Here is a list of some of the books, articles and essays I read and found interesting. Consider them recommendations.

Updated: 17 July 2024

Articles and Essay Shelf

Psychology and Behaviour

The Courage To Be Disliked - Ichiro Kishimi, Fumitake Koga

I think this is a phenomenal book. Personalities like Freud and Jung are famous, we tend to hear or read about them in various contexts. But this book is not about them. This book draws on teachings of Greek philosophy and the works of the psychologist Alfred Adler, and delves into topics of interpersonal relationships, can people change, our getting affected due to others’ opinions and several other topical questions that we face in our daily lives, to answer the ultimate question - how to find happiness. Adlerian school of thought was entirely new to me, and it gave me perspective that I think I did not have before. The book is a conversation between a young person and a philosopher, as the philosopher tries to answer questions the youth has about freedom, relationships, work and happiness.

Thinking Fast, and Slow - Daniel Kahneman

From the “father” of behavioural economics, this book takes you through years of research in decision making that has changed the face of economics and business thinking. In this book, Daniel Kahneman talks about two “systems” that we use - 1 and 2, which are responsible for much of the deviations from rational choices. System 1is the fast, intuitive and emotional half and System 2 is the logical, calculative, pondering half. Often these two systems are at odds with each other, giving rise to predictable biases and deviations in choices and decisions. These are however subtle and not easily understood, which makes them even harder to notice and act upon, despite their prevalence. The book offers a deeper understanding of our thinking processes, things that affect us on a daily basis and techniques to check our thoughts in order to make better decisions.

The Difficulty of Being Good - Gurcharan Das

Anyone familiar with the tale of Mahabharat knows that it is a fantastic story, with intricate storylines and side plots, combined with religious and spiritual philosophy. The story of Mahabharat has infinite lessons to be learnt, and Gurcharan Das writes about using the epic as a guide post to find how to be “good” and resolve the moral ambiguity that we face in our everyday lives. The story of Mahabharat is not the one of good vs evil and the eventual triumph of the good. It is a story about the constant tension that exists in every decision that one makes, and sometimes perspective is the only difference. This book is very deep and philosophical, investigating various moral dilemmas in the epic, and trying to take lessons so that we can be good. It is easily one of the books that is going to stay with me for a long time.

Man’s Search for Meaning - Viktor Frankl

Dr. Viktor Frankl was a pioneering psychiatrist, neurologist and holocaust survivor, known for founding logotherapy. This book is divided into two parts, the first describing his experience in the concentration camps and the second part tries to make the reader acquainted with the concept of logotherapy. He details his experiences not from the point of view of the great atrocities suffered, but from the perspective of what a person who is undergoing those gruesome tortures thinks about. Here is a fantastic piece on Viktor Frankl and this book by Maria Popova, and does a far better job of describing his work than I ever can.

Nudge - Richard Thaler

Humans have a propensity to choose unwisely. Nudge goes behind designing systems through use of behavioural economics which help makes people make better choices, by default.

Grit - Angela Duckworth

Angela Duckworth explores the science behind success. While talent and luck play a huge part, grit and persistence play a huge part in a individuals success. She draws insights from studies, businesses, history and her personal life, and makes this book a compelling read.

Meditations - Marcus Aurelius

Written as a personal diary and never intending to be published, this book is a lesson in how to live life. It is an incredible work of philosophy, and is a great introduction to the stoic school of thinking.

The Art of the Good Life - Rolf Dobelli

Mental models are all anyone talks about these days. This book simplifies the ideas, and show how you can change perspective on situations that happen on a daily basis. It will help you choose better in order to live a “good life”.

The Art of Thinking Clearly - Rolf Dobelli

It is a similar book in terms of mental models, but again its applicability in daily life is great. It uses simple language and situations, something we experience regularly, and makes us aware of how we can make decisions more efficiently.

Never Split the Difference - Chris Voss

Chris Voss is a former FBI hostage negotiator and has been part of countless high stakes negotiations all across the world. He breaks down fundamentals of negotiation through the lens of psychology, emotions, incentives and intentions. I think this book is alright. Nothing great, but makes some interesting points.

Factfulness - Hans Rosling

When we see around us, the media we consume and the predispositions we have, we normally tend to think that things are so wrong and just getting worse. Sometimes it is hard to imagine to future with all the negative news around. Well, this book is an eye-opener if you have ever felt this way. The book presents evidence that will change your perspective of the world, especially if you held a pessimistic view. Things have never been better, in terms of health, food, money, education, access to what we consider necessities. Yes, lots of room for improvements to be made, but the graph has been trending positively. Great book to read. Positively positive.

Rising Strong - Brene Brown

Brene Brown is an expert in writing about vulnerability, shame and courage. This book is about how to recover from set backs and disappointments which are a natural consequence of being vulnerable. It is also a good way to live a fulfilling, wholesome life.

Predictably Irrational - Dan Ariely

The book presents various scientific experiments and evidence to the irrationality of humans. It discusses biases and how they affect decision-making. Dan Ariely finds, through his experiments, that we make the same “type” of mistakes over and over again, and what makes us behave in “predictably irrational” ways.  It talks about the author's experiences and studies in various different settings, and results to understand human behaviour better.

The Upside of Irrationality - Dan Ariely

The book discusses the decision-making abilities and processes of humans and the irrationality that guides us. Our decisions are based on deep seated cognitive biases and we should be aware of the influence they have over our lives. We should learn to question intuition and snap judgements  at work, in relationships and daily life and irrationality is part of what makes us all human.

Maybe You Should Talk To Someone - Lori Gottlieb

This a great book which give you perspective of both sides of the table in therapy. She talks about her experience working with her patients, and also gives insight into her conversations with her therapist. She explores topics of love, separation, anxiety, death and several other subjects that we experience, but sometimes don’t have words to express.This book is a fantastic read on mental well being and health, and is incredibly well written.

Misbehaving - Richard Thaler

Nobel prize winner talks about how human beings deviate from rational beings. The book combines ideas from psychology and practical applications of economics in daily lives, and shows us ways to be better decision makers. Written in a funny and entertaining way, Thaler uses very little jargon to explain topics with very real examples and studies, and demonstrate how humans “misbehave” when it comes to rational decision making.

Daring Greatly - Brene Brown

A deep and engaging book on dealing with emotions courageously by “daring greatly”. The book talks about how sharing feelings, thoughts and all the parts that make us vulnerable, helps us have more meaningful conversations, deeper connections and makes us better human beings.

Attached - Amir Levine, Rachel S.F. Heller

The authors explore attachment theory and provide insight on how different personality types in relationships function and behave. The book provides advice, tactics and guidance to navigate relationships is a much more emotionally aware manner.

Outliers - Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell tries to delve into the subject of “Outliers”. What makes an expert, expert. It is not just habits, but it is a function of where they come from. The idea of the “10,000 hour” rule of achieving mastery in a domain comes from this book.

Business, Economics and Finance

High Output Management - Andy Grove

Andy Grove, ex-CEO and Chairman of Intel, in this classic management books goes deep into the role of “management”. He believes that “manager”, while being a very vague title in corporations, is actually one of the key pillars for success for any organisation. He explains frameworks and methods to manage people, processes and eventually the output that we hope to achieve as a company. He talks about team-building, retaining employees, providing meaningful and effective feedback which then results in a high-performance individuals and teams.

Freakonomics - Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

Amazingly well written book combining insight and humour. It is a great way to be introduced to economics, how incentives can be designed, and how things can have affects beyond the first order. The sequel - Super Freakonomics, is similar, and as good.

Innovators Dilemma - Clayton Christensen

Classic business book and is a recommendation in almost every B-school. In this book, late Harvard professor Clayton Christensen explores why successful companies end up failing and how innovating or being creative is sometimes counter intuitive. He explores the concept of “disruption” and explains by providing context and real world case studies.

Shoe Dog - Phil Knight

In this memoir, Phil Knight talks about creating and building Nike into the sports giant that we have to come know today. He talks about his experience and his journey, filled with unexpected turns of fate, highs and lows and his resilience into making one of the biggest and most well known brands of our time.

The Hard Thing About Hard Things - Ben Horowitz

Founder of the famous VC company Andreesen Horowitz, Ben Horowitz talks about the difficulties of running a business and managing teams as a business leader. While at the outset he outlines that there is no formula for success, he explains through anecdotes and experiences about how to manage a business. Interesting book to read that gives perspective on how people at the highest levels of hierarchy think (or should think).

Skin in the Game - Nassim Nicholas Taleb

One of my favourite writers / thinkers, Nassim Taleb write this book about risks and stakes in today’s world. This book covers a variety of topics ranging from fairness, justice, moral dilemmas, businesses and decision making. Fantastic read.

Fooled by Randomness - Nassim Nicholas Taleb

This is another book by Nassim Taleb which I really like. Here he talks about probabilities in everyday life, and how humans in general are fooled by randomness. The main thing is that we don’t understand this complex world, and in our effort to simplify things, we make errors without even knowing that we are. It is a fantastic book.

Negotiating the Impossible - Deepak Malhotra

Deepak Malhotra is an expert on the subject of negotiation. He is also a professor at Harvard Business School. In this book he talks about how to negotiate when one seemingly does not have a lot of leverage. He used real life situations, some of which he was a part of, to explain decision making. The lessons have applicability in daily life: both in professional and personal situations.

Don’t Make Me Think - Steve Krug

Steve Krug is a design consultant, and writes about making efficient websites and products. His main principle: As a user, don’t make me think while using the product. While this is simple to understand, it is very difficult to execute, as we experience in so many of the products we use. He explains how people think while using / navigating something new, and helps to understand how you can give users a great experience by simplifying.

Rich Dad, Poor Dad - Robert Kiyosaki

In this classic book, Robert Kiyosaki talks about the lessons he learnt from his father and the father of his friend. He talks about managing money and how to invest in a way that money works for you.

Psychology of Money - Morgan Housel

This is a great book on money, personal finance, greed, and perceptions. In all the talking points in the book, the underlying theme is to figure out what makes you happy and then work towards that. He talks about decision making and how to think so that you can live a more fulfilling life.

Almanack of Naval Ravikant - Eric Jorgenson

Naval Ravikant is a famed Silicon Valley investor. His thoughts on wealth, happiness and how to live a fulfilling life. This is a collection of thoughts, reflections, interviews, combined in a story format for easy reading. Thought provoking.

Non Fiction (uncategorized)

My Body - Emily Ratajkowski

This is such a great, powerful book. One of the best I’ve read this year. I did not know much about her apart from the fact that she was in the music video of Blurred Lines and was one of the actors in Gone Girl. She talks about her experiences in the industry outlining the fact that men have set the rules of the game, and are always in positions of power. Even when women seem to have control or power, it is given to women by women, establishing a clear hierarchy. She’s had to go through some really terrible things, and its really heartbreaking to read. The book is extremely well written. Highly recommend!

Masala Lab: The Science of Indian Cooking - Krish Ashok

I loved this book! I enjoy cooking and have learnt most of it from my mom. A lot of things that I do or is recommended while cooking food, is explained in this book in a scientific way. I really liked how Krish Ashok dives deep into molecular chemistry of food reactions and then immediately comes back up giving tips on how to get the most immaculate browning of vegetables and protein. This book is particularly great, given we live in the time of misinformation, scare-mongering and out of context facts, because it explains things and gives a scientific way to think about food! Highly recommend!

The Butler To The World - Oliver Bullough

It is one thing to have an idea about something. It’s an entirely different thing to peel open a layer of what you think you knew and be amazed at what you did not. This book dives deep into the UK’s post-WW2 era, and how in the face of the empire crumbling, economy tumbling, UK was struggling to be relevant. And in that era, it found a niche and became a pioneer to move money for anyone who desired it. From corrupt oligarchs, dodgy businesses, oppressive rulers and politicians to illegal money laundering rackets, UK made itself indispensable for such people to store and hide their wealth. Fascinating read.

Guns, Germs and Steel - Jared Diamond

Some books just make you smarter and leave you with knowledge and wisdom you didn't know existed. This is undoubtedly one of them. Phenomenally written in a way that not only explains and compresses the human history of 13,000 years but also draws patterns, reasons and theories on why things turned out the way they did. The world is complex, and how it came to be today as we know it is an intricate dance of complex variables interacting with randomness. Fascinating book, and is on my list of best books to read.

City of Djinns - William Dalrymple

This book had been on my to-read list for a long time. And what an amazing book this is. This book is a magnificent history lesson rolled into a travelogue rolled into a lens of daily observations. I really enjoyed when the author starts going into the history of neighbourhoods which I know or have been to. And it truly bought into light that it’s one thing to live in a city and it’s an entirely different thing knowing it. Right from slave dynasty of the khiljis through the Mughal empire through the British rule, this ode to the city of Delhi has so many stories and is a compelling read!

Flash Boys - Michael Lewis

The world of finance is complicated by design. The jargons and the complex structures in which the industry works is there because the opacity favors the people working in such a system. This is a great book explaining the methods of High Frequency Trading (HFT). This book is about a bunch of people who thought the financial system is rigged and complicated to favor a select few and their effort to bring fairness to the market. This is the story of the IEX (Investors Exchange), the stock exchange which was created so that HFT could not have an undue advantage by virtue of their fast systems and networks. This book does have a fair bit of jargon, and might be a bit hard to read for someone who is not familiar, but despite the terminology used, one can still easily understand this really cool story about the people who tried to upend the status quo at Wall Street.

Empire of Pain - Patrick Radden Keefe

USA as a nation is very adept in exporting its image as great, developed nation with Silicon Valley tech and Wall Street banks. But there are stark realities that are never mentioned in the mainstream media for various reasons. The opium crisis in the USA is one that has been a very long and elaborate one in the making, and has affected directly and indirectly 100s of thousands of people. This is a story of how one Family, the Sackler Family, created a nationwide morphine / heroin addiction all because of greed and the pursuit of wealth. This is an incredibly detailed, moving, sickening and an eye-opening account of the crisis, and will make you question a lot of things you have taken for granted in the world of medicine and advertising.

Bad Science - Ben Goldacre

There is bad science everywhere. From self appointed “nutritionists” (nutritionists are not some one who have any clinical authority, they are just people who think they know nutrition) to homeopaths to placebos to the manipulative big pharma, this book has everything that you need to know to become aware of the bad science that is being peddled so that you buy things that don’t necessarily work. It also gives you an insight into statistics and the workings of research is done and how you can tell bad science when you see it.

The Diving Bell and The Butterfly - Jean-Dominique Bauby

There aren’t a lot of books which move you with every word written while making you appreciate the life that you have. This book did that for me. Jean-Dominique Bauby was the Chief Editor at Elle, and while picking his son up suffered a stroke which caused the “locked-in” syndrome: where the mind is functioning while the body is paralysed from head to toe. His only way of communicating was by blinking one of his eyelids. He wrote this book completely in his head, dictating each word. It is kind of unthinkable, being a prisoner in your own body, and his book is equal parts distressing and inspiring. This is a moving portrait of life seen by a person who has almost no way of communicating with the world and is evidence for the tenacity of the human spirt.

We All Should Be Feminists - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

An eloquent essay about what it means to be a feminist today. Inspired from her TED talk, this essay is a must read as it simplifies and drives home the idea of being a feminist. In a world of labels and tags, she cuts through the clutter and provides a nuanced take on how the discrimination and marginalization of women affects both men and women negatively. Short but a fantastic read, this should be read by everyone.

Blood and Oil - Bradley Hope and Justin Scheck

The Middle East is often referred to as a collective, but it is not even close. With neighbouring at odds with each other, and endless oil money to back it all up, the politics of the Middle East is extremely convoluted. This book is about the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia - Mohammed Bin Salman or MBS as he is more popularly known. The book is a detailed, chilling and often preposterous account of his rise to power and relevance, in a nation where the King has tens of sons, hundreds of cousins all who are in some way in line to the throne. This is a tale of bottomless money, greed, ambition of one man who wants to be King one day, and has already begun to have his impact on the world stage.

Crying In H-Mart - Michelle Zauner

Identity is something everyone struggles with. It is even more amplified in the case of immigrants who have decided to call a new country home. This is a powerful, moving and an emotional memoir about Michelle’s mother who dies due to cancer. This book dives into their relationship during Michelle’s early childhood and how their bond matured over time. She talks about her career and the paths she took, and the influence her mother had on her. It is a really nice book, full of food nostalgia, funny and relatable anecdotes in a story that reminded me of the love between my parents and I.

Know My Name - Chanel Miller

There are very few books everyone should read. This is one of them. Chanel Miller gives voice to countless women who have been at the receiving end of abuse, and expresses the grief, emotional turmoil, and the anguish of dealing with a convoluted justice system which is designed to tire and not to actually provide reparations. This book must have taken so much courage, bravery, and emotional bandwidth, I cannot begin to fathom. She is brave, resilient, moving, cutting, eloquent, vulnerable, and so many things that I can only aspire to be.

Billion Dollar Whale - Tom Wright and Bradley Hope

This book is a great example of how truth can be stranger than fiction. In this tale of greed and lies, the book explores the 1 MDB (Malayasia Development Berhard) scandal, where one man with his conniving spun a web of lies and stole more than US$5bn from the nations wealth fund. At each point in the book, the whole idea seems ludicrous, but greed and the global financial system makes the whole thing a true story.

Liar’s Poker - Michael Lewis

Michael Lewis recounts his days as Salomon Brothers trader, in this witty and extremely engaging book. He gives a behind-the-scenes view of the trading floor and the “bro-culture” that used to exist (perhaps still exists). The book is funny and outrageous at the same time.

Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer

This is the true story of Chris McCandless, who gave up everything to roam around freely without any worldly connections. He wanted to live off the earth, roaming from city to city, and eventually reaching Alaska to explore and live in the wilderness. This is a story about his life, the philosophy he adopted, his death and his parent’s search for him. Engrossing read.

This is Going to Hurt - Adam Kay

Adam Kay is a doctor turned comedian. This book is a cumulation of all his diary entries as a junior doctor in the NHS in the UK. He gives the grimy, bloody details of the back-rooms and tells the story of the overworked health care worker. His book is an eye-opening tale of the realities of the healthcare industry and at the same time an ode to all the people who sacrifice a lot so that other people can be okay. And, the book is incredibly funny.

The Diary of a Young Girl - Anne Frank

Anne Frank is an immortal. The diary gives a unique perspective of the whole situation WW2. As a child, and even as an adult, I find it hard to express feelings and it seems incredibly wonderful to read such a lucid description of the feelings, troubles and perspectives of a 13 year old who lived in extraordinary circumstances. The diary contains reflections about things that we often don't consider or sit to think about, and it is poignant and wonderful at the same time to read the thoughts of someone who is able to put emotions and feelings into words in a very simple way. This book served as a great reminder of courage, optimism, kindness and the frailty of human life.

Invisible Women - Caroline Criado Perez

Knowingly and unknowingly, women of the world have been at receiving end of various kinds of discrimination. In a world dominated by men, it should not come as a surprise that most of the things that men take for granted or the things that seem obvious to men are not so straightforward for women. This book is not an opinion. With every claim backed by research and evidence, it is extremely shocking and eye-opening to me that from car-crash test dummies to design of algorithms, industries are replete with bias against women, simply due to the fact that women are not considered while designing systems. It is a highly depressing read, more so if you are a man, getting to know that so many things are just against women by default. This book is equal parts intense, revealing, and while drawing some silver linings in some really gray clouds. At the very least, it did remind me to think and do better.

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running - Haruki Murakami

In the months leading up to the 2005 NY marathon, Haruki Murakami pens down this fantastic memoir which gives us a glimpse of his life through the lens of running. He begins running to stay healthy, the way anyone else does, and soon it becomes an integral part of his life. He takes us through his running journey, which includes running solo from Athens to Marathon, running an ultramarathon and triathlons. He talks about his experiences, the prominence and importance of running in his life and how it has not only influenced his writing but how he lives his life. Through his memories and vivid descriptions of his experiences of running and training, I could identify with the various feelings and emotions that I have when I run. Equal measure of philosophy, musings, nostalgia and travel diaries, this book is a wonderful read whether or not you like to run.

Sapiens - Yuval Noah Harari

This was a book that kept coming up in discussions of great books people have read. I finally got around to reading this brilliant, thought provoking work by Yuval Noah Harari. The book is a journey through the 100,000 years of human evolution discussing the origins, growth, and the eventual (almost) omnipresence on the face of the earth. It is hard to classify this book as it takes you on a ride through history with evolution, science, economics, religion as co-passengers. This book told me things I had no idea about, things I thought I had an idea about, and things that gave me a completely new perspective. There is a lot to learn from this book, and I don’t think I am even close with just one read. If this is something you have not read, or have been contemplating to read, I’d highly recommend you to read this!

Reasons To Stay Alive - Matt Haig

his memoir by Matt Haig describes his experiences as a person suffering from depression in vivid detail. This incredibly personal account makes you see what a person going through depression feels. The insecurities, the anxiety and every thought mired in self-doubt are some of the mentally crippling thoughts that plague such people. It is indeed tough to be empathetic with something one has not felt before, and Matt Haig describes his years long struggle and his eventual triumph over his demons that makes the invisible illness somewhat tangible. This book is complete with humour, tales of struggle, perseverance, and the metaphorical light at the end of what sometimes seems an endless tunnel.

How will you measure your life - Clayton Christensen

A book borne out of a memorable speech by Clayton Christensen, the famous Harvard Business Schools strategy professor, takes lessons from businesses and tries to liken them with our personal lives. The idea that theories should be applicable everywhere, leads the authors to answer questions like how to find satisfaction in our careers, finding purpose, building enduring personal relationships and how to live a life of integrity. Obviously, these don't have any definitive answers, but the authors breakdown theories, processes and ideas for us to be able to understand these better and answer in a way that makes our lives more fulfilling.

Checklist Manifesto - Atul Gawande

In a world of increasing complexity, high expectations and we face decreasing margin for errors. Committing tasks and processes to memory is demonstrably not enough, and hence the need for a checklist. What seems to be a simple way to avoid errors and covering bases, is an extremely overlooked and under-utilised tool. From saving lives in the medical room to saving lives in an aircraft to saving money and time in businesses, Atul Gawande takes us through the history and processes of creating effective checklists, which have been proven to affect big changes with very little effort.

When Breath Becomes Air - Paul Kalanithi

It is one thing to know; it is completely something else to experience. In this poignant and moving memoir, Paul Kalanithi explores some of life’s existential questions while fighting with stage IV lung cancer. Paul, a neurosurgeon by calling and literature student at heart, answers some difficult questions about life and its meaning as he faces the inevitable. This emotional autobiography winds through his life, his search of meaning at the intersection of medicine and literature, his journey from a doctor to a patient to a father. This beautifully written posthumous, incomplete account made me smile, think, question, wonder and tear up a little.

Emperor of All Maladies - Siddhartha Mukherjee

In this Pulitzer winning biography of cancer, Dr. Siddartha Mukherjee narrates the history and imagines the future of cancer. Beginning from 2500BC, the book traces the path of cancer and efforts of humans to understand this affliction. The story of cancer is as much about human creativity, inventiveness, curiosity and serendipity as it is about misconception, arrogance and obstinacy. The book paints a picture of human resilience and the constant dance of science with the ever-changing disease that is, in essence, ingrained in our DNA.

Born to Run - Christopher McDougall

Whether or not you are a “runner”, this book is a fun, engrossing read about running. The book is written in a very “magazine article” kind of way, so there is a need to put some of the exaggerations in perspective. However, it is a great story containing amazing athletes, inspiring stories and evolutionary arguments that humans are born to run. The book meanders through various stories, anecdotes and scientific experiments exploring various aspects of running. It all leads up to a race event where the participants are a motley crew of elite ultra-running athletes, barefoot runners, and the Mexican indigenous running tribe Tarahumara.

Barbarians at the Gate - Bryan Burrough

A book that is on every business school’s reading list, it is one of the few business books that have aged very well. Written by Wall Street Journal’s investigative journalists, the book revolves around the event of the RJR Nabisco leveraged buy-out in 1988. (An LBO is just a term for an acquisition done primarily with debt.) A stranger-than-fiction narrative, the book is one the best thrillers I have read. Intertwining the workings of C-level executives, clashes of ego, manipulations of relationships, ever-changing power dynamics, and ridiculous amounts of money, the book has proven to be a timeless example of corporate greed.

Born a Crime - Trevor Noah

A wonderfully recounted story of his childhood in the background of the apartheid. Equal parts funny, heart warming, informative, and shocking, this is a deeply moving tale of a boy brought up by a strong woman in the face of apartheid and economic difficulty. It is a touching story of his quest to find himself, his relationship with his mom filled with anecdotes of his life which range from the funny to the horrid and often the lines blur between these adjectives.

Ride of a Lifetime - Robert Iger

A story narrating Robert Iger’s personal experience who started as a TV executive at ABC studios and went on to become its CEO and later the CEO of Disney. He is known for paving the future for entertainment and establishing Disney’s supremacy by acquiring Marvel, Pixar, Lucas films and Fox. The book talks about his learnings and experiences through his long professional journey, his methods of leading and the leadership principles that guide him.

Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert

A heart-warming and an endearing account of a woman's journey of finding herself. What starts out as a break, turns into something beautiful as the author recounts her story of dealing with heartbreak, god, forgiveness, mental health, wholesomeness, love and peace. It’s her story of finding herself, her place in the universe and finding balance. The story moves through Italy, India and Bali, makes you live through the author’s experiences vividly.

Kitchen Confidential - Anthony Bourdain

A fast-paced, wildly amusing and entertaining book describing Anthony’s culinary journey in graphic detail. Covering the food industry in general, the book explains and gives away tons of “secrets” kept in the industry and insights about running a restaurant. Full of profanities and written in a very matter of fact way, it’s a fun read for anyone interested in food!

Creativity inc - Ed Catmull

Founder of Pixar talks about how Pixar came to be a thriving place for creativity and how as a leader one can shape cultures and manage people to breed new ideas. The book is his journey which starts with an idea to create the first computer-animated movie and winds down as they create Pixar and the movie-making behemoth that it has become. The book talks about the processes of creativity, managing it and creating a unique atmosphere where people and ideas are free to thrive.

Bad Blood - John Carreyrou

This is full story behind the whole Theranos - Elizabeth Holmes fraud. Jon Carreyrou wrote the article in Wall Street Journal which led to a domino effect, and was instrumental in exposing the house of lies Elizabeth Holmes and her business partner, Sunny Balwani built. This is a gripping story of greed, manipulation, toxicity, while at the same time perseverance and the search for truth. Indeed, truth can be stranger than fiction.

Fiction

Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

A great illustration of engaging storytelling. A story within a story, with parallel plot lines across two timelines and overlapping characters, this was a great reading experience. Fascinating writing, character development and story arc. The book is filled with quotable quotes, and lots of different themes of love, mystery, drama, betrayal and loyalty. Great read!

Against the Loveless World - Susan Abulhawa

I love reading such stories because they put into context lived experiences of people juxtaposed with historical and political events, and you don’t know where reality meets fiction. This is a great book, and it takes you through the story of a Palestinian refugee, through years of conflict in the region. The book sweeps you away and puts you at a vantage point where you probably havent been. Beautiful and tragic, the book will evoke a lot of emotions and make you understand today’s world a little better.

Em and The Big Hoom - Jerry Pinto

The book is categorised as fiction, but it feels incredibly real. And it really does break your heart. The story is told from the point of the son, in a 4 member family, where the mother suffers from depression, bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia. It gives such a nuanced account of living with a person who suffers from a mental illness, while being darkly humorous. This story is in-parts autobiographical, and you can easily tell because the details in the book feel personal. This is a feat of great story telling, heart-piercing use of words and painting a dark but a very real picture of a life of a family where a member is mentally ill.

In a Lonely Place - Dorothy Hughes

What a great piece of writing. Dorothy Hughes keeps you hooked from page 1. Even though you know exactly what is going to happen (almost), you feel as if you are clinging on to every page to know what is going to happen next. She masterfully crafts a sense of suspense in each word, drawing you in, and taking you into the story as sort of the third person in the room, witnessing not only each of the characters actions, but also a window into their thoughts. Very very nice book.

Bridge to Terabithia - Katherine Patterson

I loved the movie when I saw it as a kid, and I probably didn’t understand or know how to express those emotions. I saw the movie again recently (highly recommend the 2007 version) and wanted to read the book. The book is great and even though I knew the story, reading the book just made me feel the story even more as I now could read what the characters thought and felt. It is absolutely heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. Story about a young friendship in the context of the fun and troubles of childhood and the unpredictability of life.

Rules of Civility - Amor Towles

What a breeze of a book. Absolutely loved the book! Set in the 1940s, a story of intertwining of lives in New York City, where a serendipitous encounter changes the lives of the characters through a series of domino effects. Katey Kontent begins her story in a jazz bar in NYC and takes you through a whirlwind tale. Amor Towles weaves a fascinating yarn with an intricate storyline, sharp characters and a way of writing that leaves you asking for more. You cant help but fall in love with the characters, their distinct differences and fallacies, the multitude of emotions and the vivid imagery of the diverse New York social hierarchies.

Violeta - Isabel Allende

The feeling of getting to know something new, something that I had no idea about is very appealing to me. And this book really did that for me. I love fiction set in historical context, and I love it even more when its about countries or periods I know nothing about. This is such a story. Even though the country is never mentioned, a few google searches about the incidents decribed in the book make it very clear the story is set in Chile. Written in the style of a letter, this story spans 100 years in a life of a brave, determined and ambitious woman. Describing her life history, in an eloquence I can only aspire for, Violeta takes you through a stormy story facing crisis, love, loss and recounting the tales of times that shaped history. Absolute page turner!

Pachinko - Min Jin Lee

I love inter-generational, immigrant stories. I love it even more when they give historical context through the lens of a person, a family; and all the emotions that come with living and building a life. This story is as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking, weaving through all the difficulties and challenges of the lives of each of those characters, and narrated in a way that you feel those emotions. In any family there are stories of tragedy, circumstances, luck, grit, determination and sacrifice. And Min Jin Lee, makes each of these complexities easily blend into the story and draws you in this lovely tale spanning a 100 years.

The Forty Rules of Love - Elif Shafak

Some books just make you fall in love with the act of reading. And some stay with you long after you have read them. Some books are both. This is one of them. Beautiful and thought-provoking, this is a wonderfully written story with two parallel storylines: one with Ella who is in a love-less marriage and feels she is stuck in a rut, before she starts reading a book about Rumi and Shams-i-Tabriz. The other story is about Shams-i-Tabriz, who is a wandering sufi who meets Rumi and their relationship defies all rules and breaks all barriers. It is the relationship which makes Rumi the poet he was destined to become. Lovely, lovely book and I think I will just read everything that Elif Shafak has written or will write.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow - Gabrielle Zevin

This is a phenomenal book. Probably going to be one of the best books I read this year. Everything about this book is great: the premise, the story, the characters and the narration. It was the first time I was ever reading anything related to video games, and it was refreshing to read something set in a world I know so little about. Always a fun experience. And then the story is fascinating and makes it impossible to stop reading as I began to identify a little with each of the characters. There is romance, heartbreak, loss, jealousy, misunderstanding woven through each of the character relationships, but the overarching theme remains of love. Amazing book!

The Island of Missing Trees - Elif Shafak

This is a beautifully written love story, narrated in two timelines through the characters as well as from the point of view of a fig tree. The backdrop is of the turbulent times in Cyprus, where Turkey and Greece are staking claim to the territory, in the aftermath of the British leaving a country in turmoil. The book not only blends in themes of separation, trauma, and love but also adds the perspective of ecology and history, and the how everything is connected in ways that we cannot always fathom. Beautiful book.

The Beekeeper of Aleppo - Christy Lefteri

It is one thing to read about the Syrian refugee crisis in the news. It is an entirely different thing when you read a book, though fictional, where the story begins in Syria and takes you through some of the tragedies people have faced and the immensely dangerous journeys they have made having left their homes to seek someplace safe. This book is heart-breaking while at the same time full of hope as its a story of resilience in the face of immense tragedy and love that manifests in different ways.

Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus

I had so much fun reading this book. Such a delightful story told in the most engaging, heart-warming and full of things I never saw coming. Set in the 1960’s, the story is about a woman who is the central character in her life. She is shown to overcome hurdles and challenges, some because of being a woman and some because of life, and how she traverses through life dealing with love, loss, child care and managing a career, this is just a lovely that will make you smile and think!

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time - Mark Haddon

This is an absolutely delightful book. Written from the point of view of a 12 year old who has Asperger’s syndrome. The book so deftly takes you in to the world of an autistic person, showing the world and how different it is for the rest of us. The premise of the book is a murder mystery and it is unfolds in a gripping manner. The book is an incredibly fun and a refreshing read.

Half of a Yellow Sun - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Chimamanda is my new favourite author. I started with Americanah, and I can’t stop reading her work. She is just so masterful with words, so eloquent with deep vocabulary to capture complex and intense emotions, and builds a world and draws you in such that you feel a part of the construct, not someone who is looking from the outside. This book is set during the 60s, a time of great turmoil in Nigeria. The civil war is witness to one of the worst ethnic pogroms, massacre of the Igbo community. The story is told from the vantage points of different characters, and you can’t help but marvel at the emotional range and the depth of the characters. Wonderful, wonderful book.

Purple Hibiscus - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Privilege sometimes lives under the same room as oppression. A beautiful story told from the perspective of a young adolescent, it takes you on an amazing ride mixing culture, privilege, religion as a backdrop with emotional turmoil of a family. It is a fascinating read.

Piranesi - Susanna Clarke

This is a book unlike any I have read recently. Even though I had no idea what’s going on in the beginning, I was being compelled to turn page after page. Susanna Clarke weaves a masterful tale where she exhibits great skill in building a new world, setting up a wondrous premise and mixing it with themes of psychology, identity and cults of personalities. Fantastic read.

Circe - Madeline Miller

Another amazing book by Madeline Miller. Her story-telling is just tremendous. Recounted in first person, this is the tale of Circe, the daughter of Helios, Sun God, and nymph Perses. She is a misfit among the gods, and this is her epic tale of finding herself, through eternities of adventure. The book takes you through so many greek legends that are commonly referenced, but it goes a little deeper, giving nuance and context to the tales. Riveting read.

Daisy Jones and The Six - Taylor Jenkins Reid

A gripping read about the making and the unmaking of a rock band in the 80s. Loved the documentary-style writing and it was interesting to read perspectives of the different band members and crew about the same situation. Though its fictional, it gives a nice glimpse of the creative process of song writing, band member dynamics and the methodology of song-making. Brilliant read.

Americanah - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Oh what a great, great book. This book is about love, estrangement, and grief. This book is also about identity, race and the immigrant experience. Chimamanda weaves a beautiful story spanning across 3 continents, and brings out the nuances and depths of each of her characters so beautifully. Absolutely loved the book.

The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller

What an amazing read. Madeline Miller retells the story of Achilles from the eyes of Patroclus, the exiled prince who becomes Achilles’ companion, always by his side. Inspired from Homer’s Odyssey and Illiad, the book is incredibly fascinating and gripping.

The Heart’s Invisible Furies - John Boyne

One of the most heart-wrenching and heart-warming stories I have read. The constant twists of fate, and the superior writing style make this a compelling read. Set in Ireland, this book explores the story of a young boy and his life, in an unexpected journey. The book is about belonging, identity, love, sacrifice and cruel and fortuitous turns of fate. Highly recommend.

Little Women - Louisa May Alcott

It is hard to imagine how many themes this incredibly short book contains and is able to condense it so beautifully. Sort of an autobiographical  memoir, the book explores the lives of 4 sisters addressing themes of family values, relationships, love, ambition, responsibilities all set in the time of war. The short chapters explore one idea at a time, and provide a lot of meaning in very little words.

Dune - Frank Herbert

This is a classic sci-fi book, often known as the one that inspired Star Wars and several other great sci-fi works. This book explores the ideas of greed, politics, sovereignty, love all within the premise of an intergalactic war between planet kingdoms.

Three Body Problem - Liu Cixin

This is an award-winning, mind-bending sci-fi work, and is the first part of the phenomenal trilogy. Set in China during the cultural revolution, this book is about an alien invasion of earth and the story of fighting it off. But how do you fight something which you do not understand. This book is a page turner, and you can’t help but marvel at the amazing story-telling.

Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky

A beautiful coming of age story, written in a masterful style. The book explores the roller coaster life of being a teenager, the emotional trials amidst some great song recommendations. Filled with quotable quotes, this is a book you should read for emotional depth and fantastic story-telling.

Wonder - R.J. Palaccio

Wonder is truly a great piece of writing, exploring so many layers of human interaction and beautifully expressing them. The story is about a 10 year-old boy August Pullman, who suffers from a very rare congenital disorder, which has his face looking a particular way. Due to that he faces troubles with his self-confidence, bullying at school and has a difficult time trying to find his own identity. The book recounts the story from multiple perspectives, beginning with August’s and then switching it to his sister, his friends, and other people around him, showing various dynamics that are often in play in a particular situation but hidden to an individual. The story is about kindness, friendship, family and how things may not be stacked in our favor, but we still need to make the best of what we have. The book quotes Wayne Dyer -"When given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind" and this is, for me, has become one of my key guiding posts.

Sum: Forty Tales From The Afterlives - David Eagleman

There are books which can easily be categorised. And then are some which are a bit hard to classify. Sum is one of them. Written by David Eagleman, who is an American neuroscientist who teaches at Stanford, owns a sensor making a company and has written an Emmy nominated series, the book is a collection of 40 stories, each exploring a different possibility of an afterlife. All the stories are a potpourri of humor, satire and neat observations combined with some measure of philosophy, wrapped in wonderfully imaginative tales. Stories range from you finding out that all of your life was a really large experiment which failed to deliver results, to finding out god is actually a couple who, like everyone, makes mistakes, gets angry and often doesn't know what they are doing. It’s a super fun, short read.

The Midnight Library - Matt Haig

In this fascinating novel, the protagonist finds herself in the Midnight Library, a personal transitory place where the mind goes, just before one dies. This book is superbly written, given food for thought about the countless regrets and the unrealised possibilities of lives we could have had, had we chosen to do things differently. Nora Seed, finds herself questioning her existence, always wondering about the choices she did not make and the lives she did not live. When she finds herself in the Library, she gets to experience those lives, and comes to the realisation that we overestimate the power of our choices and severely underestimate other factors that influence the course of our lives. In the end, she finds what she was not looking for, and finds a reason to live a life that is worthy of herself.

The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I got to know about this book after my statistics professor referenced this in a lecture. Knowing it was a children’s book, I did not think about reading it, till recently when I came across this book again through the serendipitous internet. This book, though for children, contains several layers of meaning and can be interpreted in several ways. The narrator, an aviator, after crash-landing in the Sahara meets The Little Prince who has travelled across several planets and now has reached earth. In their conversations lies stories about love, friendship, kindness, philosophy and commentary on some fairly widespread human behaviour. It is short, engaging and gives a lot of food for thought.

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

While it is true I do not remember a lot of the things I watch and read, there always comes a book now and then which reserves a special place in the bookshelf of my mind. This is a story about a girl who falls in love with books. This is also a story about death. Even more, it is a story about love, friendship and courage. This is also a tale about war. Narrated by Death, this book centres around the life of Leisel, the book thief, a 12 year old girl living with foster parents in Nazi Germany. The author masterfully takes you through a spectrum of feelings as he captures the emotional upheaveal of living in Nazi Germany and the draconian reality of Jews during the Holocaust. There is a lot to say about this book however the best I can do is recommend you to read it.

To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee

This Pulitzer prize winning book is always on every school’s reading list, and I remember reading this a long time ago. But this book should be on every adult’s reading list too. I re-read this again, and I am glad I did. The story told through the eyes of a 6-year old, masterfully weaves in themes of class, racial injustices, courage, honesty, compassion, gender roles set in a backdrop of a rape allegation. Harper Lee simplifies and beautifully illustrates the problems we see around us, how empathy is one of the best ways to understand each other and how a little compassion can go a long way.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid

This is a great literary work. The title of the book draws you in and the masterful crafting of the story keeps you hooked. The story about a superstar who had 7 husbands and how she journeyed through her life makes for a interesting premise, but the book is also great because it explores themes of love, sacrifice, ambition, jealousy, friendship and how they all overlap. Fantastic read.

Interpreter of Maladies - Jhumpa Lahiri

Jhumpa Lahiri won the Pulitzer award for this amazing collection of short stories. The book explores various situations in the life of common people situations you sometimes can identify with and sometimes not. Her writing style colours each story with a poignant elegance and you appreciate as you read through. Descriptive, vivid and detailed, this is an amazing piece of literary work.