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HT Picks: The most interesting books of the week
A lyrical book on flowers, a journey into the mind of a master, and a reflection on natural world heritage sites feature on our list of good reads this week
FLOWER SHOWER BY ALKA PANDE
Flowers are part and parcel of our lives, from birth to death, as offerings, as blessings, as adornment, as medicine, as food and also as a sign of love and sharing. Over the years, with the critical readings of fragrances, we see how aromas can evoke memory, how they are responded to by different genders and how floral perfumes also become mediators of desire and pleasure. And it is through an exploration of the floral essence that new perceptions and interpretation of flowers can be read in the book. *
WILD TREASURES EDITED BY PRERNA SINGH BINDRA, SONALI GHOSH, ANURANJAN ROY
The World Natural Heritage Sites protect over 286 million hectares of land and sea, including transboundary sites signifying that heritage sites belong to all people s of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located.
Wild Treasures is a selection of 45 carefully curated articles, channelling voices past and present to take you on a journey across Asia’s most beautiful landscapes. Wet, evergreen forests of India’s Western Ghats and Sri Lanka; the only mangrove forests, Sundarbans, where tigers roam across India and Bangladesh; the mystical tropical forests of Myanmar where tigers are revered as ‘relatives’ but are equally vulnerable to poaching pressures; the Lut Desert in Iran, the hottest place in the world; the snowy peaks of the Himalayas, the haunt of the elusive grey ghost – the Snow Leopard; Keoladeo, a wetland dense with birds in the dry region of India’s Rajasthan; the rhino’s realm across India’s Manas, Kaziranga; Chitwan in Nepal, and the secret mountainscape of Kangchendzonga are just some of the places highlighted in this anthology. The voices are equally varied. The pieces in this collection have been penned by writers, poets, ecologists, scientists, foresters, photographers, conservationists – all bonded by a love for nature and our natural heritage.
We hope that the book will kindle an appreciation for nature, encourage responsible travel and garner support for these imperilled natural wonders. *
MIND MASTER BY VISWANATHAN ANAND
Few people know better than Viswananthan Anand how to think strategically at lightning speed and work under immense pressure to overcome the toughest odds.
From the time he learnt to move pieces on a chessboard as a six-year-old, Vishy – as Anand is fondly called – has racked up innumerable accolades. The first World Chess Champion from Asia, he emerged onto the world stage when chess was largely a Soviet preserve, climbed the ranks to become World No 1, bagged five World Championship titles and won tournaments across all formats of the game. A peerless ambassador of chess, his is one of the most revered names in the sport.
In Mind Master, Vishy looks back on lifetime of games played, opponents tackled and circumstances overcome, and draws from its depths. Significant tools that will help every reader navigate life’s challenges:
What role do tactics and strategy play in the preparation for achieving a goal?
How can emotions be harnessed to your advantage in tricky situations?
What precautions should you take before you decide to leave your comfort zone and embrace risk?
What do you need to do to stay relevant in the face of rapidly changing realities?
Is unlearning really the only way to learn?
These are just some of the nuggets Vishy touches upon with characteristic wit, easy wisdom and disarming candour in Mind Master – a delightful and invaluable exploration into the self that will thrill, inspire and motivate readers as few books have done before. *
*All copy from book flap.
