*Basti; Intizar Husain, translated from Urdu by Frances W Pritchett (Oxford University Press, 2007, pp 254, Rs 345) The novel looks beyond the interpretation of Partition as just a political decision and succeeds in capturing the human side of the historic event.

*When Men Speak as Women— Vocal Masquerade in Indo-Muslim Poetry; Carla Petievich (Oxford University Press, 2007, pp 365, Rs 695) This collection presents unusual and lesser known love lyrics from the Indo-Muslim literary tradition that have given voice over the last five centuries to the erotic and the spiritual, the mundane and the sublime.

*Why Muslims Hate America and What the West can do About it; Gp Capt Arjun Das (Magna, 2007, pp 199, Rs 225) For Muslim hatred now, all roads in the west lead to America. Why?

*Precious Gems of Wisdom— Mahatma Gandhi; Compiled by Karishma Bajaj (Magna, 2007, pp 160, Rs 225) While he has found a place among the immortals, his words continue to impact our lives. This compilation brings together the precious gems of wisdom the Mahatma offered the world.

*Three cups of Tea— One man’s Mission to promote Peace... One School at a Time; Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Penguin 2007, pp 349, Rs 395) In 1993 a mountaineer named Greg Mortenson drifted into an impoverished Pakistan village in the Karakoram mountains after a failed attempt to climb K2. Moved by the inhabitant’s kindness, he promised to return and build a school. This is his story.

*Bollywood Roulette—Inside the struggle; Rahul Bajaj (Indialog, 2007, pp 288, Rs 195) Every year thousands of young men and women come to Mumbai to make it big in Bollywood. They will stake everything they have to play ‘Bollywood Roulette’.