★ The Robots of Dawn, by Isaac Asimov

★ Robots and Empire, by Isaac Asimov

Early Indians: The Story of Our Ancestors and Where We Came From, by Tony Joseph

Sexual Ethics and Islam: Feminist Reflections on Qur'an, Hadith, and Jurisprudence, by Kecia Ali

Letters to a Young Philosopher, by Ramin Jahanbegloo

“Short essays on various topics written in the form of letters from a senior/master philosopher to his young colleague. While I enjoyed most of the letters, the style of writing, and the chosen topics, some letters lacked a clear direction. Also, in the last letter, the author (of the letters) is on his death bed it wasn’t entirely clear to me what the author wanted to draw attention to. "

On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction, by William Zinsser

Shikwa and Jawab-i-Shikwa: Iqbal's Dialogue with Allah , by Muhammad Iqbal, Khushwant Singh (Translator)

“Though the beauty of Iqbal’s poetry can only be relished in its original language, Kushwant Singh does a great job in communicating the essence of these two poems for his English readers in this translation.”

Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think, by Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling, Anna Rosling Rönnlund

“A short introduction to cognitive biases that make us perceive the world in a negative light. Taking a very high-level view of the world, and equipped with data, Rosling explains how the global trends are towards making the world a better place than what we perceive it to be. Through the book, he explores the 10 psychological facets that cause us to think negatively of the world and offers a way to avoid them.”

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity , by David Allen

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, by James Clear

“The book provides a brief insight into how we(humans) develop and sustain habits. While nothing in the book was surprisingly new to me, the collection and presentation of all the advice in a coherent manner is one reason to read the book at least once.”

How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking – for Students, Academics and Nonfiction Book Writers, by Sönke Ahrens

“This is a book I recommend for every student. I wish I had come across it earlier in my education. Unfortunately, the techniques discussed in this book are not introduced to students early in their curriculum.”

MBS: The Rise to Power of Mohammed bin Salman, by Ben Hubbard

The story about the rise of the young Machiavellian crown prince of Saudi Arabia. The book sheds light on the young prince and his quest to transform Saudi Arabia. Ben Hubbard, writing in a captivating style, sheds light on the politics and policies, from lifting the driving ban and trying to break the shackles of conservatism, to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.

The Age of Kali: Indian Travels & Encounters , by William Dalrymple

“This was a fascinating read.

The book is a series of short essays in which Dalrymple shares his experience as he travels across India as a journalist. Sort of like a Behind-The-Scenes of journalism. The underlying theme of all the essays points towards society’s decadence.

Having been a child of the ’90s and reading this book in 2020 was like looking at a snapshot of life back then and allowing me cognizance of the language and symbols referenced in the book. Furthermore, taking the book as a reference and looking at the present, one can undoubtedly see "The age of Kali" all around us.

My favorite essay, I think, was the one about Bangalore. It was certainly refreshing to look back and relive the Bangalore of the ’90s.

What shocked me was to read about the atrocities committed by the Indian state during the military take over of Hyderabad and Goa. I would love to learn more about these events if I can find any good books detailing the history.”

Qur'an and Woman: Rereading the Sacred Text from a Woman's Perspective , by Amina Wadud

Euclid's Window: The Story of Geometry from Parallel Lines to Hyperspace , by Leonard Mlodinow,Sibel Eraltan (Translator)

“I found this to be an interesting book. It briefly highlights the history of Geometry, starting from the Greeks up until the present day.

I liked the fact that the author does not only focus on the technical aspects but also gives a window into the lives of the mathematicians that have contributed. Firstly, this humanizes the many names we tend to repeat regularly. Secondly, it gives a glimpse into the society the gave rose to these great minds.

I have two main complaints about this books:

1. It presents the whole history to be centered in Europe and, to some extent, the US. This is a dangerous precedent set where other contributions from other regions and cultures are totally neglected.

2. The explanations(using examples) of simple concepts were long-drawn and a drag to read. Maybe this was so because I knew these explanations. However, the complex ideas were just presented as they are, without any examples. Specifically, in the final chapter, it felt like the author just wanted to finish the book.

Overall, I think It is a good read. But I will be on the look out for a book that also talks about non-European contributions.”

Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ , by Daniel Goleman