Reading aids in the development of optimistic thinking. It expands your mind and provides you with a wealth of information and life lessons. It allows you to gain a deeper understanding of the world around you, stimulating your creativity and keeping your mind engaged.
A list of new releases published by Aleph:
What the Heck Do I Do With My Life?: How to Flourish in Our Turbulent Times
Many causes, including technology, climate change, demographics, and inequality, will cause our planet to change more in this century than in all of human history. Extreme change is offering unparalleled opportunities for individuals, companies, and society, as well as a ‘adaptive challenge.’ Those who can adapt to a fast-paced, complex, dynamic, and unpredictably changing world will prosper. Those who are unable to do so will suffer immensely.
There are obvious signals that we need new ways of thinking about the world and our place in it all over the place. Our old ways of thinking about education, lifestyle, success, and happiness are no longer valid. What are the changes in the workplace? When future jobs are still being invented, how can you know what talents will be useful? Will ‘jobs’ even exist in the future, or will we be relegated to a world of projects and freelance work? What do you do with all of this and more?
What the Heck Do I Do With My Life? is a book on figuring out what you want to do with your life. Ravi Venkatesan argues that effective adaptation in the twenty-first century necessitates a “paradigm shift,” a new attitude, new talents, and new techniques. Ravi also considers how, rather than drifting along like a piece of driftwood, we will need to live life more consciously, making deliberate decisions about who we are, what we do, and how we live.
Neeraj Chopra: From Panipat to The Podium
On the night of August 7, 2021, a billion Indians’ long-held desire came true as Neeraj Chopra won gold in the javelin in the Tokyo Olympics 2020. The wait, on the other hand, had been extremely long. In reality, this is India’s first individual gold medal in athletics since the modern Olympic Games began. The entire country showered him with affection when he did it in his signature flair and smile. The media went crazy, and the youth discovered a new source of inspiration. People flocked to get their photos taken with him, and businesses discovered a new wonder-ambassador. Neeraj Chopra: I’m Neeraj Chopra, and I’m From Panipat to the Podium begins in a small village in Panipat and tells the story of his formative years, which were marked by restricted resources and opportunities. It takes readers through his journey to Panchkula and then to the national camp in his quest to conquer the world.
My Cricket Hero: XII Indians on their XII favourite Cricketers
Pieces from Keki Daruwalla on Polly Umrigar, Fredun De Vitre on Chandu Borde, Gulu Ezekiel on Eknath Solkar, Hemant Kenkre on Sunil Gavaskar, Amrit Mathur on Salim Durani, Kersi Meher-Homji on Vijay Hazare and many more make for a great lockdown read.
It’s A Wonderful World: A Memoir
His book is a provocative read that makes us wish we had a life like his. Khalid Ansari’s life has been an exciting and purposeful journey in service to his fellow human beings, beginning with his birth in Mumbai’s impoverished Madanpura to a father who began his life as an orphan and a mother from a poor household. Ansari has attempted to depict some highlights of a splendored life that he has been lucky to experience, catching stars while chasing rainbows in this ‘donkey’s tale’. It’s been la vie en rose for him, from founding newspapers and magazines to representing his country at the United Nations, accompanying dignitaries on state visits, covering cricket Test matches, nine Olympics, Commonwealth and Asian Games, travelling the world, and being awarded the Padma Shri award. The author has worked hard to keep this narrative from devolving into a ‘I-did-this-did-that’ pat-on-the-back, shabash!’ By ‘spicing’ it up with dollops of frothy stories and self-critical bon mots, he has attempted a discourse on the meaning of life, the ‘right path,’ and the like, even as he has attempted a discourse on the purpose of life, the ‘right route,’ and the like.
The Scindia Legac: From Ranoji to Jyotiraditya
A hard-hitting look at the history of one of India’s greatest families, entangled in wars, public disagreements, and property disputes, from royalty to politics. The Scindia dynasty, a 300-year-old royal family, is possibly India’s sole family known not just for its unending wealth and popularity, but also for its extensive social contribution, primarily through politics. From the time Ranoji Scindia created the dynasty in 1731 through Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia’s reluctant entry into politics in 1957 to Jyotiraditya Scindia’s induction into the Rajya Sabha in 2020, there are countless stories-some told frequently, some seldom. Only Madhavrao-son Rajmata’s and Jyotiraditya’s father-had never lost an election in the three generations of politics over the centuries, according to the book.
Ammi: An Expression of Love
Is a meal only about the proper combination of components, or is there a lot more to it? Ammi is a Tamil word that refers to a traditional South Indian stone grinder known as Ammi Kallu. Warmth, tenderness, and unconditional love are also embodied by the word ‘Ammi,’ which can be communicated in a variety of ways, including cooking. This cookbook is as much about cooking for friends and family as it is about dining with them. The 108 recipes in this book cover the breadth and complexity of South Indian and Southeast Asian cuisines, with a healthy dose of bakes and grills tossed in for good measure.
Decoding Business Minds: Unleashing The Power of Wealth Creation
This is a manifesto to transform a country where a Master of Business Administration (MBA) is mostly used to obtain employment rather than to establish a company! Ajay Gupta, a serial entrepreneur, is the typical Indian businessman. He’s spent more than three decades in the business world, building enterprises that have thrived despite multiple difficulties and challenges posed by the entrepreneurial ecosystem, but especially by a social attitude that dates back to the British Raj. Most Indians are not accustomed to thinking of business as a lifelong vocation. In reality, business is not considered as a reliable source of income in Indian middle-class households. Many of the myths around business and businesspeople are the reason why even individuals with an intrinsic ability to succeed find it difficult to succeed. Many of these illusions are debunked in this book, which examines how India might become really aatmanirbhar and create boundless prosperity for all.
Grow Your Baby, Not Your Weight
An Extraordinary Memoir of Pregnancy, Birthing and Everything Between
You’re expecting a child? That’s wonderful! But being perfectly pregnant… isn’t that a dream come true?
For far too long, Indian women have been taught that pregnancy and motherhood signal the end of their independence. Being a mother used to imply letting go of your fitness, beauty, job, and sense of self. But that is no longer the case. Durga Shakti Nagpal, a distinguished officer of the Indian Administrative Service and mother of two feisty young princesses, gives readers with a precise plan for a flawless pregnancy in her debut memoir. She’ll make sure that the beginning of your life as a mother is done with the attention and accuracy of a drill sergeant, while still being relatable to the average Indian mother-to-be.
Everyday Gita: 365 days of wisdom
Why do we worry about things that don’t need to be worried about? Why do we fear for no apparent reason? This book contains 365 verses of pure knowledge that provide answers to all of our questions. Every day is different in the battleground of our lives, and each one brings its unique set of obstacles. We can never be fully prepared to deal with everything that life throws at us. It’s not uncommon for us to feel disappointed, if not panicked, just as Arjun, the Pandava prince, did just before the Mahabharata battle began. Fortunately for him, Lord Krishna functioned as a therapist and drew him from the depths of his fear. Krishna clarified the situation after 700 verses.
Shuddha: Your Journey Within to Stay Cleansed
The Shuddha programme is a one-of-a-kind blend of clinical holistic nutrition and Ayurvedic principles that has been shown to heal chronic disease patients. Staying cleaned is easier than you were led to believe with this potent mix! The Shuddha programme removes pollutants from your mind, body, and soul that you were previously unaware of. There is no room for infections once these chemicals are discharged. Rachna Chhachhi, a renowned nutritional therapist and cancer nutrition specialist, lays out a step-by-step strategy, complete with recipes and recommendations, for you to follow in order to achieve your goal of being disease-free and emotionally and physically balanced. ‘Do not be fooled by quick fixes, shortcuts, fad diets, or miracle treatments,’ says the author.
Ganga: Re-imagining, Rejuvenating, Re-connecting
Ganga is the river, the life-giver, the mother, and the Goddess, according to different individuals.
This insider’s perspective by two change-makers describes their lengthy and complicated path to date, which has included overcoming problems such as over-abstraction of water, pollution abatement, behavioural change, and forming collaborative alliances in order to achieve their objectives. More importantly, it restored some of the people’s love and respect for their Mother and Goddess.
The authors are adamant that the job isn’t done yet; there’s still a lot of work to be done. However, as evidenced by the findings of this book, the successful trip thus far is a testament to the idea that a work well begun is not only half done, but also provides a road map for future triumphs.
Candy Floss
Candy Floss delves into family, media, the ebb and flow of adolescent emotions, and, most importantly, the gradual revelation of feminine identity in a city setting. The poem is a modern free verse exploration of a declining adolescent’s psyche, influenced by Arvind Krishna Mehrotra, Robert Frost, Wendy Cope, Ranjit Hoskot, William Carlos Williams, and Carol Ann Duffy. Candy Floss is laced with hope and mischief, purposefully leaving a trail of unanswered questions and unresolved angst as the author matures, while discarding a trail of unanswered questions and unresolved angst. The writer, on the other hand, looks at her reality as it is and mourns it pompously.
Pantanjali’s Yoga Sutra
This book, published about 4,000 years ago by Patanjali as a study manual to master the practise of Yoga, has been a time-tested classic on the theory and practise of Yoga. This collection of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras includes the Sanskrit text as well as an in-depth commentary on each sutra, translated by Swami Vivekananda. If you’re looking for a spiritual path to follow, this book’s ageless advice is ideal for you. The traditional sutras encompass yogic teachings on ethics, meditation, and physical postures, among other themes. They give the reader instructions on how to deal with circumstances that arise in daily life. By decoding the sutras, or thought-threads, this book will assist you in managing your mind and achieving physical, mental, and emotional balance.
The Greatest Gujarati Stories Ever Told
The twenty-three stories in The Greatest Gujarati Stories Ever Told represent some of the finest short fiction in Gujarati literature. Selected and edited by translator and writer Rita Kothari, this collection features established literary masters such as K. M. Munshi, Dhumketu, Himanshi Shelat, Dalpat Chauhan, Nazir Mansuri, and Mona Patrawalla, as well as accomplished new voices such as Panna Trivedi, Abhimanyu Acharya, Raam Mori, and others. In K. M. Munshi’s epistolary A Letter’, a childbride is worked to her death as she yearns for her husband’s affection; in Neerav Patel’s ‘Creamy Layer’, the politicized, urban, and upwardly mobile Mr and Mrs Vaghela must confront the deep chasm that has grown between them and their family in the village; in Panna Trivedi’s ‘Maajo’, the story’s eponymous young narrator longs for butter-soft skin and a Shah Rukh-like glance from a young man on the train; in ‘Saubhagyavati: The Fortunate Wife’, Dwiref explores the selfish and oppressive nature of marital sex; in ‘A Drop of Blood’ Jayant Khatri looks at how violent acts engender more violence; Mona Patrawalla explores the tribal region of the Dangs and paints a hairraising picture of the violent forms of power wielded by the Parsi landlords there in ‘The Black Horse’; in Dashrath Parmar’s ‘Nandu’, the narrator struggles to hide his caste in the face of insistent questions; in ‘Jumo Bhishti’ by Dhumketu, we see the wonderful bond between Jumo and his beloved buffalo, Venu; and in Abhimanyu Acharya’s ‘Chunni’, a young woman, Shaili, navigates the world of dating in a cityfar away from home-these and other stories in the collection are passionate, profound, and timeless, showcasing a range of styles and offering a variegated and singular picture of Gujarat.
Touching Peace: Practising the Art of Mindful Living
One of the world’s most well-known Zen Buddhist instructors offers practical advice and meditation practises for practising mindfulness in our daily lives in this book. The book delivers Buddhist knowledge in a straightforward, actionable format that encourages us to be more aware of our surrounds and the natural world’s harmony. Thich Nhat Hanh illuminates the route to peace via gratitude practises and daily affirmations, including a “peace treaty” and a “diet for a mindful society,” among other things.
The City of Incident: A Novel in Twelve Parts
The film City of Incident follows six women and six men as they struggle to maintain their sanity in a city that gives them little control, little hope, and little opportunity of redemption. Their stories intertwine to give us a disturbing glimpse into the lives of those who live on the outside of our perception. These are folks you might see on the subway, see out the window of your automobile, or read about in brief articles on the back pages of the newspaper. They could be among those who observe you passing by from silent balconies, under flyovers, and behind the bank’s glass partition: people who don’t seem to interest you until a fragile moment shatters. The people’s life in City of Incident coalesce into a great darkened lens that presents an unnerving view of a great city and its most powerless inhabitants.
