HT Picks: Interesting new reads

THE LIBRARY BEYOND THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE

304pp, Rs 599; Penguin Random House

Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better? In The Midnight Library, Matt Haig’s enchanting new novel, Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.*

THE INDIAN PALATE; A QUESTION OF TASTE

336pp, Rs 499; Speaking Tiger

What exactly is ‘Indian’ food? Can it be classified by region, or religion, or ritual? What are the culinary commonalities across the Indian subcontinent? Do we Indians have a sense of collective self when it comes to cuisine? Or is the pluralism in our food habits and choices the only identity we have ever needed? Turmeric Nation is an ambitious and insightful project which answers these questions, and then quite a few more. Through a series of fascinating essays— delving into geography, history, myth, sociology, film, literature and personal experience—Shylashri Shankar traces the myriad patterns that have formed Indian food cultures, taste preferences and cooking traditions. From Dalit ‘haldiya dal’ to the last meal of the Buddha; from aphrodisiacs listed in the Kama Sutra to sacred foods offered to gods and prophets; from the use of food as a means of state control in contemporary India to the role of lemonade in stoking rebellion in 19th-century Bengal; from the connection between death and feasting and between fasting and pleasure, this book offers a layered and revealing portrait of India, as a society and a nation, through its enduring relationship with food.*

NAVIGATING CORPORATE CORRIDORS

292pp, Rs 495; Sage Publishing

Office politics — the phrase usually invokes negative images, such as blaming, backstabbing, favouritism, resentment and jealousy. Like it or loathe it, professional success is not merely dependent on merit; being able to read people and their motives is what keeps one ahead. A large part of success in the corporate journey is defined by progress and credit; some people excel at it, while others do not. How can you then navigate the corporate corridors without playing dirty?
Checkmate Office Politics confronts head-on workplace dynamics and explains the factors that influence it. Drawing on her unparalleled experience as an international facilitator and executive coach, Bhavna Dalal invites you to understand the political machinery by offering extensive, simple, practical advice to help navigate workplace politics effectively and grow in your career without compromising your ideals.*

*All copy from book flap