*Writings on Lucknow— Shaam-e-Awadh; Veena Talwar Oldenburg ( Penguin, 2007, pp 273, Rs 395) Engaging and thoughtful this book celebrates the unique character of this city of carnivals and calamities.

*Buddha— A Story of Enlightenment; Deepak Chopra (HarperCollins, 2007, pp 278, Rs 395) The author brings the Buddha back to life in this gripping novel of the young prince who abandoned his inheritance to discover his true calling.

* In the Shadow of the Taj— a Portrait of Agra; Royina Grewal (Penguin, 2007, pp 267, Rs 295) Delving into myth and history the author weaves grand strands from the past with the humbler textures of present-day Agra.

*Political Violence— And the Police in India; K S Subramanian (Sage, 2007, pp 257, Rs 350) With police reform being a major public concern, police research is gaining importance as a field.

*Darkmans; Nicola Barker (HarperCollins, 2007, pp 838, Rs 495) Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2007, this is a very modern book about two very old-fashioned subjects— love and jealousy.