"Now in Telugu
Includes Speeches by Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Lenin, Stalin, Adolf Hitler, John F. Kennedy Indira Gandhi, Arundhati Roy and many more
The passing of time allows many speeches to take on a deeper meaning and poignancy. Others have become an iconic part of our times.
Speeches that Changed the World is a collection of the most important speeches given since the year 1900. There are speeches about power and about equality. There are speeches of hate and those of hope, of compassion and sorrow, politics and diplomacy, war and peace, freedom and justice. What they have in common is the rhetoric – the power of persuasion.
In this brilliant collection, many of history’s greatest orators and pivotal moments are featured – includes Speeches by Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. Lenin, Stalin, Adolf Hitler, John F. Kennedy Indira Gandhi, Arundhati Roy and many more to name a few.
These speeches carry the hopes and regrets of our modern world, and become even more powerful and poignant with the passage of time.
Alan J. Whiticker is an Australian non-fiction author and publisher, with over 40 published books, including Speeches that Changed the World. He is a former teacher and lecturer but now works as a freelance writer and commissioning editor for a publishing company."
Che Guevara
"According to Time magazine, Che Guevara was one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. The revolutionary, anti-Imperialist ideals he lived and died for now appeal to a new generation of 21st-century men and women.
Che Guevara: A Biography provides an introduction to the famous revolutionary leader, and reveals how his early life prepared him for leadership in the Cuban Revolution. It also explores his revolutionary activities in Africa and Bolivia, as well as the circumstances surrounding his tragic death on October 9, 1967.
The book includes original information on the 1997 discovery of the hidden remains of his body and on the celebration of his life and ideals by the socialist regime in Cuba. It also looks at the reasons why leftist political leaders, movements, and governments in Latin America and the Caribbean still pay homage to this charismatic man."
Sachin: Born to Bat
"SECOND EDITION
The Journey of Cricket’s Ultimate Centurion
INTRODUCTION BY SACHIN TENDULKAR
Includes four colour rare photos.
Sachin: Born to Bat by veteran journalist Khalid A-H Ansari and edited by Clayton Murzello is a unique ode to contemporary cricket’s finest batsman.
Despatches to MiD DAY, one of Asia’s leading newspapers, from some of the world’s most famous names in cricket writing – Ayaz Memon, Harsha Bhogle, Ian Chappell, Mike Coward, Peter Roebuck and other luminaries – grace the pages of this book.
Tributes from cricket’s most famous personalities including Tendulkar’s Team India teammates and coaches make this publication invaluable in helping cricket enthusiasts understand what makes Sachin the peerless champion he is.
The book also captures critical moments of Tendulkar’s wondrous cricketing career from photographers who have followed him throughout his distinguished career.
Until his recent retirement, Padma Shri Khalid A-H Ansari was the guiding force of MiD DAY Infomedia Ltd which publishes the newspaper (in two languages from Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore and Pune), the Inquilab Daily and other publications. He was publisher of the magazine Sportsweek, which he started in 1968 to champion the cause of Indian sport and sportsmen until 1989, when he took up an assignment abroad. The author of three earlier books, he covered the Kargil war in 1999, the NAM conference in Harare and the CHOGM summit in the Bahamas. He was also a member of the Indian delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in 1989 and published the Earth Times, the official paper for the 1994 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. He has the distinction of having covered nine Olympic Games going back to Munich ’72 and is a recipient of several honours and awards.
Clayton Murzello is MiD DAY’s Group Sports Editor and has been a journalist since 1988. He is a recipient of two Sports Journalists Federation of India (SJFI) awards for excellence in journalism. He has co-authored a book on cricket anecdotes with former Test cricketer Sandeep Patil."
The Race of My Life (Marathi)
"Now in Marathi
Milkha Singh has led a life dominated by running, running, running. From a boy who narrowly escaped death during Partition (Most of his family was not so lucky), to a juvenile delinquent who stole and outran the police, to a young Army recruit who ran his very first race to win special privileges for himself (A daily glass of milk). After that first race, Milkha Singh became an athlete by default and what followed was the stuff legends are made of. In this remarkably candid autobiography, Milkha Singh shares the amazing highs of winning India's first ever gold in athletics at the Commonwealth Games, the unbridled joy of being hailed as the 'Flying Sikh' in Pakistan, as well as the shattering low of failure at the Olympics. Simple yet ambitious, famous yet grounded, Milkha Singh was a man who defined his own destiny and remained committed to running and yet, remarkably for a man whose life was dominated by sports, he continues to remain disillusioned with the way sports is run. Powerful and gripping, the Race of My Life documents the journey of an impoverished refugee who rose to become one of the most towering figures in Indian sports."
Runaway Children
"a true story
It was quite chilly and I got up with a start, feeling the roadside dirt on my lips. I was, at this time, one of many children on the street – dirty, hungry, with nowhere to go.
The night’s stale loaf of bread had already been digested and I was ravenous. Nevertheless, I started the morning's work. This was at a tea shop, where I carried fifty buckets of water, two at a time, over some hundred meters. The chore took the best part of two hours and young as I was, I could have eaten a ton by the end of it! Instead, I got a fistful of watery rice and a cup of tea.
We laboured a good fourteen hours each day, not for money, but from the dire need of those few and paltry meals. Come night, we fell asleep on cold, bare floors and crawling insects feasted on our shivering flesh.
This book is for all the sorry street-bound children of our world; vulnerable, struggling to get by on a few rupees and embraced only by despair. As citizens and as humans, we must pull them out from this state, educate them, give them homes and, above all, their lost childhood.
S Hariharan runs a BPO business and lives in Mumbai with his wife and two children. An avid traveller, he plans to cover 200 countries before he turns sixty. He is passionate about cooking, philosophy and improving the life of street children across the world. The author can be reached at hariharan@pacesetters.co.in"
Champions of Invention
"Stories of 9 ingenious innovators such as John Gutenberg, James Watt, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Morse, William Thomson, Thomas Edison and others
Discover the ingenious inventors of yesteryear who inspire the leaders of tomorrow!
The great minds of the past are, in many ways, still with us today. Learn about people who revolutionized our way of living – and left us a rich legacy with their inventions.
Here you will read about Johannes Gutenberg, who printed the world's first – and arguably most beautiful – book; Samuel Morse, who brought the world a little closer together with his “lightening line”; James Watt, whose steam engine marked the start of the Industrial Revolution; Benjamin Franklin, who flirted with death to harness electricity; and many such others.
This valuable book gives you accurate accounts of lives from the annals of technology. Explore more in this series with Champions of Mathematics and Champions of Science.
John Hudson Tiner has a master’s degree from Duke University and is the author of textbooks, science curriculum material, character-building biographies and books on a variety of other subjects. He has more than a 1,000 published manuscripts, including 80 books, for all age groups.
Champions of Discovery Series"
Champions of Mathematics
"Stories of 9 great mathematicians such as Pythagoras, Archimedes, Newton, Fibonacci, Bernoulli, Euler and others
Discover the brilliant mathematicians whose work lit up the world with reason and logic!
The great minds of the past are, in many ways, still with us today. Learn about people who revolutionized our beliefs and our system of thinking.
Here you will read about Pythagoras, who studied numbers not only to measure objects but also to make wonderful music; Euclid, who laid the very foundations of mathematics; Isaac Newton, who discovered how gravity governs all motion; Leonardo Fibonacci, who brought a whole new numbering system to Europe; and many such others.
This valuable books gives you accurate accounts of lives from the annals of math. Explore more in this series with Champions of Science and Champions of Invention.
John Hudson Tiner has a master’s degree from Duke University and is the author of textbooks, science curriculum material, character-building biographies and books on a variety of other subjects. He has more than a 1,000 published manuscripts, including 80 books, for all age groups.
Champions of Discovery Series"
Champions of Science
"Stories of 10 ingenious scientists such as Copernicus, Aristotle, Galileo, Pascal, Kepler and others
Discover the geniuses who helped make the world as we know it!
The great minds of the past are, in many ways, still with us today. Learn about people who passionately explored the natural world thousands of years ago – and left us a rich legacy in knowledge.
Here you will read about Archimedes, who discovered how to make ships stay afloat; Johannes Kepler, whose laws predict the movements of planets; Blaise Pascal, who made the world’s first calculator at only 19 years of age; Galileo Galilei, who built the telescope – a window to the heavens; and many such others.
This valuable book gives you accurate accounts of lives from the annals of science. Explore more in this series with Champions of Mathematics and Champions of Invention.
John Hudson Tiner has a master’s degree from Duke University and is the author of textbooks, science curriculum material, character-building biographies and books on a variety of other subjects. He has more than a 1,000 published manuscripts, including 80 books, for all age groups.
Champions of Discovery Series"
Hillary Rising
"The Politics Persona and Policies of a New American Dynasty
A compelling page-turner that traces one woman’s political career in the world’s most dynamic democracy.
On 12 April 2015, casting herself as the champion of the common American, Hillary Clinton formally announced her intention to run for President in 2016. With her core principles unchanged, Hillary seems all set to secure the one role she has long desired.
What drives this most intriguing and polarizing of political figures? Will she be able to shake off the past and finally emerge a winner? What are her chances of winning the title? And most importantly, what kind of President would she make? The questions are endless.
Drawing on original interviews with close associates of both Bill and Hillary, as well as a wealth of recently declassified materials from the Clinton archive, James D. Boys offers a clear-sighted and non-partisan analysis of Hillary’s rise to the pinnacle of American politics.
Dr James D. Boys is an Associate Professor of International Political Studies at Richmond University and was Senior Visiting Research Fellow at King’s College, London. He has strong media links with radio and television, appearing as a commentator on American political issues on the BBC, Sky News, CNBC and Al Jazeera English. He is a regular contributor to the radio stations Monocle 24 and LBC Radio."
Alexander The Great
"Exceptional leaders are the ones who are able to analyze problems, optimize resources, inspire loyalty, and execute strategy. There is no more stunning example in history than Alexander the Great, whose leadership skills were so immense that they still resonate some 2,000 years later.
Alexander the Great reveals four leadership processes distilled from the life and extraordinary accomplishments of Alexander, King of Macedonia. Readers will learn how he:
— Reframed problems in order to meet seemingly insurmountable challenges
— Built alliances by using his strength to generate trust and respect, not just fear
— Established identity and “branded” himself a unifier, thus keeping the home base secure while continuing to expand his empire
— Recognized and assimilated the cultures and symbols of different peoples, becoming a powerful and trusted figure everywhere he went
This volume relates riveting episodes from Alexander’s expansion through Asia Minor, Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Middle East, the Persian Empire, and India. Each example, tied to a modern-day counterpart, imparts valuable lessons from the timeless legend of one of the greatest leaders in history."
The Greatest Speeches of Abraham Lincoln (Marathi)
"Now in Marathi
Edited by Maureen Harrison & Steve Gilbert
For someone who claimed he had been educated by “littles” – a little now and a little then – Abraham Lincoln displayed a remarkable facility in his use of the written word.
In the simple yet memorable eloquence of The Greatest Speeches of Abraham Lincoln, proclamations and personal correspondence are recorded in a representative collection of 22 documents.
This volume contains, complete and unabridged, the Address Before the Young Men’s Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois (1838), which emphasized a theme Lincoln was to return to repeatedly, namely, the capacity of a people to govern themselves; the First Inaugural Address (1861), in which he appealed to the people of an already divided union for sectional harmony; the Letter to Mrs Bixby (1864), expressing Lincoln’s regrets over the wartime deaths of her five sons and many more.
An invaluable reference for history students, this important volume will also fascinate admirers of Abraham Lincoln, Americana enthusiasts, Civil War buffs and any lover of the finely crafted phrase."
The Z Factor (Hindi)
"Now in Hindi
An Inspiration
Subhash Chandra had a humble beginning as a villager and started his work life with a mere Rs. 17 in his pockets. Through hard work, perseverance and wit, he now holds the status of the chairman of some of the biggest media and entertainment firms like Essel and Zee. Presently he is the owner of an empire worth billions, his inspiring story and all the important facets of his life have been documented in the book 'The Z Factor: My journey as the Wrong Man at the Right Time’. Being a newbie to the glamorous marketing world, Chandra describes in his biography how he fought innumerable obstacles and broke his way through the competitive industry, transforming himself from a nobody to a celebrity.
The Biography
Chandra describes in his biography how he started out his life amidst poverty and debts but always had an eye on the broadcasting and entertainment industry. He describes how he gradually and meticulously developed his business acumen, overcoming financial, industrial, social challenges as well as the challenge that comes with a lack of experience. The Essel group was the first Indian media group to launch a satellite entertainment media channel; a road unexplored by most media firms back then because they felt it lacked potential. In spite of being simple entrepreneur back then, Subhash Chandra and his group managed to make Zee TV a global phenomenon, changing the rules of the game and attracting the public with pure entertainment related shows. What followed were explosive obstacles and gutsy initiatives that didn't always work out, such as the major legal difference contradiction strife between Zee and Jindal. The book describes how Chandra didn't allow greed to corrupt the empire he had built and that is probably why it still remains as one of the biggest broadcasting organizations of India. Chandra also describes all the challenges he faced as the other big players of the broadcasting industry tried to curb any competition that challenged them. Some of these challenges cost his company a lot and he has dissected these failures and losses which have proven to be detrimental in his life. It is clear that the charismatic entrepreneur's life is full of ups and downs; yet The Z Factor can only be described as an inspiring tale of how a man turned himself from rags to riches and left a mark.
About the Author
The biography is co-authored by Subash Chandra and Pranjal Sharma. Subash Chandra, born on 30th November, 1950, is an Indian businessman who is the chairman of the prestigious Zee TV, Essel Group. He is also a television personality and a motivational speaker. Pranjal Sharma has been an established personality in the TV, print and digital media industry for over 23 years. He is one of the founders of the Broadcast Editors Association India. In 2007, he received the News TV award for Best Business Presenter."
The Double X Factor
"99 STORIES OF INCREDIBLE WOMEN FROM INDIA
Featuring Zia Mody, Chanda Kochhar, Mary Kom, Neerja Bhanot, Anita Dongre and others
99 DAUGHTERS OF INDIA WHO DARED TO BE DIFFERENT
From Rani Lakshmibai and Indira Gandhi to Chanda Kocchar and Mary Kom, The Double-X Factor explores the lives and times of 99 exceptional achievers who challenged the gender barrier and rose to fame.
Indian history is replete with instances of women’s valour, fortitude, courage, self-sacrifice and leadership in times of crisis. Some of them have turned into folklore and many of them have been immortalized in movies. Most of all, these women have left a great and indelible impact on several generations. Be it politics, arts, entertainment, sports or business, they carved a niche in every sphere that was once considered a male domain. Today, they have become role models to a nation of 1.34 billion, of which almost half is female.
Pratap Nair is the founder of FEI Cargo, a logistics company. Shailaja Nair Foundation – FEI’s CSR arm – was established to help women and children come up in life."
The Legends of Bollywood
"Translated by SUCHITRA IYER
Tales of madness, mischief & mayhem
Before the overly dramatic movies with technologically enhanced backgrounds, simpler times existed. A compulsively readable collection of memoirs and stories of Bollywood’s who’s who, The Legends of Bollywood includes enthralling stories of the stars of the yesteryear.
From Amitabh Bachchan’s first screen test to Badruddin Jamaluddin Kazi’s baptism into Johnny Walker, and from Dharmendra’s journey from a tractor driver to a legendary actor to Dimple Kapadia’s iconic comeback into the industry, this book includes everything that’s good, bad, and fabulous in Bollywood. With never-before-seen pictures, it is a sensational book that narrates the tales behind celebrated births and lamented deaths, secret romances and controversial moments, booming films and unforeseen flops.
Penned by a man who was a constant witness to these moments, these stories have been pulled from the archives of his myriad memories.
Raaj Grover was the production-in-charge of the prestigious Ajanta Arts in Mumbai, which was owned by Sunil Dutt. Grover was an integral part of the Dutt family. During his days in the film industry, he also dabbled in filmmaking. A poet at heart, he is known for his witty take on life and his joie de vivre. He currently lives in the USA."
My Life’s Journey
"Foreword by RAHUL BAJAJ
AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY
My Life’s Journey is the autobiography of Jankidevi Bajaj, who used fortitude and humility to overcome social evils that were prevalent in pre-independent India.
Born into a wealthy family in Madhya Pradesh, Jankidevi’s upbringing was steeped in tradition, with hardly any formal education. At the tender age of eight, she was married to Jamnalal Bajaj, the Bajaj heir. This book is the journey of a young girl who followed her husband’s footsteps and willingly gave up her luxurious life to adopt the quintessential Gandhian simplicity. She worked tirelessly towards India’s freedom struggle.
Her story, told in her own simplistic style, is laced with absorbing anecdotes that have the power to inspire any generation. There is plenty of wry humour as there are moving confessions about her own shortcomings. Every chapter is a quick-read but filled with the magnitude of her actions, which over time led to the abolishment of purdah and untouchability.
This is the story of a daughter of India who made the move from a mansion to an ashram, from silk to khadi, from a simple homemaker to a nationalist; a woman who went to jail for her country and marched many miles barefoot, alongside other stalwarts, to give us the freedom we enjoy today.
Jankidevi Bajaj (1893 - 1979) was one of India’s prominent social change makers. She worked relentlessly to abolish purdah and untouchability alongside Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave. She fought for India’s freedom and endured imprisonment. She wished for a country that respected all women and was free from social evils. Her contribution was recognized with a Padma Vibhushan in 1956."
Leaders Who Changed the World
"Includes Personalities Such As: Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, Steve Jobs, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, Muhammad Ali and many more
THE QUALITY OF LEADERSHIP IS ELUSIVE. IS IT BASED ON PERSONALITY, ATTRACTIVENESS, FEAR OR EMPATHY?
Perhaps that is the essence of leadership – all the qualities that endear one person to another, such as empathy, attractiveness, grace, power and, finally and most importantly, a willingness to sacrifice, to become an emblem, to become heroic or tragic and to lead others, regardless of the cost.
The leaders that are remembered by history both define the world they live in and change that world forever. Whether their leadership is inspirational, innovative, decisive or ultimately destructive, we have a lot to learn from the lives and achievements of the eclectic group of people featured in this wonderful book.
Leaders Who Changed the World is a collection of 50 of the most important politicians, pop culture icons and social innovators of the past 100 years. Each of the people featured in this book changed the world... either for better or for worse. This book taps into Cooper’s love of history and our general fascination with fame, fortune and mortality.
STEVEN K. COOPER is a former history teacher, with degrees in ancient history and philosophy. He is a screenwriter, working on a number of film and TV projects."
Nikola Tesla
"Timeless Lessons from His Life and Work
Nikola Tesla’s unusual life and mind, along with his many visions and innovations, have helped shape our past, present, and future.
Seventy years after his death, Nikola Tesla has become a rock star. World-changing inventions made him a celebrity in his own time, but something otherworldly makes him transcend his era and remain an eternal beacon for our civilization. Tesla’s prescient visions and schematics of a future where energy, science, and world peace co-exist elevate him above the mere title of “inventor.” His ideas and inventions are still shaping our present and future in profound ways. In Nikola Tesla, John F. Wasik not only looks at how Tesla arrived at his inventions; he also illuminates how you can tap into the same source of creation within yourself.
JOHN F. WASIK, the author of 18 books and more than 1,000 columns, blogs, and articles for the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Reuters, Forbes, and Bloomberg News, has been researching Nikola Tesla for more than a decade. He has also consulted with Tesla experts worldwide and explored the vast resources of the Edison, JP Morgan, Westinghouse, and FBI archives. "
Leonardo's Brain
"Understanding Da Vinci’s Creative Genius
The life and art of history’s most influential mind
Bestselling author Leonard Shlain explores the potential for humankind through the life, art, and mind of the first true Renaissance Man, Leonardo da Vinci. His innovations as an artist, scientist, and inventor are recast through a modern lens, with Shlain applying contemporary neuroscience to illuminate da Vinci’s creative process. No other person in human history has excelled in so many areas of innovation: Shlain reveals the how and the why.
Shlain theorizes that Leonardo’s extraordinary mind came from a uniquely developed and integrated right and left brain, which offers a model for how we too can evolve. Using past and current research, Leonardo’s Brain presents da Vinci as the focal point for a fresh exploration of human creativity. With his lucid style and remarkable ability to discern connections among a wide range of fields, Shlain brings the reader into the world of history’s greatest mind.
Leonard Shlain is a bestselling author, inventor, and surgeon. Admired among artists, scientists, philosophers, anthropologists, and educators, he authored three bestselling books. He delivered stunning visual presentations based upon his books in venues around the world, including Harvard, the New York Museum of Modern Art, CERN, Los Alamos, the Florence Academy of Art, and the European Council of Ministers. Shlain died in May 2009 at the age of 71 from brain cancer shortly after the completion of this book.
Visit LeonardShlain.com and LeonardosBrain.com."
The Disruptors
"50 People Who Changed the World
Includes stories of people such as:
• Isaac Newton • Albert Einstein • Nikola Tesla • Marie Curie • Mohandas Gandhi • Steve Jobs • Jeff Bezos • Elon Musk • Madonna
Meet 50 women and men who broke the rules and changed the world
What does Charles Darwin have in common with Johannes Gutenberg—or with Jackson Pollock, Martin Luther, Betty Friedan, Steve Jobs, and DJ Kool Herc? They were the disruptors, upending established cultural, technical, spiritual, or scientific paradigms and altering the way we live forever.
In The Disruptors, bestselling author Alan Axelrod presents dramatic and illuminating profiles, accompanied by original line drawings, of 50 visionaries who didn’t settle for the status quo.
Their innovations range from the printing press (Gutenberg) to the fight for women’s equality (Friedan), from the iPhone (Jobs) to the innovation of hip-hop (Harc). They altered expectations about what constitutes art (Pollock), who controlled the way people worshiped (Luther), and where humanity came from (Darwin).
Alan Axelrod is the author of more than 150 books. He has appeared in numerous magazine and newspaper articles as well as on many TV and radio programs."
A Full Life
"Foreword by Alyque Padamsee
Preface by Lara Dutta
Sabira Merchant is a name you associate with sophistication and good taste. A trendsetter, she added sparkle to Mumbai’s performing arts scene with her presence.
Bold, beautiful and brilliant, Sabira is India’s beloved thespian, celebrated quiz queen, and renowned grooming and etiquette expert. From bringing disco to the city—her nightclub Studio 29 ushered in a new era in Mumbai’s nightlife, causing a frenzy among partygoers in the ’80s—to training beauty queens such as Priyanka Chopra and Lara Dutta before they went on to win their crowns, Sabira’s legacy can leave anyone green with envy.
For a suburban Muslim girl who got married in her teens to the love of her life and had three children one after the other, the feats Sabira has accomplished are astounding and inspiring, given how difficult it was for women back then to balance personal life and career, that too in theatre, radio and television. In her memoir A Full Life, Sabira recounts her eventful journey—her triumphs, setbacks, joys, fears and hopes—and through her journey, a rare glimpse into Mumbai’s glorious past.
SABIRA MERCHANT is a renowned thespian and etiquette trainer. She has coached beauty queens such as Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta, Yukta Mookhey and Diana Hayden for international beauty pageants. She has worked with India’s top corporates to train their workforce in social behaviour, corporate finesse and etiquette. Acting has always been her passion and she finds immense satisfaction in teaching.
MITALI PAREKH is a writer, editor and columnist based in Mumbai. She writes on popular culture, food, fashion, animal rights and welfare, gender issues, lifestyle and travel. Her articles and columns have appeared in top newspapers and magazines such as Mumbai Mirror, Elle, Femina, Harper’s Bazaar, The Caravan, The Guardian, Mid-Day, The Hindu Business Line, Mint and many others.
“Sabira really has all the makings of a theatre great—discipline, vulnerability and excellent speech.”
ALYQUE PADAMSEE
Theatre personality and ad-film maker
“Very simply, there is no one in this country quite like Sabira Merchant. She is irreplaceable.”
LARA DUTTA
Actress, entrepreneur and the winner of the Miss Universe 2000 pageant
"
My Life in Full (Tamil)
"Now in Tamil
An intimate and powerful memoir by the trailblazing former CEO of PepsiCo
For a dozen years as one of the world's most admired CEOs, Indra Nooyi redefined what it means to be an exceptional leader. The first woman of color and immigrant to run a Fortune 50 company—and one of the foremost strategic thinkers of our time—she transformed PepsiCo with a unique vision, a vigorous pursuit of excellence, and a deep sense of purpose. Now, in a rich memoir brimming with grace, grit, and good humor, Nooyi offers a first-hand view of her legendary career and the sacrifices it so often demanded.
Nooyi takes us through the events that shaped her, from her childhood and early education in 1960s India, to the Yale School of Management, to her rise as a corporate consultant and strategist who soon ascended into the most senior executive ranks. My Life in Full offers an inside look at PepsiCo, and Nooyi's thinking as she steered the iconic American company taoward healthier products and reinvented its environmental profile despite resistance at every turn.
For the first time and in raw detail, Nooyi also lays bare the difficulties that came with managing her demanding job and a growing family, and what she learned along the way. She makes a clear, actionable, urgent call for business and government to prioritize the care ecosystem, paid leave, and work flexibility, and a convincing argument for how improving company and community support for young family builders will unleash the economy's full potential.
Generous, authoritative, and grounded in lived experience, My Life in Full is the story of an extraordinary leader's life, a moving tribute to the relationships that created it, and a blueprint for twenty-first-century prosperity."
My Life in Full (Telugu)
"Now in Telugu
An intimate and powerful memoir by the trailblazing former CEO of PepsiCo
For a dozen years as one of the world's most admired CEOs, Indra Nooyi redefined what it means to be an exceptional leader. The first woman of color and immigrant to run a Fortune 50 company—and one of the foremost strategic thinkers of our time—she transformed PepsiCo with a unique vision, a vigorous pursuit of excellence, and a deep sense of purpose. Now, in a rich memoir brimming with grace, grit, and good humor, Nooyi offers a first-hand view of her legendary career and the sacrifices it so often demanded.
Nooyi takes us through the events that shaped her, from her childhood and early education in 1960s India, to the Yale School of Management, to her rise as a corporate consultant and strategist who soon ascended into the most senior executive ranks. My Life in Full offers an inside look at PepsiCo, and Nooyi's thinking as she steered the iconic American company taoward healthier products and reinvented its environmental profile despite resistance at every turn.
For the first time and in raw detail, Nooyi also lays bare the difficulties that came with managing her demanding job and a growing family, and what she learned along the way. She makes a clear, actionable, urgent call for business and government to prioritize the care ecosystem, paid leave, and work flexibility, and a convincing argument for how improving company and community support for young family builders will unleash the economy's full potential.
Generous, authoritative, and grounded in lived experience, My Life in Full is the story of an extraordinary leader's life, a moving tribute to the relationships that created it, and a blueprint for twenty-first-century prosperity."
Adityanama: The Man behind the Banker Unveiled
"Adityanama offers an exclusive look into the legendary banker Aditya Puri’s life through the eyes of his better half, Smiley Puri. Everyone knows Aditya Puri in the world of finance, but very little is known about the man behind those billion dollar deals and ideas that revolutionised India’s private banking sector.
Smiley provides readers a window into the famously discreet banker’s personal life and professional journey dotted with stories revealing Aditya’s sense of humour, his love for food and pranks, his management style, and his commitment to family and friends. She fondly recollects incidents from Aditya’s college life, his Citi Bank and HDFC Bank years, and his precious moments with her and their children as a true family man.
Never-before-seen family photographs from Smiley’s personal collection lend colour to her vibrant narration. This book gives a rare chance to all those who are fascinated with the world of banking and bankers to know what makes the master banker with the Midas touch tick."
Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Biography
"Against the backdrop of beatings, killings, bombings, threats and imprisoning, emerged Martin Luther King, driven to uplift all Americans, even if it meant martyrdom.
This biography is a stellar introduction to the foremost leader of the civil rights movement. In gripping narrative style, it describes young Martin as son and grandson of formidable preachers, drawn to his calling as a minister too, but as one who would take on the entrenched racism of the South, and North, through a nonviolent movement that changed the course of American history.
King’s story is compelling, right from his early life in an insular community of blacks in Atlanta, to his education at Morehouse College, Crozer Theological Seminary and Boston University, to his courtship of Coretta Scott leading into the early days of the civil rights movement, and his role of leadership in the major demonstrations and sit-ins that took place, mainly in the South. We gain critical insight into the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations, as King negotiated with the presidents for equal rights for blacks. "
Albert Einstein: A Biography
"Albert Einstein was named ‘Person of the Century’ and remains one of the most famous scientists in world history. But what was he really like, as a person?
This fresh biography of Albert Einstein gives students and general readers a concise, accessible introduction to the life and science of this revolutionary man. Underneath his genius, he was an ordinary person, with human frailties and weaknesses, but also with charm, modesty, a wry sense of humor and idiosyncrasies.
Albert Einstein: A Biography lucidly captures this brilliant physicist’s life and career, including:
— His early education and his struggle to find an academic position, including working as a clerk at the Swiss patent office at the time that he was formulating his revolutionary theories
— His rise to international fame, and his use of that fame to fight for world peace
— His major contributions to physics, explained in a simple manner
Also included are a bibliography of secondary works for further reading and a timeline of important dates in the life of Einstein."
Albert Einstein (Bengali)
"Now in Bengali
Albert Einstein was named ‘Person of the Century’ and remains one of the most famous scientists in world history. But what was he really like, as a person?
This fresh biography of Albert Einstein gives students and general readers a concise, accessible introduction to the life and science of this revolutionary man. Underneath his genius, he was an ordinary person, with human frailties and weaknesses, but also with charm, modesty, a wry sense of humor and idiosyncrasies.
Albert Einstein: A Biography lucidly captures this brilliant physicist’s life and career, including:
— His early education and his struggle to find an academic position, including working as a clerk at the Swiss patent office at the time that he was formulating his revolutionary theories
— His rise to international fame, and his use of that fame to fight for world peace
— His major contributions to physics, explained in a simple manner
Also included are a bibliography of secondary works for further reading and a timeline of important dates in the life of Einstein."
Albert Einstein (Gujarati)
"Now in Gujarati
Albert Einstein was named ‘Person of the Century’ and remains one of the most famous scientists in world history. But what was he really like, as a person?
This fresh biography of Albert Einstein gives students and general readers a concise, accessible introduction to the life and science of this revolutionary man. Underneath his genius, he was an ordinary person, with human frailties and weaknesses, but also with charm, modesty, a wry sense of humor and idiosyncrasies.
Albert Einstein: A Biography lucidly captures this brilliant physicist’s life and career, including:
— His early education and his struggle to find an academic position, including working as a clerk at the Swiss patent office at the time that he was formulating his revolutionary theories
— His rise to international fame, and his use of that fame to fight for world peace
— His major contributions to physics, explained in a simple manner
Also included are a bibliography of secondary works for further reading and a timeline of important dates in the life of Einstein."
Albert Einstein (Hindi)
"Now in Hindi
Albert Einstein was named ‘Person of the Century’ and remains one of the most famous scientists in world history. But what was he really like, as a person?
This fresh biography of Albert Einstein gives students and general readers a concise, accessible introduction to the life and science of this revolutionary man. Underneath his genius, he was an ordinary person, with human frailties and weaknesses, but also with charm, modesty, a wry sense of humor and idiosyncrasies.
Albert Einstein: A Biography lucidly captures this brilliant physicist’s life and career, including:
— His early education and his struggle to find an academic position, including working as a clerk at the Swiss patent office at the time that he was formulating his revolutionary theories
— His rise to international fame, and his use of that fame to fight for world peace
— His major contributions to physics, explained in a simple manner
Also included are a bibliography of secondary works for further reading and a timeline of important dates in the life of Einstein."
Albert Einstein (Marathi)
"Now in Marathi
Albert Einstein was named ‘Person of the Century’ and remains one of the most famous scientists in world history. But what was he really like, as a person?
This fresh biography of Albert Einstein gives students and general readers a concise, accessible introduction to the life and science of this revolutionary man. Underneath his genius, he was an ordinary person, with human frailties and weaknesses, but also with charm, modesty, a wry sense of humor and idiosyncrasies.
Albert Einstein: A Biography lucidly captures this brilliant physicist’s life and career, including:
— His early education and his struggle to find an academic position, including working as a clerk at the Swiss patent office at the time that he was formulating his revolutionary theories
— His rise to international fame, and his use of that fame to fight for world peace
— His major contributions to physics, explained in a simple manner
Also included are a bibliography of secondary works for further reading and a timeline of important dates in the life of Einstein."
Albert Einstein (Tamil)
"Now in Tamil
Albert Einstein was named ‘Person of the Century’ and remains one of the most famous scientists in world history. But what was he really like, as a person?
This fresh biography of Albert Einstein gives students and general readers a concise, accessible introduction to the life and science of this revolutionary man. Underneath his genius, he was an ordinary person, with human frailties and weaknesses, but also with charm, modesty, a wry sense of humor and idiosyncrasies.
Albert Einstein: A Biography lucidly captures this brilliant physicist’s life and career, including:
— His early education and his struggle to find an academic position, including working as a clerk at the Swiss patent office at the time that he was formulating his revolutionary theories
— His rise to international fame, and his use of that fame to fight for world peace
— His major contributions to physics, explained in a simple manner
Also included are a bibliography of secondary works for further reading and a timeline of important dates in the life of Einstein."
Stephen Hawking: A Biography
"Despite having Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease)—an affliction that many experts expected to have killed him decades ago—he remains a vital and influential voice in the scientific community.
Few scientists are as recognizable as Stephen Hawking. One of the leading cosmologists to have studied black holes, Hawking has also led the way in popularizing science with his best-selling work A Brief History of Time.
Written by a physicist for students and lay readers alike, this biography documents Hawking’s childhood and early education, the shocking diagnosis of his disease, his early scientific work on black holes that cemented his reputation as a scientist, and chronicles how he managed to remain a productive scientist and scholar despite his debilitating condition.
Also included are a list of resources for further information, a timeline of important events in his life and several useful appendices detailing Hawking’s scientific work."
Stephen Hawking (Marathi)
"Now in Marathi
Despite having Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease)—an affliction that many experts expected to have killed him decades ago—he remains a vital and influential voice in the scientific community.
Few scientists are as recognizable as Stephen Hawking. One of the leading cosmologists to have studied black holes, Hawking has also led the way in popularizing science with his best-selling work A Brief History of Time.
Written by a physicist for students and lay readers alike, this biography documents Hawking’s childhood and early education, the shocking diagnosis of his disease, his early scientific work on black holes that cemented his reputation as a scientist, and chronicles how he managed to remain a productive scientist and scholar despite his debilitating condition.
Also included are a list of resources for further information, a timeline of important events in his life and several useful appendices detailing Hawking’s scientific work."
Oprah Winfrey: A Biography
"Her name and face are instantly recognizable to just about every person in the United States. To millions of people around the world, she is the embodiment of American spirit and entrepreneurial success.
While there is a near continual barrage of information in the media about this larger-than-life woman, this biography of Oprah Winfrey takes readers past all the hype and hyperbole and presents a candid, balanced portrait of the flesh-and-blood woman herself. The dramatic events in her life, both the struggles and the successes, are detailed with factual accounts that guide readers through the complex, and sometimes controversial, course of Oprah’s life from her childhood in Mississippi, to her current position of extraordinary success. This penetrating book also examines the myriad areas of Oprah’s immeasurable impact on the people close to her and the public at large, from her literary and political influences, to her candor about her own ups and downs with mental and physical health issues.
"
Mother Teresa: A Biography
"Mother Teresa transcended her ordinariness with a belief that she was called to her life’s work. And she used the unsought fame it brought her, to further her causes.
In this new biography, students will follow Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu from her humble Albanian birth to worldwide celebrity as Mother Teresa. The nun who attended to the dying and diseased in Calcutta, India, and established her Missionaries of Charity around the world had to prove to the hierarchy in the patriarchal Catholic system, even in the Vatican, that she was capable of handling each project she proposed. With her vision to live and work among the ‘poorest of the poor’ was founded a new order that tended to society’s outcasts.
This narrative chronicles the expansion and success of Mother Teresa’s order and the eventual recognition that was showered on her efforts. This increasing attention led to scrutiny and criticism of her ideology, methods of care, and financing. The accusations of hypocrisy, among others, are discussed, as is her controversial beatification. Readers will be challenged to consider for themselves whether Mother Teresa deserves to be sainted."
The Dalai Lama: A Biography
"He is both the living conscience of the Tibetan people and an internationally respected human rights symbol. His high-profile appearances and books have fueled the surging popularity of Buddhism in the United States and throughout the West.
This new, up-to-date biography provides insight into the curious and winning personality of the Dalai Lama as a boy and his wisdom as a man. His story is revealed from early family life to his experiences in the world, his education as the 14th incarnation of the Lama, his exile in India, and his current struggles to help Tibet regain its independence from China. Especially helpful is the historical overview of the Tibetan crisis after the Chinese invasion.
A timeline and glossary supplement the text. Though the book is written especially for high school students, it will also immensely interest general readers."
Mohandas K. Gandhi: A Biography
"His iconic status endures in the United States, through his influence on Martin Luther King, Jr., and in popular culture, through quotations, a blockbuster film, and interest in Hindu spirituality and practices.
Mohandas K. Gandhi, known as Mahatma (‘great soul’) Gandhi, is revered worldwide for his non violent action in freeing India from British rule. Discover his journey from family and home in the provinces to an early arranged marriage, his solo sojourn in England towards a career in law, and his transformation from a timid barrister in South Africa to India’s foremost negotiator with the British power structure.
The narrative also illuminates Indian society and the caste system from the latter half of the 19th century up to World War II, covering British colonial rule, racism in South Africa and India, and Hinduism. We also glimpse the controversial aspects of Gandhi’s choices. How he was largely an absentee husband and father. How, after siring four children, he took a vow of celibacy, yet formed attachments to several young, female Western devotees through the years. And how, ultimately, it was his role as a compromiser who believed in Hindus and Muslims in a free, united India that led to his assassination."
Mohandas K. Gandhi: A Biography (Hindi)
"Now in Hindi
His iconic status endures in the United States, through his influence on Martin Luther King, Jr., and in popular culture, through quotations, a blockbuster film, and interest in Hindu spirituality and practices.
Mohandas K. Gandhi, known as Mahatma (‘great soul’) Gandhi, is revered worldwide for his non violent action in freeing India from British rule. Discover his journey from family and home in the provinces to an early arranged marriage, his solo sojourn in England towards a career in law, and his transformation from a timid barrister in South Africa to India’s foremost negotiator with the British power structure.
The narrative also illuminates Indian society and the caste system from the latter half of the 19th century up to World War II, covering British colonial rule, racism in South Africa and India, and Hinduism. We also glimpse the controversial aspects of Gandhi’s choices. How he was largely an absentee husband and father. How, after siring four children, he took a vow of celibacy, yet formed attachments to several young, female Western devotees through the years. And how, ultimately, it was his role as a compromiser who believed in Hindus and Muslims in a free, united India that led to his assassination."
Barack Obama: A Biography
"Thousands turned out to hear the dynamic senator from Illinois speak as he campaigned to become the President of the United States… To many, he embodied the American dream.
He is bold and audacious, his rhetoric fiery and compelling. He encourages cross-over appeal, discourse, affiliation, and has drawn many Americans, including today’s youth, into politics. This is the story of Barack Obama, a man of mixed race heritage who inspires, listens, compromises, and is often bipartisan.
From his childhood in Hawaii and Indonesia to becoming the fifth African-American senator in U.S. history, and later, a presidential candidate, this well-researched biography traces his hardships and successes, the people who most influenced his career, his personal life and his meteoric rise to pop icon status. Rounded out with photos, a timeline, a bibliography and an index, here is a must-read for high school and undergraduate students of current events and political science."
Nelson Mandela: A Biography
"His quest for racial justice for black South Africans as a leader of the African National Congress led to 27 years of imprisonment. Following intense international pressure on the Apartheid government, he was finally freed in 1990.
Everyone should know the life story of Nelson Mandela, one of the greatest leaders of all time, the first black president of South Africa and a major world statesman. His inspiring life receives a fresh retelling in this new biography written especially for general readers and students. This volume is an authoritative and enjoyable way not only to understand a great man, but also to understand a critical time in world history and race relations. Through the landmark presidency of South Africa and post Nobel Peace Prize years, up until today, he has continued as a peacemaker and agent for change.
A timeline, photo essay and selected bibliography complement the narrative."
Gautama Buddha
"LEADERS WHO CHANGED THE WORLD
The Shakya prince, Siddhartha Gautama, raised in comfort and luxury renounced it all when he realized that he had been living a privileged life devoid of sufferings.
In his quest to attain spiritual enlightenment, Gautama gave up life as a prince and householder and adopted the mendicant’s life. While meditating under a tree in Bodh Gaya, he had a spiritual awakening and became famous as Gautama Buddha or the ‘enlightened one’. This tree known as the Bodhi tree stands till today and draws pilgrims from across the world.
Today, Buddhism is the world’s fourth largest religion. According to the 14th Dalai Lama, Buddha argued against following any religious authority or tradition for its own sake. He wanted his followers to adapt his teachings to suit their own lives. Leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi have been inspired by Buddha to defend their causes with compassion. Learn about Gautama Buddha’s journey seeking enlightenment and how it continues to impact the world today.
MELISSA GISH is the author of dozens of nonfiction books on topics ranging from biography, history, and industry to science and nature."
Dalai Lama
"LEADERS WHO CHANGED THE WORLD
When Chairman Mao Tse-tung, the Chinese leader, told him, “Religion is poison ... it neglects material progress,” the Dalai Lama knew that Chinese involvement in Tibet would be disastrous.
Nobel Prize winner Tenzing Gyatso, one of history’s most respected and beloved seekers of peace in modern times is better known as the 14th Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet. Anticipating assassination from Chairman Mao he had to flee his homeland as he knew that he would be able to protect his people only if he was alive. Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru allowed the Tibetans to headquarter their spiritual leader in the city of Dharamshala, where it still exists today. Though the Dalai Lama has lived in exile in India since 1959, he remains the unifying figure of Tibet’s non-violent struggle against Communist China.
The Dalai Lama believes in diplomacy through friendship, encourages people to seek harmony and understanding among different religions and is keen on promoting Tibetan language and culture. Read about this exiled spiritual leader’s life.
MELISSA GISH is the author of dozens of nonfiction books on topics ranging from biography, history, and industry to science and nature."
Mahatma Gandhi
"LEADERS WHO CHANGED THE WORLD
In 1948, the year that Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated, the Nobel Peace Prize was not awarded to anyone as they found no “suitable living candidate”. It is believed that he would have received the prize that year.
Beginning his career as a shy lawyer, Gandhi’s deep belief in justice helped him develop his philosophies about truth, tolerance, and nonviolence. He garnered supporters who wanted to follow his example of living simply, empowering others, and striving to unify all peoples.
Critics questioned his commitment to universal pacifism. Some even criticized him for focusing on initiatives besides India’s independence such as his involvement with the untouchables or his refusal to call for the elimination of India’s caste system altogether. Others held negative views of his political leadership and his perceived dedication to Indian nationalism over universal peace.
Yet, even today, Gandhi’s critics admit their admiration of his steadfast commitment to nonviolence. Read all about the remarkable journey of the flagbearer of nonviolent protests who was instrumental in India’s fight for independence.
LAURA K. MURRAY is the author of more than 80 published or forthcoming educational books. Her creative nonfiction, fiction and poetry have appeared in The Talking Stick, River Valley Woman, Vita.mn and elsewhere. She lives in Minnesota."
Martin Luther King Jr.
"LEADERS WHO CHANGED THE WORLD
One of the most loved and most hated men in America at the time of his death in 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. is known as one of the greatest leaders of civil rights movement today.
He faced segregation and racism in early childhood. Inspired by the teachings of Jesus Christ and the ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi, King formed his own philosophies regarding a nonviolent lifestyle. Even when faced with insults, beatings and jail time, he remained resolute in his efforts to eradicate injustice, poverty and war. His critics felt he was destroying peace in their community through protests and marches. The nonviolent movement also drew ire from sections of society which believed violence was a necessary form of self-defense.
Even today, his powerful speeches inspire people to fight for equality and justice as can be seen in the Black Lives Matter Movement that is reverberating through the United States.
VALERIE BODDEN is the author of more than 200 children’s books. Her books have received critical acclaim from Booklist, Children’s Literature, ForeWord Magazine, Horn Book Guide, VOYA, and School Library Journal."
Mother Teresa
"LEADERS WHO CHANGED THE WORLD
The birth of Agnes was not an extraordinary event, but her death was. The world mourned her passing.
Mother Teresa, or St. Teresa of Calcutta, was born Anjezë (Agnes) Bojaxhiu, in northern Macedonia, thousands of kilometers away from the city she later came to love and be associated with. Her journey—out of her small European village and to the ailing world as a young Catholic nun—was paved with struggles, both internal and external.
She is known as one of the greatest humanitarians in recent history. By the time of her death in 1997, she had captured the hearts of millions. Not everyone agreed she was worthy of praise, though. Criticisms of her work and motivations continued throughout her life and after her death. However, neither her critics nor her supporters knew that she had experienced a spiritual struggle for decades.
Regardless of criticism, wherever she went, she offered fervent prayers for peace and encouraged joy amidst suffering. Read all about the revered saint’s trials and tribulations in these pages.
LAURA K. MURRAY is the author of more than 80 published or forthcoming educational books. Her creative nonfiction, fiction and poetry have appeared in The Talking Stick, River Valley Woman, Vita.mn and elsewhere. She lives in Minnesota."
Nelson Mandela
"LEADERS WHO CHANGED THE WORLD
In his lifetime, Nelson Mandela was viewed as a terrorist by some and a liberator by others.
Today, opinions about South Africa’s first democratically elected president remain split. But no matter how they feel about Mandela, most South Africans acknowledge that they owe him for many of the freedoms they enjoy.
Beyond that, Mandela became a symbol of what it meant to stand up to oppression and then to forgive the oppressor. The South African freedom fighter was jailed for 26 years, from the age of 46 to 71, for his protests against apartheid.
From militant resistance against a white government to call for reconciliation, from challenging his oppressors to later famously forgiving them, from spending decades in prison to acknowledging those years as a period of learning, Mandela’s views and his politics are not palatable to all, but they certainly made heads turn and garnered him and his fight global recognition. Read all about the controversial life of Nelson Mandela, the man who was born to be king.
VALERIE BODDEN is the author of more than 200 children’s books. Her books have received critical acclaim from Booklist, Children’s Literature, ForeWord Magazine, Horn Book Guide, VOYA, and School Library Journal."
Hindi - English / English - Hindi Dictionary
"This two-way Hindi-English dictionary includes over 25,000 entries includes idiomatic and colloquial expressions, and administrative, commercial and professional vocabulary to help users of either language gain functional knowledge of the other.
A comprehensive guide to modern daily language usage, the Hindi-English English-Hindi Dictionary has entries in both Hindi and English for the ease of users. It is perfect for businesspeople, travellers and students.
• 25,000 entries
• Comprehensive guide to modern daily usage
• Idiomatic and colloquial expressions
• Includes administrative, commercial and professional vocabulary"
Khallaas - an A to Z Guide to the Underworld
"As a journalist on the crime beat, the author has spent long hours talking to those in uniform, those in the underworld and those in the grey zone – people who work as police informers.
Much of what he has seen, heard and observed in over a decade of covering crime has found its way into print. But there’s a lot that’s spoken of in hushed tones, or buried in underworld lore.
The underworld speaks its own language, and words are invented on the spur of the moment. A shooter is referred to as an “artist”, an informer is simply “zero dial”, Dubai is “Delhi”, while arrest is “get admitted”. Most of these are aimed at sending the police or adversaries on a wild goose chase. It’s a world that thrives on the spirit of enterprise, actively courts power and danger, and has conquered fear. The rules are straight and the ethics sacrosanct.
The principles of ‘dhanda’ apply equally here – risk, profit and competition are at the very core. An informer will think nothing of selling precious information on a rival if it can earn him extra bucks or goodwill from the police."
Zero Dial
"Three informers. Murky bylanes that hold the key to deadly terror plots. The chase for India’s most wanted terrorist. The lives of three of Mumbai Police’s best informers collide in this shady underworld.
It’s a bad, bad world. A world of crime, sex, drugs, murder and betrayal. He who lies, lives to see the light of another day... a day replete with even greater risks. From shady underworld dealings to switching gang loyalties, the men graduate to selling information on terrorism. Then begins the chase… to catch India’s most wanted terrorist: Riyaz Bhatkal, the man with an ominous track record of masterminding twenty-two blasts across the country since 2005.
The search takes them to the most unassuming yet dangerous terror hubs across India. With trust in short supply, time ticking away and the sword of Damocles over their heads, the men can only hope that they are not on a wild goose chase.
"
Son of Hamas (Kannada)
"Now in Kannada
The shocking true story of a Hamas insider who rejected his violent destiny – and is now risking everything to expose closely guarded secrets and show the world a way to peace.
Son of Hamas is now available in paperback with an all-new chapter about events since the book’s release such as the revelation of Mosab’s Israeli intelligence handler’s true identity, and Homeland Security’s effort to deport the author.
Since he was a small boy, Mosab Hassan Yousef has had an inside view of the deadly terrorist group Hamas. The oldest son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a founding member of Hamas and its most popular leader, young Mosab assisted his father for years in his political activities while being groomed to assume his legacy, politics, status... and power. But everything changed when Mosab turned away from terror and violence, and embraced instead the teachings of another famous Middle East leader. In Son of Hamas, Mosab reveals new information about the world’s most dangerous terrorist organization and unveils the truth about his own role, his agonizing separation from family and homeland, the dangerous decision to make his newfound faith public, and his belief that the Christian mandate to “love your enemies” is the only way to peace in the Middle East. "
Modern Spies and the War on Terror
"After the Cold War ended, new conflicts and enemies emerged across countries with the emergence of extremist groups. Terror attacks today involve guns, bombs, toxic chemical and biological substances.
Even in peaceful times, spies need to use both modern espionage tools and old-fashioned spying techniques to uncover or protect state secrets. Modern spies face diverse situations including discovering animals with embedded chips to monitor activity in enemy territory or go through intercepted communications such as e-mails, voice messages and telephone conversations. Although there have been several technological developments in spying tools available, they come with their own limitations like drone weapons being unable to distinguish between terrorists and peaceful civilians. Take a peek into the world of corporate espionage in organizations zealously protecting their trade secrets through cases such as Proctor & Gamble spying on Unilever to stay ahead of competition.
Unravel international secrets from covert operations such as the search for and killing of Osama bin Laden by American special forces in this book.
Michael E. Goodman was born in Savannah, Georgia. He attended Yale University and graduate school at Brown University. He began as a high school English teacher in Providence, RI, and Teaneck, NJ, before turning to writing and editing and serving as an executive in corporate communications. He is a former senior editor at Scholastic and Prentice-Hall and executive editor at Peoples Education."
The KGB and Other Russian Spies
"Russia, the world’s largest country in total area, remains one of the most unknowable. Russian intelligence agencies play a major role in protecting their country and their espionage missions from the eyes of outsiders.
In 1565, the ruthless Russian tsar Ivan the Terrible created a 6,000-member security force called the Oprichnina. Officers of the Oprichnina dressed all in black and rode black horses. They terrorized the Russian people, killing thousands whom they blamed for made-up acts of treason. Many rulers after Ivan also created their own security forces to spy on Russians at home or living outside the country. The Russian security forces of the 20th and 21st centuries—known at different times as the Cheka, NKVD, KGB, and SVR—have added to a long tradition of power, fear, and secrecy that began more than 400 years ago.
Read all about these formidable Russian intelligence agencies, their spy networks, and their surveillance operations around the world.
Michael E. Goodman was born in Savannah, Georgia. He attended Yale University and graduate school at Brown University. He began as a high school English teacher in Providence, RI, and Teaneck, NJ, before turning to writing and editing and serving as an executive in corporate communications. He is a former senior editor at Scholastic and Prentice-Hall and executive editor at Peoples Education."
The CIA and Other American Spies
"The US intelligence agencies have always been actively involved in covert operations. Some of their spying activities have been as exciting as Hollywood movies, and a few have even been made into films.
Whether it is procuring Nazi secrets during World War II, trying to assassinate Fidel Castro in the peak of Cold War, attempting to overthrow the Iranian government in 1953 to protect the interests of American and British oil companies or capturing and killing of Osama bin Laden following 9/11, the part played by the CIA and other American spy agencies in all these operations have been more overt than covert. Apart from keeping America safe, these agencies play an important role in keeping peace between countries, making the Unites States the Big Brother. Working together, American intelligence agencies are today helping the U.S. battle terrorism and other threats in 130 countries on 6 different continents.
Read all about these formidable American intelligence agencies, their spies and their espionage missions around the world.
Michael E. Goodman was born in Savannah, Georgia. He attended Yale University and graduate school at Brown University. He began as a high school English teacher in Providence, RI, and Teaneck, NJ, before turning to writing and editing and serving as an executive in corporate communications. He is a former senior editor at Scholastic and Prentice-Hall and executive editor at Peoples Education."
The Mossad and Other Israeli Spies
"Whether it is the Eichmann capture, the Munich revenge plot or the Entebbe rescue mission, they all illustrate the independence and determination of Israel’s intelligence community. They also show that the tiny Middle Eastern country is willing to take a lot of risks to do things its own way.
Only hours after the nation of Israel was established on May 14, 1948, five neighboring Arab nations attacked, hoping to wipe out the new country. The attackers had far more soldiers and weapons than Israel but underestimated how much information Israeli spies had already gathered about the Arab nations’ military capabilities and strategies. The war quickly turned in Israel’s favor. Israel’s survival from 1948 to today has depended on its maintaining a well-established intelligence network to gather secret data, carry out covert operations, and counter terrorism. At the heart of this network is the Mossad, a shadowy organization charged with keeping Israel safe from outside enemies by any means necessary.
Read all about Israel’s formidable spy network and their espionage missions around the world.
Michael E. Goodman was born in Savannah, Georgia. He attended Yale University and graduate school at Brown University. He began as a high school English teacher in Providence, RI, and Teaneck, NJ, before turning to writing and editing and serving as an executive in corporate communications. He is a former senior editor at Scholastic and Prentice-Hall and executive editor at Peoples Education."
The MI6 and Other British Spies
"Immortalized in popular culture by the James Bond novels and movies, unearth the actual nature of the job of a British secret service agent and the evolution of the agency over the ages.
The Secret Service Bureau, the official British intelligence organization was established in 1909. Now known as MI6, this organization has seen the evolution of espionage. Today, they concentrate their efforts in uncovering secrets related to wars in places like Kuwait and Iraq, combating terrorism and getting to the roots of the attacks on the London public transit system in 2005. British spy agencies collaborate with other intelligence agencies, mostly to combat terrorism.
Real life British spies have been recruited from diverse professions such as John Dee, the astrologer and mathematician, adviser to Queen Elizabeth I or Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scouting Movement, children’s writer Roald Dahl who was a Royal Air Force pilot before joining the secret service.
Delve into the fascinating secrets of working for Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service with tales from spies and tactical matters resolved with their assistance.
Michael E. Goodman was born in Savannah, Georgia. He attended Yale University and graduate school at Brown University. He began as a high school English teacher in Providence, RI, and Teaneck, NJ, before turning to writing and editing and serving as an executive in corporate communications. He is a former senior editor at Scholastic and Prentice-Hall and executive editor at Peoples Education."
Mahatma Vs Gandhi
"Based On The Life Of Harilal Gandhi—the Eldest Son Of Mahatma Gandhi
Bapu Had Failed To Convince Two People In His Lifetime—one Was Jinnah And The Other Was Harilal
This novel was simultaneously serialized in the Sunday supplements of three Gujarati Dailies: Samkaleen of Bombay, Jansatta of Ahmedabad and Loksatta of Vadodra.
In this book the author tries to make an ardent effort to understand yet another enigmatic facet of human life. The tussle between the father and the son was the most poignant and pathetic story of their lives. When Gandhi, who was busy attending meetings and conferences where the fate of forty crore Indians was to be decided often found headline in a newspaper screaming – Police Arrested Drunk Harilal For Creating A Scene On The Road, and sometimes Harilal himself from the dais of the fundamentalist Muslim organization’s meeting – ‘I shall continue fighting till Ba and Bapu embrace Islam.’
"
Culture in the Vanity Bag
"Culture in the Vanity Bag is an informal but ecological study of Indian clothing and adornment. It is mainly about the historical evolution of costumes and seeks to illustrate their relationship with different cultures that have been seen in India.
Chaudhuri’s descriptions are animated by great attention to detail, anecdotes, extracts from novels and Sanskrit texts. There is more in this book besides simple entertainment and elementary information. "
Chanakya: His Teachings and Advice
"New Enlarged Edition
CHANAKYA was undoubtedly ancient India’s finest political strategist and thinker. But up to this point in time, this political luminary’s views on morality have remained obscure.
Chanakya’s brand of wisdom is ageless and immutable. This volume forcefully impress upon one, the need and the permanence of a moral code. Chanakya expounds his views with amazing foresight and clarity. The book has a large smattering of pithy observations on women, family life, human relationships, moral conduct and spirituality. His startling prophecies, meaningful reflections on everyday living and hardheaded axioms, make this book a rich repository of profundity and reason."
Chanakya: His Teachings and Advice (Bengali)
"New in Bengali
CHANAKYA was undoubtedly ancient India’s finest political strategist and thinker. But up to this point in time, this political luminary’s views on morality have remained obscure.
Chanakya’s brand of wisdom is ageless and immutable. This volume forcefully impress upon one, the need and the permanence of a moral code. Chanakya expounds his views with amazing foresight and clarity. The book has a large smattering of pithy observations on women, family life, human relationships, moral conduct and spirituality. His startling prophecies, meaningful reflections on everyday living and hardheaded axioms, make this book a rich repository of profundity and reason."
Chanakya: His Teachings and Advice (Gujarati)
"New in Gujarati
CHANAKYA was undoubtedly ancient India’s finest political strategist and thinker. But up to this point in time, this political luminary’s views on morality have remained obscure.
Chanakya’s brand of wisdom is ageless and immutable. This volume forcefully impress upon one, the need and the permanence of a moral code. Chanakya expounds his views with amazing foresight and clarity. The book has a large smattering of pithy observations on women, family life, human relationships, moral conduct and spirituality. His startling prophecies, meaningful reflections on everyday living and hardheaded axioms, make this book a rich repository of profundity and reason."
Chanakya: His Teachings and Advice (Hindi)
"New in Hindi
CHANAKYA was undoubtedly ancient India’s finest political strategist and thinker. But up to this point in time, this political luminary’s views on morality have remained obscure.
Chanakya’s brand of wisdom is ageless and immutable. This volume forcefully impress upon one, the need and the permanence of a moral code. Chanakya expounds his views with amazing foresight and clarity. The book has a large smattering of pithy observations on women, family life, human relationships, moral conduct and spirituality. His startling prophecies, meaningful reflections on everyday living and hardheaded axioms, make this book a rich repository of profundity and reason."
Chanakya: His Teachings and Advice (Kannada)
"New in Kannada
CHANAKYA was undoubtedly ancient India’s finest political strategist and thinker. But up to this point in time, this political luminary’s views on morality have remained obscure.
Chanakya’s brand of wisdom is ageless and immutable. This volume forcefully impress upon one, the need and the permanence of a moral code. Chanakya expounds his views with amazing foresight and clarity. The book has a large smattering of pithy observations on women, family life, human relationships, moral conduct and spirituality. His startling prophecies, meaningful reflections on everyday living and hardheaded axioms, make this book a rich repository of profundity and reason."
Chanakya: His Teachings and Advice (Marathi)
"New in Marathi
CHANAKYA was undoubtedly ancient India’s finest political strategist and thinker. But up to this point in time, this political luminary’s views on morality have remained obscure.
Chanakya’s brand of wisdom is ageless and immutable. This volume forcefully impress upon one, the need and the permanence of a moral code. Chanakya expounds his views with amazing foresight and clarity. The book has a large smattering of pithy observations on women, family life, human relationships, moral conduct and spirituality. His startling prophecies, meaningful reflections on everyday living and hardheaded axioms, make this book a rich repository of profundity and reason."
Chanakya: His Teachings and Advice (Telugu)
"New in Telugu
CHANAKYA was undoubtedly ancient India’s finest political strategist and thinker. But up to this point in time, this political luminary’s views on morality have remained obscure.
Chanakya’s brand of wisdom is ageless and immutable. This volume forcefully impress upon one, the need and the permanence of a moral code. Chanakya expounds his views with amazing foresight and clarity. The book has a large smattering of pithy observations on women, family life, human relationships, moral conduct and spirituality. His startling prophecies, meaningful reflections on everyday living and hardheaded axioms, make this book a rich repository of profundity and reason."
Chanakya: His Teachings and Advice (Tamil)
"New in Tamil
CHANAKYA was undoubtedly ancient India’s finest political strategist and thinker. But up to this point in time, this political luminary’s views on morality have remained obscure.
Chanakya’s brand of wisdom is ageless and immutable. This volume forcefully impress upon one, the need and the permanence of a moral code. Chanakya expounds his views with amazing foresight and clarity. The book has a large smattering of pithy observations on women, family life, human relationships, moral conduct and spirituality. His startling prophecies, meaningful reflections on everyday living and hardheaded axioms, make this book a rich repository of profundity and reason."
Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal
"The town of Badami, the nearby villages of Aihole and Pattadakal, and the pilgrimage site of Mahakuta, in the Malprabha valley of central Karnataka, are celebrated for their magnificent rock-cut shrines and structural temples. These Hindu and Jain monuments are associated with the Early Chalukyas who reigned over this part of the Deccan during the 6th–8th centuries. Together with a profusion of magnificent sculptures, mostly found in situ, these shrines and temples may be considered among the earliest, best preserved vestiges of temple art in India.
This guidebook, the first ever for the Badami region, is authored by a scholar whose PhD was on Early Chalukya architecture. The text is illustrated with regional and town maps, building plans, and more than 130 splendid coloured photographs.
GEORGE MICHELL trained as an architect in Melbourne, and then obtained a PhD in Indian Archaeology at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He has carried out research at numerous historical sites and monuments in India, including Badami, and then Hampi Vijayanagara, which, together with John M Fritz, he has extensively documented over more than 20 years. Both he and Fritz have authored Hampi Vijayanagara in the Pictor/ Deccan Heritage Foundation guidebook series. Michell’s most recent publications include Mughal Architecture & Gardens and The Great Temple at Thanjavur.
SURENDRA KUMAR studied information technology in Bangalore, and now works partly as a photographer, specialising in panoramic topographic views. His work has been showcased in the recently published volume, Discovering the Deccan."
Gulbarga, Bidar, Bijapur
"The magnificent monuments of Gulbarga, Bidar and Bijapur in northern Karnataka are manifestations of a vibrant culture that flourished under the rule of the Bahmani and Adil Shahi sultans during the 14th to 17th centuries. The wealth of these rulers derived from the lucrative trade routes that traversed the Deccan plateau, while the splendour of their courts owed much to an open immigration policy by which gifted individuals from other parts of India, as well as from the Middle East and Central Asia, were encouraged to settle.
Though the Bahmanis were supplanted partly by the Adil Shahis at the turn of the 16th century, and the latter were annihilated by the Mughal invasion of the Deccan in the 1680s, their capital cities preserve many splendid buildings. These include the imposing fortresses of Gulbarga and Bidar, the grand audience halls and ornate residential apartments in Bidar and Bijapur, the mosques and Sufi shrines in Gulbarga, and the beautifully decorated royal tombs on the outskirts of Bidar and Bijapur. For more adventurous travellers there are the abandoned ruins of Firuzabad and the decaying pleasure resort at Kumatgi.
All these monuments and sites are described and profusely illustrated in this guidebook, the first ever to be published for this region.
HELEN PHILON was founder of the Islamic Department at the Benaki Museum, Athens, Greece where she organised a number of exhibitions and publications. She completed her PhD on the Religious and Royal Architecture of the Bahmanis of the Deccan at the School of Oriental and African Studies London. She has recently edited and contributed to Silent Splendour: Palaces of the Deccan (Marg, Mumbai) and authored Gulbarga, Bidar, Bijapur (Pictor, Mumbai)."
Hampi Vijayanagara
"Hampi is one of the most beautiful and evocative of all historical sites in south India. Austere yet grandiose, it was established as the seat of the Vijayanagara empire in the mid-14th century, a time when art and architecture flourished. Contemporary chroniclers from Persia, Italy, Portugal and Russia visited the empire during this period and left glowing accounts of a city that was conquered by Sultanate troops in AD 1565, pillaged for six months, and abandoned.
Hampi Vijayanagara examines the temples renowned for their florid ornamentation, intricate carvings, magnificent pavilions, stately pillars and a wealth of iconographic and traditional depictions. The book also includes site plans and three-dimensional reconstructions.
JOHN M FRITZ received a PhD in Anthropology with a specialty in Archaeology from the University of Chicago. He is currently Consulting Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Since 1981, he and George Michell have co-directed an extensive documentation of the Hampi Vijayanagara site. With Michell he is author of Hampi: A Story in Stone.
GEORGE MICHELL trained as an architect and obtained a PhD in Indian Archaeology at the school of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He has carried out research on many historical sites in India including the Deccan, Bengal, Gujarat and the palace city of Vijayanagara in Karnataka. His publications include Architecture of the Islamic World, Royal Palaces of India, Oriental Scenery, Hindu Art and Architecture, Islamic Heritage of the Deccan, Blue Guide to Southern India and Elephanta."
Elephanta
"The 6th-century rock-cut cave temple on Elephanta island, in the middle of Mumbai harbour, is the home of Shiva, the greatest of all Hindu gods. Elephanta leads the reader through this magnificent cave temple, examining its overall architectural scheme and interpreting the myths of Shiva that are depicted so forcefully in the extraordinary stone sculptures. The outstanding photographs capture the beauty and magic of the cave.
This book also contains fascinating accounts of European travellers, documenting their discovery of Elephanta from the 17th century onwards, and includes information on the ongoing efforts to preserve this monument that was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987.
GEORGE MICHELL obtained his PhD in the field of early western Chalukya temple architecture from the School of Oriental African Studies, University of London, in 1974. From 1974 to 1977, he directed courses on Asian architecture at the Architectural Association, London, and was the co-editor of Art and Archaeology Research Papers from 1972 to 1982. Since the 1980s, he has co-directed an international team of scholars and students at Vijayanagara, the medieval Hindu site in Karnataka. George Michell has also lectured at universities and museums throughout the USA, Europe, India and Australia. Among his many publications are The Royal Palaces of India, Islamic Heritage of the Deccan, Architecture of the Islamic World: Its History and Social Meaning and Hindu Art and Architecture."
Bombay Gothic
"The Gothic Revival architectural style, innovatively adapted to local conditions, was introduced to 19th century Bombay by Governor HBE Frere. Famous architects, theorists and prominent Indians of the era assisted him in the realization of his vision for Bombay as the country’s first city. Tracing the evolution of its distinctive architectural style, Christopher London reveals the fascinating history of a developing metropolis.
Lavishly illustrated with colour photographs as well as rare archival material, and drawing visual comparisons with both contemporary and medieval European models, Bombay Gothic presents a comprehensive perspective of Victorian architecture in Bombay.
CHRISTOPHER W LONDON earned a doctorate from Oxford University in 1987 with a dissertation on British Architecture in Victorian Bombay. An art and architectural historian, he specializes in British architecture in India, and has won an award for his work in building preservation in New York. Affiliated to the Royal Institute of British Architects, he has lectured at Cambridge University, for the Victorian Society of Great Britain, and for the Society for South Asian Studies in London.
He was guest editor and contributing author to Architecture in Victorian and Edwardian India (1994) and The Arts of Kutch (2000), and has contributed to Bombay to Mumbai: Changing Perspectives (1997), Lucknow: Then and Now (2003) and Banaras: The City Revealed (2005) all published by Marg, Mumbai. The Times of India and The Indian Architect & Builder, as well as several newspapers in London and Cambridge, have carried his articles. The author resides in London and New York."
Hyderabad, Golconda
"This guidebook is the first to showcase the magnificent monuments of the twin cities of Golconda and Hyderabad, the successive capitals of the Qutb Shahi sultans and the Asaf Jahis, the latter usually referred to by their title as the Nizams. Golconda’s massive fortifications and defensive gateways, as well as its decaying palaces, pavilions, stores and barracks give the best possible idea of one of India’s wealthiest and grandest royal cities in the 16th-17th centuries. These buildings may be compared with the courtly and civic monuments in Hyderabad, many of them sponsored by the Nizams who ruled this part of India up to the middle of the 20th century.
Marika Sardar provides the essential historical background for all these vestiges, together with their religious and cultural context. She then describes the most important monuments of Hyderabad, beginning with the Old City, and then progressing to the different urban zones of the modern city, ending with the churches and club that still stand in the British cantonment of Secunderabad to the north. For those with more time and interest, the author also describes the rugged hill citadel of Golconda, now partly engulfed by the rapidly expanding suburbs of one of India’s most vital metropoles. Profusely illustrated with Surendra Kumar’s fine photographs, and handy city maps, the guidebook should prove indispensable to all visitors to Hyderabad.
MARIKA SARDAR studied at the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University (NYU), her PhD being on the Qutb Shahi palace of Golconda. Formerly a Senior Research Associate in the Department of Islamic Department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, she is co-editor with Navina Haidar of Sultans of the South: Arts of India’s Deccan Courts, 1323-1687 (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2011). She is currently Associate Curator of Southern Asian and Islamic Art at the San Diego Museum of Art where her research covers India’s diverse architectural, painting and textile traditions, especially those of the Deccan.
SURENDRA KUMAR has travelled extensively in southern India, specialising in architectural and topographic photography. His photographs have appeared in Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal, (Mumbai: Pictor, 2011), Discovering the Deccan: A Panoramic Journey Through Historical Landscapes & Monuments (Mumbai: Deccan Heritage Foundation, 2011), Temple Architecture and Art of the Early Chalukyas (New Delhi: Niyogi Books, 2014) and Rayalaseema: The Royal Realm (Mumbai: Marg Foundation, 2014)."
Aurangabad with Daulatabad, Khuldabad and Ahmadnagar
"This guidebook focuses on four cities and sites in Maharashtra of exceptional historical importance and architectural interest. While Aurangabad is well known as a convenient base from which to reach the celebrated cave-temples at Ajanta and Ellora, the city’s tombs and mosques are hardly ever visited. Many of these were built during the 17th century, when the city served as the second capital of the Mughal Empire, taking its name from the emperor Aurangzeb who spent many years here.
A short distance from Aurangabad is Daulatabad. This citadel is dominated by a rugged basalt hill, the sides of which have been artificially scooped into vertical faces, beneath which are situated a number of palaces and mosques dating back to the 13th-14th centuries. The nearby small walled town of Khuldabad is celebrated for its holy Sufi shrines, inside one of which Aurangzeb himself is buried.
The city of Ahmadnagar, a day trip from Aurangabad, was capital of the Nizam Shahi sultans in the 16th century. From their era date a number of impressive mosques, tombs and palaces, also well worth visiting.
All these buildings and more are described and profusely illustrated in this guidebook, the first ever published for this region.
PUSHKAR SOHONI studied architecture at the University of Pune, and then Indian architectural history at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, obtaining his PhD in 2010 with a survey of the Nizam Shahi monuments in and around Ahmadnagar. Among his published articles is his contribution on Nizam Shahi architecture in Silent Splendour: Palaces of the Deccan (14th-19th Centuries), Mumbai: Marg Foundation, 2010. Currently the South Asia Studies Librarian at the University of Pennsylvania, he continues to pursue his interest in Indian medieval archaeology and numismatics.
CLARE ARNI is a photographer based in Bengaluru, whose work encompasses architecture, social documentary and cultural heritage. She has exhibited throughout India and internationally. Her photographs have been widely published, most recently in Silent Splendour: Palaces of the Deccan (14th-19th Centuries), and Kanara, A Land Apart: The Artistic Heritage of Coastal Karnataka, Mumbai: Marg Foundation, 2010 and 2012, and Gulbarga, Bidar, Bijapur, Mumbai: Pictor, 2012.
SELVAPRAKASH LAKSHMANAN has a Masters in Mass Communication, and works as a photographer and visual journalist based in Bengaluru. His photographs have been published in Timeout and Asia Geo, and exhibited throughout India and internationally."
Portuguese Sea Forts Goa, with Chaul, Korlai and Vasai
"The Portuguese presence on the Arabian Sea coast of the Deccan dates from the beginning of the 16th century, with the establishment of Goa as the capital of a rapidly expanding maritime enterprise that eventually encompassed much of Asia. In order to protect the ships carrying their goods, merchants, troops and missionaries to India, the Portuguese constructed a string of seaside strongholds in and around Goa, and further up the coast of what is now Maharashtra.
This guidebook is the first to showcase the vestiges of the Portuguese sea forts of the Deccan, drawing attention to their surviving battlemented ramparts and angular bastions, watchtowers and lighthouses, chapels and churches. While some forts have recently been restored, such as Reis Magos and Tiracol in Goa, others are now dilapidated and overgrown.
This guidebook contains descriptions of all the major Portuguese sea forts of the region, illustrated with newly commissioned photographs and site maps.
AMITA KANEKAR is an architectural historian and novelist, based in Goa. She has published on the Ikkeri Nayakas of Malnad-Canara in western Karnataka, neighbours and sometime associates of the Portuguese in Goa. Her novel about the Buddha, A Spoke in the Wheel, was published in 2005 by HarperCollins; a second edition was released in 2014 by Navayana, Delhi. She is currently working on the architecture of Portuguese Goa, also on a novel set in the Mughal period, and a monthly column on history and politics for the local press. She also teaches at the Goa College of Architecture, Panjim.
SURENDRA KUMAR is a photographer based in Hampi, Karnataka, specialising in topographic panoramas. His images have been published in Discovering the Deccan: A Panoramic Journey Through Historical Landscapes & Monuments (Mumbai, 2011), Temple Architecture and Art of the Early Chalukyas (New Delhi, 2014), and Hyderabad, Golconda (Mumbai, 2015)."
Jewish Heritage of the Deccan: Mumbai, The Northern Konkan and Pune
"Jews living today in the state of Maharashtra in the Deccan region of India number little more than several thousand persons. Yet abundant vestiges are still evident of the once much larger ancient Bene Israel, and the more recent émigré Baghdadi Jews. Monuments and sites of both communities are preserved in Mumbai (Bombay) and Pune (Poona), as well as in the smaller towns in the northern Konkan region. They include synagogues and cemeteries that testify to the enduring faith of Jews in India, as well as hospitals, schools, libraries and research institutions that demonstrate the philanthropy of wealthy Jewish families, such as the Sassoons. Warehouses and textile mills linked with Jewish industrialists contributed to the expansion of Mumbai during the 19th century; statues and other civic monuments in the city commemorate prominent Jewish figures.
Co-authored by Kenneth X. Robbins and Pushkar Sohoni, this guidebook is illustrated with splendid, newly commissioned photographs by Surendra Kumar. It is the first such publication to describe the vestiges listed above, which are arranged according to itineraries to encourage citizens of Mumbai and Pune, as well as visitors to these cities and the towns of the Konkan, to discover this often overlooked aspect of local history. Intended as a handy reference to the Jewish presence in Maharashtra, the volume should contribute to a better appreciation of this significant aspect of Deccan history, and hopefully to the preservation of Jewish sites and monuments for future generations.
KENNETH X. ROBBINS is a psychiatrist based in Washington D.C., as well as a collector of South Asian art, and historian of expatriate communities in India. He is co-editor of African Elites in India: Habshi Amarat (Ahmedabad, 2006) and Western Jews in India (New Delhi, 2013), and curator of an exhibition on Jews in India held at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi, in 2017. He is also interested in Maharajas, Nawabs and Indian Princely States.
PUSHKAR SOHONI trained as an architect and then studied Indian architectural history, specialising in Islamic traditions of the Deccan. He is author of Aurangabad, with Daulatabad, Khuldabad and Ahmadnagar (Mumbai 2014). Formerly the South Asian Librarian at the University of Pennsylvanian Libraries, Philadelphia, USA, he is now Assistant Professor in Humanities and Social Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research (IISER), Pune.
SURENDRA KUMAR is a photographer based in Hampi, Karnataka, specialising in topographic panoramas. His images are published in Discovering the Deccan: A Panoramic Journey Through Historical Landscapes & Monuments (Mumbai, 2011), Temple Architecture and Art of the Early Chalukyas (New Delhi, 2014), Hyderabad, Golconda (Mumbai, 2015), and Portuguese Sea Forts (Mumbai, 2016)."
Buddhist Rock-Cut Monasteries of the Western Ghats
"This guidebook focuses on the rock-cut Buddhist monasteries near Nashik and Junnar, and at Karla, Bhaja, Bedsa, Kondane and Kanheri, all in western Maharashtra. These magnificent shrines and dwellings, known as chaityas and viharas, were cut into the basalt cliffs of the Western Ghats more than 2,000 years ago. They are located near to trade routes that wound their way through mountain passes, linking ports on the Arabian Sea with cities in the Deccan hinterland. Merchants travelling along these routes, together with local kings and queens and guilds of craftspersons, financed these excavations and supported the everyday life of the monks and nuns who resided there in ancient times.
Co-authored by George Michell and Gethin Rees, and illustrated with splendid, newly commissioned photographs by Surendra Kumar, this is the first guidebook to describe the sites listed above. The monuments are arranged according to itineraries to encourage visitors from Mumbai, Pune and Nashik to discover these splendid vestiges of the Deccan’s ancient Buddhist period.
GEORGE MICHELL trained as an architect and obtained a PhD in Indian archaeology and art at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He has carried out research at many historical sites in India, most extensively at Hampi Vijayanagara, for which he co-authored the guidebook with John M. Fritz in this series. Among his recent publications are Mughal Architecture & Gardens (Mumbai, 2011), Late Temple Architecture of India, 15th to 19th Centuries (New Delhi, 2015), and Mansions of Chettinad (Karaikudi, 2016).
GETHIN REES completed his PhD in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge with a dissertation on the rock-cut monasteries of the Western Ghats, submitted in 2009. He has published articles on the relationship between Buddhist monasteries and the economy of ancient India. He is currently GIS Research Curator at the British Library, London.
SURENDRA KUMAR is a photographer based in Hampi, Karnataka, specialising in topographic panoramas. His images are published in Discovering the Deccan: A Panoramic Journey Through Historical Landscapes & Monuments (Mumbai, 2011), Temple Architecture and Art of the Early Chalukyas (New Delhi, 2014), Portuguese Sea Forts (Mumbai, 2016), and Jewish Heritage of the Deccan (Mumbai, 2017)."
Heritage of the Kakatiyas: Hanamkonda, Warangal, Palampet, Ghanpur
"The Kakatiyas were the most powerful kings of Telangana during the 12th and 13th centuries. The 200 or so years of their rule mark the highpoint in the prosperity, culture and art traditions of this part of the Deccan. Nowhere is this better seen than in the Thousand-Pillared Temple of Hanamkonda and the Ramappa Temple of Palampet, both of which preserve a profusion of elaborate carvings. Though the great Svayambhu Shiva temple in Warangal that served as a dynastic shrine for the Kakatiyas was later demolished, its four ceremonial entrance portals, or toranas, still stand, giving a glimpse into the imposing architecture of the era. That the Kakatiyas also invested in agriculture is evident from the vast reservoirs, or cheruvus, that they constructed, providing much needed water to local farmers in the past and down to the present day.
Authored by Phillip B. Wagoner, a specialist on the literature and art traditions of Telangana, and illustrated with specially commissioned photographs by Surendra Kumar, this guidebook is the first to describe the sites and monuments associated with the Kakatiyas, their contemporaries and successors in and around the twin cities of Hanamkonda-Warangal. Many of these locations may easily be reached as a day trip from Hyderabad and it is hoped that this guidebook will prove informative and serviceable to scholars and students, as well as to general visitors.
PHILLIP B. WAGONER is Professor of Art History and Archaeology at Wesleyan University, Connecticut, where he has taught since 1987. His research has encompassed architectural history, cultural history, numismatics, and Telugu historiographical writing. His books include Tidings of the King: A Translation and Ethnohistorical Analysis of the Rayavacakamu (Honolulu, 1993); Power, Memory, Architecture: Contested Sites on India’s Deccan Plateau, 1300-1600 (with Richard Eaton, Delhi, 2014); and the co-edited volume Palimpsests: Buildings, Sites, Time (Turnhout, 2017).
SURENDRA KUMAR is a photographer based in Hampi, Karnataka, specialising in topographic panoramas. His images have been published in Discovering the Deccan: A Panoramic Journey Through Historical Landscapes & Monuments (Mumbai 2011); Temple Architecture and Art of the Early Chalukyas (New Delhi 2014); and several of the Deccan Heritage Foundation guidebooks, most recently Buddhist Rock-Cut Monasteries of the Western Ghats (Mumbai 2017)."
The Hoysala Legacy Belur, Halebidu, Somanathapura
"The Hoysalas were supreme rulers of the southern Deccan in the 12th and 13th centuries. Together with their queens, ministers and commanders, they sponsored a series of magnificent temples, the most famous of which are those at Belur, Halebidu and Somanathapura described in this guidebook. The complicated layouts, elaborate wall treatments and spacious interiors of these monuments testify to the genius of Hoysala designers and builders, while the carved friezes, wall panels and column brackets illustrating Hindu myths and legends showcase the talents and imagination of the Hoysala artists, many of whom signed their work.
Authored by Kamalika Bose and George Michell, and illustrated profusely with specially commissioned photographs by Surendra Kumar, the guidebook provides a comprehensive introduction to the architecture and art at Belur, Halebidu and Somanathapura. The volume introduces the history of the Hoysalas, the role of patrons and artists, the different styles perfected by the builders of the time, and the themes depicted in the carvings. Then follow detailed descriptions of the individual temple complexes, pointing out the finest reliefs and sculpted figures. This information should prove indispensible to interested visitors as well as to scholars and students.
KAMALIKA BOSE is an urban conservationist, curator and educator based in Mumbai, and founder of Heritage Synergies India. She obtained a Master in Historic Preservation Planning from Cornell University. She has authored Seeking the Lost Layers: Traditional Dwellings of the Urban Elite in North Calcutta (Ahmedabad 2008) and co-authored A History of Interior Design in India, Vol 1: Ahmedabad (Ahmedabad 2007).
GEORGE MICHELL is an architectural historian specialising in Indian sites and monuments. With John M. Fritz he directed an extensive project at Hampi Vijayanagara, and together they published the guidebook on this site in this series. Most recently he has co-authored Buddhist Rock-Cut Monasteries of the Western Ghats (Mumbai 2017) and contributed chapters to Lepakshi: Architecture, Sculpture, Painting (New Delhi 2019).
SURENDRA KUMAR is a photographer based in Hampi, Karnataka, specialising in topographic views and architectural documentation. His images have been published in Discovering the Deccan: A Panoramic Journey Through Historical Landscapes & Monuments (Mumbai 2011), Temple Architecture and Art of the Early Chalukyas (New Delhi 2014), several guidebooks in this series, and most recently in Lepakshi: Architecture, Sculpture, Painting (New Delhi 2019)."
Jaina Tradition of the Deccan: Shravanabelagola, Mudabidri, Karkala
"The awe-inspiring Gommateshvara image at the summit of Vindhyagiri above the town of Shravanabelagola in Karnataka is the largest figural monolith in India. Dating back to the 10th century, it is today the most popular pilgrimage destination for Jainas in southern India, especially during the Mahamastak Abhisheka festival held here every twelve years. Smaller versions of the Gommateshvara statue belonging to later times are also seen at Karkala and Venur. Together with the town of Mudabidri, these sites all have Jaina shrines known as basadis built in local architectural styles housing stone and metal statues of the Jaina Tirthankaras.
Authored by Julia A. B. Hegewald, a specialist in Jaina architectural traditions and ritual practices, and illustrated with specially commissioned photographs by Surendra Kumar, Jaina Tradition of the Deccan provides an essential introduction to all these Jaina monuments. After outlining the history of Jainism in the Deccan, its beliefs and practices, the volume directs visitors up the granite hills at Shravanabelagola and Karkala to visit the basadis and Gommateshvara images. It then conducts visitors around the towns of Shravanabelagola and Mudabidri, describing the various basadis and their collections of precious images. It also covers the murals to be seen in the maths at Shravanabelagola and Mudabidri. This information should prove indispensable to interested visitors, scholars and students.
JULIA A. B. HEGEWALD graduated from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, from where she obtained a PhD, and is now Professor and Head of the Department of Asian and Islamic Art History at the University of Bonn. Between 2002 and 2014, she was Director of the Emmy Noether Research Project on Jainism in Karnataka. She is the author of Water Architecture in South Asia: A Study of Types, Developments and Meanings (Leiden 2002); Jaina Temple Architecture in India: The Development of a Distinct Language in Space and Ritual (Berlin 2009; Mumbai 2018); and the editor of The Jaina Heritage: Distinction, Decline and Resilience (New Delhi 2011).
SURENDRA KUMAR is a photographer based in Hampi, Karnataka, specialising in topographic views and architectural documentation. His images have been published in Discovering the Deccan: A Panoramic Journey Through Historical Landscapes and Monuments (Mumbai 2011), Temple Architecture and Art of the Early Chalukyas (New Delhi 2014), and Lepakshi: Architecture, Sculpture, Painting (New Delhi 2019). He has provided images for many guidebooks in this series, including The Hoysala Legacy: Belur, Halebidu, Somanathapura (2019)."
Mossad
"INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
The Greatest Missions of the Israeli Secret Service
For decades, Israel’s renowned security arm, the Mossad, has been widely recognized as the best intelligence service in the world. In Mossad, authors Michael Bar-Zohar and Nissim Mishal take us behind the closed curtain with riveting, eye-opening, boots-on-the-ground accounts of the most dangerous, most crucial missions in the agency's 60-year history.
These are real, true Mission: Impossible stories brimming with high-octane action – right from the breath-taking capture of Nazi executioner Adolph Eichmann to the recent elimination of key Iranian nuclear scientists. If you are fascinated by the world of international espionage, intelligence, and covert “Black-Ops” warfare, then you will definitely find that the Mossad makes for some electrifying reading.
Michael Bar-Zohar has fought in four Israeli-Arab wars, spent nine years beside David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s founder, become a fervent supporter of peace between Israel and her neighbours and served two terms in Parliament. He has written over 30 books and also won several major awards for his screenplays.
Nissim Mishal is one of the foremost TV personalities in Israel and the Director-General of Israeli state television. Apart from writing best-selling books about the history of Israel he has also co-authored a book on two thousand years of Judaism."
Commando
"THE DEATH-DEFYING MISSIONS OF THE ISRAELI SPECIAL FORCES
Michael Bar-Zohar and Nissim Mishal return with the intensely absorbing, fast-paced story of thirty of the boldest missions of the Israeli Special Forces. Packed with electrifying battles, raids in enemy territory, and death-defying commando missions, Commando follows the lives and accomplishments of some of Israel’s most prominent figures.
Captivating and eye-opening, it offers an opportunity to understand how these crucial missions shaped Israel, and the world at large.
Michael Bar-Zohar has fought in four Israeli-Arab wars, spent nine years beside David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s founder, become a fervent supporter of peace between Israel and her neighbours and served two terms in Parliament. He has written over 30 books and also won several major awards for his screenplays.
Nissim Mishal is one of the foremost TV personalities in Israel and the Director-General of Israeli state television. Apart from writing best-selling books about the history of Israel he has also co-authored a book on two thousand years of Judaism."
War Games
"The Psychology of Combat
Learn the secrets of tactical psychology
The human brain is hard-wired with a primal aversion to killing. Amid the horror of war even the best-trained soldiers can forget their training. Vast effort and countless sums have been spent in the attempt to keep our men fighting. Military psychologist Leo Murray argues that the real question is: How do we make the enemy stop fighting?
Weaving together intense first-hand accounts of combat with the hard science of tactical psychology, Murray offers a compelling insight into how war affects the human mind. War Games is both a powerful glimpse through the eyes of our soldiers and an urgent reminder that the future of modern warfare lies in understanding how the enemy thinks.
Fascinating and often chilling, this is the story of how psychology wins wars.
Leo Murray is a military analyst and former soldier who has spent half his life studying the psychology of armed combat. He has interviewed hundreds of war veterans, young and old, and worked with some shady collections of staff officers and war geeks.
""Great insight into how the mind affects military outcomes.""
SOLDIER"
Mossad Exodus
"The Daring Undercover Rescue of the Lost Jewish Tribe
The subject of the movie Red Sea Diving Resort
The amazing story told firsthand by Gad Shimron in Mossad Exodus is now the subject of a new movie called Red Sea Diving Resort.
In 1977, Israel’s Mossad spy agency was given an assignment far different from its usual cloak and dagger activities. It was ordered by then Prime Minister Menachem Begin to rescue thousands of Ethiopian Jewish refugees in Sudan. No stranger to action in enemy countries, the agency established a covert forward base in a deserted holiday village in Sudan, and deployed a handful of operatives to launch and oversee the exodus of the refugees to the Promised Land, by sea and by air, in the early 1980s.
This book offers a thrilling firsthand account of how the operation was put in place, and how the Mossad team in Sudan brought it off, despite great personal risk, running a partying vacation spot, Arous Holiday Village, for wealthy tourists by day as they stole through the Sudanese desert to rescue desperate refugees by night. Author Gad Shimron was one of the agents based at Arous. Enhanced by his wide-ranging historical observations and his crisp, incisive prose, this is at once an entertaining read and a powerful tale of idealistic heroism.
Gad Shimron joined the Mossad during his student days in Jerusalem. Later he worked as a journalist for Kol Israel, the state-run radio, anchored Good Morning Israel on TV Channel 1 and is currently senior editor and defense commentator for the Tel Aviv-based Maariv daily. This is his seventh book. "
Speeches that Shaped the World
"38 Speeches from Great Leaders
M. K. GANDHI, NELSON MANDELA, STEVE JOBS, STEPHEN HAWKING, MALALA YOUSAFZAI, BARACK OBAMA and others
The passing of time allows many speeches to take on a deeper meaning and poignancy. Others have become an iconic part of our times.
Alan J. Whiticker’s Speeches that Shaped the World is a collection of the most potent and memorable speeches throughout history. These speeches highlight recurring themes such as politics and power, war and peace, civil rights and human rights. What they all have in common is the power to inspire—emotionally, politically and socially.
In this brilliant collection, many of history’s greatest orators and pivotal moments are featured—Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’, Winston Churchill’s ‘We Shall Fight on the Beaches’, Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘Quit India’, Malala Yousafzai’s ‘A World at School Speech’, Steve Jobs’ ‘Stanford University Commencement Address’, Barack Obama’s ‘Gun Safety Reform’ to name a few.
Different eras and many nations are represented within these pages. Each speech is presented along with its historical context and the biographical background of the speaker to enhance your reading experience.
Alan J. Whiticker is an Australian non-fiction author and publisher, with over 40 published books, including Speeches that Changed the World. He is a former teacher and lecturer but now works as a freelance writer and commissioning editor for a publishing company."
World's Greatest Inventions
"500 years of innovation from brillant minds
Whose idea was it to have machines that spit money?
Did the inventor of Semtex – the notorious explosive of choice for terrorist groups around the world – regret his discovery?
Where will the world be without GPS?
Many things we take for granted today – the ability to live without fearing the attack of deadly viruses or getting in touch with a loved one who lives in another part of the world with a flick of a button – are the results of the toil and tears of many men and women over the years. Thanks to those brilliant minds and their amazing inventions, the mankind was able to make a giant leap into the modern world we live in today.
World’s Greatest Inventions recounts the 500-year saga of innovation that has shaped the world we live in, from the first pocket watch to the latest nanotechnology. Arranged chronologically, each invention is placed in its historical context. Inside these pages you will meet the people involved, and discover their ingenuity and persistence, their triumphs and tragedies.
David Ellyard has a clear and compelling understanding of how new ideas and innovative technology are transforming our present lives and our common future. This comes from a life deeply involved in science, technology and innovation; as a researcher (including a year in Antarctica), teacher, radio and TV broadcaster, successful author and Government policy adviser. He is a great believer in making science relevant, of putting it in a context. "
The Mossad: Six Landmark Missions
"Top-Secret Ops that Forged the Israeli Secret Service
THE MOSSAD: Six Landmark Missions describes the clandestine missions that were defining moments in the evolution of the Mossad, including its pursuit of the Black September terrorists who murdered Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympic Games, its acquisition on the high seas of yellowcake uranium for Israel’s undeclared nuclear weapons program, and its role in bringing to justice Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann.
The agency’s more questionable deeds are also covered, among them the assassination of civilian scientists associated with Iraq’s nuclear energy program and the abduction of Israeli citizen Mordechai Vanunu, who, like Edward Snowden, has been variously depicted as a principled whistleblower and an unscrupulous traitor. Taken together, the missions discussed in this volume illustrate the Mossad’s character, creativity and courage, while acknowledging the problematical moral dimensions of its operations.
MARC E. VARGO is a US-based author who has written seven nonfiction books and numerous articles in professional journals."
Churchill: Military Genius or Menace?
"MILITARY GENIUS OR MENACE?
Churchill has gone down in history as one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known. From the day World War II was declared he stood out as the only man wanting to take offensive action. But is this accolade deserved?
The first few years of the war were nothing short of disastrous, and author Stephen Napier shows how Churchill’s strategies—and his desire not to be the first British prime minister to surrender the nation—brought the war effort to the brink of ruin and back again.
Did his series of retaliatory raids in response to a German accidental bombing help cause the Blitz?
Were plans already at large for the US to join the war, with Churchill as the primary puppet master?
Napier explores all this and more in a shocking examination of Churchill’s leadership using first-person accounts from his peers and his electorate.
STEPHEN NAPIER has studied World War II for more than 30 years. This work has been years in the making and follows exhaustive research in the archives of Kew, Washington and Ottawa. His first book, The Armoured Campaign in Normandy, published in 2015 was well-reviewed."
Battles That Changed the World: 1000 Years of Warfare, From the Viking Invasion to Cyberwarfare
"‘Pray don’t let it be me,’ thinks the soldier, ‘please don’t let it be me—or if it is, make it quick. Don’t let something be torn off followed by searing agony.’
No soldier wants to die listening to his own screams as his blood ebbs away in the dirt. That is a cruel end, likely to make his brothers-in-arms throw down their weapons and flee in blind terror. In some instances, though, death is preferable if it means not being dragged off and having your still-beating heart torn from your chest. Never listen to the cacophony of war, only listen for orders and press on, no matter what happens.
The second millennium of mankind has been characterised by almost incessant warfare somewhere on the face of the globe. BATTLES THAT CHANGED THE WORLD serves as a snapshot of the development of warfare over the past 1,000 years, illustrating the bravery and suffering mankind has inflicted upon itself in developing what we call the ‘Art of War’.
Here military historian Anthony Tucker-Jones selects twenty battles that illustrate the changing face of warfare over the past thousand years—from the Viking shield wall to long bows and knights, the emergence of gunpowder and finally the long-range faceless warfare of today. This is a look at the killing game and its devastating impact."
Not Like Most Young Girls
"18 True Stories from the Urban Underbelly
Sex work—the world’s oldest profession. A world of shadows and sleaze. Of faceless, nameless individuals. Walking and talking bodies dolled up in glittering clothes and deceiving make-up, flashing frozen smiles, willing to sell themselves for a square meal. But carrying within them tarnished souls and fractured dignities.
Not Like Most Young Girls is a collection of short stories written by young minds from eminent educational institutions from Mumbai, presenting before society the human beings hidden within the sex workers. These are stories of women, men and hijras who have come together under Aastha Parivaar. Not Like Most Young Girls is more than a book—it is an attempt to bring out of the shadows, these individuals who breathe, feel, and give back to society, just as any one of us do—or perhaps more. "
The Silent Monument
"Sometimes a Secret Must Remain Hidden to Keep the Peace...
AN AGE-OLD SCROLL IS DISCOVERED in the hidden chambers of the Taj Mahal. The journalist who finds the ancient artifact is murdered. His feisty widow Manzil is suddenly burdened with the deadly secret, the contents of which could rock the nation. She becomes the most wanted person in the country.
Threatened by fanatics, confronted by archaeologists, coerced by the police and under surveillance by a political organization with a hidden agenda, Manzil can trust no one."
Wise Enough to Be Foolish
"A novel based on a true story
Wise Enough to Be Foolish is a fictionalized memoir that traces the journey of an Indian girl’s life, with all its challenges and delightful surprises, as she blossoms from an insecure child into a confident young woman. This roller-coaster ride of adventure, laughter and heartache, as she balances her love life with her struggle for independence, will keep you guessing – What rules will she break next? How far will she go to find herself?"
The Cosmic Clues
"INDIA’S FIRST ASTRO-DETECTIVE
A detective agency that combines astrological science with investigations!
If you have a problem, contact Sonia Samarth.
SONIA SAMARTH couldn’t have predicted it. It had only been a day, but her first advertisement had drawn dozens of responses. In the bustling city of Pune, with its winding alleys and exotic customs, Sonia has launched a brand new business – private investigation guided by Hindu astrology. Her unique brand of investigation might raise eyebrows but before long, she seems to have found her niche.
When a cat leads Sonia to her very first investigation, she uses astrology to unmask the killer. Suddenly, clients begin streaming in – a persistent, handsome TV personality; a terrified bride-to-be; a missing husband with suicidal tendencies. These cases initially seem like isolated experiences, but Sonia soon finds that they are bound by an invisible thread. Very soon she will have to look closely at her own stars: a notorious international criminal has just crossed Sonia’s path – and he has his own plans for her future!
MANJIRI PRABHU lives in Pune, India. She’s been a filmmaker and television producer for several years and a writer of two romances, two mystery novels and a non-fiction book on Hindi films. She is currently putting the finishing touches on The Astral Alibi – the next book in the Stellar Investigation series."
Stellar Signs
"India’s First Astro-Detective Series
Join Sonia Samarth and her Stellar Investigations Detective Agency, as they confront a rash of baffling misdeeds plaguing the city of Pune and solve them as only they can, with a unique combination of traditional Indian wisdom, modern-day detection and ancient astrology.
After a slow start to the new year, Sonia Samarth’s crime-solving services are in high demand. There is the bride whose arranged marriage may include murderous in-laws, the theatrical team whose death scene was no act, and the deceptively happy couple whose stars foretell domestic danger. Good thing Sonia has her opinionated assistant Jatin to help, except that even he may be caught up in the unlawful fray. Fortunately, it takes more than a few misguided souls, not to mention a preposterous proposal from the world’s most notorious diamond thief, to rattle this yoga-practicing, astrologically inspired sleuth.
MANJIRI PRABHU lives in Pune, India. She has been a filmmaker and television producer for several years and a writer of romances, mystery novels and a non-fiction book on Hindi films. Her book The Cosmic Clues has been optioned to be made into a movie"
Tracking Purnima
"A missing actress. A gutsy journalist. And a cold-blooded murder…
24-year old Aditi Sridhar is trying hard to establish herself as a newspaper reporter in Bangalore.
In her first major feature article, Aditi, with her never-say-die spirit, resurrects Purnima, the once celebrated singer and actress from the 60s and now a forgotten and missing star. Soon, Aditi is warned off by an unknown caller. Intrigued and defiant, the feisty girl ropes in her friend Reshmi, a photographer, to help her track Purnima. Her detractors become bolder and more violent.
Will Aditi solve the mystery that shrouds Purnima’s disappearance? Will she unravel the dubious identities and missing links as she gets closer to Purnima? Or does something more sinister await Aditi as she risks her own life to find Purnima, dead or alive.
USHA KATHIR is a writer by choice and an active lake conservationist by chance. She has five books to her credit and the privilege of nurturing one lake in Bangalore. Kathir is the author’s pseudonym for this crime novel series featuring Aditi and Reshmi."
Vikramaditya Veergatha Book 1 - The Guardians of the Halahala
"The Price of a Promise. Paid in Blood.
The deadly Halahala, the all-devouring poison churned from the depths of the White Lake by the devas and asuras, was swallowed by Shiva to save the universe from extinction.
But was the Halahala truly destroyed?
A small portion still remains—a weapon powerful enough to guarantee victory to whoever possesses it. And both asuras and devas, locked in battle for supremacy, will stop at nothing to claim it.
As the forces of Devaloka and Patala, led by Indra and Shukracharya, plot to possess the Halahala, Shiva turns to mankind to guard it from their murderous clutches. It is now up to Samrat Vikramaditya and his Council of Nine to quell the supernatural hordes—and prevent the universe from tumbling into chaos! The Guardians of the Halahala is a sweeping tale of honour and courage in the face of infinite greed, danger and deceit.
SHATRUJEET NATH is the creator of the runaway national bestseller series Vikramaditya Veergatha, a four-book mytho-fantasy arc which comprises The Guardians of the Halahala, The Conspiracy at Meru, The Vengeance of Indra and The Wrath of the Hellfires. Described as “a new face to Indian mythology” by DNA, Shatrujeet writes for movies and web shows as well. He is also the author of The Karachi Deception, an Indo-Pak spy thriller.
“A good work of mytho-fiction”
—ANAND NEELAKANTAN
“Flawlessly clubs fiction with Indian mythology”
—DNA"
Vikramaditya Veergatha Book 2 - The Conspiracy at Meru
"Victory is Temporary. The Battle is Eternal.
Vikramaditya and his Council of Nine have fought valiantly to repel the rampaging hordes from Devaloka and Patala—but Avanti has been brought to its knees. Ujjayini lies battered; its citizens are scared, and morale is badly shaken. Meanwhile, the barbaric Hunas and Sakas are gathering on the horizon, and cracks are emerging between the allied kingdoms of Sindhuvarta...
The only silver lining is that the deadly Halahala is safe. For now.
Bent on vengeance, Indra is already scheming to destroy Vikramaditya, while Shukracharya has a plan that can spell doom for the Guardians of the Halahala. How long can the human army hold out against the ferocity and cunning of the devas and asuras? And will Vikramaditya’s love for his queen come in the way of his promise to Shiva?
SHATRUJEET NATH is the creator of the runaway national bestseller series Vikramaditya Veergatha, a four-book mytho-fantasy arc which comprises The Guardians of the Halahala, The Conspiracy at Meru, The Vengeance of Indra and The Wrath of the Hellfires. Described as “a new face to Indian mythology” by DNA, Shatrujeet writes for movies and web shows as well. He is also the author of The Karachi Deception, an Indo-Pak spy thriller.
“Flawlessly clubs fiction with Indian mythology”
—DNA"
Vikramaditya Veergatha Book 3 - The Vengeance of Indra
"Vengeance is a Cage.
Forgiveness is Freedom.
In their greed to possess the deadly Halahala, the devas and the asuras have employed every dirty trick against Vikramaditya and his Council of Nine. But the humans are still standing, bloodied but unbowed.
When the wily Shukracharya discovers the secret to breaking the Council’s unity and strength, he forges an unlikely alliance with his arch-enemy, Indra, to set a deceitful plan in motion.
As cracks emerge between the councilors and their king, ghosts from the past threaten to ruin Vikramaditya and Kalidasa’s friendship, signalling the beginning of an eclipse that will cast a long shadow over all that Vikramaditya holds dear. And into this shadow steps Indra, bearing an old grudge—and a devastating new weapon.
How much longer before the Guardians of the Halahala finally fall apart?
SHATRUJEET NATH is the creator of the runaway national bestseller series Vikramaditya Veergatha, a four-book mytho-fantasy arc which comprises The Guardians of the Halahala, The Conspiracy at Meru, The Vengeance of Indra and The Wrath of the Hellfires. Described as “a new face to Indian mythology” by DNA, Shatrujeet writes for movies and web shows as well. He is also the author of The Karachi Deception, an Indo-Pak spy thriller.
“Flawlessly clubs fiction with Indian mythology”
—DNA"
Vikramaditya Veergatha Book 4 - The Wrath of the Hellfires
"Patience is a Drawn Bow.
Rage, its Relentless Arrow.
Shukracharya’s plan to break the unity of Vikramaditya’s Council has borne bitter fruit. Friends have become sworn enemies, and brother has turned against brother, setting Avanti on the path to self-destruction.
Even as Vikramaditya prepares to counter a Huna invasion, a rebellion brews within Ujjayini, while a devious conspiracy is hatched to humiliate him. With Indra’s spies swarming the palace and Shukracharya making a bold bid to take the Halahala, the king is dangerously close to the brink of defeat.
Alone and abandoned by those dear to him, fighting to protect his people, trying his best to keep his promise to Shiva, will the samrat rise one last time to defend his love, his city and his honour?
As the asura and deva forces muster in a final, desperate gamble to claim the Halahala, The Wrath of the Hellfires brings an explosive conclusion to Vikramaditya’s epic tale of action and adventure.
SHATRUJEET NATH is the creator of the runaway national bestseller series Vikramaditya Veergatha, a four-book mytho-fantasy arc which comprises The Guardians of the Halahala, The Conspiracy at Meru, The Vengeance of Indra and The Wrath of the Hellfires. Described as “a new face to Indian mythology” by DNA, Shatrujeet writes for movies and web shows as well. He is also the author of The Karachi Deception, an Indo-Pak spy thriller.
“Flawlessly clubs fiction with Indian mythology”
—DNA"
Warlord of Ayodhya: Rebellion
"Bharat. Son of Kaikeyi.
Brother of Rama.
Reluctant king of Kosala.
Bharat’s carefree life in Kekeya is turned upside down by the death of his father Raja Dashratha and the exile of his brother and crown prince Rama. Untrained in statecraft and unsure of himself, Bharat begins his rule over Kosala by tackling an audacious rakshasa attack on Ayodhya.
There’s more trouble brewing. As the magic that sustains the kingdom starts weakening and a drought looms over Kosala, Ayodhya’s citizens begin to disappear mysteriously. Ambitious aristocrats manipulate the inexperienced king to their ends, while fickle allies seize the opportunity to assert their independence. And unknown to Bharat, the Lord of Lanka has put a cunning plan into action that will break the back of Ayodhya’s resistance.
Beset by challenges, will Bharat lose Ayodhya so early in his reign?
Crackling with characters overlooked and forgotten by the Ramayana, The Warlord of Ayodhya is a thrilling spinoff by bestselling fantasy author Shatrujeet Nath.
SHATRUJEET NATH is the creator of the runaway national bestselling series Vikramaditya Veergatha, and the upcoming alternative mythology series Warlord of Ayodhya. Described as “a new face to Indian mythology” by DNA, Shatrujeet writes for movies and web shows as well.
“Ups the ante on classical mythology!”
ARSHIA SATTAR, author and translator of the Valmiki Ramayana "
The Karachi Deception
"Three commandos of the Indian Army’s elite Unit Kilo—Major Imtiaz Ahmed, Captain Shamsheer Suleiman and Lieutenant Rafiq Mehmood—are chosen for a one-of-a-kind ops mission: to enter Pakistan and eliminate dreaded underworld don, Irshad Dilawar. However, somehow, the Inter-Services Intelligence and Dilawar always seem to be one step ahead of the Indians, foiling every plan they make.
It doesn’t take long for Major Imtiaz to realize that something is amiss; the operation has been compromised. Will he be able to successfully complete his mission, or are he and his men in a trap they cannot make their way out of?
Set in the world of international espionage, where double-crossing and diabolical mind games are the norm, The Karachi Deception will keep you hooked till the very end."
HiFi in Bollywood
"An aspiring filmmaker. The dizzying heights of Bollywood. And a strained father-son relationship.
Rayhan Arora’s long cherished dream is to be a filmmaker in the Hindi Film Industry but his formidable father has other plans… a successful financial career in Corporate America, and a marriage of convenience with Vanita, a medical student in the US.
In a final act of desperation, Rayhan abandons his promising life in California and secretly returns to Mumbai to work as an Assistant Director in Bollywood. The characters he encounters along the way become part of his journey of self-discovery - a self-proclaimed local goon with a penchant for acting; a powerful local politician who wants to marry Rayhan’s part-time domestic help, who in turn covets stardom; an angst-ridden, homosexual film director; ego-ridden film stars with twisted agendas; and the mysterious Viola who captures his heart.
HiFi in Bollywood takes the reader from the streets of Berkeley to the film studios of Mumbai; from red-light areas to police stations, and from reality to dreams and back to reality again!
Rishi Vohra relocated back to Mumbai after completing a Green MBA from San Francisco State University and a Masters Diploma in Environmental Law, prior to which he had an extensive career in the Indian Entertainment Industry. His debut novel Once Upon the Tracks of Mumbai was a bestseller and awarded a special mention at the Hollywood Book Festival. He writes for delWine and is a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW). Visit him at www.rishivohra.com"
Diary of an Immigrant Bride
"What happens if a woman meets her soul mate after marriage... and it’s not her husband?
1998 Australia. Anjali Jathar is looking forward to life as an immigrant bride following her arranged marriage to ambitious divorcee Ravi. Settling in, she explores not just a new culture but also her newfound freedom. But life is less than perfect. Ravi’s constant travel and preoccupation with work leave Anjali feeling increasingly unloved and lonely.
Enter Jake Ellis. Charmed by Anjali’s exoticism, he finds himself gradually falling in love with her. And so begins an emotionally intoxicating roller-coaster ride.
Diary of an Immigrant Bride is a cross cultural tale delving into love, lust and relationships.
Nim Gholkar was born and raised in Mumbai, India. She graduated in English Literature from University of Bombay, Mumbai before moving to Australia in 1996. Her blog ‘Nim’s Niche’ is a kaleidoscope of musings on life and its many reflections. She loves travelling, reading, playing badminton and singing karaoke."