Day and Dastan
Intizar Hussain, translated by N Zaidi & A Bhalla
Thornbird, 2018, Rs 395, pp 190
Two novellas written in Urdu by the master storyteller, who weaves together themes of migration, new geographies and parables of the simplest things in life. His second tale, ‘Dastan’, is a traditional tale of wonder. Its language is lyrical and obsessed with action.
You Do You
Sarah Knight
Hachette, 2018, Rs 499, pp 299
We tend to be ruled by what other people expect from us, as opposed to leaning into who we are and what we want. Rather than feeling confident, we feel insecure. But, it’s time to put your happiness first. The author tells you why it’s okay to be selfish and pointless to be perfect.
Nayak
Satyajit Ray, novelisation by B Chattopadhyay
Harper Collins, 2018, Rs 399, pp 238
Matinee idol Arindham Mukherjee is on his way from Calcutta to Delhi to receive a national award. In the train, he meets Aditi Sengupta, who edits a magazine for modern women. She is not as star-struck as the other passengers and wants to interview him to gain more subscribers for her magazine.
Food: WTF Should I Eat?
Mark Hyman
Hachette, 2018, Rs 499, pp 388
Did you know that porridge isn’t actually a healthy way to start the day? That milk doesn’t build bones, and eggs aren’t the devil? Filled with myth-busting insights, easy-to-understand science and wholesome recipes, this is an invaluable resource on the food we consume.
Life Over Two Beers
Sanjeev Sanyal
Penguin, 2018, Rs 250, pp 223
Written with trademark flair, this collection of short stories crackles with irreverence and wit. In a story titled ‘The Troll’, a blogger faces his undoing when he sets out to expose an internet phenomenon. In the title story, a young man loses his job in a financial crisis and tries to reset his life over two beers.
Dividing Lines
K N Raghavan
Platinum, 2018, Rs 349, pp 344
Sino-Indian relations are fraught with emotions, diplomatic strategies, military stand-offs and global ambitions. The gripping narrative takes the reader from the Panchasheel years to the mutual distrust and the Chinese paranoia over Tibet.
Rail Romance
Krupa Sagar Sahoo, translated by Priya Bharati
Platinum, 2018, Rs 249, pp 233
This is a curious housefly’s account of its journey on the Coromandel Express. Eager to see the world beyond its habitat, the fly sees many places and people before the train is halted in the face of a super cyclone.
Istanbul
Thomas F Madden
Penguin, 2018, Rs 449, pp 400
A spectacular narrative of a city perched on the tip of Europe and grazing the shores of Asia. Tracing its history from the time it was known as Byzantium, Constantinople to up until Istanbul. Drawing upon a lifetime of study, it transports the reader to a city of unparalleled importance and majesty.