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The Girl Who Chose
You are bound by rules, but not I. I am free to choose.' Two thousand years ago, the poet-sage Valmiki wrote the Ramayana. It is the tale of Ram, the sun-prince of Ayodhya, who is obliged to follow family rules and so makes no choices. And of Ravana, king of Lanka, who does not respect anybody's rules or other people's choices. Over the centuries, hundreds have retold the tale in different languages, adding new twists and turns. But few have noticed that the tale always depends on the five choices made by Sita. What were Sita's five choices? India's favourite mythologist brings you this charmingly illustrated retelling of the Ramayana that is sure to empower and entertain a new generation readers
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Half Lion
When P.V. Narasimha Rao became the unlikely prime minister of India in 1991, he inherited a nation adrift, violent insurgencies, and economic crisis. Despite being unloved by his people, mistrusted by his party, and ruling under the shadow of 10 Janpath, Rao transformed the economy and ushered India into the global arena. With exclusive access to Rao's never-before-seen personal papers and diaries, this definitive biography provides new revelations on the Indian economy, nuclear programme, foreign policy and the Babri Masjid. Tracing his early life from a small town in Telangana through his years in power, and finally, his humiliation in retirement, it never loses sight of the inner man, his difficult childhood, his corruption and love affairs, and his lingering loneliness. Meticulously researched and brutally honest, this landmark political biography is a must-read for anyone interested in knowing about the man responsible for transforming India.
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Secretly Yours
Everyone has secrets but is hers the most shocking? Orphaned at birth, seventeen-year-old Sahil has always blamed himself for his parents' death. He has little interest in life until he meets the enigmatic Anya in a chance encounter during the Shimla fest. Soon he falls head over heels in love with her, but Anya doesn't reciprocate his feelings. An accident leaves him in a coma and when he wakes up he makes a startling discovery-he can read minds! Now he can find out what goes on in Anya's mind and maybe, just maybe, make her fall in love with him. But is Anya all she seems? Or is she hiding something? Deliciously plotted, full of morbid secrets and startling revelations, Secretly Yours will make you question what you see and who you trust."
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Jihadi Jane
"High-school best friends Ameena and Jamilla couldn�t be more different: while one smokes cigarettes in their school playground, the other is a member of her mosque�s discussion group in suburban Yorkshire. When heartbreak and doubt leave Ameena bereft and alone, she turns to Jamilla�s beloved Allah for solace and purpose. It is then that both girls find themselves entranced by a powerful Internet preacher - Hejjiye, a woman running an orphanage home in support of the men fighting in the name of jihad. Leaving their families and country behind, they run to join the Islamic State in Syria to serve a cause they unquestioningly believe in. However, things begin to change for the worse once Ameena marries Hassan, a jihadi leader, and suddenly Jamilla begins to see the world that she left everything for differently. Getting out is almost impossible, but there is one way. Will the girls choose a path which might change their lives beyond recognition? Heart-wrenching, masterful and stunningly powerful, Jihadi Jane paints a vivid picture of militant-brides operating around the world and the terrifying cost of religious fanaticism.
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The Gene
Spanning the globe and several centuries, The Gene is the story of the quest to decipher the master-code that makes and defines humans, that governs our form and function. The story of the gene begins in an obscure Augustinian abbey in Moravia in 1856, where a monk stumbles on the idea of a 'unit of heredity'. It intersects with Darwin�s theory of evolution, and collides with the horrors of Nazi eugenics in the 1940s. The gene transforms post-war biology. It reorganizes our understanding of sexuality, temperament, choice and free will. Above all, this is a story driven by human ingenuity and obsessive minds�from Charles Darwin and Gregor Mendel to Francis Crick, James Watson and Rosalind Franklin, and the thousands of scientists still working to understand the code of codes. This is an epic, moving history of a scientific idea being brought to life, by the author of The Emperor of All Maladies. But woven through The Gene, like a red line, is also an intimate history�the story of Mukherjee's own family and its recurring pattern of mental illness, reminding us that genetics is vitally relevant to everyday lives. These concerns reverberate even more urgently today as we learn to 'read' and 'write' the human genome�unleashing the potential to change the fates and identities of our children. Majestic in its ambition, and unflinching in its honesty, The Gene gives us a definitive account of the fundamental unit of heredity�and a vision of both humanity�s past and future.
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The Wedding Photographer
On a seventeen-hour-long flight, a chance upgrade to business class lands journalist Risha Kohli next to handsome real estate hotshot Arjun Khanna. What's more? Risha has been moonlighting as a photographer and her next assignment is Arjun's sister's wedding: the most anticipated social event of the year! But Arjun doesn't trust journalists and suspects this smart, sexy and incredibly spunky girl of using their mutual attraction as a ploy to invade his privacy for a newspaper scoop. And Risha, unaware of Arjun's personal demons, is worried that this dishy tycoon's unnerving behaviour will jeopardize her biggest photography gig so far. What follows is a rollercoaster of snarky quips, sizzling chemistry and simmering drama amidst a Big Fat Punjabi Wedding.
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You Are Not Alone In This
When life takes a difficult turn, will your friends help? Daksh is a successful author. He has a loving wife, money, status - everything except a child. So when he meets his childhood friend Mahesh and his daughter, he is overjoyed. But his happiness is short-lived - he learns that Mahesh�s follies have thrown his family apart. Daksh wants to help his friend, more so for the sake of his little daughter. However, soon they are sucked into a racket of cheating, lies and deceit. And things are not as easy to sort as they first thought. You Are Not Alone in This is the story of the true test of friendship.
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In Other Words
In Other Words is at heart a love story - of a writer's passion for another language. For Jhumpa Lahiri, that love was for Italian, which first captivated her during a trip to Florence after college. Although Lahiri studied Italian for many years afterward, true mastery eluded her. So in 2012, she decided to move to Rome where she began to read, and to write - initially in her journal - solely in Italian. In Other Words, an autobiographical work written in Italian, investigates the process of learning to express oneself in another language and describes the journey of a writer seeking a new voice.
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Our Impossible Love
Life teaches us what 'love' truly is And love gives definition to 'life' Aisha, a bit of a late bloomer, has to figure out what it means to be a woman and to be desired. Danish feels time is running out for him and he's going to end up as a nobody, as opposed to his overachieving, determined younger brother. Life takes a strange turn when Danish, the confused idiot, is appointed as the student counsellor to Aisha. Between the two of them they have to figure out love, life, friendship - most of all, themselves. And it's not proving to be easy? Our Impossible Love presents, Life the way it is and Love the way it should be
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Being Salman
Salman Khan turns fifty on 27 December 2015. Having made his film debut in 1988, he has found his place in the hearts of millions, with blockbuster movies ranging from Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Aapke Hain Koun to the more recent Dabangg, Ek Tha Tiger, Kick and Bajrangi Bhaijaan to his credit. He is also well known for his magnanimity, including his work with the non-profit charitable organization, Being Human, which he runs. Salman�s stint with controversies has been as long as his career. His personal life has often made headlines, as have his involvements in the blackbuck poaching case and the hit-and-run case. He has a reputation for getting hot under the collar and abusive when riled. These attributes have earned him the dubious title of the 'bad boy of Bollywood'. Which is the real Salman Khan? Why is he the way he is? This book delves into Salman�s family lineage and his personal history to reveal interesting vignettes and unknown facts about the enigmatic and immensely popular superstar and will help his many fans understand what 'Being Salman' is all about. About the Author Jasim Khan is a senior journalist and TV producer active in the field of journalism for the last fifteen years. After completing his training in radio and television journalism, he has been associated with many reputed news channels like Zee News, Aaj Tak and Star News (now ABP News). Currently, he produces special shows as an Associate Executive Producer for ABP News. Jasim Khan was born and brought up in Baitul district of Madhya Pradesh. He holds a postgraduate degree in Zoology from Dr Hari Singh Gaur University, Sagar. He is based in Delhi NCR.
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My India Ideas For The Future
My India: Notes for the Future contains excerpts from Dr A.P. J Adbul Kalam's speeches in his post presidency years. Drawn from Dr Kalam's addresses to parliaments, universities, schools and other institutions in India and abroad, they include his ideas on science, nation building, poverty, compassion and self-confidence. Dr Kalam draws on the lives of stalwarts such as Marie Curie, Dr Vikram Sarabhai to encourage and inspire his young readers. Through these speeches, he shares many valuable lessons in humility, resilience, and determination and leads children to think, grow and evolve. A project very close to his heart, Dr Kalam's last book for children is a road map for every child to pursue their dreams, to be the best they can be, leading to the realisation of a better India.
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Being Mortal
Is it time the medical profession rethought its approach to the old and terminally ill? In what way? Should doctors be trained to prepare people to die rather than simply be kept alive as long as possible? In Being Mortal, Atul Gawande addresses these questions and argues that an acceptance of mortality must lie at the heart of the way we treat the dying. Questioning, profound and deeply moving, Being Mortal is a must-read.
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Dial D for Don
March 1993. Mumbai was rocked by a series of bomb blasts. Unknown to most, Dawood Ibrahim, the mastermind behind the terror attack, had made several calls to the CBI. The don was desperate to prove his 'innocence' by giving himself up, but with conditions. October 1999. The world's very first case of cricket match-fixing led to the banning of six top Indian cricketers, including the then team captain. It was only in 2013, after the then commissioner of police revived the case, that a charge sheet was filed in a court of law. January 2002. Aftab Ansari - a notorious Dubai-based don responsible for kidnapping a shoe baron in 2001 with the help of Jihadi groups in Pakistan was arrested just as he was about to escape Dubai on a forged passport to Pakistan. All these cases of life-threatening moments and unbelievable relief, involved the sharp investigative skills of an Indian Police Service officer then serving in the CBI. In his thirty-seven years of service, Neeraj Kumar neutralized several terror modules and decimated insidious organized crime syndicates spanning continents, working closely with Interpol, FBI, Scotland Yard and several national and international agencies. Much decorated and feted, he hung up his boots in 2013, after his last calling as Delhi's police commissioner. He has now decided that the inside details of what have been some of the most fascinating crime stories of our times must not go unheard and untold. The book covers several high-profile cases cracked by him in recent years, including the arrest and deportation of Aftab Ansari, the main accused in the shooting at the American Center in Kolkata, the nabbing of Jagtar Singh Tara, the man behind Punjab CM Beant Singh's assassination, and the arrest of Romesh Sharma, a Dawood henchman masquerading as a politician based in Delhi.
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The Habit of Winning
The Habit Of Winning is a compilation of the life stories of several great personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Sachin Tendulkar, Randy Pausch and Charlie Plumb. The author also identifies their common traits, some of which are perseverance, team spirit and hard work. The author further elaborates that it is these traits that help a person face difficult times and pave their way to success. The author explicitly states that one does not learn everything he needs to, in books. The author also uses incidents from his own life to illustrate his points, so much so that the book in itself becomes a collection of several individual short stories. It has the ability to alter how one thinks, lives and works. The author reinstates the belief in his readers that winning is a habit that everyone should acquire. Stories work well in helping an author put his message across to the readers. The incidents in the book are thrilling, leading the readers to be motivated to lead their lives with renewed energy, passion and a sense of purpose. They are short narrations with a moral given at the end of each. The book lets the user make a difference, in his own life, and in that of those around him. The book has been widely appraised and has been on the list of top 10 books on business management published by Business Standard. It has also been accorded the status of the most selling non-fiction book by Economic Times.
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The Magic Of The Lost Temple
City girl Nooni is surprised at the pace of life in her grandparent's village in Karnataka. But she quickly gets used to the gentle routine there and involves herself in a flurry of activities, including papad making, organizing picnics and learning to ride a cycle, with her new-found friends. Things get exciting when Nooni stumbles upon an ancient fabled stepwell right in the middle of a forest. Join the intrepid Nooni on an adventure of a lifetime in this much-awaited book by Sudha Murty that is heart-warming, charming and absolutely unputdownable.
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Magnus Chase and The Sword of Summer
Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother's mysterious death, he's lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers. One day, he's tracked down by an uncle he's never met - a man his mother claimed was dangerous. His uncle tells him an impossible secret. Magnus is the son of a Norse god. The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years. When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision. Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die.