Books of the week: Our picks, from Sarojini's Mother by Kunal Basu to Future Tense, and Tavleen Singh’s Messiah Modi?

We love stories, and even in the age of Netflix-and-chill, there’s nothing like a good book that promises a couple of hours of absorption — whether curled up in bed, in your favourite coffeehouse, or that long (and tiresome) commute to work. Every week, we’ll have a succinct pick of books, across diverse genres, that have been newly made available for your reading pleasure. Get them wherever you get your books — the friendly neighbourhood bookseller, e-retail website, chain store — and in whatever form you prefer. Happy reading! For more of our weekly book recommendations, click here . ***

– FICTION Future Tense By Nitasha Kaul HarperCollins India | Rs 499 | 308 pages Multidisciplinary academic and novelist Nitasha Kaul’s Future Tense follows the aimless bureaucrat Fayaz, the son of a former militant, whose marriage with Zeenat has broken down. His nephew Imran is a student hoping to join a new kind of resistance. And Shireen, a spy’s granddaughter, discovers how her family history is painfully intertwined with Kashmir’s. In making the paths of these characters intersect, the book traces the parallels of modernity and tradition, freedom and suffocation, and the possibility of bridging the differences, of Kashmiris. Read more about the book here. Sarojini’s Mother By Kunal Basu Penguin Random House India | Rs 599 | 288 pages Author Kunal Basu’s book follows Sarojini-Saz-Campbell who has come to India in search of her biological mother, with Chiru Sen as her guide around Calcutta. Together with the help of racecourse bookie Suleiman, they look for her mother. They’re led to a slum where Jamuna, a housemaid with a troubled past, seems the likely candidate. However, soon another candidate, Urvasi presents herself. Will the science of a DNA match be enough to settle this puzzle of motherhood? Read more about the book here. Deadly Shadows By Rajinder Prabhakar Bloomsbury India | Rs 399 | 308 pages Writer Rajinder Prabhakar’s Deadly Shadows is a thriller where a mysterious weapon strikes remote parts of India, leading to nationwide panic. Intelligence agencies fear the attacks are building up to something larger and catastrophic. As the clock ticks, Adit Ohri, an elite operative of 53 SAG, a strike force buried deep inside the military infrastructure, is tasked with finding the culprits of the attack. Even as signs point to India’s usual enemies, Adit’s trail leads him to a shocking truth. Read more about the book here. – MEMOIRS AND BIOGRAPHIES Journey to the Forbidden City By Deepa Agarwal Penguin Random House India | Rs 250 | 152 pages Author, poet, and translator Deepa Agarwal uses Indian explorer Nain Singh Rawat’s diaries to weave the narrative of the man who went from being a village schoolteacher to a legendary hero. He trekked across the heavily guarded nineteenth-century Tibet which was a mystery for the West, risking his life and often donning disguises as he identified villages, cities, and people. Along his travels, he accurately put the capital Lhasa on the world map, earned the title of Pundit, and firmly etched his name among India’s explorers. Read more about the book here. Made in India: A Memoir By Milind Soman, with Roopa Pai Penguin Random House India | Rs 399 | 256 pages Along with author Roopa Pai, Milind Soman offers a glimpse into his life, from being a swimmer and sportsman to supermodel and actor. On the twenty-fifth anniversary of the music video of “Made in India,” Soman talks about the controversies, relationships, and challenges of his life. Read more about the book here. Excellence Has No Borders: How A Doctorpreneur Created A World-Class Cancer Hospital Chain By BS Ajaikumar, with Hemanth Gorur Penguin Random House India | Rs 699 | 304 pages Recipient of the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award, oncologist BS Ajaikumar founded HealthCare Global with the vision of making cancer care accessible. In this book, he provides an account of his entrepreneurial journey, while recounting the challenges of the business and balancing the duties of a doctor who has people depending on him. Seeking to provide inspiration, he shows how tenacity, hard work, and confidence can help achieve the unimaginable. Read more about the book here. – NON-FICTION Messiah Modi? A Tale of Great Expectations By Tavleen Singh HarperCollins India | Rs 699 | 296 pages Journalist and writer Tavleen Singh’s Messiah Modi? is her forthright estimation of Narendra Modi. She details her early support for Modi followed by a helpless disenchantment with him and the cabinet. She recounts how his first term unfolded, from demonetisation to lynching to Article 370 and assesses how in 2019, people ideologically like herself have been swept to the margins as the masses chant together ‘Modi’. She also examines whether or not he delivered on the promises he made during his first term. Is he the messiah so many hoped he would be? Read more about the book here.