span politics, poetry, leadership, startups, and stories from the frontlines—both military and emotional. Whether you’re a history buff, a startup enthusiast, a literary fiction lover, or a seeker of personal transformation, this month’s new books offer something remarkable for everyone.

Here are 20 must-read books released in May—each one ready to challenge your thinking, spark new ideas, and leave a lasting impact.

Apostles of Development: Six Economists and the World They Made by David C. Engerman

Explore the remarkable lives of six legendary economists—Amartya Sen, Manmohan Singh, Mahbub ul Haq, Jagdish Bhagwati, Rehman Sobhan, and Lal Jayawardena—who shaped the conversation on global poverty and development. An eye-opening history of development thinking from the Global South. A must-read for those interested in economics, inequality, and global change.

Front Cover Apostles of Development — Apostles of Development: Six Economists and the World They Made || David C. Engerman

This Place of Mud and Bone by Sanjay Bista & Anurag Basnet

A sweeping literary novel that captures three decades of life and unrest in Darjeeling during the Gorkhaland movement. Told through the intertwined stories of six schoolmates, it explores how politics and violence shape identity and fate.

Front Cover This Place of Mud and Bone — **This Place of Mud and Bone || Sanjay Bista, Anurag Basnet**

Wafadari Imaandari Zimmedari: War-room to Boardroom by Lt Gen KJS ‘Tiny’ Dhillon

What does it take to lead in crisis—whether on the battlefield or in business? Drawing from real military experiences, General Dhillon shares powerful lessons in leadership, resilience, and purpose. A motivational read for professionals, entrepreneurs, and leaders.

Front Cover Wafadari Imaandari Zimmedari — **Wafadari Imaandari Zimmedari || Lt Gen KJS ‘Tiny’ Dhillon**

Indira Gandhi and the Years That Transformed India by Srinath Raghavan

A compelling biography of India’s first female prime minister and the events that shaped modern India. From the Emergency to her assassination, this is a definitive exploration of Indira Gandhi’s powerful, polarizing legacy.

Front Cover Indira Gandhi and the Years That Transformed India — Indira Gandhi and the Years That Transformed India || Srinath Raghavan

Meet the Savarnas: Indian Millennials Whose Mediocrity Broke Everything by Ravikant Kisana

A bold and necessary exploration of caste privilege in modern India. Kisana shifts the focus from the oppressed to the privileged, offering a fresh, unapologetic critique of India’s urban upper-caste elite and their failure to deliver on the ‘Great Indian Dream’.

Front Cover Meet the Savarnas — **Meet the Savarnas || Ravikant Kisana**

Commanded by Destiny: A General’s Rise from Soldier to Statesman by General S.M. Shrinagesh

The life story of one of India’s greatest generals who helped modernize the Indian Army and became the first military officer to serve as a state governor. Based on personal notes, this biography is a rich tribute to a true patriot and visionary.

Front Cover Commanded by Destiny — **Commanded by Destiny || General SM Shrinagesh**

The Ghadar Movement by Rana Preet Gill

Unearth the forgotten history of India’s revolutionary fight against British rule, led by Indian immigrants in the US. This deeply researched book brings to light the courage, betrayals, and legacies of the Ghadar heroes.

Front Cover The Ghadar Movement — **The Ghadar Movement || Rana Preet Gill**

Startups of Bharat by Aditya Arora & Surya Pasricha

Meet the next generation of Indian entrepreneurs who are reshaping Bharat from the ground up. With inspiring stories of founders under 30 and a practical startup framework (RISING), this book is ideal for aspiring entrepreneurs and changemakers.

Front Cover Startups Of Bharat — **Startups of Bharat || Aditya Arora, Surya Pasricha**

Adivasi or Vanvasi by Kamal Nayan Choubey

A deeply researched exploration of the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram’s evolving role in tribal India, revealing the untold story of its political and social influence across regions. A vital read for understanding modern India’s complex socio-political landscape.

Front Cover Adivasi or Vanvasi — **Adivasi or Vanvasi || Kamal Nayan Choubey**

Death of a Gentleman by Riva Razdan

A gripping psychological thriller set in Mumbai’s elite circles, where the sudden death of a wealthy father exposes dark secrets, rivalries, and the true cost of ambition and survival.

Front Cover Death of a Gentleman — **Death of a Gentleman || Riva Razdan**

The Storypreneur’s Playbook by Prateek Roy Chowdhury, Nitin Babel

Discover the entrepreneurial hero’s journey through fifteen inspiring stories of India’s trailblazing founders, packed with practical lessons and emotional insights for aspiring changemakers.

Front Cover The Storypreneur’s Playbook — **The Storypreneur’s Playbook || Prateek Roy Chowdhury, Nitin Babel**

The Game Changers by Yuvnesh Modi, Rahul Kumar, Alok Kothari

Twenty extraordinary success stories of IIT Kharagpur alumni who dared to dream big, showcasing the grit and passion behind some of India’s most impactful entrepreneurial ventures.

Front Cover The Game Changers — **The Game Changers || Yuvnesh Modi, Rahul Kumar, Alok Kothari**

Plated by Parth

A delightful baking guide filled with step-by-step recipes, expert tips, and creative twists to help both beginners and pros master the art of baking delicious treats at home.

The Penguin Book of Poems on the Indian City — edited by Bilal Moin

An immersive anthology capturing the spirit, struggles, and stories of 37 Indian cities through 375 evocative poems spanning centuries and languages.

Front Cover The Penguin Book of Poems on the Indian City — **The Penguin Book of Poems on the Indian City || Bilal Moin**

The M Factor by Anubha Doshi

A heartfelt collection of essays by mothers exploring Indian parenting through mindfulness, autonomy, and real-life emotions, offering fresh perspectives on motherhood.

Front Cover The M Factor — **The M Factor || Anubha Doshi**

The Man Who Became Cinema by Ashok Chopra

An in-depth tribute to Dilip Kumar’s cinematic genius, analyzing his iconic performances and the artistry behind India’s first Method actor.

Front Cover The Man Who Became Cinema — **The Man Who Became Cinema || Ashok Chopra**

R.D. Karve: The Champion of Individual Liberty by Nadeem Khan, Dr Anant Deshmukh

The fascinating biography of a radical social reformer whose pioneering work on birth control challenged orthodox society in early 20th-century Maharashtra.

Front Cover R.D. Karve: The Champion of Individual Liberty — **R.D. Karve: The Champion of Individual Liberty || Nadeem Khan, Dr Anant Deshmukh**

The Co-Intelligence Revolution by Venkat Ramaswamy, Krishnan Narayanan

A visionary guide to the future where human creativity and AI co-create new value, transforming industries, ecosystems, and how we live and work.

Front Cover The Co-Intelligence Revolution — **The Co-Intelligence Revolution || Venkat Ramaswamy, Krishnan Narayanan**

Timeless Skills by Nishant Saxena

A practical playbook revealing the traits and wisdom behind career success, offering a framework for professional growth and life enrichment.

Front Cover Timeless Skills — **Timeless Skills || Nishant Saxena**

The Cheating Husband James Caine

A twisting psychological thriller about deception, love, and dark secrets, perfect for fans of gripping, mind-bending mysteries.

Front Cover The Cheating Husband — **The Cheating Husband || James Caine**

21 Big Ideas That Will Change Your Life by Darius Foroux

Timeless wisdom distilled from history’s greatest minds to challenge how you think about success, happiness, and living a meaningful life.

Front Cover 21 Big Ideas That Will Change Your Life — **21 Big Ideas That Will Change Your Life || Darius Foroux**

Heart Lamp’ Wins the 2025 International Booker Prize: A Landmark Moment for Regional Storytelling

Posted on May 21, 2025May 21, 2025 by bhavika

In a historic win for regional storytelling and translation, Heart Lamp, a collection of stories by Banu Mushtaq and translated by Deepa Bhasthi, has been awarded the 2025 International Booker Prize. Originally written in Kannada, Heart Lamp offers a searing, tender, and witty look at the lives of women and girls in Muslim communities in southern India.

Front Cover Heart Lamp — Heart Lamp || Banu Mushtaq

Through a rich, spoken style that is both colloquial and emotionally charged, Banu Mushtaq crafts portraits that are as unforgettable as they are urgent. Her characters — spirited children, resilient grandmothers, helpless husbands, and, above all, the mothers who carry unbearable emotional burdens — are rendered with piercing empathy and insight.

A former journalist and lawyer, Mushtaq’s commitment to justice and women’s rights pulses through every page. She does not shy away from the tensions of caste, patriarchy, and religious conservatism — instead, she lays them bare, and often with sharp wit.

Translated with lyrical precision by Deepa Bhasthi, Heart Lamp is more than a collection of stories — it is a living archive of resistance, tenderness, and truth. Its recognition by the Booker jury is a powerful affirmation of the importance of regional voices and the transformative power of translation.

This win marks a watershed moment not just for Kannada literature, but for all the unsung stories that are waiting — burning — to be told.

Books That Leave a Mark: Bold Voices, Big Questions, and Unforgettable Journeys

Posted on May 7, 2025August 13, 2025 by bhavika

Penguin presents a dynamic collection of books that journey across borders, explore the depths of history, nature, war, and identity, and reimagine mythology, leadership, and legacy. Whether you’re looking to reflect, escape, or be inspired, there’s a book waiting to meet you.

Missions, Mantras, Migrants and Microchips by Leonard A. Gordon
An epic chronicle of the Indo-US relationship from the 18th century to the tech-powered present, this deeply researched work offers a fresh perspective on a bond that shapes global politics and pop culture alike. Gordon brings to light both celebrated and unsung figures who have shaped this powerful connection.

Front Cover Missions, Mantras, Migrants and Microchips — Missions, Mantras, Migrants and Microchips || Leonard A. Gordon

Sacred by Vasudha Rai
A gorgeously curated compendium of 52 sacred plants from across India, Sacred blends ecology, mysticism, and wellness into a single volume. From the spiritual aura of the rudraksha to the healing essence of jasmine, this book invites readers to reconnect with nature through rituals, recipes, and reverence.

Front Cover Sacred — Sacred || Vasudha Rai

Letters From Gaza
A hauntingly beautiful anthology that captures the lived reality of war through poetry, letters, and monologues. Thirty voices from Gaza give shape to loss, love, fear, and resilience—making this a necessary and urgent read that humanizes headlines and brings heart to global tragedy.

Front Cover Letters From Gaza — Letters From Gaza || Various Authors

Sing, Dance and Lead by Hindol Sengupta
A unique blend of spiritual philosophy and modern leadership strategy, this book revisits the teachings of ISKCON founder Srila Prabhupada to offer timeless lessons in inspiration, integrity, and influence. A must-read for professionals and seekers alike.

Front Cover Sing, Dance And Lead — Sing, Dance And Lead || Hindol Sengupta

Telecom Wars by Deepali Gupta
Go behind the scenes of India’s telecom revolution in this fast-paced account of ambition, innovation, and corporate conflict. Deepali Gupta brings to life the billion-voice battle that redefined communication and transformed the Indian economy.

Front Cover Telecom Wars — Telecom Wars || Deepali Gupta

Mahabharata 2025 by Divyansh Mundra
What if the ancient war wasn’t a myth, but a prophecy? In this high-octane fantasy thriller, a social media influencer discovers he holds the key to an epic battle foretold by the gods. A gripping reimagination of mythology for the digital age.

Front Cover Mahabharat 2025 — Mahabharat 2025 || Divyansh Mundra

What’s Your Price, Mr. Shivaswamy? by M.R. Dattathri
Retirement was supposed to be peaceful—until Shivaswamy finds himself caught between crooked builders and moral dilemmas. A sharp, satirical, and heartfelt novel set in Bengaluru, this story asks: how much would you sacrifice for peace of mind?

Front Cover What’s Your Price, Mr. Shivaswamy? — What’s Your Price, Mr. Shivaswamy || M.R. Dattathri

Honest John by Bakhtiar K. Dadabhoy
The forgotten architect of India’s economic institutions returns to the spotlight in this detailed biography of John Matthai. A statesman, scholar, and reformer, Matthai’s story is essential reading for anyone interested in the making of modern India.

Front Cover Honest John — Honest John || Bakhtiar Dadabhoy

Delhi Disco by Shikhar Goyal
Love, nightlife, and a touch of noir collide in this quirky, pulsing debut about a DJ, a Delhi club, and a spiraling mystery. Delhi Disco is a genre-blending romp through music, heartbreak, and millennial chaos.

Front Cover Delhi Dicso — Delhi Disco || Shikhar Goyal

This American Woman by Zarna Garg
Comedian Zarna Garg reflects on her journey from India to the US with warmth, wit, and sharp insight. For anyone who’s ever straddled two worlds or chased a dream with their whole heart—this one’s for you.

Front Cover This American Woman — This American Woman || Zarna Garg

Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq
A Booker-shortlisted collection of 12 stories spotlighting the lives of Muslim and Dalit women in South India. Deeply empathetic, richly metaphorical, and rooted in oral tradition.

Songs Our Bodies Sing by Lindsay Pereira
Stories set at the intersection of East and West—from Bombay to London to Toronto—revealing how music, memory, and identity travel across continents.

Front Cover Songs Our Bodies Sing — Songs Our Bodies Sing || Lindsay Pereira

Gandhi: And the End of Nonviolence by Manash Firaq Bhattacharjee
An intellectual exploration of Gandhi’s philosophy during the Partition years. Urgent, rigorous, and deeply relevant to today’s political discourse.

Front Cover Gandhi- The End of Non-Violence — Gandhi- The End of Non-Violence

A Glimpse of My Life by Ram Prasad Bismil
The jail-written memoir of a revolutionary icon—fierce, poetic, and surprisingly progressive in its reflections on caste, gender, and nationalism.

Front Cover A Glimpse of My Life — A Glimpse of My Life || Ram Prasad Bismil, Awadhesh Tripathi

The Dead Know Nothing by Kishore Ram
Murder disturbs the peace on a remote island in Kerala. Atmospheric and sharply written, this literary whodunit blends suspense with social insight.

Front Cover The Dead Know Nothing — The Dead Know Nothing || Kishore Ram

Celebrating a Stellar Lineup: Penguin Random House titles shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2025

Posted on April 16, 2025April 16, 2025 by bhavika

We are thrilled to announce that five out of the six shortlisted titles for The International Booker Prize 2025 are published or distributed by Penguin Random House. This impressive lineup showcases the diversity and excellence of our publishing list and we are honoured to share this news with our readers and authors.

The shortlisted titles include:

Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq

In Heart Lamp, Banu Mushtaq exquisitely captures the everyday lives of women and girls in Muslim communities in southern India. Published originally in the Kannada, these portraits of family and community tensions testify to Mushtaq’s years as a journalist and lawyer, in which she tirelessly championed women’s rights and protested all forms of caste and religious oppression. Written in a style at once witty, vivid, colloquial, moving and excoriating, it’s in her characters – the sparky children, the audacious grandmothers, the buffoonish maulvis and thug brothers, the oft-hapless husbands, and the mothers above all, surviving their feelings at great cost – that Mushtaq emerges as an astonishing writer and observer of human nature, building disconcerting emotional heights out of a rich spoken style. Her opus has garnered both censure from conservative quarters as well India’s most prestigious literary awards; this is a collection sure to be read for years to come.

A Leopard-Skin Hat by Anne Serre

A Leopard-Skin Hat may be Anne Serre’s most moving novel yet. A masterpiece of simplicity, emotion and elegance, it is the story of an intense friendship between the Narrator and his close childhood friend, Fanny, who suffers from profound psychological disorders.
A series of short scenes paints the portrait of a strong-willed and tormented young woman battling many demons, and of the Narrator’s loving and anguished attachment to her. Serre poignantly depicts the bewildering back and forth between hope and despair involved in such a relationship, while playfully calling into question the very form of the novel. Written in the aftermath of the death of the author’s little sister, A Leopard-Skin Hat is both the celebration of a tragically foreshortened life and a valedictory farewell.

Front Cover A Leopard-Skin Hat — A Leopard-Skin Hat || Anne Serre

On the Calculation of Volume by Solvej Balle

On the Calculation of VolumeBalle is hypnotic and masterful in her remixing of the endless recursive day, creating curious little folds of time and foreshadowings: her flashbacks light up inside the text like old flash bulbs.The first volume’s gravitational pull—a force inverse to its constriction—has the effect of a strong tranquilizer, but a drug under which your powers of observation only grow sharper and more acute. Give in to the book’s logic (its minute movements, its thrilling shifts, its slant wit, its slowing of time) and its spell is utterly intoxicating.writing that listens.

Front Cover On The Calculation of Volume — On The Calculation of Volume || Solvej Balle

Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico

Anna and Tom, an expat couple, have fashioned a dream life for themselves in Berlin. They are young digital “creatives” exploring the excitements of the city, freelancers without too many constraints, who spend their free time cultivating house plants and their images online. At first, they reasonably deduce that they’ve turned their passion for aesthetics into a viable, even enviable career, but the years go by, and Anna and Tom grow bored. As their friends move back home or move on, so their own work and sex life—and the life of Berlin itself—begin to lose their luster. An attempt to put their politics into action fizzles in embarrassed self-doubt. Edging closer to forty, they try living as digital nomads only to discover that, wherever they go, “the brand of oat milk in their flat whites was the same.”

Perfection—Vincenzo Latronico’s first book to be translated into English—is a scathing novel about contemporary existence, a tale of two people gradually waking up to find themselves in various traps, wondering how it all came to be. Was it a lack of foresight, or were they just born too late?

Front Cover Perfection — Perfection || Vincenzo Latronico

Under the Eye of the Big Bird by Hiromi Kawakami

In the distant future, humans are on the verge of extinction and have settled in small tribes across the planet under the observation and care of “Mothers.” Some children are made in factories, from cells of rabbits and dolphins; some live by getting nutrients from water and light, like plants. The survival of the race depends on the interbreeding of these and other alien beings–but it is far from certain that connection, love, reproduction, and evolution will persist among the inhabitants of this faltering new world.

Unfolding over fourteen interconnected episodes spanning geological eons, at once technical and pastoral, mournful and utopic, Under the Eye of the Big Bird presents an astonishing vision of the end of our species as we know it.

Front Cover Under The Eye of The Big Bird — Under The Eye of The Big Bird || Hiromi Kawakami

These titles represent some of the best in contemporary fiction, exploring themes that range from identity and culture to philosophy and human relationships. We are proud to bring these stories to readers in India and around the world and we look forward to seeing which title will take home the prize.

New Books, Same Ever-Growing TBR

Posted on April 3, 2025 by bhavika

Books. They are like time machines that can take us to places we have never been, make us think about things we never considered, and open our eyes to stories that stay with us long after the last page is turned. Some books are easy to forget, but the ones we’re talking about here? They will make you pause, reflect, and maybe even change the way you see the world. From memoirs that explore the heart of human experience to histories that give voice to those often left in the shadows, these books don’t just entertain—they challenge us to think deeper, question more, and, most importantly, feel.

GeoTechnography: Mapping Our Digital Societies

In an era defined by rapid technological change, a seismic shift is underway. From the rise of digital platforms that mediate our interactions—with markets, with governments, and perhaps most importantly, with each other as citizens—to the growing tension between our online personas and our real-world identities, the forces of technology, geography, and society are colliding in ways we are only beginning to understand.

Even as technology opens up new opportunities for civic engagement, it simultaneously disrupts the very foundations of societal cohesion. The digital age has given rise to a new stage for global drama—one where surveillance, the weaponization of information, and the erosion of trust in national and multilateral institutions are playing out in real time. But as these forces evolve, so too must our understanding of how individuals and societies can navigate them.

Will digital societies endure, or are they doomed to collapse under the weight of their own contradictions? Can democracy as we know it survive in a world where power is increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few tech giants? And as nations grapple with the changing dynamics of governance, how will international norms, laws, and institutions adapt?

In GeoTechnoGraphy, Samir Saran and Anirban Sarma offer a compelling analysis of the forces reshaping the modern world. Drawing on groundbreaking research and incisive insights, they examine how the convergence of geography and technology—geotechnography—is redefining power and writing new rules for its exercise.

Front Cover GeoTechnoGrapgy — GeoTechnoGrapgy || Samir Sarani, Anirban Sarma

Solo

Barely a year into college, Indrajeet More is offered to host a travel show on budget backpacking across India. As he undertakes a year-long journey across thirteen cities, what unfolds is a string of surreal life experiences—from getting lost in the forests of coastal Karnataka to camping amid the snowy peaks of the Himalayas, from hunting for the best toddy shop in rural Kerala to dancing to the beats of Naga folk songs. Through this journey, Indrajeet discovers novelty and relatability in diverse cultures by reflecting on his upbringing in a Maharashtrian household. He navigates the inevitable boredom of solo travel and the anxiety of uncertainty, ultimately seeking belongingness in the most unfamiliar of places. Solo is a raw, unfiltered backpacker’s gaze at contemporary India, about learning to read people beyond language, understanding food beyond ingredients, hearing stories beyond regions and, most importantly, finding a sense of home away from home.

The Indian Stock Market Simplified

There are three ways in which people can make money through the stock market: by investing, by trading or both. However, whether one invests, trades or does both, a fundamental understanding of how the stock market works is critical. Clichéd as it may sound, this book provides a fresh perspective on how the Indian stock market works. Offering a bird’s eye view of the Indian capital market, it succinctly and incisively analyses its history and discusses the role of its various participants. More importantly, the book offers proven strategies, supplemented by accessible case studies, to beginners to invest and trade in stocks. Lucidly written by two of the most sought-after finance-related content creators with years of experience in investing and trading, The Indian Stock Market Simplified is a must-read for everyone looking to navigate the complexities of the stock market and achieve their financial goals.

Can We be Strangers Again?

In the electric haze of college life, three friends are bound by laughter, late-night talks and unspoken promises. But when two of them cross the line from friendship into love, everything changes. Betrayal shatters their world, leaving one friend to pick up the pieces while navigating her own complicated feelings. As friendships fracture and love grows tangled, hearts are broken, and choices become irreversible. Caught between the ache of lost friendship and the bittersweet pull of love, Dev must decide if he’s willing to risk everything—again.

Hedgewar

Hedgewar chronicles the untold story of the enigmatic founder of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), whose vision for India’s cultural revival continues to shape the nation’s socio-political landscape. Through meticulous research and vivid storytelling, this biography traces Hedgewar’s journey from an orphaned child in colonial India to the mastermind behind one of the world’s most secretive organizations.

Set against the backdrop of a country grappling with colonial rule, rising communal tensions, and the complexities of modernity, this book opens a window to Hedgewar’s philosophy of cultural nationalism, his challenges with contemporaries like Gandhi, Nehru and Savarkar, and his transformative leadership. More than a biography, this work is a window into the labyrinth of India’s civilizational ethos, offering a nuanced perspective on the RSS’s origins and its impact on India today. Hedgewar: A Definitive Biography is a must-read for those seeking to understand modern India’s complexities through the life of one controversial, yet extraordinary man.

Front Cover Hedgewar — Hedgewar || Sachin Nandha

Pixels to Profits

The Creator Economy is estimated to be valued at a staggering half-a-trillion dollars by 2027. Packed with actionable insights, Pixels to Profits aims to help businesses to make the best use of the creator marketplace, help creators better monetize their talent, reach new audiences and inspire you to embark on your content creation journey. With a remarkable journey managing over 120,000 creators across YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, the author has meticulously deconstructed the intricacies of the Creator Economy in a manner that is both comprehensive and accessible. Whether you’re an executive, an entrepreneur or an aspiring creator in the creator economy, this book will guide you in your steps to success.

You Become What You Think

This book isn’t just about reading—it’s about tangible change. With actionable insights, it’ll reshape your thinking and empower you to unlock the best version of yourself.

Are you searching for a way to improve your life, increase your happiness and achieve your full potential? Then this is just the book for you. You Become What You Think is a practical guide to personal growth. Within its pages lie actionable insights that will transform your perspective on life and the world around you. Author Shubham Kumar Singh has carefully crafted this book from his own journey through countless volumes, distilling the most impactful lessons from diverse topics. Each insight is presented in a clear, accessible format, designed for effortless application to your own life. The primary aim? To enhance your self-awareness and nurture personal growth. It will gift you with a fresh outlook on life and a deeper understanding of your true self.

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