Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Message sent to twistntales@yahoogroups.com today

Hi all,

Welcome to the season of budgets, board exams, other exams, sleepless nights, financial year end, insurance policies, taxes.. and planning for summer holidays! Yeah! That’s something we wait for too!

In our next mail we will cover our plans for summer vacations, but as of now, we have a long list of lovely books that are just waiting to be read! But first, our good wishes to all kids who have worked so hard for impending Board exams. May your efforts be rewarding!

New Arrivals:

WoW:

“MAD” Box set @ Rs. 4695/-

Amongst MAD magazines usual gang of idiots Don Martin the artist, was aptly designated ‘MAD’s Maddest Artist’. Martin’s characters were unique- with bulbous noses atop bodies supported by pigeon-toed legs anchored by hinged feet! The characters include Fester Bestertester and his friend Karbunkle. What this certainly promises is two full volumes of the best of MAD!

All of Amitav Ghosh’s completely WOW books, though long lost, now coming back in fresh Hardbound versions. The following have been released this month.

“In An Antique Land” @ Rs. 495/- pgs 336

Combining fiction, history and travel writing, the mystery of Egypt in conjunction with India comes alive in this fantastic travelogue.

“The Shadow Lines” @ Rs. 395/- pgs 277

Out of a miraculously complex web of memories, relationships and images emerges a vivid, funny, introspective story of how your home could just as well become your enemy.

“The Calcutta Chromosome” @ Rs. 395/- pgs 262

Back to the nineteenth century from an unspecified time in the future, this is an intriguing journey through the adventures of an enigmatic scientist, keen on Sir Ronald Ross’s studies on malaria, in search of the elusive ‘Calcutta Chromosome’.

“The Circle of Reason” @ Rs. 495/- pgs 457.

Tracing an orphan’s journey across two continents from Calcutta to Goa and on to Africa the tempo of this story builds up to span a few decades initially, the second part unfolds over a few weeks and the third races through a single day -reminiscent of an Indian classic Raga.

Management:

“Billions of entrepreneurs: How China and India are reshaping their futures and yours” by Tarun Khanna @ Rs.595/- pgs 353

On–the-ground stories in conjunction with thorough research is used in this book to show how entrepreneurs in China and India are powering change through new business models and bringing hope to countless people. Issues such as the need for information accessibility, transparency and reliability; balance between private property and public interests, the need to encourage and fund indigenous enterprise etc are deftly handled and highlighted.

“Boom! 7 Choices for Blowing the Doors off Business-as-usual” by Kevin and Jackie Freiberg @ Rs. 395/- pgs 286

Twenty years of talking to America’s most innovative and unconventional business leaders and liberated employees has resulted in this eye-opening book by the Friebergs. They strongly advocate that that leadership doesn’t come from having an official title but from making choices; to serve others, take on risk, assume responsibility and discover a life where passion and excitement replace ho-hum routine. Boom! is the wake up call for every business leader who wants to change the DNA of an organization doing business as usual.

“The Inside Advantage: The strategy that unlocks the hidden growth in your business” by Robert H. Bloom @ Rs. 510/- pgs 224

Robert Bloom, CEO of Publicis Worldwide is the reason why companies such as Nestle and L’Oreal have become household names. The inside advantage or the hidden potential which exists in every enterprise can lead to the future growth of a company. Based on his 45 years of experience, Bloom explains a four-step method called the Growth Discovery Process .The process begins at the vital step of identifying a target group and goes right up to offering them more than your competitors.

“The Power of Unreasonable People: How social entrepreneurs create markets that change the world” by John Elkington and Pamela Hartigan @ Rs.1145/- pgs 239

The authors show how apparently unreasonable innovators have built their enterprises and made them consistently successful. By drawing powerful lessons from these pioneer’s market research, business models like- The Aravind Eye Care System in India, The social stock exchange in Brazil and Parquesoft in Columbia, one could gain vital insights into future opportunities for one’s organization.
Indian Writing:

“Tales from the Puffugees” by Jaspar Utley @ Rs.250/- pgs 179

A witty and entertaining book takes a definite crack at social do’s! Banished to the verandah, the puffers club vengefully have a good time entertained by a general!

“Stolen Treasure and other stories” by Rabindranath Tagore @ Rs.195/- pgs 230

Here is the short story elevated to a serious art form. Replete with wit, humour and intermingled with psychological and social realism are eighteen superb short stories that are refreshingly varied and display Tagore’s range as a writer.

“Generation 14” by Priya Sarukkai Chabria @ Rs.295/- pgs 284

Clone 14/54/G is troubled. The problem is her memory. Not the lack of it but its excess. In her world memory is forbidden. Yet, her past lives haunt her. This is not supposed to happen. Finally clone 14/54/G decides to research her original that lived in the 21st and 22nd centuries. Generation 14 is a political satire that explores the highpoints of India’s history, its plural identity and what it means to be human in today’s polarized world.

“Aditi and her friends help the Budapest Changeling” by Sunita Namjoshi @ Rs.80/- pgs 65 (Young Adults)

In this enchanting fairy tale, Siril the ant finds himself afloat in a matchbox in a river is captured by an old woman who lives in a shoe house and is later rescued by a strange creature called the ‘changeling’-who can change into whatever anyone thinks she is!

“Aditi and her friends meet Grendel” by Sunita Namjoshi @ Rs.80/- pgs 67 (Young Adults)

In this sixth book of the unique ‘Aditi’ series, when Aditi’s grandma is taken ill there seems to be only a certain magical Rose that can make her feel better. So off she goes to the coastal Devon in England where she meets the elusive Grendel, who lives under the sea, prowls around at night scaring others, who can’t remember anything and doesn’t really care! Exciting book indeed!

Fiction:

“Me, Borishailla: The epic saga of the rise of Bangladesh” by Mahua Maji @ Rs. 295/- pgs 508

An epic saga of the journey of a young man from youth to adulthood and hard work to success leading to politics and chaos .Set amidst the division of Bengal and formation of Bangladesh the book captures the pathos and struggle of the common man trapped in the crossfire of ambitions of the powerful ‘nationalists’.
“Remember me?” by Sophie Kinsella @ Rs.495/- pgs 34

What if you woke up and your life was perfect? … Wow!! Lexi wakes up in a hospital bed after a car accident, thinking it’s 2004 and that she’s 25yrs old with a disastrous love life. But to her surprise - its actually 2007. She’s 28 and married to a good-looking millionaire! She can’t believe her luck. What had happened to her? Will she remember? From the author of the bestsellers “Can You Keep a Secret?” and “The Undomestic Goddess” comes another ‘memorable’ book!

Socio Eco Pol

“Red Sun: Travels in Naxalite Country” by Sudeep Chakravarti @ Rs. 495/- pgs 352
In this brilliant and disturbing examination of the ‘Naxalite phenomenon’, the author combines political history, extensive interviews and individual case histories as he travels to the heart of Maoist zones like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand in the country .He meets Maoist leaders and sympathizers, policemen, bureaucrats, politicians, security analysts even farmers and tribals and puts across a sobering picture of the deep divide in society and the dangers that lie ahead for India.

Cultural:

“Moro East” by Sam and Sam Clark @ Rs. 1315/- pgs 312

Bordered by the river Lea and the Grand Union Canal is Manor Garden where reside a community of Turks and Cypriots who cultivate and cook an amazing range of food which have a unique flavor of eastern Mediterranean. Sam and Sam Clark take us on a guided culinary journey from exotic starters to more exotic tongue tickling dishes in the ‘More ‘restaurant which has consistently won awards and plaudits since its opening in 1997. It was born out of a desire to cook within the wonderful tradition of Mediterranean food and to explore the exotic flavors, little known in the UK.

“The Story of India” by Michael Wood @ Rs. 845/- pgs 225

From the Khyber pass to the Himalayas and to the tropical jungles of India’s deep South, this original and striking survey of Indian history provides vivid portraits of India’s regions and cultures and new insights into some of history’s greatest figures like the Buddha and Ashoka. Dazzling colour photographs capture an extraordinary spectrum of landscapes, architectural splendours, customs, rituals and festivals (especially Holi!).A magical mystery of travelogue and history, it paints an everlasting picture of India- past present and future.

“Freud Along the Ganges: Psychoanalytic Reflections on the People and Culture of India” Ed. by Salman Akhtar @ Rs. 395/- pgs 451

The book delves into the Psychology of the mind, body and spirit from the perspective of the proverbial Indian and India as a country. With contributions from eminent people from the field of Psychology like Santanu Biswas, Prakash N Desai, Jaswant Guzder, Sudhir Kakar etc, essays on ‘The Development of Gandhi’s self’, Hindu–Muslim relations in India: Past, Present and future’, ‘Manifestation of God in India’, ’Psychoanalytic Process in a sacred Hindu Text: The Bhagwad Gita’ provide a refreshing viewpoint.

“From Kippers to Karimeen: A life” by Psyche Abraham @ Rs.295/- pgs 214

An amazing story of love- for people, places and a new country - through the eyes of a sensitive, intelligent British lady, this book maps her journey from working in a post office in London to Bombay then Calcutta and finally Kerala. Through her journeys, trials tribulations and immense joy one comes to realize her enduring love for India and the family that grew around her.

Inspiration:

“Strengths Finder 2.0” by Tom Rath @ Rs. 595/- pgs 175

In Strengths Finder 2.0, a new and improved version of the popular assessment, strength analyzing helps us to help people uncover their talents and nurture them to make the most of it. Loaded with hundreds of strategies for applying your strengths, this new book from Gallup promises to change the way you look at yourself and the world around you, forever.

“The Third Jesus: How to find truth and love in today’s world” by Deepak Chopra @ Rs.495/- pgs 241

Through this book Deepak Chopra searches for the Christ who stands in the heart of Christianity and Deepak Chopra also attempts to discover the identity of Jesus. According to the author, there are three separate figures of Jesus and by considering each of these, the author allows us to decide for ourselves which of them speaks the most clearly to us today. When we become familiar with Jesus as our spiritual guide, we will begin to create a brighter future, free from hatred fuelled by religious fundamentalism.

Others:

“No sex please, we’re parents: How your relationship can survive children” by Melanie Roberts-Fraser and Oliver Roberts @ Rs.295/- pgs 228 (Parenting)

The authors, who are parents themselves, have addressed the key issue of troubles faced by couples all over the world after the arrival of a baby. Becoming a parent is a life- changing experience and after interviewing numerous new parents and careful deliberations from both the male and female perspective, the book offers commonsense counsel on how to veer this change away from the negative and towards a positive phase in life.

“The Trial of Bahadur Shah Zafar” by H.L.O Garrett @ Rs.395/- pgs 450 (History)

From the author of highly acclaimed books like ‘The Shade of Swords: Jihad and the conflict between Islam and Christianity,’ Kashmir: Behind the Vale’, ’Riot after Riot’ and ‘Byline’ comes another well researched, beautifully worded book about the tragic story of the last Babar ruler –Bahadur Shah Zafar. Who was tried for’ treason’ and war crimes in his own country. The documentation and narration of the instigation of the Muslim citizenry and various factors which led to the downfall and despair of an entire perhaps incipient nation is invaluable material for the history buff as well as any historian.

More new books – will be reviewed next week:

“Outlook - Weekend breaks from Chennai” @ Rs. 295/-
“Dots and lines – a teaching resource for art” by Tarit Bhattachrajee @ Rs. 200/-(Tulika)
“Birdywood Buzz” (Tulika) – Hindi/ English @ Rs. 150/-
“An Intro to Market and Social Research” by Karen Adams & Ian Brace @ Rs.175/-
“Effective Personal Communication Skills For Public Relations” by Andy Green @ Rs.295/-
“Successful Strategy Execution” by Michel Syrett @ Rs.250/-
“Taking Pictures’ by Anne Enright @ Rs.470/-
“Breathless in Bombay” by Murzban F Shroff @ Rs. 295/-
“Guide to Project Management” by Paul Roberts @ Rs. 350/-
“The Co-wife and other stories” by Munshi Premchand @ Rs. 250/-
“The Way to Freedom” @ Rs. 150/- by His Holiness The Dalai Lama
“The Blind Pilgrim” by Bapsy Jain @ Rs. 250/-
“New Life” by Vijai Dan Detha @ Rs. 225/-
“Gently falls the Bakula” by Sudha Murthy @ Rs. 150/-
“Tarzan and Jane” by Margot Katz @ Rs. 250/-
“Ines of my soul” by Isabel Allende @ Rs. 295/-
“Yes! 50 secrets from the science of persuasion” by Noah J. Goldstein, Steve J Martin, Robert B Cialdini @ Rs.250/-
“The Girl” by Sonia Faleiro @ Rs. 150/-
“Book of Humour” by Ruskin Bond @ Rs. 195/-
“Choice and Consequence” by Thomas Scheling @ Rs. 395/-
“Competing with the Best – Strategic Management of Indian Companies In a Globalizing Arena” by Rajnish Karki @ Rs. 450/-
“The Adventures of Amir Hamza” trs. by Musharraf Ali Farooqi @ Rs.750/-
“Bollywood Melodies” by Ganesh Anantharaman @ Rs. 295/-
“Mathematical Mysteries – the beauty and magic of numbers” by Calvin C Clawson @ Rs. 295/-
“Coffee with …….. series @ Rs. 250/- each. We have in the store - Marilyn Munroe, Mozart, and Oscar Wilde.

Happy Reading and see you at the Store!

From the team at,

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Message sent to twistntales@yahoogroups on 11th Feb'08

Hi all,

Welcome to another round of new books, all done lovingly for your reading pleasure! And as Valentine’s Day is approaching, we have put a rack of all time classic love stories. Do come and check it out!

New Arrivals:

Indian Writing

“The Japanese Wife” by Kunal Basu @ Rs. 395/- (203 pgs)
The twelve stories in this collection are about the unexpected. An Indian man falls in love with his Japanese pen friend and they fall in love and exchange vows of marriage over letters and live as a married couple without ever meeting each other. An American professor visits India with the intention of committing suicide but ends up on a desert journey with the daughter of a snake charmer. A Russian prostitute discovers her roots in the company of Calcutta revolutionaries. These are some of the stories that light up this collection. These stories are chronicles of memory and dreams born at the crossroads of civilizations. They parade a cast of angels and demons rubbing shoulders with those whose lives are never quite as ordinary as they seem.

“Lashkar” by Mukul Dev @Rs. 195/- (363 pgs)
An action packed political thriller, this book moves from Delhi to the rugged mountains in Kashmir-Lahore-Multan and Karachi. A terrorist attack during Diwali shakes the Indian public to demand for justice and only the elite, ultra secret force–22 of the Indian army, can achieve this. Slickly written, Lashkar is a gripping tale of terror and counter terror and the games that governments play.

“Bombay Tiger” by Kamala Markandaya @ Rs. 495/- (327 pgs)
Set in the 1980’s the story narrates the story of Ganguli – who arrives in Bombay penniless and goes on to become the city’s biggest industrialist. It’s a story of guts and nerve and ambition powered by a ruthless thirst to succeed. This sweeping novel is poignant and comic in turn and traces his rise and fall and finally – redemption. This posthumous publication of Kamala Markandaya’s novel is a tribute to her deep understanding of human traits. From the author of the much acclaimed book ‘ Nectar in A Sieve”, this novel makes a wonderful read.

Fiction

“Starbook: A Magical Tale of Love and Regeneration” by Ben Okri @ Rs. 455/- (422 pgs)
From the Booker Prize-winning author Ben Okri, comes a book “A Magical Tale of Love and Regeneration”. On one level this is the story of a prince and a maiden who are both tested by trials in a mythical land where art, initiation and dynamic stillness are supremely important. On another level, this book opens up the nature of reality, where the essence of life is revealed, and where beauty, regeneration and fulfillment are perhaps possible. Ben Okri won the Booker Prize for his previous novel, The Famished Road, and his latest book is a pleasure to read, imaginative and a profound work of literature.

“Duma Key” by Stephen King @Rs. 720/- (579 pgs)
Duma Key is a beautiful, remote stretch of sand, a tangle of banyans, palms and pines. The only inhabitants are a few houses owned by an old lady named Elizabeth. Edgar Freemantle chooses Duma Key as his holiday location after a horrible accident costs him his arm. He discovers a unique talent for painting, encouraged by his youngest daughter. But soon he finds himself experiencing weird phantom pains in his missing arm. And something strange and disturbing is happening with his paintings: they are becoming predictive, even dangerous to those who but them. Freemantle teams up with Wireman, a fellow resident to solve the mystery of Duma Key which leads them to the mystery of Elizabeth’s lost twin sisters. Duma Key is a mesmerizing and compelling story about friendship, the bond between a father and his daughter and the power of memory, and truth, art and nature.

“The Sirens of Baghdad” by Yasmina Khadra @ Rs. 350/- (310 pgs)
Three events transform a student who has been forced to leave the University of Baghdad for his village, after the American invasion. First, American soldiers at a checkpoint kill the beloved village idiot. Then an American plane bombs a wedding nearby. Finally one night, soldiers come to his home and humiliate his father in full view of his terrified family. Consumed by vengeance, he leaves for Baghdad and is taken in by a radical group. After participating in several attacks he is sent to Beirut to undertake a top-secret mission in London. As the time to board the plane nears, he struggles to reconcile his mission with his moral principles. A masterful and chilling look at violence and its effects on ordinary people, The Sirens of Baghdad probes situations few writers dare examine.

“World Without End” by Ken Follett @ Rs. 995/- (1111 pgs)
On the day after Halloween, in the year 1327, four children slip away from the cathedral city of Kingsbridge. They are a thief, a bully, a boy genius and a girl who wants to be a doctor. As adults, their lives will be braided together by ambition, love, greed and revenge. They will see prosperity and famine, plague and war. But always they will live under the long shadow of the unexplained killing they witnessed on that fateful childhood day. A sequel to the best-selling The Pillars of the Earth, World Without End takes us back to the medieval Kingsbridge two centuries later, as the men, women and children of the city once again grapple with the devastating sweep of historical change.

“The Quest” by Wilbur Smith @Rs. 760/- (504 pgs)
Wilbur Smith returns with the eagerly awaited sequel to his thrilling Egyptian series. Following on from River God, The Seventh Scroll and Warlock, The Quest continues the story of the warlock, Taita, wise in the lore of the ancient gods and a master of magic and the supernatural. The Quest is an extraordinary, compelling novel of adventure, proving that, once more, Wilbur Smith is at the height of his storytelling powers.

“The Appeal” by John Grisham @Rs. 245/- (501 pgs)
The Appeal is a powerful and shocking story of manipulation and political and legal intrigue, a story that will leave the readers unable to think about the electoral process or judicial system in quite the same way ever again. When, in Mississippi, a jury returns a shocking verdict against a chemical company accused of dumping toxic waste, the company decides to appeal to the Mississippi Supreme Court, whose nine justices will one day either approve the verdict or reverse it. Mr. Trudeau, owner of the company, is convinced the jury is against him and decides to buy himself a seat on the Court. His political operatives recruit a young, unsuspecting candidate, finance him, manipulate him, market him and mould him into a potential Supreme Court justice, their Supreme Court justice.

“The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak @ Rs. 340/- (554 pgs)
In 1939, the Nazis have taken over Germany and the country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier. Liesel, a nine year-old girl, is living with a foster family on Himmel Street. Her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books. This is her story and the story of the inhabitants of her street when the bombs begin to fall. The novel is narrated by Death. Unsettling, thought provoking, life affirming, triumphant and tragic, this is a novel of breathtaking scope and masterfully told.

“Antony and Cleopatra” by Colleen McCullough @ Rs. 250/- (594 pgs)
This is the seventh and last volume in the best-selling Masters of Rome series by Colleen McCullough. Brutus and Cassius, Caesar’s assassins, are dead at Philippi, leaving two men to inherit the world. One is the 21 year-old Octavian, whose brilliance, subtlety and cunning give the lie to his small, sickly appearance. The other is Mark Antony, a man in his prime – proven on the battlefields of war, politics and love. At first glance, it seems no contest: Antony is the clear winner. In Egypt meanwhile Queen Cleopatra mourns the death of Caesar, yet is utterly focused on attaining world power for her son by Caesar, Caesarion. In order to achieve this she must seduce and hold in thrall either Octavian or Antony. She fails with Octavian but succeeds with Antony. Undying love, unquenchable hate, the bitterness of defeat and the exaltation of victory march through the pages as Antony and Cleopatra pit themselves against Octavian and Rome.

“My Mistress Sparrow is Dead: Great Love Stories from Chekhov to Munro” edited by Jeffrey Eugenides @ Rs. 295/- (542 pgs)
Twenty-six great love stories from across the globe and through various cultures, this book is a compilation of missives from the hearts of authors ranging from Chekhov, William Faulkner, Milan Kundera, Maupassant, Eilleen Chang and Malice Munro. Edited by Pulitzer –prize-winning author Jeffrey Eugenides, one ought to read this book ‘not to confirm the brutal realities of love, but to experience its many, variegated, compensatory pleasures’. Good thought to ponder upon…now that Valentine’s Day is closing in!

“At First Sight” by Nicholas Sparks @ Rs. 253/- (342 pgs)
Jeremy Marsh has always vowed he’d never do certain things: leave New York City, give his heart away again after barely surviving one failed marriage and most of all become a parent. Now Jeremy is living in the tiny town of Boone Creek, North Caroline, married to Lexie Darnell, the love of his life and anticipating the birth of their daughter. But just as his life seems to be settling into a blissful pattern, an unsettling and mysterious message re-opens old wounds and sets off a chain of events that will forever change the course of this young couple’s marriage. This new romance by the best-selling author of The Notebook is sure to please many of his fans amongst us.

“Notorious: An It Girl Novel” by Cecily Von Ziegesar @ Rs. 270/- (282 pgs)
Jenny Humphrey arrived at exclusive Waverly Academy with dreams of becoming it. And, rooming with popular, cool girls Callie Vernon and Brett Messerschmidt, as well as having some of the hottest guys after her, it finally seems to be happening! But things get tricky when Callie’s gorgeous, arty boyfriend Easy Walsh starts paying Jenny too much attention. And it really heats up when notorious Tinsley Carmichael, expelled last year, comes back. She’s not impressed to find a perky, rosy-cheeked new girl in her bed. Four beautiful girls, outrageous gossip and more trouble than ever, Notorious is the second book in the It Girl Series.

“Heirs of Ravenscar” by Barbara Taylor Bradford @ Rs. 295/- (563 pgs)
Set in the times just after World War II, this is a compelling story of the proud Deravenel clan of Ravenscar. When jealousies, gossip and irresponsible behaviour tarnish the family’s image, the fortunes of the house of Deravenel begin to suffer. This is when the youngest generation rises to uphold the family’s name and secure the Ravenscar inheritance – by whichever possible means.

“The Fifth Woman” by Henning Mankell @ Rs. 235/- (438 pgs)
Translated from the Swedish by Steven T. Murray, this is a Kurt Wallander murder mystery. In a bid to solve a pair of baffling murders, Wallander has to trace other happenings in Africa where four nuns and an unidentifiable woman were murdered. What ensues is a case which tests Wallander’s strength and patience and goes on to hold the attention of the reader from the beginning to the last page.

“Neither Night nor Day: 13 Stories by Women Writers From Pakistan” Ed. by Rakshanda Jalil @ Rs. 250/- (191 pgs)
The stories in this book present an everydayness of life as it is lived and experienced by Pakistani women. The majority writers chosen actually live in Pakistan and those who live and work abroad have maintained close links with their country. Fantasies, memoirs, near-autobiographical accounts, even a good old-fashioned put-your-hair-on-end ghost story as well as realist storytelling – this collection is a mixed bag, one that will yield something of interest to readers regardless of gender.

Management/ Business

“Dragons At Your Door: How Chinese Cost Innovation Is Disrupting Global Competition” by Ming Zeng and Peter J. Williamson @ Rs. 1249/- (239 pgs)
With awareness that China is indeed a force to reckon with in global business competition, the book examines this new force and exposes the strategies, strengths and limitations of the fast rising competitors and surfaces the logic enabling them to attack high end industries. With critical insights of the nature of companies like Huawei, Lenovo, Haier etc just tells us - how Chinese cost innovation is disrupting global competition.

“Big Think Strategy: How to leverage bold ideas and leave small thinking behind” by Bernd H. Schmitt @ Rs. 1249/- (180 pgs)
Through numerous business case studies and commentaries on cultural phenomena like the Trojan War, the film Fitzcarraldo and the composer Gustav Mahler, Schmitt shows us how to ‘think big’ by sourcing and implementing bold ideas that change markets. He carefully breaks down his ‘think big’ approach to create simple tools that can be adapted and applied within any company. The book provides step-by-step instructions for sourcing innovative ideas, evaluating them, turning them into strategy and executing them.

“Executing Your Strategy: How To Break It Down and Get It Done” by Mark Morgan, Raymond E. Levitt, William Malek @ Rs. 1250/- (290 pgs)
In this book, the authors show the reader how to overcome barriers between strategists and project leaders in your organization. The authors identify the six INVEST imperatives that will enable you to do the right strategic projects and to do these projects right- namely Ideation, Nature, Vision, Engagement, Synthesis, Transition. Filled with practical advice and examples form companies as diverse as AT&T, American Power Conversion, and DPR Construction, this new resource shows you how to make strategies happen in your organization.

“What the Customer Wants You to Know: How Everybody Needs to Think Differently About Sales” by Ram Charan @ Rs. 295/- (178 pgs)
More than ever these days, the sales process often turns into a war about price. In this book, the author says that instead of starting with your product or service, start with your customer’s problems. Focus on becoming your customer’s trusted partner, someone he or she can turn to for creative cost-effective solutions that are based on your deep knowledge of his values, goals, problems and customers. This is the latest book from best-selling author Ram Charan who has written What the CEO Wants You To Know and co-authored Execution.

Personalities

“The Devdasi and the Saint: The Life and Times of Bangalore Nagarathamma” by Sriram V. @ Rs. 275/- (207 pgs)
In this book, the rise and fall of the Devdasi tradition is intertwined with the life and times of Bangalore Nagarathamma. Bangalore Nagarathamma was an icon of that age, highly skilled in arts and well regarded by connoisseurs of music. She was an exceptional woman, much ahead of her times, champion of the rights of the Devdasis and women in general. From small beginnings, Nagarathamma rose to become a stellar figure in the cultural firmament of Madras of the 20s and 30s. This work is a tribute to her indomitable spirit and her unrelenting efforts to perpetuate the memory of her patron saint, Tyagaraja.

“India’s Bismarck: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel” by Balraj Krishna @ Rs. 300/- (281 pgs)
As Prime Minister of Britain, Winston Churchill had ordered the preparation of an imperial strategy with the intention of balkanizing India and tightening Britain’s post-war hold over her. However Sardar Patel foiled Churchill’s imperial strategy. He stood in the way of transfer of power unless Punjab and Bengal were divided amongst India and Pakistan. Fearing the loss of Congress cooperation, Lord Mountbatten was forced to reach an agreement with Patel. Patel’s most significant achievement was to integrate over 560 princely states over a period of 19 months to create a united India. This book examines the extraordinary contribution of ‘the Iron Man of India’, from his unflinching support to Gandhi’s satyagrahas and the Indian freedom struggle, to his farsighted and courageous approach in building a strong and integrated India.

Socio-Eco-Pol-Philo

“Eating India: Exploring a Nation’s Cuisines” by Chitrita Banerji @ Rs. 350/- (329 pgs)

In Eating India, award-winning food writer Chitrita Banerji takes us on an extraordinary journey through a national cuisine formed by generations of arrivals, assimilations and conquests. Travelling across the length and breadth of the country – from Bengal to Goa and Karnataka, via the Grand Trunk Road, then northwards to Amritsar, Lucknow and Varanasi, on to Bombay and Kerala – Banerji discovers a civilization with an insatiable curiosity, one that consumes the old and new with eager voracity. Certain to enchant anyone enamored of Indian food and culture, Eating India is a heavy blend of travelogue and food writing.

“To Uphold the World: The Message of Ashoka and Kautilya for the 21st Century” by Bruce Rich @ Rs. 495/- (326 pgs)

Emperor Ashoka’s name continues to shine even after 2000 years! Mostly because his ideas remain critically pertinent to the problems of our time. Bruce Rich discusses how Ashoka’s ideas on social responsibility and his general diagnosis of the power of behavioral improvement can help to overcome significant drawbacks in contemporary thinking. Supported by Kautilya, who exhorted the effectiveness of social institutions through the force of restraint, punishment and well-devised incentives, the age of Ashoka has an applicability that is timeless and ephemeral.

“The Present as History: Critical Perspectives on Global Power” by Nermeen Shaikh @ Rs. 495/- (276 pgs)

The author has worked at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute at Islamabad, the International Institute for Environment and Development in London and is now at the Asia Society in New York City. She has interwoven enlightening and empowering conversations with thirteen stalwarts like Amartya Sen, Joseph Stglitz, Sanjay Reddy Shirin Ebadi, Talal Asad and Saba Mahmood. These interviews with contemporary intellectuals open surprising vistas of thoughts on secularism, social development, liberal economics and many more issues that are the basic fabric of today’s global society.

Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy by Barbara Ehrenreich @ Rs. 535/- (320 pgs)

In a previous book, entitled Blood Rites: Origins and History of the Passions of War, Barbara Ehrenreich studied the ‘dark side of human collective excitement.’ Dancing in the Streets explores the other side…the need for collective joy and ecstasy to cement social ties. Dance, music and physical touch were the main ingredients in the rituals of joy-making…until the stern doctrines of orthodox Christianity stamped them out, terming them ‘hysterical’ forms of worship. Journeying through ancient Greece and Aboriginal Australia to the present-day exhilaration of rock music and football hooliganism, Ehrenreich brings us a mixture of social anthropology and story-telling, bringing to life the age-old struggle between ‘popes and dancing peasants.’

Parenting

“50 Easy Ways Kids Can Help Animals” by Ingrid Newkirk @ Rs. 250/- (266 pgs)

An educative book for children and adults alike, it lists simple and effective means by which people can be sensitized about animal rights/ways in which cruelty to animals can be prevented. It contains simply worded suggestions with quotes from celebrities like Anil Kumble, John Abraham, Madhavan etc. Targeting the young and impressionable phase of childhood, this book is a classic case of spreading awareness at the grass roots level of a population.

“Incredible You” by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer @ Rs. 375/-

From the author of 10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace comes a book based on the same principles. Only it’s for children! The author believes that it’s never too early for children to know that they’re unique and powerful beings, and that they have everything they need within themselves to create happy, successful lives. And at the end there are questions that kids can answer to connect these ideas to their lives. The ten concepts are given in small rhyming verses with brilliant illustrations, making it easier for parents to read out to their kids.

Nature

“The Drunken Forest” by Gerald Durrell @ Rs. 150/- (176 pgs)

The Drunken Forest is an account of the trip taken by Gerald Drruell and his wife to South America, to make a collection of the strange animals and birds available in this part of the world and bring them back alive to the zoos. The Argentine Pampas and the little-known Chaco territory of Paraguay provide the setting for The Drunken Forest. With Durrell for interpreter, an orange armadillo, or a horned toad, or a crab-eating raccoon suddenly discovers the ability not merely to set you laughing but to actually endear itself to you.

“Two in the Bush” by Gerald Durrell @ Rs. 150/- (189 pgs)

Two in the Bush is an account of a trip taken by the author, his wife and two cameramen through New Zealand, Australia and Malaya. The objective was to see what was being done about the conservation of wildlife in these countries, and to make a series of television films for the BBC. This account is an absorbing narrative, revealing the ardours, ironies and disappointments, the organizational miracles and the hilarious human mishaps.

Other newer arrivals

“The complete MAD Box set”
“Strengths Finder 2.0” by Tom Rath @Rs. 595/- (175 pgs)
“Moro East” by Sam and Sam Clark @ Rs. 1315/- (312 pgs)
“The Story of India” by Michael Wood @Rs. 845/- (225 pgs)
“Freud Along the Ganges: Psychoanalytic Reflections on the People and Culture of India” Ed. by Salman Akhtar @Rs. 395/- (451 pgs)
“Boom: 7 Choices for Blowing the Doors off Business-as-usual” by Kevin and Jackie Freiberg @Rs. 395/- (286 pgs)
“Red Sun: Travels in Naxalite Country” by Sudeep Chakravarti @ Rs. 495/- (352 pgs)

Drop in and have a look,

From the team at,
twistntales

Monday, February 11, 2008

Linkless and Tedi-ess

Ok, I've been trying to create links, but it doesn't seem to be working. I really want yall to read this excerpt I found...so I'll be tedious and tell you how to get to it.

Go to books.google.com and search for 'Bumping Into God.'
The full name is Bumping Into God: 35 Stories of Finding Grace in Unexpected Places by Fr. Dominic Grassi.

I think the whole book is available online, but please read the chapter titled 'a bookshop one flight down.'