Read to Lead: Issue 6

A controversial book, Pakistan & Korea stories, a literary spat

Oct 14

Hey Reader,

It’s mid October and in Mumbai, after months of rain, the world is emerald green. The monsoons are making way for a blaze of heat, before a whiff of winter will appear - hopefully soon ! In the meantime it’s festival time - Happy Dussehra to you !

If you are in the mood for festival stories, Devdutt Patnaik’s Jaya: An illustrated re-telling of the Mahabharata is easy to read & informative.

And if you are looking for a special gift for Diwali, why not try a book box ?

It’s thoughtful, unusual and personalised. Gifting a Quarter or a Half year of books also includes a free one-to-one reading consultation with our expert readers. Here’s a special 10% discount for you, valid till Nov 5, use code WX0J1M8NKFWK or click on this discount link.

Non fiction book of the fortnight

Indra Nooyi’s My Life in Full has ignited controversies and conversations of all kinds - she’s too apologetic, she doesn’t challenge the patriarchy, how could she, Satya Nadella-like, advocate not asking for a raise, and call it ‘cringeworthy’.

So what’s the verdict on this story of a Chennai born girl, who clawed her way up to head a Fortune 500 company ?

To find out, read her book - from the evocative first section with young Indra Nooyi growing up in Chennai, Nooyi walking out of BCG and ABB meetings in tears, and of course the famous mother and milk incident. There’s reflection, analysis, lots of stories and many burning issues.

So if you are a leader, an aspiring leader, someone who works in a global context, a woman or any other gender that works with a woman, this is a book you should read !

Fiction Book of the fortnight

A recent literary spat between two writers, the subject of a trending piece in New York Times reminded us of this racy read - The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz. This book will keep you hooked, it’s full of plot twists and has a delicious twist in the tale ! Perfect for the holidays. It also raises questions every leader has to face - when is it ok to appropriate an idea ? And what could the consequences be ?

Audio Book of the fortnight

If I had Your Face by Frances Cha is a book about 5 women in Seoul. Lightly done with a story that makes you think - about beauty, culture, the design of a society with limited upward mobility. And plastic surgery. Each of the five women tell their story in alternating chapters voiced by narrators Frances Cha, Sue Jean Kim, Ruthie Ann Miles & Leena Yi. The overall effect works very well and draws you in completely. For K drama fans, it’s telling to compare the literary truths of this novel with the underbelly that surfaces in a Squid Game & Parasite and peeks below the surface in Crash Landing on You.

Book Events

Nov 6 : The Juhu Book Club meets at 6 PM IST on Zoom to discuss two books set in Pakistan - The Impeccable Integrity of Ruby R by Moni Mohsin and Travels in a Dervish Cloak: Adventures in Pakistan by Isambard Wilkinson. All readers welcome. If you’d like to attend, please RSVP with a comment, and we will send you the Zoom link.