By Kavya Dubey
New Delhi– Now that the long Eid weekend is behind us and we are in the thick of work, it may be a good idea to spend the evenings unwinding with a book, instead of waiting to catch up with the latest OTT release. Here’s our selection of four non-fiction titles to help you charge your grey cells and enhance your knowledge bank.
Our subjects include a philosophy for everyday life, tips on optimising wealth and attaining financial security, an insight into the politics of Uttar Pradesh, and menstruation and its mysterious connection with the moon.
William Mulligan, The Everyday Stoic: Simple Rules For A Good Life (Penguin, Rs 550)
Popular on Instagram as ‘The Everyday Stoic’, the page deconstructs, modernises and makes the ancient wisdom of Stoicism practical.
The philosophy of Stoicism encourages the development of self-control as a means to overcome destructive emotions. According to the principles of Stoicism, getting clear and unbiased in one’s thinking allows one to understand universal reason.
Deconstructing the core of Stoicism, namely, virtues such as wisdom, courage, justice and moderation, helps make a person much more resilient in regular modern life, bringing clarity and strength.
Tracing the history and origin of this philosophy, the book serves to refine one’s thinking, showing how the ancient Roman philosophers Marcus Aurelius and Seneca remain relevant and helpful in day-to-day problem-solving.
Like it says in the book: “We all deserve to flourish. It’s only fair if we all get a chance to learn how to live better, for ourselves and for the people we love.” This book is a lens to look at your life afresh.
Shyamlal Yadav, At the Heart of Power: The Chief Ministers Of Uttar Pradesh (Rupa, Rs 395)
If there is one state in India that could serve as India’s indicator of its electoral and political future, it is Uttar Pradesh, and this very fact explains the political significance of the province.
The author, an award-winning journalist with ‘The Indian Express’, delves into the lives of all its 21 Chief Ministers thus far, beginning with the years immediately after Independence to the present.
Panning the spotlight on personalities, from Govind Ballabh Pant to Yogi Adityanath, and their distinguishing qualities, each leader is presented in the light of their politics and imperatives of staying in power. How they dealt with and triumphed over trying times and details of the socio-political landscape during their years in office have contributed significantly to shape the state into what it has become today.
Yadav’s exhaustively researched book presents the legacy of 21 stalwarts, their policies, ideologies and leadership styles. By understanding them, we will be able to appreciate the complexities of governing the state better.
Scott Galloway, The Algebra Of Wealth: A Simple Formula For Success (Torva-Penguin, Rs 899)
Wealth is not all about just money. So, what must one have apart from an understanding of wealth? The author says it is stoicism, followed by a mindful understanding of focus, time management in the larger sense of the expression, and diversification with regard to economic security.
Much like the intricacies and equations of algebra, Galloway decodes the mathematics of wealth, splitting it as “Focus + (Stoicism x Time x Diversification)”. In a little over half a ream, drawing the difference between having money and being rich, the author has condensed his learnings as a professor, mentor, founder and parent.
Drawing on the author’s experience, this book offers insights into how to not just get rich, but also attain financial security. And it leaves the reader with a thought to be mulled over: “If money is the goal, you’ll never have enough.”
A professor of Marketing at New York University’s Stern School of Business, Galloway has founded nine companies and authored books like ‘The Four and The Algebra Of Happiness’. He is the founder of an online education platform that teaches business strategies to working professionals.
Nirmala Gowda Nayak, Menstruation: Moon, Men and More (Rupa, Rs 1,095)
An offering on “living harmoniously and holistically”, the book encapsulates what is often a debate on public forums or sigh-laden utterance in quiet corners: the need for rest, reflection and rejuvenation during menstruation — and smashing taboos around it.
Clearing out misconceptions surrounding menstruation, the author seeks to celebrate the woman’s womb as a symbol of femininity and power. The book serves as a means to awaken a less-informed community to the reality of this naturalness and understand and address impediments faced by women in the times we live.
A handy guidebook to help you comprehend menstrual health, understand the requirements of emotional well-being, and the nutritional needs of individual body types with a holistic outlook, it calls for as much awareness and mindful engagement of men and encourages them to help create an environment of acceptance and respect.
Nirmala Gowda Nayak is a proponent of menstrual health education and women’s empowerment through yoga and emotional well-being workshops. (IANS)
