Favourites | m a n u s c r y p t s

How Emotions Are Made

I found this book a refreshing perspective, when compared to the other books that I have read on the subject. From the system of the brain and the construction of emotions to the subject of free will, there are a bunch of interesting lines of thought. The understanding of emotions, and our ability/inability to control them have implications on a lot of things from our own daily behaviour to how we deliver justice as a society. While the topics are complex, the book has an excellent narrative style and is very accessible.

The Power of Habit

To paraphrase William Jones, our entire life is a formed from habits, for good and for bad, and they lead us to our destiny. This is a book that can help in all aspects of our lives – from losing weight to building great teams, and at an individual and group level. The narrative style ensures that what could have been a prescriptive book is actually an enlightening and entertaining one!

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

A timely read, as fascism threatens a sequel across the globe. The book provides a fantastic view of Germany between 1930 and 1945 as it follows Hitler’s dream of establishing a Reich that would last a thousand years. It lasted only twelve, but his iron will, determination and political astuteness that helped him outplay all manners of man, is a masterclass in strategy and self deception!

The Evolution of Everything

This book links a couple of my favourite subjects – Darwin’s theory of evolution, and determinism. But that’s not the only reason it’s a favourite. In sixteen different domains, the author uses the lens of evolution to show how progress has happened (or not), and the momentum of incremental and emergent change. Read it for perspective, and lesser known facts.

The Paper Menagerie

Ken Liu believes that all fiction is about prizing the logic of metaphors over reality. This really is the underlying theme of this book, and therefore, figuring out the metaphors in some of the stories is what I considered the most exciting part of reading this book. It is speculative fiction at its best and cuts across sub genres – science fiction, fantasy, steampunk, historical fiction and so on. Excels in imagination and narration, and is highly recommended!