Burn, baby, burn...
Love Stories
Author: Annie Zaidi
Price: Rs. 350
Published by: HarperCollins
Each story in this collection is too real for its title. If it conjures up images of teen romance and frivolous fairytales in your
mind, that is. This book, one of Annie Zaidi’s best, revisits the scariest truths that lie in the simplest of situations that contain love — love of the kind that seems starkly ordinary before you swim its insides.
There’s a story of a woman who falls for the faceless man who’s the voice of announcements in the train she takes, one about a man whose wife loves gore as much as she loves him, another about a closet artist who finds a man as mundane as their housing society they live in. The narrative is strong and sublime in just the parts they should be, not letting the weight of the words take down the scenes you build. And, even though some pain from the prose and that striking cover picture lingers on after a read, you love it, for it’s as bitter yet true as love gets.
Easy and green cooking in the city
Storm in the kitchen!
Author: Davinder Kumar
Price: Rs. 495
Published by: Surbhi Publishing
If healthy eating is what you swear by, then Delhi-based culinary expert Davinder Kumar’s book, Four Season Salads, will instantly woo you with its sheer look. While pictures of fresh green veggies on the cover tease your appetite, you will also be greeted by quick recipes of low cal salads and tantalising dips. The best part about this book is that each dish is very ‘doable’.
Explained in simple language, the recipes seem easy even for beginners, and do not boast of exotic ‘other worldly’ ingredients. Chef Kumar, the president of the Indian Culinary Forum, also gives tips on how to customise each recipe as per one’s taste, making the book a suited pick for all. But, we wish, each and every recipe stated in the book had a picture to refer to, as when it comes to food, it’s your eyes that want to feast on, first. A great piece to refer to, nevertheless, to toss up a non-messy.