Measuring the World; Daniel Kehlmann (Quercus; 2007, pp 259, Rs395) This book brings two eccentric geniuses to life, their longings and their weaknesses, their balancing act between loneliness and love, absurdity and greatness, failure and success.

Dateline Islamabad; Amit Baruah (Penguin, 2007, pp 270, Rs 295) While admitting the difficult nature of his job as a foreign correspondent in a hostile nation, Baruah recalls the joys of meeting generous, like-minded people in a country whose regimented stance on India and its press is less than friendly.

Better— A surgeon’s Notes on Performance; Atul Gawande (Penguin, 2007, pp 222, Rs 250) Rivetting accounts of medical failure and triumph and how success is achieved in a complex and risk-filled profession.

The Sugar Baron’s Daughter; Loveleen Kacker (HarperCollins, 2007, pp 286, Rs 250) Loveleen Kacker’s novel is both a comment on the deep divide in Indian society and a hugely entertaining read.

Changing Gods-Rethinking Conversion in India; Rudolf C Heredia (Penguin 2007, pp 386, Rs 350) The complex issue of conversion is dealt with in this book in which the author, anchored firmly in his own faith, shows how mass conversions have alienated people from their past traditions and lived beliefs.

A Rasika’s Journey through Hindustani Music; Rajeev Nair (IndiaLog, 2007, pp 402, Rs 350) This book is the author’s journey to understand and appreciate the abstract, fluid and wide-ranging contours of North Indian classical music.

The Black Swan— The Impact of the Highly Improbable; Nassim Nicholas Taleb (Allen Lane, an imprint of Penguin Books, 2007, pp 366, Rs 495) Black swans underlie almost everything about our world, from the rise of religions to events in our own personal lives.