HEAVEN ON EARTH: A JOURNEY THROUGH SHAR’IA LAW
Sadakat Kadri
Random House, £12.99
A Finnish-Pakistani-British New York-based writer-barrister on the Islamic law code, its historical underpinnings and heterodox reality, and its promise of a perfect social order.
POWER AND RESISTANCE: THE DELHI CORONATION DURBARS
Julie F Codell, ed.
A shelf-ful of books already marks the centenary of the 1911 Durbar. This book covers all three durbars (1877, 1903, 1911), with official and amateur photographs of events and delegates.
A LIFE IN WORDS: MEMOIRS
Ismat Chughtai, translated by M Asaduddin
Penguin, Rs 499
The first full translation of Kaghazi Hai Pairahan, this great Urdu writer's book on her life. Chughtai tells of growing up in a large Muslim family in the 20th century, finding her voice, and learning how to write about contemporary society
AUNG SAN SUU KYI: A BIOGRAPHY
Jesper Bengtsson
Amaryllis, Rs 495
The author had a book out on Suu Kyi but had never met her. After she was released in 2010, he rushed to interview her. This (favourable) new biography brings the story up to date
THE POWER OF HABIT: WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO AND HOW TO CHANGE
Charles Duhigg
Random House, Rs 599
Not self-help but hard science, distilled by an award-winning business reporter. For instance, the CEO who began his maiden speech by telling his audience about the emergency exits. The shares tumbled at first, but the CEO's safety focus led to better costs, quality and productivity
