Eight Unique Books That Will Change Your Perspective
We live in unexpected times… First the lockdown, now we are phasing up but with cases increasing rapidly… There is fear in the air and hope in our hearts. Books are the perfect means for education as well as escape. Right now, we all could do some escaping into parallel worlds! Here are the top 8 books; we think will keep you good company in this time.
NINE LIVES: IN SEARCH OF THE SACRED IN MODERN INDIA by William Dalrymple
Here is an interesting book that recounts India, it’s multitude of cultures, and traditions and how different people observe religion differently. Nine Lives narrates the stories of nine people, each one taking a different path to achieve the same level of peace.
A Buddhist monk revolts against the Chinese Invasion of India and to recompense for the violence spends the rest of days hand printing prayer flags in India; A Jain nun practicing detachment watches her best friend starve to death; A temple prostitute, who resisted her initiation into the profession, forces her daughters into the same trade…
The author delves deep into the strife between modern discourse and ancient tradition. But, ultimately it is how he touches upon the story of each individual with great sensitivity and intuition. It makes us realize that we are still stuck in a time wrap despite our external influences.
‘DHRUV’ by Karan Verma
There are some love stories that get etched in the stars for generations to listen and marvel! ‘Dhruv’ is one such story— of unrequited love that breaks your spirit, of unparalleled deception and of unrelenting pain. Can all this darkness bring forth light? Well, you got to read this inspiring book to find out.
There is a ‘Dhruv’ in each one of us. Circumstances are different, but the agonies are the same. We do have it in us to fight our way to achieve our dreams—It takes patience, resistance and strength to reach past the pinnacle of our miseries and fulfill our destiny. This story recounts the life of a man who went on to become a legend. We all question the higher purpose of life and this book may hold answers to some of your thoughts. Give it a read!
‘YOGA FOR ALL’ by Hansaji J. Yogendra
Staying put at home can be exhausting and surely you have already tried and given on several online exercise regimes. Contrary to the usual idea of Yoga, in this book it is broken down and enriched with variations specially designed to address the needs of a sincere seeker. Depicted through pictorial representations of different yoga postures and supplemented with easy-to-follow instructions to suit the modern yoga practitioner, this book is bound to benefit you irrespective of gender, body type, ability, agility or age. Give it a try… it is an enriching journey of wellness of the body, mind and spirit guided by The Yoga Institute, the world’s oldest yoga school.
KARNA’S WIFE THE OUTCAST’S QUEEN by Kavita Kané
A lesser-known mythological story, but an equally important and a heart-wrenching one, Karna’s Wife-The Outcast’s Queen is a tale of Mahabharata’s unsung hero Karna, narrated through the experience and struggles of his wife Uruvi. It’s a unique perspective that has never been explored before!
An accomplished Kshatriya princess falls in love with the anti-hero, who is destined to fall. She is his pillar of strength, his guiding light, but even she was not able to break his blind loyalty to Duryodhana. This book gives you a different perspective to Karna as seen through Uruvi’s eyes.
NEVERWHERE by Neil Gaiman
Below the streets of London exists another dimension, a whole city that is home to magic and marvel, monsters and angels. A city that no one knew existed, except the ones who fell through the cracks to discover that they are stuck in this strange place forever.
Richard Mayhew the protagonist by sheer coincidence crosses path with an inhabitant of this “other” London… and one act of kindness sends him hurling into a world familiar yet inexplicable. Mayhew takes you on a journey that stuns you, scares and keeps your heart racing till the last page.
THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW by Gillian Flynn
A recluse, Anna Fox is a lonely woman, who spends her days inebriated, watching movies, reminiscing memories of her life gone by and peeping into her neighbor’s home. When the Russells moved in next-door, Anna’s life got a little exiting. She felt like she was living her old life through them.
One day, she saw something she could never ‘un-see’ again! Thus, began a spiraling journey, where she was treading a thin line between what was real and what was imagined. A diabolical narrative will make your imagination run wild and keep you confused till you reach the end.
AT THE CENTER OF ALL BEAUTY by Fenton Johnson
This book is somewhat relevant in this time… The author explores how ‘being alone’, which is very different from ‘loneliness’ is necessary in its own manner to enhance creativity. Johnson intensely studies the lives and works of great artists, writers and thinkers across time, while recounting his own journey towards solitude. From his life in Kentucky to his travels across the world, his learnings, the people he met and lost along the way, this book teaches you to accept and celebrate solitude.
Most importantly it enables the reader to understand the difference between choosing the solitary life as a means to live life to the fullest. Interesting read in these times.
THE SCEPTICAL PATRIOT: EXPLORING THE TRUTHS BEHIND THE ZERO AND OTHER GLORIES by Sidin Vadukut
We have always heard or read about India’s great achievements and accepted them without question. Have you ever wondered, what the real story actually was? Did India really invent the zero? Has it truly never invaded a foreign country in over 1,000 years? Did Indians actually develop plastic surgery before those Europeans? Well, the answers are not as black and white as we imagined them to be.
This interesting read by Sidin will change your perceptions of history, as you know it.
There are several lists out there that make amazing book recommendations. Here the attempt is to help you keep your choice simple and down to a handful of books from varying genres that will keep you enticed and come out at the other end enlightened.
