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The Invisible Gorilla
If a gorilla walked out into the middle of a basketball pitch, you d notice it. Wouldn\'t you? If a serious violent crime took place just next to you, you\'d remember it, right? The Invisible Gorilla is a fascinating look at the unbelievable, yet routine tricks that your brain plays on you. In an award-winning and groundbreaking study, psychologists Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons asked volunteers to watch a 60-second film of a group of students playing basketball and told them to count the number of passes made. About halfway through, a woman dressed head to toe in a gorilla outfit slowly moved to centre screen, beat her chest at the camera, and casually strolled away. Unbelievably, almost half of the volunteers missed the gorilla. As this astonishing and utterly unique new book demonstrates, exactly the same kind of mental illusion that causes people to miss the gorilla can also explain why many other things, including why: honest eyewitness testimony can convict innocent defendants expert money managers suddenly lose billions Homer Simpson has much to teach you about clear thinking Insightful, witty, and fascinating, The Invisible Gorilla closely examines the false impressions that most profoundly influence our lives and gives practical advice on how we can minimize their negative impact.
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Investment Biker: Around the World with Jim Rogers
Legendary investor Jim Rogers gives us his view of the world on a twenty-two-month, fifty-two-country motorcycle odyssey in his bestselling business/adventure book, Investment Biker, which has already sold more than 200,000 copies. Before you invest another dollar anywhere in the world (including the United States), read this book by the man Time magazine calls “the Indiana Jones of finance.” Jim Rogers became a Wall Street legend when he co-founded the Quantum Fund. Investment Biker is the fascinating story of Rogers’s global motorcycle journey/investing trip, with hardheaded advice on the current state and future direction of international economies that will guide and inspire investors interested in foreign markets.
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Predictably Irrational
What influences the decisions people make every day in their professional or private lives? It might be as important as a career change or as simple as deciding a destination for a vacation. Through Predictably Irrational, Dan Ariely shows that the reasons that drive these decisions are not as coldly thought out and logical as many of the readers would like to think. Each chapter in the book explains a factor that might affect our decision and then proves it through experiments and real-life examples. For instance, if someone was considering a honeymoon trip to Paris or Rome, could they be manipulated to choose a certain city over the other? The author says yes because people are influenced by the theory of relativity. Note that he is not talking about Einstein. He is talking about how people compare choices. If given a choice between ‘Paris with Breakfast’ and ‘Rome With Breakfast’, it is confusing because both cities are attractive propositions for a romantic vacation. Simply by adding a trivial third choice that mentions one of the cities could make the person decide on that city. So, for instance, if the third choice says, ‘Rome Without Breakfast’, the person chooses ‘Rome with breakfast’. The reason? The person is now considering just two choices, Rome with breakfast and Rome without breakfast, leaving out Paris because comparing similar choices is easier. In the same vein, the author shows other absurd ideas and factors that could affect decisions, like the word ‘free’, the role emotions play in making decisions, the problems of procrastination and self-control, the price of ownership, the effect of expectations, and so on. In each chapter, the author shows how these factors can be used to manipulate the choices people make, and also gives tips on what the reader could do to avoid these mistakes. Predictably Irrational shows the reader that people make decisions based on irrational impulses and thoughts, and these factors are also predictable. What is scary is that these factors can be easily used to manipulate the decisions we make. The author hopes that by showing the readers these patterns, he can help them avoid these mistakes to a certain extent.
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Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates
There is a belief among most people that the best way of motivating themselves and others is with external incentives like money. This is a wrong approach as per the the author, Daniel H. Pink. In the book, the author asks people to forget everything they thought they knew about how people can be motivated at work, at home, or at school. In this trend-setting book, he explains the secret for excellent performance and satisfaction in the present world. According to him, there is a need for people to guide their own lives, to learn, to invent new things, and to perform better by themselves. The disparity between what is known to science and what is practised by business, and how this influences life as a whole, is exposed by Pink on the basis of his extensive research. He explains that though the carrot-and-stick approach was successful in the last century, it is not the right method of motivating people to face the challenges of today. The three aspects of real motivation, mastery, autonomy, and purpose are studied in Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. He suggests techniques that are smart and surprising for implementing these three aspects. As readers browse through the book, they can find the author talking about companies that are engaging in new approaches for motivating their employees. Pink also mentions the entrepreneurs and scientists who follow this approach.
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Executricks : How to Retire While You're Still Wor
Stanley Bing is a columnist for Fortune magazine and the bestselling author of Crazy Bosses, What Would Machiavelli Do?, Throwing the Elephant, Sun Tzu Was a Sizzy, 100 Bullshit Jobs . . . And How to Get Them, and The Big Bing, as well as the novels Lloyd: What Happened and You Look Nice Today. By day he is an haute executive in a gigantic multinational corporation whose identity is one of the worst-kept secrets in business.
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Nano
After a tumultuous year in which her mentor is murdered and her estranged father comes back into her life, Pia Grazdani, the embattled medical student from Death Benefit, decides to take a year off from her medical studies and escape New York City. Intrigued by the promise of the burgeoning field of medical technology and the chance to clear her head in the cool air of Colorado, Pia takes a job at Nanobots, a lavishly funded, security-conscious nanotechnology institute in the picturesque foothills of the Rockies. Nanobots is ahead of the curve in the competitive world of molecular manufacturing, including the construction of microbivores, tiny nano robots with the ability to gobble up viruses and bacteria. But the corporate campus, for all its beauty, is a place of secrets. She's warned by her boss not to investigate the other work being done at the gigantic facility, nor to ask questions about the source of the seemingly endless capital that funds the institute's research. And when Pia encounters a fellow employee on a corporate jogging path, suffering the effects of a seizure, she soon realizes she may have literally stumbled upon one of Nanobots' human guinea pigs. Is the tech giant on the cusp of one of the biggest medical discoveries of the 21st century a treatment option for millions or have they already sold out to the highest bidder?
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Spiritual Masters Sri Ramakrishna: Love That Knows
Sri Ramakrishna is one of the greatest spiritual masters to have lived on this earth. The God-man of nineteenth-century India did not found any cult, nor did he show a new path to salvation. His message was his God-consciousness. A truly divine, God-realised soul, Sri Ramakrishna’s life demonstrated the meaning of spirituality and the harmony of all religions. In this pithily written and delightfully evocative book, the author brings out the endearing simplicity and catholicity of Sri Ramakrishna. The Master is not one of those serious, formidable figures of dry religiosity. Indeed, Sri Ramakrishna’s life is a mart of joy and dipped in irresistible humour. Sri Ramakrishna illustrates the exquisite art of living; a radiant love without limit suffuses his being and fills ours. This book provides fresh insights into the life and teachings of Sri Ramakrishna and is a valuable addition to the existing literature on the Great Master.
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Spiritual Masters: Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), born Narendra Datta, is Indias most celebrated and charismatic monk. Handsome, brilliant in studies, an image of contained strength, a lover of music and poetry . . . yet deep inside Narendra the seed of search had begun to sprout at an early age. Unable to understand the superstition-ridden rituals of the Hindu religion and desiring to know about the originating source of his great Hindu heritage, Narendras search ended when he finally met his guru, Sri Ramakrishna. Swami Vivekanandas brilliant speech at the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893 brought him fame in India and abroad. In a short life span of thirty-nine years, he propagated the rich Hindu spiritual culture in India and abroad and brought about an awakening among the people of his country. He organised the Ramakrishna Order of Monks that works tirelessly for the uplift of mankind. Swami Vivekanandas inspirational writings, speeches, and vision remain relevant even today and will continue to inspire future generations for all times.
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Sardar: Vallabhbhai Patel
SARDAR PATEL was one of Indias strongest and most dynamic leaders.This book examines the extraordinary contribution of Sardar Patel in the creation of a strong and united India. It details his unflinching support to Gandhis satyagrahas, his role in overcoming challenges to Congress unity, his farsightedness inthe formation of the Indian Administrative Service, the integration of over 560 princely states, and his visionary views on Kashmir, China, Tibet, Nepal. The book also includes rare and unpublished correspondence with select top-ranking ex-bureaucrats and army chiefs to flash new light on the role of Patel in post-independent India.
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Dare to be Different and Grow Rich: Secrets of Sel
More than just another “Get rich quick” manual, Dare to Be Different and Grow Rich is an insightful and thought-provoking journey through 150 years of cultural and business history. Packed with useful advice, interesting facts and entertaining anecdotes, it moves from gold-rush California to wartime Berlin, and back to modern-day Silicon Valley, from Disneyland to Saudi Arabia, from Levi Strauss to Starbucks, from John D. Rockefeller’s oil fields to Warren Buffett’s Omaha, to tell a compelling story about the ambition to succeed against all odds, which drives men and women to aim higher and higher. Taking its cue from the success stories of businessmen and -women as well as world-class athletes, musicians and other figures of public life, popular icons like Steve Jobs, Coco Chanel, or Arnold Schwarzenegger, and others who are big names only to insiders, this book amply demonstrates that greater wealth is by no means the only difference between them and the vast majority who have little or no success in life. Dare to Be Different and Grow Rich offers a definitive philosophy for success. This book is for everybody who has the courage to dream.
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Spicy Bites of Biryani: Because Life Needs a Littl
Studied hard? Got the perfect job? Found the perfect mate? And Still Screwed up your life? Is it possible to do everything right in your life and still not be happy? Meet Sanjay, Aditi, Mayank and Jayshree. Sanjay is US-returned software millionaire determined to have an arranged marriage aftr slling his company and braking up with his two-timing girlfriends. Aditi is a commitment-phobic writer who cant figure out what her next book is about but has perfected the art of break-ups Manyank and Jayshree are the perfect couple. If only they werent dealing with rude relatives, killing deadlines, procreation pressures and those ultimate romance-killers... monotoy and boredom! This light-hearted story traces the lives of these four successful, thirty-something friends who all come to the same conclusion... The hardest thing about having the perfect life is keeping it that way!
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Forever in These Pages: Some Love Stories Last Onl
Do you believe some things are meant to happen? Meet Aleah, a romantic at heart who lives in a world of practicality. she is happy in her current relationship with Jeremy and excited to take it to the next level, only to find he rself at a crossroad when she meets Rohan. Why does this growing friendship with Rohan make Aleah question her feelings and beliefs about Jeremy? Will Aleah find the answer she is looking for or will she lose herself in the tussle? Pulled between the order in her head and chaos in her heart, Aleah learns that its the small things that really matter. Even though relationships get complicated, love is always simple.
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Here Sat a Key Maker...: Of Friendship, Love, Hate
Can a poor boy dream of a life with his love? Does the lure of money drive one to betray ones own? Here Sat a Key Maker... is the story of Javed, Shashank, Preity, their simple lives complicated by poverty, love and ambition. Set in the backdrop of sprawling metropolis of Mumbai, will fate be kind enough to fulfill their wishes?
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Your Place or Mine?
His girlfriends wedding invitation is languishing in his mailbox and the house he lives in is stacked with empty beer bottles and cigarette butts. Meet Ali, a young executive with a fortune 500 company, who drives a big car, leaves a big tip at the restaurant and has a big bank account. Even though his life seems fancy and perfect to the world outside, he is suffocated, closed and struggling with loneliness. From the author of the bestselling novel To Whom It May Concern:, comes another dark, mystified and gripping story about a young man whose choices and circum- stances lead him into an unknown territory. As he gives in to the dark and consuming world of drugs, rave parties and one night stands, will he be able to decipher love from lust? Moreover, will the morals, values and relationships he has lost on the way ever come back to him?
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Love Stories # 1 to 14
urious villagers stopped to stare at this shameless man and woman whose fingers were wound in each others hair, and whose lips were stretched with impossible smiles, and faces were glowing like warm red wax in the late afternoon. But after a minute or two, they too walked away, because looking at the two any longer became unbearable. A woman who wont let the shadow of death disrupt her love life, another who falls irrevocably in love with a dead police officer, a devoted wife who steps out twice a week for Narcotics Anonymous meetings, friends who should have been lovers, the woman who offers all her pent-up love to a railway announcers voice ... Annie Zaidis stories are at once warm and distant, violent and gentle and, above all, untroubled by cynicism. This is a look at love, straight in the eye, to understand the alluring nature of the beast.
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Alex Cross
This is the book which inspired the film, as the legendary Alex Cross, created by the No. 1 bestselling author James Patterson, hits the big screen in a major motion picture starring Tyler Perry. Alex Cross was a rising star in the Washington, DC, Police Department when an unknown shooter gunned down his wife, Maria, in front of him. Alex's need for vengeance was placed on hold as he faced another huge challenge raising his children without their mother. Years later Alex is making a bold move in his life. He has left the FBI and set up practice as a psychologist once again. His life with Nana Mama, Damon, Jannie, and little Alex finally feels like it's in order. He even has a chance at a new love. Then Cross's former partner, John Sampson, calls in a favor. Now Cross must go on the hunt for the most cunning, psychotic killer he has ever faced...and it pushes him dangerously close to the breaking point.
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The Key: The Fate of Man Rests on one Woman
Hounded. Haunted. Hunted. She is the most important person in the world. She is The Key. In the ancient Turkish city of Ruin, American journalist Liv Adamsen lies in an isolation ward staring at walls as blank as her memory. She knows she entered the monumental Citadel at the heart of Ruin but can remember only darkness. Something strange is stirring within her, whispering that she is 'the key'. But the key to what? For the Ghost, a mercenary operating in the Syrian Desert, Liv could unlock one of mankind's most potent secrets. For the brotherhood in the Citadel - now cursed by a terrible plague - her return is the only way to ensure their survival. And for a powerful faction in Rome, she threatens the very future of the Catholic Church. Hunted across continents and caught up in events that defy explanation, Liv turns to the only person she trusts - a charity worker named Gabriel Mann. Together their paths lead to a shocking discovery - one that will tear them apart and change the world forever..
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Wife for Hire
Hank Mallone knows he's in trouble when Maggie Toone agrees to pretend to be his wife in order to improve his rogue's reputation. Will his harebrained scheme to get a bank loan for his business backfire once Maggie arrives in his small Vermont town and lets the gossips take a look? Maggie never expected her employer to be drop-dead handsome, but she's too intrigued by his offer to say no . . . and too eager to escape a life that made her feel trapped. The deal is strictly business, both agree, until Hank turns out to be every fantasy she ever had
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Durbar
A revealing account of our political past that holds crucial lessons for today's India In the summer of 1975 Tavleen Singh, not yet twenty-five, started working as a junior reporter in the Statesman in New Delhi. Within five weeks, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared the Emergency, suspending fundamental rights and imposing press censorship, and soon reckless policies said to be authored by the prime minister's younger son were unleashed on India's citizens. As the country suffered under the iron fist of an elected icon and her chosen heir, Tavleen observed that a small, influential section of Delhi's society people she knew well remained strangely unaffected by the perilous state of the nation. Before long, members of this circle were entrenched in key positions in the Indian government. In 1984, following Indira Gandhi's assassination, Rajiv Gandhi became prime minister, fortified by a huge mandate from a nation desperate for change. But, belying its hopes, the young leader chose for himself a group of advisors, friends and acolytes from the drawing rooms of Delhi, as inexperienced as him and just as unaware of the ground realities of a complex nation. It was the beginning of a political culture of favouritism and ineptitude that would take hold at the highest levels of government, stunting India's ambitions and frustrating its people well into the next century. Seasoned reporter and distinguished newspaper columnist Tavleen Singh's Durbar is a sharp account of these turbulent years. Describing the Nehruvian era of her childhood, the Emergency of her youth and the political shifts that followed, Tavleen writes of the birth and evolution of insurgencies in Punjab and Kashmir, the blood spilt in assassinations and massacres, of crises internal and external and the clumsy attempts to set things right. A remarkable memoir, vivid with the colour of election campaigns and society dinners, low conspiracies and high corruption, Durbar rewards us with this truth: that if India is to achieve a better future the past can no longer be ignored or forgotten.