My Country My Life; Lal Krishna Advani (Rupa and Co) This book is a self-portrait of India’s leading political personality L K Advani. It narrates the journey of Advani’s life in the context of the momentous political developments in India in the last eight decades.

Maritime Counter-Terrorism— A Pan-Asian Perspective; Edited by Swati Parashar (Dorling Kindersley, 2008, pp 218, Rs 600) Maritime Counter-Terrorism is the first book on this theme to be published from India.

India Since Independence; Bipin Chandra, Mridula Mukherjee, Aditya Mukherjee (Penguin Books, 2008, pp 771, Rs 395) This book analyses the challenges India has faced and the successes it has achieved, in the light of its colonial legacy and century long struggle for freedom.

My Other Two Daughters; Surjit Singh Barnala (Vetri, 2008, pp 118, Rs 200) The author writes about his association in real life with a little Kashmiri girl and an American girl who he cam to love as his daughters.

If Better is Possible; John Buchanan (Orient Paperbacks, 2007, pp 252, Rs 295) A clear vision of where you want to take people is one of the most important requirements for managing and coaching a team.

Unsung; Anita Pratap Mahesh Bhat (Mahesh Bhat, 2008, pp 98) This book is a tribute to ordinary Indian citizens who have dedicated themselves to improving the lives of people around them.

Splendours of Royal Mysore— The Untold stories of the Wodeyars; Vikram Sampath (Rupa and Co, 2008, pp 728, Rs 1,500) In one of the most definitive accounts of the Wodeyar dynasty, the author sketches this long and fascinating regime, replete with wars, palace intrigues, romance, valour and deceit.

A New Earth— Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose; Eckhart Tolle (Penguin, 2008, First published in 2005 by Michael Joseph, pp 313, Rs 395) The author provides the spiritual background for anyone to make their own life, and therefore the whole world, better and more meaningful.

Between Eternities— Ideas on Life and the Cosmos; Ashvin Desai (Penguin, 2008, pp 233, Rs 250) The book tracing the history of the universe delves into such cosmic questions as— How did the Universe arise? What does science have to say about the this cosmic phenomenon and how definite are its findings?

A Social History of the Deccan 1300-1761— Eight Indian Lives; Richard M Eaton (Cambridge University Press, 2008, First edition 2005, pp 221) In this fascinating study, the author recounts the history of Southern India’ Deccan plateau from the early 14th Century to the rise of European colonialism in the 18th.