High Blood Cholesterol: Causes, Prevention and Treatment

Author: Dr Krishan Gupta

Publisher: Orient Paperbacks
(Pp 240, ISBN 9788122205893, Rs 295)

High Blood Cholesterol is a major cause of heart attacks, but it can be prevented, controlled and reversed. This book helps in preventing coronary heart disease by recognizing, modifying and reducing the risk due to high blood cholesterol.

While many of us are aware of the risk, few really know whether they are in the high, medium or low risk category. This book informs the likely damages caused by high cholesterol, and shows the way to counter them. It tells you how simple changes in diet and lifestyle can bring cholesterol within normal limits.

Informative, authoritative and comprehensive - the book is backed by the latest in research, surgical remedies and medicinal cures. Divided into four parts – understanding cholesterol, causes of high blood cholesterol, lowering your cholesterol and a healthy future is yours – the book gives practical tips for choosing the right food, and do’s and don’ts for a healthy lifestyle.

- Varsha Verma

The Courtesans of Karim Street

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Author: Debotri Dhar
Publisher: Niyogi Books, New Delhi
(Pp 218, ISBN 978-93-83098-99-6, Rs 295)

The impressive monochrome cover, with just the hint of green – green eyes and lettering in green – makes one pick up the book instantly. And reader will not be disappointed on reading it. Two parallel stories – one set in Newark in USA and another set in Delhi – make you wonder what would be the connection between the two.

The story revolves around two girls – Megan Adams from USA, who sets off to Delhi after receiving an anonymous letter that says something about her untold past. While, Naina is a young Indian woman, who is trying to navigate through the stony, impenetrable divide between the old and new sides of Delhi every day. These two women meet as Megan wants to know about her past from Naina’s aunt. The two gel together, helping each other see their lives from a new perspective. But, they both share the same past and something more….

The chemistry between the two girls is so good that one can feel the imprint of their own sibling bond. The story is interesting and makes you fall in love with the characters. A very interesting and well-researched novel from young author – Debotri Dhar!

- Varsha Verma

Brihadaaranyaka: The Great Upanishad

Author: Kadambari Kaul

Publisher: Leadstart
(Pp: 539, ISBN 978-9381836705, Rs 499)

From the unreal to real, from darkness to light, from death to immortality: these three profound prayers emerge from the distilled soul of eternal India. They are the quintessence of the Brihadaranyaka that ranks amongst the oldest of the esoteric revelations which constitute the Upanishadic corpus.

Brihadaranyaka means great (Brihat) Forest (aranyaka) book because of its size and because it would be better to study it in the silence of the forest.

This pristine work of intuitive wisdom, having at its core the wondrous insight of Yajnavalkya, its pioneer-sage, offers a veritable roadmap, guiding worthy seekers of knowledge on a course of spiritual ascendance and ultimate liberation – with faith, logic and contemplation, as the pilgrims’ wherewithal.

This volume presents an innovative transcreation of the Brihadaranyaka in simple, free-flowing verse, supported by an eclectic array of elucidations and commentaries gleaned from the works of many master interpreters. The book helps the reader reach the goal of freedom of mind and testifies to the intellectual superiority of the wise. Spread over six chapters, the book affirms the absolute identity of atman and Brahman which is universal, undifferentiated, absolute pure consciousness.

- Vasu V 

The Arithmetic of Breasts and Other Stories

Author: Rochelle Potkar
Publisher: 20 Notebooks Press
(Pp 116, ISBN 978-93-51-749004, Rs 200) 

First look at the book will give you a feeling of it being an erotic fiction but once you get down to read the book, you will be immersed in it sensibilities and sensitivities. There are nine stories in total – where seven stories are complete while two stories are left to the imagination of the readers.

Each story, though has lust as an integral element, has a deeper meaning. Readers can find romance, love, happiness and sadness in these stories.

Some of the characters in the stories seem so real... that you feel you know them. The language and the choice of words are apt, taking you deep into the essence of the storyline. It is human nature – needs becoming wants and emotions leading to complexities. But life does not run on these alone...there’s a deeper meaning to life and one cannot ignore it. Sooner or later, one realises it and gives a new dimension to one’s life.

All in all, it is an excellent read...especially for married people...as it gives an insight into the minds of men and women. 

- Varsha Verma 

Strangers on the Shore

Author: Randhir Khare

Publisher: Niyogi Books
(Pp 344, ISBN 978-9383098613, Rs 395)

Indians are obsessed with life-long family ties and it is a common tendency to blame parents for any failures in life. Strangers on the Shore focuses on the same. Arnie is a son of a possessive mother whose thought keep hounding him even after her death. Infact he keeps the memory of her alive, fighting her, loving her, afraid of her. His half-sister Chrissie, tries to control and fuss over her son Luke who eventually leaves her in order to discover himself. Then there is Melissa whose life-journey is shaped by the influence of a dominant, perverted grandfather. Another character Sabby isn't able to come to terms with his son's preferences.

All these characters paths cross and recross, dramatically negotiating each other and the myriad lives who touch them, weaving an intensely emotional and psychological story about people who find themselves and lose themselves in an effort to discover who they really are. Strangers on the Shore reveals the dark underbelly of so-called sacrosanct relationships and filial ties and draws the reader into exploring realities that are most often brushed under the carpet. Readers might even get a glimpse of their lives in this fictional novel. An interesting book to understand the realities of relationships!

–Varsha Verma

Stellar Signs

Author: Manjiri Prabhu, 

Publisher: Jaico Publishing House
Mumbai (Pp 315, ISBN 978-91-8495-441-8, Rs 325)

This book is a part of an Astro-detective series, where a female detective – Sonia Samarth- solves cases with the help of astrology. The name of her agency is apt – Stellar Investigation Detective Agency. Various cases are weaved in the book, with doses of humour here and there. It is an interesting novel which compels you to read it from cover to cover.

All the characters are well-sketched and an aura of suspense is maintained effectively. The style of writing is simple, yet alluring. Even though solving cases through astrology may not go down well with few readers, but they are sure to be hooked to the book as the author succeeds in striking the right balance between the logical and surreal and mysterious.

–Varsha Verma 

Discovering the Absolute - Getting to the True Meaning of Life

Author: Pierre Corbeil

Publisher: Mehta Publishing House, Pune
(Pp 148, ISBN 978-81-8498-617-4, Rs 210)

An initiated disciple of AC Bhaktivedanta, Swami Prabhupad, Pierre Corbeil served him as a translator of the largest portion of his work. This book is a simplified and modernised version of the Ishopanishad, based on the elaborately commented translation of Bhaktivedanta Swami. The oldest of the 108 Upanishads, this text clearly presents the personal aspect of the Absolute, and was chosen to serve as an introduction to the philosophical and spiritual tradition of the Vedas.

A very thought - provoking book, it unearths the buried treasures of the Ishopanishad, rendering its wisdom in words that make otherwise esoteric teachings accessible to general readership.