New Delhi, Oct 7 (IANS) From not-so-well-known things about capitalism to answers that could help you crack quizzes, the bookshelf is set to enlighten you this week. Of course, there is fiction too.
1. Book: ‘History of Hate’; Written by Kanishka Gupta; Published by Rupa and amp; Co; Priced at Rs.146
Middle-aged Sonny and Ash, a would-be writer in his 20s with suicidal tendencies, seem to have little in common other than their Delhi cantonment address. Their dissatisfaction with the lives they lead goad them to commit acts of cruelty that adversely affect many people. Although their behaviour does not make headlines, one of their victims hunts them down with revenge on the agenda.
2. Book: ‘Quest for Olympic Gold: Strategies for Excellence’; Written by Arun Kumar Pandya; Published by National Book Trust; Priced at Rs.55
India may be winning golds at the Commonwealth Games, but its rather dismal status among sporting nations has remained one of the country’s biggest disappointments. The book delineates the roles of various stakeholders like the state and central governments, including the Sports Authority of India, Indian Olympic Association, National Sports Federations and the Media etc.
The book takes stock of the groundwork done and what further needs to be done in the country’s quest for a rich haul of gold medals at the Mecca of all sporting events – the Olympics.
3. Book: ’23 Things That They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism’; Written by Ha-Joon Chang; Published by Penguin Books; Priced at Rs.499
One of today’s most iconoclastic thinkers destroys the biggest myths about the world we live in. It may have its flaws, but there’s no real alternative to free-market capitalism – ultimately it’s making us all more prosperous.
The West is more efficient and financially savvy than the developing world. And technology is the way forward for everyone. The book reveals the truth behind what ‘they’ tell you about capitalism and shows how the system really works.
4. Book: ‘The Flea Palace’; Written by Eli Shafak; Published by Penguin Books; Priced at Rs.399
Bonbon Palace was once a stately apartment block in Istanbul. Now it is a sadly dilapidated home to 10 wildly different individuals and their families. There’s a womanising, hard-drinking academic with a penchant for philosophy; a ‘clean freak’ and her lice-ridden daughter; a Jew in search of true love; and a charmingly naive mistress whose shadowy past lurks in the building. When the garbage at Bonbon Palace is stolen, a mysterious sequence of events unfolds that results in a soul-searching quest for truth.
5. Book: ‘110 Crore Hindustani: Kaun Banega Crorepati’; Edited and Compiled by Siddhartha Basu; Published by Rupa and amp; Co, Priced at Rs.71
Success, money and fame require grooming. This book is dedicated to all viewers of popular quiz programme ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’. This concise yet very useful kit of knowledge is based on the same module as KBC with sections covering almost every aspect of general information and current affairs.
