Books of the week

The Extraordinary Life and Death of Sunanda Pushkar

Sunanda Mehta

Pan Macmillan, 2019, pp 344, Rs 599

On January 17, 2014, Sunanda Pushkar, businesswoman and wife of writer and politician Shashi Tharoor, was found dead in her hotel suite in New Delhi. Her death was as shocking as it was suspected, spawning many a controversy.

Democracy in Peril

Alan Friedman

Om Books International, 2019, pp 304, Rs 395

In this searing account, expatriate journalist Alan Friedman examines the real America through the mouths of its citizens. Friedman tells a vivid story of terrible inequality — from the excesses of Wall Street to the rising poverty in the United States — and explores issues that have polarised a nation. 

Your Truth or Mine?

Trisha Sakhlecha

Pan Macmillan, 2019, pp 518, Rs 499

At their wedding, Mia and Roy Kapoor promised to love each other. Whilst not perfect, their commitment is absolute. But a knock at the door changes everything when Roy is questioned over the disappearance of a young woman. 

Lessons life taught me, unknowingly

Anupam Kher

Hay House, 2019, pp 432, Rs 699

An extraordinary, riveting and no-holds-barred saga studded with fascinating behind-the-scenes revelations, anecdotes and rare nuggets of lessons, Anupam Kher’s life story is nothing short of a grand masala box office hit.  

This Land is Our Land

Suketu Mehta

Penguin, 2019, pp 320, Rs 599

When today’s immigrants are asked, ‘Why are you here?’, they can justly respond, ‘We are here because you were there.’ And now that they are here, as Mehta demonstrates, immigrants bring great benefits, enabling countries and communities to flourish. 

Coffee Sapiens: Innovation through understanding

Adria Ferran

Phaidon, 2019, pp 704, Rs 8,371

In this all-encompassing encyclopaedia, experts at the elBullifoundation and Lavazza provide the answers to questions such as: ‘Where does coffee come from?’ ‘What is the story behind every single cup?’ ‘How have we come to consider this product an intrinsical part of our daily lives?’

Close to the Bone

Lisa Ray

Harper Collins, 2019, pp 412, Rs 599

One of India’s first supermodels. Actor. Cancer survivor. Mother of twins through surrogacy. Woman of no fixed address. This is the story of Lisa Ray. An unflinching, deeply moving account of her nomadic existence. It’s Lisa Ray’s brave and inspiring story of a life lived on her terms.

Sweet Sorrow

David Nicholls

Hachette, 2019, pp 416, Rs 599

Poignant, funny, enchanting, devastating, Sweet Sorrow is a tragicomedy about the rocky path to adulthood and the confusion of family life, a celebration of the reviving power of friendship and that brief, searing explosion of first love that can only be looked at directly after it has burned out.