Rajat Book Corner

19/08/2023

As we celebrate the 73rd Birth Anniversary of our beloved Mrs. Sudha Murty, we're so happy to share this gorgeous memory. It is an honour to have two of our favourite storytellers in the same picture! One gave us a legacy, and the other a vision to follow that legacy, with pride!

10/08/2023

Book recommendations:
Sovereigns of the Sea.

This definitive book on the Sultans of Oman is a thrilling historical account of their action-packed battles, daring expeditions, epic triumphs and ingenious politics in the long nineteenth century. It puts the optic of 'micro-history' on their fascinating lives as they navigated the geopolitics of their time and propelled the politics of the Western Indian Ocean. It offers a comprehensive and in-depth examination of the ambitions of the Omani patriarch Sultan Sayyid Sa?id and his four sons and shows how integral they were to the political culture of the region. Keeping a sensitive finger on the specific temporal and spatial moments in the maritime space that they navigated, it explores their key role in shaping the politics of the Ocean and nurturing the Omani Sultanate on their terms. The groundbreaking narrative sheds light on the role of the Sultans as agents of change, challenging the Eurocentric narrative that views the Indian Ocean as framed in the history of western imperialism and capitalism alone. In addition to its academic rigour, the book is easy to read and engaging, making it an ideal resource for students, scholars and anyone with an interest in the history of the Indian Ocean, the Middle East and South Asia. Its fresh perspective and insightful analysis make it an invaluable contribution to the fast-growing field of Indian Ocean Studies.

03/08/2023

RECOMMENDATION :

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Heart-Led Leader comes an empowering manifesto on how to use influence to “make a real difference in the lives of those you interact with at work, in your home, and wherever you may roam” (Ken Blanchard, co-author of The One Minute Manager)

“Tommy Spaulding has such a profound gift for storytelling and for collecting wonderful people and experiences.”—Liz Wiseman, author of Multipliers

Researchers estimate that the average person will influence up to eighty thousand people over the course of their lifetime—or 2.8 people daily. That’s a stadium full of people each of us affects in ways positive or negative, sometimes without our realizing. What if we paid attention to this fact? Would we live differently? Would we lead differently? Would we put down our phones and be more present with the people in front of us?

Tommy Spaulding believes the answer is yes. In this compelling and deeply personal book, Spaulding explores how we can be more mindful and effective in wielding the influence that each of us has over others—in our careers, our everyday interactions, and the relationships we cultivate throughout our lives. Sharing stories from exceptional leaders—from entrepreneurs who have made an impact far beyond their businesses to a teacher who changed the lives of thirty-six students with a simple classroom lesson—Spaulding gives us a simple recipe for leading a life that matters, including

• the power of asking “What’s your story?”
• the secret to turning transactions into true interactions
• showing up meaningfully for people in need instead of saying “Let me know how I can help.”

For business leaders, educators, parents—everyone who works with people—The Gift of Influence is an essential read on the daily actions that add up to a meaningful life.

31/07/2023

BOOK OF THE MONTH.

Why is Red Bull so popular – even though everyone hates the taste? Why do countdown boards on platforms take away the pain of train delays? And why do we prefer stripy toothpaste?

Discover the alchemy behind original thinking, as TED Talk superstar and Ogilvy advertising legend Rory Sutherland reveals why abandoning logic and casting aside rationality is the best way to solve any problem.

In his first book he blends cutting-edge behavioural science, jaw-dropping stories and a touch of branding magic on his mission to turn us all into idea alchemists. He shows how economists, businesses and governments have got it all wrong: we are not rational creatures who make logical decisions based on evidence. Instead, the big problems we face every day, whether as an individual or in society, could very well be solved by thinking less logically. To be brilliant, you have to be irrational.

24/07/2023

19/07/2023

DAILY RECOMMENDATION :

Quantum Supremacy.

An exhilarating guide to the astonishing future of quantum computing, from the international bestselling physicist

The runaway success of the microchip processor may be nearing its end, with profound implications for our economy, society and way of life, even leaving Silicon Valley as a new Rust Belt, its technology obsolete. Step forward the quantum computer, which harnesses the power and complexity of the atomic realm, and may be useful in solving humanity's greatest challenges from climate change, to global starvation, to incurable diseases. Humanity's next great technological achievement already promises to be every bit as revolutionary as the transistor and microchip once were. Its unprecedented gains in computing power and unique ability to simulate the physical universe herald advances that could change every aspect of our lives.

Corporations and whole nations are betting on quantum computing, hoping to exploit its power to design more efficient vehicles, create life-saving new drugs and streamline industries to revolutionize the economy. But this is only the beginning. Quantum computers could allow us to finally create nuclear fusion reactors that produce clean, renewable energy without radioactive waste or threats of meltdown. They could help us crack the biological processes that generate natural, cheap fertilizer and enable us to feed the world's growing populations. And they could unravel the fiendishly difficult protein folding that lies at the heart of previously incurable diseases such as Alzheimer's, motor neurone disease and Parkinson's, helping us to live longer, healthier lives. Told with Kaku's signature clarity and enthusiasm, Quantum Supremacy is the story of this exciting frontier and the race to claim humanity's future.

11/07/2023

DAILY RECOMMENDATION :

SENSATIVE.

A ground-breaking look at the power of sensitivity to transform our relationships, career and life, from world-leading experts.

Do you have a heightened sense of empathy? Do you often notice details that others ignore? Do you ever feel overwhelmed in a busy, loud environment?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, chances are you're a 'highly sensitive person', along with one fifth of the population. Highly sensitive people exemplify our most humane traits. They embody not just emotional sensitivity - qualities like empathy, kindness, and concern for strangers - but physical sensitivity too, processing all information very deeply.

Our modern loud and harsh world wasn't built for highly sensitive people, but their unique strengths make them inspiring leaders, heartfelt caretakers, careful decision-makers and natural-born artists.

Sensitive will shatter the myth that being sensitive is a weakness and celebrate the power of a deeper, more tuned-in mind. Offering a new way of unlocking potential, it will give sensitives - and those who care about them - the tools to be successful in school, work, life and love. Based on more than twenty years of research in neuroscience, psychology, and human genetics, it will be the first book to explore the science of sensitivity.

Sensitivity exists on a continuum and we're all sensitive to a degree. This book will reveal the power of embracing a soft heart in a harsh world and teach every sensitive to thrive.

07/07/2023

VAJPAYEE.

A man of unusual gifts and dangerously consequential flaws, Atal Behari Lal Vajpayee was the Hindu Right’s most glamorized and enigmatic face until now. Drawing on a natural talent to pull in the crowds with his eloquence, he elevated his physically frail and academically mediocre self to become a powerful spokesperson of historical victimhood.

In this singularly gripping account, Abhishek Choudhary sets out to prove that Vajpayee was far more critical to the project of Hinduizing India than is commonly understood. He uncovers how Vajpayee’s early life, of which we know shockingly little, lies at the heart of his political character: essentially conservative yet curious and conciliatory, detached yet quietly ambitious. Weaving previously unseen documents with revealing interviews, Choudhary layers this definitive biography with details of Vajpayee’s underground activities in the wake of Gandhi’s assassination; his early obsession with foreign policy; the shock from the premature deaths of his parents; his tortuous private life and maudlin poetry; his key role in the SVD coalition experiment; his defence of the Sangh Parivar inside the parliament and his averments and deferments outside. In so doing, this extraordinary debut revises several lazy myths and false binaries that have come to dominate Indian political discourse. The sympathy of Congress conservatives and Hindi intelligentsia for the RSS, Patel’s own extended ambiguity, Nehru’s innate conviction that East Pakistan would merge back with India, Indira Gandhi’s fleet-footed attack on the Jan Sangh’s finances and electoral chances, the foolish fantasies of JP’s Total Revolution and the Sangh Parivar’s dubious heroism in the Emergency are also revisited to reveal the complexity of India’s democracy.

The first of a two-volume study, Vajpayee: The Ascent of the Hindu Right is a stunningly original portrait of Hindutva’s first prime minister.

02/07/2023

What a delight it is when friends and family gather around a global intellectual to discuss the Meaning Of Life...

A delightful evening at HGA, Golf Club, Hyderabad with Mr. Gurcharan Das.

Thank you

30/06/2023

After too many years of unfulfilling work, Bronnie Ware began searching for a job with heart. Despite having no formal qualifications or experience, she found herself working in palliative care.

Over the years she spent tending to the needs of those who were dying, Bronnie's life was transformed. Later, she wrote an Internet blog about the most common regrets expressed to her by the people she had cared for. The article, also called The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, gained so much momentum that it was read by more than three million people around the globe in its first year. At the requests of many, Bronnie now shares her own personal story.

Bronnie has had a colourful and diverse past, but by applying the lessons of those nearing their death to her own life, she developed an understanding that it is possible for people, if they make the right choices, to die with peace of mind. In this book, she expresses in a heartfelt retelling how significant these regrets are and how we can positively address these issues while we still have the time.

The Top Five Regrets of the Dying gives hope for a better world. It is a story told through sharing her inspiring and honest journey, which will leave you feeling kinder towards yourself and others and more determined to live the life you are truly here to live. This delightful memoir is a courageous, life-changing book.

27/06/2023

A stunning, emotionally satisfying tale about the art of storytelling. I never wanted the lights to come up. I could not put it down' GRAHAM NORTON

'It's its own universe, complete with a sun, a cast of circling planets, and a limitless number of stars. Its gravity pulls you in and its far reaching, multi-layered, rollicking exuberance holds you in place. I would have been happy to live inside this book forever' ANN PATCHETT

A wildly ambitious story of the making of a colossal, star-studded, multimillion-dollar superhero action film, and the humble comic book that inspired it all.

Spanning 80 years of a changing America and culminating in the opening of the film, we meet a colourful cast of characters including a troubled soldier returning from war, a young boy with an artistic gift, an inspired and eccentric director, a pompous film star on the rise, a tireless production assistant and countless film crew members that together create Hollywood magic.

Funny, touching, and wonderfully thought-provoking, The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece offers an insider's take on the momentous efforts it takes to make a film. At once a reflection on America's past and present, on the world of show business and the real world we all live in.

Praise for Tom Hanks:

'Authentically geniune . . . a Writer with a capital W.' Stephen Fry
'Hanks's prose is impressive . . . fluent, convincing and confident.' The Times
'Tom Hanks is a wise and hilarious writer with an endlessly surprising mind.' Steve Martin

14/06/2023

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Heart-Led Leader comes an empowering manifesto on how to use influence to “make a real difference in the lives of those you interact with at work, in your home, and wherever you may roam” (Ken Blanchard, co-author of The One Minute Manager)

“Tommy Spaulding has such a profound gift for storytelling and for collecting wonderful people and experiences.”—Liz Wiseman, author of Multipliers

Researchers estimate that the average person will influence up to eighty thousand people over the course of their lifetime—or 2.8 people daily. That’s a stadium full of people each of us affects in ways positive or negative, sometimes without our realizing. What if we paid attention to this fact? Would we live differently? Would we lead differently? Would we put down our phones and be more present with the people in front of us?

Tommy Spaulding believes the answer is yes. In this compelling and deeply personal book, Spaulding explores how we can be more mindful and effective in wielding the influence that each of us has over others—in our careers, our everyday interactions, and the relationships we cultivate throughout our lives. Sharing stories from exceptional leaders—from entrepreneurs who have made an impact far beyond their businesses to a teacher who changed the lives of thirty-six students with a simple classroom lesson—Spaulding gives us a simple recipe for leading a life that matters, including

• the power of asking “What’s your story?”
• the secret to turning transactions into true interactions
• showing up meaningfully for people in need instead of saying “Let me know how I can help.”

For business leaders, educators, parents—everyone who works with people—The Gift of Influence is an essential read on the daily actions that add up to a meaningful life.