BOOKS WE RECOMMEND THIS WEEK

Compiled by: Chirdeep Malhotra

1) “Bitter Orange Tree” by Jokha Alharthi, translated from the Arabic by Marilyn Booth

(Fiction | Format: Hardcover/Kindle | MRP: 442 INR)

BLURB: Zuhur, an Omani student at a British university, is caught between the past and the present. As she attempts to form friendships and assimilate in Britain, she can’t help but ruminate on the relationships that have been central to her life. Most prominent is her strong emotional bond with Bint Amir, a woman she always thought of as her grandmother, who passed away just after Zuhur left the Arabian Peninsula. As the historical narrative of Bint Amir’s challenged circumstances unfurls in captivating fragments, so too does Zuhur’s isolated and unfulfilled present, one narrative segueing into another as time slips, and dreams mingle with memories.
The eagerly awaited new novel by the winner of the Man Booker International Prize, “Bitter Orange Tree” is a profound exploration of social status, wealth, desire, and female agency. It presents a mosaic portrait of one young woman’s attempt to understand the roots she has grown from, and to envisage an adulthood in which her own power and happiness might find the freedom necessary to bear fruit and flourish.



2) “Switchcraft: Harnessing the Power of Mental Agility to Transform Your Life” by Elaine Fox

(Self-Help | Format: Paperback/Kindle | MRP: 355 INR)

BLURB: What is the key ingredient to a happy, successful life? There is no one-size-fits-all solution to dealing with life. Elaine Fox, one of the world's leading psychologists and performance coaches, has witnessed this time and again. In her work coaching top athletes, military leaders and business professionals, she has seen that it's the people who know how and when to switch between different approaches - people who have an agile mind - who achieve the best performance. Drawing on 25 years of scientific research, Fox shares with us her step-by-step guide to what she calls 'switchcraft': the set of skills we need to navigate a complex and uncertain world. Whether it's coping with a difficult boss, overcoming a fear, dealing with hyperactive children, resolving a dispute with a friend or making a difficult choice about where to live or what to do, switchcraft helps us thrive in any situation. Like your own personal life coach, “Switchcraft” shows you how to break out of a rigid mindset to restore your fulfilment, curiosity and zest for life.



3) “Young Indian Innovators, Entrepreneurs and Change-makers” by Rupangi Sharma

(Children’s Books | Format: Paperback/Kindle | MRP: 348 INR)

BLURB: Let’s meet: the teen whose tech company got a $75 million funding, the boy who created the world’s smallest satellite, the nine-year-old who set up her own software firm, the girl who started a social initiative to impart life skills through sports. And many more!
These are the inspiring stories of India’s future generations – innovative thinkers, dreamers and tinkerers – who have created amazing solutions to real-life problems. Aged seven to twenty-one, these youngsters are effecting change from far-flung rural villages, small towns and urban cities. There’s no stopping these kids! Motivated by their passions and the everyday problems they witnessed around them, these wunderkinds have succeeded in making a social impact. Their stories promise a young India, full of pioneers wowing the world with their prowess in technology, innovation and social change.



4) “Help! My Aai Wants to Eat Me” by Bijal Vachharajani

(Children’s Fiction | Format: Paperback/Kindle | MRP: 235 INR)

BLURB: Avi has an extremely annoying habit of seeing the good side (pros) and the bad side (cons) of situations that life tosses his way-just like the curveballs his best friend HJ tosses while playing cricket. Only this time, Avi is in the soup. Just like the mama bear who is known to eat her sickly baby, Avi is pretty sure that his aai wants to dunk him in soup and eat him up. Even though he definitely would not taste good. Now, the only two options in front of Avi are fight or be fried.
Avi’s thoughts on this book: Pro: Reading this book will make you a smart cookie and feed your imagination, especially about all things wild. Con: Cookies are edible and Aai is hungry! Uh-oh. Dig in at your own risk.