Akansha's bookshelf: all en-US Sat, 29 Aug 2026 11:04:13 -0700 60 Akansha's bookshelf: all 144 41 https://www.goodreads.com/images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg I Who Have Never Known Men 11996 "As far back as I can recall, I have been in the bunker."

A young woman is kept in a cage underground with thirty-nine other females, guarded by armed men who never speak; her crimes unremembered... if indeed there were crimes.

The youngest of forty—a child with no name and no past—she survives for some purpose long forgotten in a world ravaged and wasted. In this reality where intimacy is forbidden—in the unrelenting sameness of the artificial days and nights—she knows nothing of books and time, of needs and feelings.

Then everything changes... and nothing changes.

A young woman who has never known men—a child who knows of no history before the bars and restraints—must now reinvent herself, piece by piece, in a place she has never been... and in the face of the most challenging and terrifying of unknowns: freedom.]]> 206 Jacqueline Harpman 0380731819 Akansha 0 to-read 4.18 1995 I Who Have Never Known Men
author: Jacqueline Harpman
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.18
book published: 1995
rating: 0
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]]> The Anthropologists 195391751
As the young couple dreams about the possibilities of each new listing, Asya, a documentarian, spends her days gathering footage from the neighborhood park like an anthropologist observing local customs. “Forget about daily life,” chides her grandmother on the phone. “We named you for a whole continent and you're filming a park.” Life back in Asya and Manu's respective home countries continues-parents age, grandparents get sick, nieces and nephews grow up-all just slightly beyond their reach. But the world they're making in their new city is growing, too, they hope, into something that will be distinctly theirs. As they open up the horizons of their lives, what and whom will they hold onto, and what will they need to release?

Hailed by Lauren Groff and Marina Abramovic, Savas's fine, precise craft turns The Anthropologist's simple apartment search into a soulful, often funny, examination of modern coupledom, home-building, and expat life in the universal modern city.]]> 183 Aysegül Savas 163973306X Akansha 0 to-read 3.83 2024 The Anthropologists
author: Aysegül Savas
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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]]> Interpreter of Maladies 5439 Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found here

Navigating between the Indian traditions they've inherited and the baffling new world, the characters in Jhumpa Lahiri's elegant, touching stories seek love beyond the barriers of culture and generations. In "A Temporary Matter," published in The New Yorker, a young Indian-American couple faces the heartbreak of a stillborn birth while their Boston neighborhood copes with a nightly blackout. In the title story, an interpreter guides an American family through the India of their ancestors and hears an astonishing confession. Lahiri writes with deft cultural insight reminiscent of Anita Desai and a nuanced depth that recalls Mavis Gallant.]]> 198 Jhumpa Lahiri 0618101365 Akansha 0 to-read 4.19 1999 Interpreter of Maladies
author: Jhumpa Lahiri
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.19
book published: 1999
rating: 0
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]]> Gaban 11692391 272 Munshi Premchand 8122311962 Akansha 0 currently-reading 4.31 1931 Gaban
author: Munshi Premchand
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.31
book published: 1931
rating: 0
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]]> Pratigya 15772409 154 Munshi Premchand 9380816979 Akansha 4 4.08 1927 Pratigya
author: Munshi Premchand
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.08
book published: 1927
rating: 4
read at: 2026/08/21
date added: 2026/08/21
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Loved it! Written almost a century ago, yet the emotions still feel so relevant, just wrapped in different packaging. I was mesmerised by how deeply Premchand understood and depicted the psychology of both women and men.
]]> Code Name Hélène 50089336 Code Name Hélène is a spellbinding and moving story of enduring love, remarkable sacrifice and unfaltering resolve that chronicles the true exploits of a woman who deserves to be a household name.

It is 1936 and Nancy Wake is an intrepid Australian expat living in Paris who has bluffed her way into a reporting job for Hearst newspaper when she meets the wealthy French industrialist Henri Fiocca. No sooner does Henri sweep Nancy off her feet and convince her to become Mrs. Fiocca than the Germans invade France and she takes yet another name: a code name.

As LUCIENNE CARLIER Nancy smuggles people and documents across the border. Her success and her remarkable ability to evade capture earns her the nickname THE WHITE MOUSE from the Gestapo. With a five million franc bounty on her head, Nancy is forced to escape France and leave Henri behind. When she enters training with the Special Operations Executives in Britain, her new comrades are instructed to call her HÉLÈNE. And finally, with mission in hand, Nancy is airdropped back into France as the deadly MADAM ANDRÉ, where she claims her place as one of the most powerful leaders in the French Resistance, armed with a ferocious wit, her signature red lipstick, and the ability to summon weapons straight from the Allied Forces.

But no one can protect Nancy if the enemy finds out these four women are one and the same, and the closer to liberation France gets, the more exposed she--and the people she loves--become.]]> 464 Ariel Lawhon 0385544685 Akansha 0 to-read 4.38 2020 Code Name Hélène
author: Ariel Lawhon
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2020
rating: 0
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]]> Sorrow and Bliss 49110165
Martha told Patrick before they got married that she didn't want to have children. He said he didn't mind either way because he has loved her since he was fourteen and making her happy is all that matters, although he does not seem able to do it.

By the time Martha finds out what is wrong, it doesn't really matter anymore. It is too late to get the only thing she has ever wanted. Or maybe it will turn out that you can stop loving someone and start again from nothing - if you can find something else to want.]]> 352 Meg Mason Akansha 0 to-read 4.05 2020 Sorrow and Bliss
author: Meg Mason
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2020
rating: 0
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]]> Moonwalk 1062902 Moonwalk is the only book about his life that Michael Jackson ever wrote. It chronicles his humble beginnings in the Midwest, his early days with the Jackson 5, and his unprecedented solo success. Giving absolutely unrivalled insight into the King of Pop's life, it details his songwriting process for hits like Beat It, Rock With You, Billie Jean, and We Are the World; describes how he developed his signature dance style, including the Moon Walk; and opens the door to his very private personal relationships with his family, including sister Janet, and stars like Diana Ross, Berry Gordy, Marlon Brando, Quincy Jones, Paul McCartney, and Brooke Shields. At the time of its original publication in 1988, MOONWALK broke the fiercely guarded barrier of silence that surrounded Michael Jackson. Candidly and courageously, Jackson talks openly about his wholly exceptional career and the crushing isolation of his fame, as well as the unfair rumors that have surrounded it. MOONWALK is illustrated with rare photographs from Jackson family albums and Michael's personal photographic archives, as well as a drawing done by Michael exclusively for the book. It reveals and celebrates, as no other book can, the life of this exceptional and beloved musician.]]> 283 Michael Jackson 0385247125 Akansha 0 to-read 4.45 1988 Moonwalk
author: Michael Jackson
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.45
book published: 1988
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss]]> 24945404
Please This audiobook is in Spanish.]]> 315 Jason Fung 1771641258 Akansha 0 to-read 4.31 The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss
author: Jason Fung
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.31
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date added: 2026/05/10
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]]> Mother Mary Comes to Me 224004055 A raw and deeply moving memoir from the legendary author of The God of Small Things and The Ministry of Utmost Happiness that traces the complex relationship with her mother, Mary Roy, a fierce and formidable force who shaped Arundhati’s life both as a woman and a writer.

Mother Mary Comes to Me, Arundhati Roy’s first work of memoir, is a soaring account, both intimate and inspirational, of how the author became the person and the writer she is, shaped by circumstance, but above all by her complex relationship to the extraordinary, singular mother she describes as “my shelter and my storm.”

“Heart-smashed” by her mother Mary’s death in September 2022 yet puzzled and “more than a little ashamed” by the intensity of her response, Roy began to write, to make sense of her feelings about the mother she ran from at age eighteen, “not because I didn’t love her, but in order to be able to continue to love her.” And so begins this astonishing, sometimes disturbing, and surprisingly funny memoir of the author’s journey from her childhood in Kerala, India, where her single mother founded a school, to the writing of her prizewinning novels and essays, through today.

With the scale, sweep, and depth of her novels, The God of Small Things and The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, and the passion, political clarity, and warmth of her essays, Mother Mary Comes to Me is an ode to freedom, a tribute to thorny love and savage grace—a memoir like no other.]]> 331 Arundhati Roy 1668094711 Akansha 0 currently-reading 4.36 2025 Mother Mary Comes to Me
author: Arundhati Roy
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2026/04/25
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]]> <![CDATA[Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead]]> 16071764
In her famed TED talk, Sheryl Sandberg described how women unintentionally hold themselves back in their careers. Her talk, which has been viewed more than eleven million times, encouraged women to “sit at the table,” seek challenges, take risks, and pursue their goals with gusto. Lean In continues that conversation, combining personal anecdotes, hard data, and compelling research to change the conversation from what women can’t do to what they can. Sandberg, COO of Meta (previously called Facebook) from 2008-2022, provides practical advice on negotiation techniques, mentorship, and building a satisfying career. She describes specific steps women can take to combine professional achievement with personal fulfillment, and demonstrates how men can benefit by supporting women both in the workplace and at home.]]> 217 Sheryl Sandberg 0385349947 Akansha 0 currently-reading 3.94 Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead
author: Sheryl Sandberg
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.94
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]]> <![CDATA[The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance – What Women Should Know]]> 18052969 Lean In and Why Women Should Rule the World, the authors of the bestselling Womenomics provide an informative and practical guide to understanding the importance of confidence—and learning how to achieve it—for women of all ages and at all stages of their career.

Working women today are better educated and more well qualified than ever before. Yet men still predominate in the corporate world. In The Confidence Code, Claire Shipman and Katty Kay argue that the key reason is confidence.

Combining cutting-edge research in genetics, gender, behavior, and cognition—with examples from their own lives and those of other successful women in politics, media, and business—Kay and Shipman go beyond admonishing women to "lean in."Instead, they offer the inspiration and practical advice women need to close the gap and achieve the careers they want and deserve. ]]> 272 Katty Kay 0062230646 Akansha 0 to-read 3.69 2014 The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance – What Women Should Know
author: Katty Kay
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2014
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]]> <![CDATA[Labor of Love: The Invention of Dating]]> 26114515 A brilliant and surprising investigation into why we date the way we do

It seems as though every week there’s a new app available on your smartphone promising dates aplenty—just swipe right. A mate, on the other hand, is becoming harder and harder to find. The age-old quest for true love requires more effort than ever before. Let’s face it: Dating is work.

Which, as it happens, is exactly where it began, in the nineteenth century—as prostitution. In Labor of Love, Moira Weigel dives into the secret history of dating while holding up a mirror to the contemporary dating landscape, revealing why we date the way we do and explaining why it feels so much like work. This isn’t a guide to “getting the guy”; there are no ridiculous “rules” to follow in Labor of Love. This is a brilliant, fresh, and utterly original approach to help us understand how dating was invented and, hopefully, to lead us closer to the happy ending that it promises.]]> 304 Moira Weigel 0374182531 Akansha 0 to-read 3.68 2016 Labor of Love: The Invention of Dating
author: Moira Weigel
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2016
rating: 0
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]]> Crime and Punishment 7144 671 Fyodor Dostoevsky Akansha 0 currently-reading 4.27 1866 Crime and Punishment
author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.27
book published: 1866
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married]]> 8191304 OVER 500,000 COPIES SOLD!

“Most people spend far more time in preparation for their vocation than they do in preparation for marriage.”

With more than 45 years of experience counseling couples, Gary has found that most marriages suffer due to a lack of preparation and a failure to learn to work together as intimate teammates.

So he put together this practical little book, packed with wisdom and tips that will help many develop the loving, supportive, and mutually beneficial marriage they envision, such as:


What the adequate foundation for a successful marriage truly is
What to expect about the roles and influence of extended family
How to solve disagreements without arguing
How to talk through issues like money, sex, chores, and more
Why couples must learn how to apologize and forgive
Ideal for newly married couples and those considering marriage, the material lends itself to heart-felt, revealing, and critical conversations for relational success.

Read this bookand you’ll be prepared for—not surprised by—the challenges of marriage.

- 

Bonus features include:


Book suggestions and an interactive websites to enhance the couples’ experience
“Talking it Over” questions and suggestions to jumpstart conversations over each chapter
Appendix on healthy dating relationships and an accompanying learning exercise ]]> 176 Gary Chapman 0802481833 Akansha 0 to-read 3.99 2010 Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married
author: Gary Chapman
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2010
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country's Foremost Relationship Expert]]> 849380 271 John M. Gottman 0609805797 Akansha 0 currently-reading 4.23 1999 The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country's Foremost Relationship Expert
author: John M. Gottman
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.23
book published: 1999
rating: 0
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date added: 2026/02/26
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]]> <![CDATA[How to Stop Worrying and Start Living: Time-Tested Methods for Conquering Worry]]> 4866
The book mentions fundamental facts to know about worry and magic formula for solving worry-some situations.

Psychologists & Doctors' view:

-Worry can make even the most stolid person ill.

-Worry may cause nervous breakdown.

-Worry can even cause tooth decay

-Worry is one of the factors for High Blood Pressure.

-Worry makes you tense and nervous and affect the nerves of your stomach.

The book suggests basic techniques in analysing worry, step by step, in order to cope up with them.

A very interesting feature of the book is 'How to eliminate 50% of your business worries'.

The book offers 7 ways to cultivate a mental attitude that will bring you peace and happiness. Also, the golden rule for conquering worry, keeping your energy & spirits high.

The book consists of some True Stories which will help the readers in conquering worry to lead you to success in life.

The book is full of similar incidences and narrations which will make our readers to understand the situation in an easy way and lead a happy life. A must read book for everyone.]]> 358 Dale Carnegie 0671035975 Akansha 0 to-read 4.16 1944 How to Stop Worrying and Start Living: Time-Tested Methods for Conquering Worry
author: Dale Carnegie
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.16
book published: 1944
rating: 0
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date added: 2026/02/17
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]]> <![CDATA[The Pumpkin Spice Café (Dream Harbor, #1)]]> 139391940
When Jeanie's aunt gifts her the beloved Pumpkin Spice Cafe in the small town of Dream Harbor, Jeanie jumps at the chance for a fresh start away from her very dull desk job.

Logan is a local farmer who avoids Dream Harbor's gossip at all costs. But Jeanie's arrival disrupts Logan's routine and he wants nothing to do with the irritatingly upbeat new girl, except that he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her.

Will Jeanie's happy-go-lucky attitude win over the grumpy-but-gorgeous Logan, or has this city girl found the one person in town who won't fall for her charm, or her pumpkin spice lattes...

The Pumpkin Spice Cafe is a cozy romantic mystery for fans of Gilmore Girls, with a grumpy x sunshine dynamic, a small-town setting and a HEA guaranteed!

Tropes:
- grumpy x sunshine
- small town
- found family

Readers have fallen for Dream Harbor, will you?]]> 376 Laurie Gilmore 0008610665 Akansha 0 to-read 3.36 2023 The Pumpkin Spice Café (Dream Harbor, #1)
author: Laurie Gilmore
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.36
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Scion of Ikshvaku (Ram Chandra, #1)]]> 24709327
3400 BCE. INDIA
Ayodhya is weakened by divisions. A terrible war has taken its toll. The damage runs deep. The demon King of Lanka, Raavan, does not impose his rule on the defeated. He, instead, imposes his trade. Money is sucked out of the empire. The Sapt Sindhu people descend into poverty, despondency and corruption. They cry for a leader to lead them out of the morass. Little do they appreciate that the leader is among them. One whom they know. A tortured and ostracised prince. A prince they tried to break. A prince called Ram.

He loves his country, even when his countrymen torment him. He stands alone for the law. His band of brothers, his Sita, and he, against the darkness of chaos.

Will Ram rise above the taint that others heap on him? Will his love for Sita sustain him through his struggle? Will he defeat the demon Lord Raavan who destroyed his childhood? Will he fulfil the destiny of the Vishnu?

Begin an epic journey with Amish’s latest: the Ram Chandra Series.]]> 354 Amish Tripathi 9385152149 Akansha 0 to-read 3.81 2015 Scion of Ikshvaku (Ram Chandra, #1)
author: Amish Tripathi
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2015
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Thirteen Months In The Himalayas: Chronicles of a Monks Sadhana]]> 221033478 'If you won't get Her vision, who will?'

With these words from Bhairavi Ma echoing in his heart, a young monk who had renounced a multimillion-dollar business empire retreated into the Himalayas. For thirteen months, he engaged in intense meditation, seeking the finest reward there self-realization.

But what truly unfolded in those serene yet desolate mountains? Faced with biting cold, prowling wild animals, crippling hunger, and overwhelming isolation, Om Swami tested the limits of his mind and body. Struggling to sit in sadhana for hours, he oscillated between moments of transcendent joy and crushing despair. What spiritual practices did he adopt? How did he keep the 'spark' of sadhana alive? Were the rituals enough to reach the Divine, or did doubt and fear creep in, even for one so wise?

Thirteen Months in the Himalayas offers a rare and mesmerizing glimpse into Om Swami's extraordinary journey of self-realization. A sequel to the bestselling If Truth Be Told, it takes you deeper into the heart of a monk's spiritual practice and his unwavering quest for the Divine.]]> 206 Om Swami 9365694884 Akansha 0 2025, to-read 4.42 Thirteen Months In The Himalayas: Chronicles of a Monks Sadhana
author: Om Swami
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.42
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]]> गोदान [Godaan] 694226
ليست القرية مجرد شريحة من شرائح المجتمع كما يفهم من قراءة الرواية بل هي تجسيد لعالم القرية كنظام اجتماعي وإداري كان سائداً فى البلاد ولا يزال قائماً إلى اليوم، وإنما كان تقديم أديبناللقرية باعتبارها نموذجاً مصغراً للعالم الكبير، مما يضفي على الشخصيات من أبناء القرية وما ينتابهم من أحداث بعداً رمزياً إنسانيا بارزاً، يصبح أساساً فى قراءتها للعمل القصصي وتقييمه.]]> 352 Munshi Premchand 8172242190 Akansha 0 to-read 4.40 1936 गोदान [Godaan]
author: Munshi Premchand
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.40
book published: 1936
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/22
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]]> Most Ardently 48525959
From the moment they meet, Elisa and Darcy are at each other’s throats -- which is a bit unfortunate, since Darcy’s best friend is dating Elisa’s sister. It quickly becomes clear that fate intends to throw the two of them together, whether they like it or not. As hers and Darcy’s lives become more and more entwined, Elisa’s once-dull world quickly spirals into chaos in this story of pride, prejudice, and finding love with the people you least expect.]]> 400 Susan Mesler-Evans 1640638008 Akansha 0 to-read 3.55 2019 Most Ardently
author: Susan Mesler-Evans
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2019
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/21
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]]> <![CDATA[To Bed the Bride (All for Love, #3)]]> 44298194 Bestselling Author Karen Ranney’s captivating series concludes with a tale of opposites whose attraction scorches a trail from the Highlands to the glittering halls of London—and courts scandal at every turn . . .

Politics has introduced MP Logan McKnight to many fascinating people, but the lady he encounters on the lands bordering his ancestral Scottish home outshines them all. Eleanor Craig of Hearthmere seats a Thoroughbred like a queen, knows as much about world events as any of his colleagues—and is engaged to one of the worst men Logan knows. She also seems lonely, so Logan brings her a friend. Thus should their acquaintance end, yet it’s only just begun.

The puppy Logan delivers is every bit as irresistible as the man himself. How could this stranger sense the isolation Eleanor suffers among her scheming, snobbish extended family and fiancé who control her life? It’s even worse in London—until she begins meeting Logan secretly in a secluded park. Their passionate connection frees Eleanor, body and soul. But discovery threatens disgrace—or worse.]]> 387 Karen Ranney 0062841092 Akansha 0 to-read 3.95 2019 To Bed the Bride (All for Love, #3)
author: Karen Ranney
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2019
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/20
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]]> <![CDATA[The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories]]> 99300
Written from a feminist perspective, often focusing on the inferior status accorded to women by society, the tales include "turned," an ironic story with a startling twist, in which a husband seduces and impregnates a naïve servant; "Cottagette," concerning the romance of a young artist and a man who's apparently too good to be true; "Mr. Peebles' Heart," a liberating tale of a fiftyish shopkeeper whose sister-in-law, a doctor, persuades him to take a solo trip to Europe, with revivifying results; "The Yellow Wallpaper"; and three other outstanding stories.

These charming tales are not only highly readable and full of humor and invention, but also offer ample food for thought about the social, economic, and personal relationship of men and women — and how they might be improved.

Collects:
—The Yellow Wallpaper
—Three Thanksgivings
—The Cottagette
—Turned
—Making a Change
—If I Were a Man
—Mr. Peebles' Heart]]> 129 Charlotte Perkins Gilman 0486298574 Akansha 0 to-read 4.05 1892 The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories
author: Charlotte Perkins Gilman
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.05
book published: 1892
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/06
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]]> The Gentle Spirit 280455 86 Fyodor Dostoevsky 141910134X Akansha 0 to-read 3.98 1876 The Gentle Spirit
author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.98
book published: 1876
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/08/19
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]]> Notes from Underground 49455 Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, The Possessed and The Brothers Karamazov — Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821–1881) penned the darkly fascinating Notes from the Underground. Its nameless hero is a profoundly alienated individual in whose brooding self-analysis there is a search for the true and the good in a world of relative values and few absolutes. Moreover, the novel introduces themes — moral, religious, political and social — that dominated Dostoyevsky's later works. Notes from the Underground, then, aside from its own compelling qualities, offers readers an ideal introduction to the creative imagination, profundity and uncanny psychological penetration of one of the most influential novelists of the nineteenth century. Constance Garnett's authoritative translation is reprinted here, with a new introduction.]]> 136 Fyodor Dostoevsky 067973452X Akansha 0 currently-reading 4.20 1864 Notes from Underground
author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.20
book published: 1864
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/08/19
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]]> <![CDATA[A Gentle Creature and Other Stories]]> 617078
No other edition brings together these specific stories--which are most interesting when read alongside one another--and the new translations capture all the power and lyricism of Dostoevsky's writing at its best.]]> 158 Fyodor Dostoevsky 0192822802 Akansha 0 to-read 4.11 1876 A Gentle Creature and Other Stories
author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.11
book published: 1876
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/08/19
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]]> The Color Purple 52892857 Read the original inspiration for the new, boldly reimagined film from producers Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg, starring Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, and Fantasia Barrino.

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award

A powerful cultural touchstone of modern American literature, The Color Purple depicts the lives of African American women in early twentieth-century rural Georgia. Separated as girls, sisters Celie and Nettie sustain their loyalty to and hope in each other across time, distance and silence. Through a series of letters spanning twenty years, first from Celie to God, then the sisters to each other despite the unknown, the novel draws readers into its rich and memorable portrayals of Celie, Nettie, Shug Avery and Sofia and their experience. The Color Purple broke the silence around domestic and sexual abuse, narrating the lives of women through their pain and struggle, companionship and growth, resilience and bravery. Deeply compassionate and beautifully imagined, Alice Walker's epic carries readers on a spirit-affirming journey towards redemption and love.

“Reading The Color Purple was the first time I had seen Southern, Black women’s literature as world literature. In writing us into the world—bravely, unapologetically, and honestly—Alice Walker has given us a gift we will never be able to repay.” —Tayari Jones

“The Color Purple was what church should have been, what honest familial reckoning could have been, and it is still the only art object in the world by which all three generations of Black artists in my family judge American art.” —Kiese Laymon]]> 287 Alice Walker 0143135694 Akansha 0 to-read 4.40 1982 The Color Purple
author: Alice Walker
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.40
book published: 1982
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/08/16
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]]> The Secret Life of Bees 37435 The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted black "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the deepest racists in town, Lily decides to spring them both free. They escape to Tiburon, South Carolina--a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees and honey, and the Black Madonna. This is a remarkable novel about divine female power, a story women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.]]> 302 Sue Monk Kidd 0142001740 Akansha 0 to-read 4.10 2001 The Secret Life of Bees
author: Sue Monk Kidd
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2001
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/06/13
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]]> <![CDATA[A Golden Age (Bangla Desh, #1)]]> 41014713
As young widow Rehana Haque awakes one March morning, she might be forgiven for feeling happy. Today she will throw a party for her son and daughter. In the garden of the house she has built, her roses are blooming, her children are almost grown, and beyond their doorstep, the city is buzzing with excitement after recent elections. Change is in the air.

But none of the guests at Rehana's party can foresee what will happen in the days and months ahead. For this is 1971 in East Pakistan, a country on the brink of war. And this family's life is about to change forever.

Set against the backdrop of the Bangladesh War of Independence, A Golden Age is a story of passion and revolution, of hope, faith and unexpected heroism. In the chaos of this era, everyone—from student protesters to the country's leaders, from rickshaw'wallahs to the army's soldiers—must make choices. And as she struggles to keep her family safe, Rehana will be forced to face a heartbreaking dilemma. This is the first volume of a planned trilogy.]]> 326 Tahmima Anam Akansha 0 to-read 3.83 2007 A Golden Age (Bangla Desh, #1)
author: Tahmima Anam
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2007
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/06/02
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]]> The Broken Wings 291 132 Kahlil Gibran 0806501901 Akansha 0 to-read 4.11 1912 The Broken Wings
author: Kahlil Gibran
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.11
book published: 1912
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/05/25
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]]> Chess Story 59151
Travelers by ship from New York to Buenos Aires find that on board with them is the world champion of chess, an arrogant and unfriendly man. They come together to try their skills against him and are soundly defeated. Then a mysterious passenger steps forward to advise them and their fortunes change. How he came to possess his extraordinary grasp of the game of chess and at what cost lie at the heart of Zweig's story.

This new translation of Chess Story brings out the work's unusual mixture of high suspense and poignant reflection.]]> 104 Stefan Zweig 1590171691 Akansha 0 to-read 4.30 1942 Chess Story
author: Stefan Zweig
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.30
book published: 1942
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/05/25
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]]> If Beale Street Could Talk 38463 197 James Baldwin 0307275930 Akansha 0 to-read 4.28 1974 If Beale Street Could Talk
author: James Baldwin
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.28
book published: 1974
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/05/25
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]]> Whereabouts 53438824
This is the first novel she has written in Italian and translated into English. It brims with the impulse to cross barriers. By grafting herself onto a new literary language, Lahiri has pushed herself to a new level of artistic achievement.]]> 157 Jhumpa Lahiri 0593318315 Akansha 0 to-read 3.76 2018 Whereabouts
author: Jhumpa Lahiri
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2018
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/05/25
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]]> <![CDATA[The Physical Basis of Mind: With Illustrations (Classic Reprint)]]> 37085777 Unraveling how the mind sits in the body

A clear look at how living tissue and nerves shape thought, sensation, and action.

The book surveys the physical basis of mind, tying together biology, physiology, and psychology. It argues for seeing mind as a part of biology, not separate from the nervous system, and it discusses how brain and body work together in everyday life. Explanations of life processes, nerves, and how sensations become actions Discussion of the neuroglia and its role in neural activity Critical examination of long-held ideas about nerve cells as the sole drivers of mind Ways to think about reflexes, consciousness, and how parts of the nervous system communicate Ideal for readers curious about how physical processes relate to mind and behavior, from students to general readers seeking a foundational overview.]]> 510 George Henry Lewes 0266559468 Akansha 0 to-read 5.00 1998 The Physical Basis of Mind: With Illustrations (Classic Reprint)
author: George Henry Lewes
name: Akansha
average rating: 5.00
book published: 1998
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/05/22
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]]> <![CDATA[Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?]]> 58536046 Drawing on years of experience as a clinical psychologist, online sensation Dr Julie Smith provides the skills you need to navigate common life challenges and take charge of your emotional and mental health in her debut book.

Filled with secrets from a therapist's toolkit, Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? teaches you how to fortify and maintain your mental health, even in the most trying of times. Dr Julie Smith's expert advice and powerful coping techniques will help you stay resilient, whether you want to manage anxiety, deal with criticism, cope with depression, build self-confidence, find motivation, or learn to forgive yourself. The book tackles everyday issues and offers practical solutions in bite-sized, easy-to-digest entries which make it easy to quickly find specific information and guidance.

Your mental well-being is just as important as your physical well-being. Packed with proven strategies, Dr Smith's empathetic guide offers a deeper understanding of how your mind works and gives you the insights and help you need to nurture your mental health every day. Wise and practical, Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? might just change your life.]]> 368 Julie Smith 0063227932 Akansha 4 3.83 2022 Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?
author: Julie Smith
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/22
date added: 2024/05/22
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]]> <![CDATA[How to Grow Old: Ancient Wisdom for the Second Half of Life (Ancient Wisdom for Modern Readers)]]> 26597350 How to Grow Old, the great Roman orator and statesman eloquently describes how you can make the second half of life the best part of all--and why you might discover that reading and gardening are actually far more pleasurable than sex ever was.

Filled with timeless wisdom and practical guidance, Cicero's brief, charming classic—written in 44 BC and originally titled On Old Age—has delighted and inspired readers, from Saint Augustine to Thomas Jefferson, for more than two thousand years. Presented here in a lively new translation with an informative new introduction and the original Latin on facing pages, the book directly addresses the greatest fears of growing older and persuasively argues why these worries are greatly exaggerated--or altogether mistaken.

Montaigne said Cicero's book "gives one an appetite for growing old." The American founding father John Adams read it repeatedly in his later years. And today its lessons are more relevant than ever in a world obsessed with the futile pursuit of youth.]]> 217 Marcus Tullius Cicero 0691167702 Akansha 0 to-read 4.09 -44 How to Grow Old: Ancient Wisdom for the Second Half of Life (Ancient Wisdom for Modern Readers)
author: Marcus Tullius Cicero
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.09
book published: -44
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/05/15
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]]> <![CDATA[The Mountain Is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage Into Self-Mastery]]> 53642699 250 Brianna Wiest Akansha 4 may-24 4.04 2020 The Mountain Is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage Into Self-Mastery
author: Brianna Wiest
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/15
date added: 2024/05/15
shelves: may-24
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]]> I'm Glad My Mom Died 59364173 iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life.

Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother's dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called "calorie restriction," eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, "Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn't tint hers?" She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income.

In I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail—just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly, she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi ("Hi Gale!"), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants.

Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I'm Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair.]]> 320 Jennette McCurdy Akansha 0 currently-reading 4.44 2022 I'm Glad My Mom Died
author: Jennette McCurdy
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2022
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/05/15
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]]> <![CDATA[Trials of the Visionary Mind: Spiritual Emergency and the Renewal Process (S U N Y SERIES IN TRANSPERSONAL AND HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY)]]> 599294 197 John Weir Perry 0791439879 Akansha 0 to-read 4.23 1998 Trials of the Visionary Mind: Spiritual Emergency and the Renewal Process (S U N Y SERIES IN TRANSPERSONAL AND HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY)
author: John Weir Perry
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.23
book published: 1998
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/05/14
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]]> <![CDATA[As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow]]> 57390604
Now Salama volunteers at a hospital in Homs, helping the wounded who flood through the doors daily. Secretly, though, she is desperate to find a way out of her beloved country before her sister-in-law, Layla, gives birth. So desperate, that she has manifested a physical embodiment of her fear in the form of her imagined companion, Khawf, who haunts her every move in an effort to keep her safe.

But even with Khawf pressing her to leave, Salama is torn between her loyalty to her country and her conviction to survive. Salama must contend with bullets and bombs, military assaults, and her shifting sense of morality before she might finally breathe free. And when she crosses paths with the boy she was supposed to meet one fateful day, she starts to doubt her resolve in leaving home at all.

Soon, Salama must learn to see the events around her for what they truly are—not a war, but a revolution—and decide how she, too, will cry for Syria’s freedom.]]> 417 Zoulfa Katouh 0316351377 Akansha 0 to-read 4.43 2022 As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow
author: Zoulfa Katouh
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2022
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo]]> 32620332
Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn's luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the `80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn's story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique's own in tragic and irreversible ways.]]> 389 Taylor Jenkins Reid 1501139231 Akansha 0 to-read 4.38 2017 The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2017
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/30
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]]> <![CDATA[It Ends with Us (It Ends with Us, #1)]]> 27362503
Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up — she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan — her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.]]> 386 Colleen Hoover 1668021048 Akansha 0 to-read 4.10 2016 It Ends with Us (It Ends with Us, #1)
author: Colleen Hoover
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2016
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/30
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]]> <![CDATA[Speechless: Controlling Words, Controlling Minds]]> 55385983 CANDACE OWENS "The most important book on free speech in decades—read it!” —SENATOR TED CRUZ A New We Win, They Lose The Culture War is over, and the culture lost. The Left’s assault on liberty, virtue, decency, the Republic of the Founders, and Western civilization has succeeded. You can no longer keep your social media account—or your job—and acknowledge truths such Washington, Jefferson, and Columbus were great men. Schools and libraries should not coach children in sexual deviance. Men don’t have uteruses. How did we get to this point? Michael Knowles of The Daily Wire exposes and diagnosis the losing strategy we have fallen for and shows how we can change course—and start winning. In the groundbreaking  Controlling Words, Controlling Minds Knowles How the “free speech absolutists” gave away the store The First Amendment does not require a value-neutral public square How the Communists figured out that their revolution could never succeed as long as the common man was attached to his own culture Where political correctness came from How, comply or resist, political correctness is a win-win game for the bad guys Why taking our stand on “freedom of speech” helps put atheism, decadence, and nonsense on the same plane with faith, virtue, and reality The real Will we shut down drag queen story hour, or cancel Abraham Lincoln? For 170 years the First Amendment was compatible with prayer in public school How the atheists got the Warren Court to rule their way To this day, there’s a First Amendment exception for obscenity. What exactly is the argument that perverts’ teaching toddlers to twerk is not obscene? Read  Controlling Words, Controlling Minds if you want to learn how to take the fight to the enemy.]]> 383 Michael J. Knowles 168451116X Akansha 0 2024, to-read 4.20 2021 Speechless: Controlling Words, Controlling Minds
author: Michael J. Knowles
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2021
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/23
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]]> <![CDATA[Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds]]> 41721428 New York Times Best SellerOver 5 million copies soldFor David Goggins, childhood was a nightmare -- poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse colored his days and haunted his nights. But through self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work, Goggins transformed himself from a depressed, overweight young man with no future into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world's top endurance athletes. The only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller, he went on to set records in numerous endurance events, inspiring Outside magazine to name him "The Fittest (Real) Man in America."In Can't Hurt Me, he shares his astonishing life story and reveals that most of us tap into only 40% of our capabilities. Goggins calls this The 40% Rule, and his story illuminates a path that anyone can follow to push past pain, demolish fear, and reach their full potential.]]> 366 David Goggins 1544512260 Akansha 0 to-read, 2024 4.30 2018 Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds
author: David Goggins
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2018
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/23
shelves: to-read, 2024
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]]> <![CDATA[Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones]]> 40121378 Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving—every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.

If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you'll get a proven system that can take you to new heights.

Clear is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. Here, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. Along the way, readers will be inspired and entertained with true stories from Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, business leaders, life-saving physicians, and star comedians who have used the science of small habits to master their craft and vault to the top of their field.

Learn how to:
- Make time for new habits (even when life gets crazy);
- Overcome a lack of motivation and willpower;
- Design your environment to make success easier;
- Get back on track when you fall off course;
...and much more.

Atomic Habits will reshape the way you think about progress and success, and give you the tools and strategies you need to transform your habits--whether you are a team looking to win a championship, an organization hoping to redefine an industry, or simply an individual who wishes to quit smoking, lose weight, reduce stress, or achieve any other goal.]]> 319 James Clear Akansha 0 to-read, 2024 4.31 2018 Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
author: James Clear
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2018
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/23
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]]> In the Lives of Puppets 60784549
The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled "HAP," he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio—a past spent hunting humans.

When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio's former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. So together, the rest of Vic's assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming.

Along the way to save Gio, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached?

Inspired by Carlo Collodi's The Adventures of Pinocchio, and like Swiss Family Robinson meets Wall-E, In the Lives of Puppets is a masterful stand-alone fantasy adventure from the beloved author who brought you The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door.]]> 420 T.J. Klune 125021744X Akansha 0 to-read 3.88 2023 In the Lives of Puppets
author: T.J. Klune
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/11
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]]> <![CDATA[Frames Of Mind: The Theory Of Multiple Intelligences]]> 294035
More than 200,00 copies of earlier editions have been sold; this reissue includes a new introduction by the author to mark the twenty-first birthday of this remarkable book.]]> 496 Howard Gardner 0465025102 Akansha 0 to-read 3.95 1983 Frames Of Mind: The Theory Of Multiple Intelligences
author: Howard Gardner
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.95
book published: 1983
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/11
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review:

]]> Science Fictions 52199285 A major exposé that reveals the absurd and shocking problems that pervade and undermine contemporary science.

So much relies on science. But what if science itself can’t be relied on?

Medicine, education, psychology, health, parenting – wherever it really matters, we look to science for advice. Science Fictions reveals the disturbing flaws that undermine our understanding of all of these fields and more.

While the scientific method will always be our best and only way of knowing about the world, in reality the current system of funding and publishing science not only fails to safeguard against scientists’ inescapable biases and foibles, it actively encourages them. From widely accepted theories about ‘priming’ and ‘growth mindset’ to claims about genetics, sleep, microbiotics, as well as a host of drugs, allergies and therapies, we can trace the effects of unreliable, overhyped and even fraudulent papers in austerity economics, the anti-vaccination movement and dozens of bestselling books – and occasionally count the cost in human lives.

Stuart Ritchie was among the first people to help expose these problems. In this vital investigation, he gathers together the evidence of their full and shocking extent – and how a new reform movement within science is fighting back. Often witty yet deadly serious, Science Fictions is at the vanguard of the insurgency, proposing a host of remedies to save and protect this most valuable of human endeavours from itself.]]> 368 Stuart Ritchie 1847925669 Akansha 0 to-read 4.33 2020 Science Fictions
author: Stuart Ritchie
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2020
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/09
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]]> When Breath Becomes Air 25899336 This memoir finds hope and beauty in the face of insurmountable odds as an idealistic young neurosurgeon attempts to answer the question, What makes a life worth living?

At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade’s worth of training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, and the next he was a patient struggling to live. And just like that, the future he and his wife had imagined evaporated. When Breath Becomes Air chronicles Kalanithi’s transformation from a naïve medical student “possessed,” as he wrote, “by the question of what, given that all organisms die, makes a virtuous and meaningful life” into a neurosurgeon at Stanford working in the brain, the most critical place for human identity, and finally into a patient and new father confronting his own mortality.

What makes life worth living in the face of death? What do you do when the future, no longer a ladder toward your goals in life, flattens out into a perpetual present? What does it mean to have a child, to nurture a new life as another fades away? These are some of the questions Kalanithi wrestles with in this profoundly moving, exquisitely observed memoir.

Paul Kalanithi died in March 2015, while working on this book, yet his words live on as a guide and a gift to us all. “I began to realize that coming face to face with my own mortality, in a sense, had changed nothing and everything,” he wrote. “Seven words from Samuel Beckett began to repeat in my head: ‘I can’t go on. I’ll go on.’” When Breath Becomes Air is an unforgettable, life-affirming reflection on the challenge of facing death and on the relationship between doctor and patient, from a brilliant writer who became both—now with an epilogue by Lucy Kalanithi.]]> 208 Paul Kalanithi 0812988418 Akansha 0 to-read 4.42 2016 When Breath Becomes Air
author: Paul Kalanithi
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2016
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/09
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]]> Desire 33952849
Selected from Haruki’s Murakami’s short story collections The Elephant Vanishes, Blind Willow Sleeping Woman and Men Without Women.]]> 109 Haruki Murakami 1784872636 Akansha 0 to-read 3.85 2017 Desire
author: Haruki Murakami
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2017
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/06
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]]> <![CDATA[Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men]]> 41104077
Celebrated feminist advocate Caroline Criado Perez investigates the shocking root cause of gender inequality and research in Invisible Women​, diving into women’s lives at home, the workplace, the public square, the doctor’s office, and more. Built on hundreds of studies in the US, the UK, and around the world, and written with energy, wit, and sparkling intelligence, this is a groundbreaking, unforgettable exposé that will change the way you look at the world.]]> 448 Caroline Criado Pérez 1419729071 Akansha 0 to-read 4.34 2019 Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men
author: Caroline Criado Pérez
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2019
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/11/18
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]]> <![CDATA[The Mis-Education of the Negro]]> 242936 215 Carter G. Woodson 1564110419 Akansha 0 to-read 4.48 1933 The Mis-Education of the Negro
author: Carter G. Woodson
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.48
book published: 1933
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/11/18
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]]> <![CDATA[Frogs in a Well : Indian Women in Purdah / [By] Patricia Jeffery]]> 1713571 Book by Jeffery, Patricia 192 Patricia Jeffery 0905762320 Akansha 0 to-read 3.91 Frogs in a Well : Indian Women in Purdah / [By] Patricia Jeffery
author: Patricia Jeffery
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.91
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/11/18
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]]> The Last Queen 58782889 WINNER of the 2022 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WORKING WOMEN AWARD for BEST FICTION OF THE YEAR!

LONGLISTED for 2022 DUBLIN LITERARY AWARD!

She rose from commoner to become the last reigning queen of India's Sikh Empire. In this dazzling novel, based on true-life events, bestselling author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni presents the unforgettable story of Jindan, who transformed herself from daughter of the royal kennel keeper to powerful monarch.

Sharp-eyed, stubborn, and passionate, Jindan was known for her beauty. When she caught the eye of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, she was elevated to royalty, becoming his youngest and last queen--and his favorite. And when her son, barely six years old, unexpectedly inherited the throne, Jindan assumed the regency. She transformed herself from pampered wife to warrior ruler, determined to protect her people and her son's birthright from the encroaching British Empire.

Defying tradition, she stepped out of the zenana, cast aside the veil, and conducted state business in public, inspiring her subjects in two wars. Her power and influence were so formidable that the British, fearing an uprising, robbed the rebel queen of everything she had, but nothing crushed her indomitable will.

An exquisite love story of a king and a commoner, a cautionary tale about loyalty and betrayal, a powerful parable of the indestructible bond between mother and child, and an inspiration for our times, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's novel brings alive one of the most fearless women of the nineteenth century, one whose story cries out to be told.]]> 384 Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni 0063161877 Akansha 0 4.08 2021 The Last Queen
author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2021
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/11/01
shelves: currently-reading, november-2023
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Smoke and Ashes: A Writer's Journey through Opium's Hidden Histories]]> 131048198
Smoke and Ashes is at once a travelogue, a memoir and an excursion into history, both economic and cultural. Ghosh traces the transformative effect the opium trade had on Britain, India and China, as well as on the world at large. Engineered by the British Empire, which exported opium from India to sell in China, the trade and its revenues were essential to the Empire's survival. Upon deeper exploration, Ghosh finds opium at the origins of some of the world's biggest corporations, several of America's most powerful families and institutions, and contemporary globalism itself. In India the long-term consequences were even more profound.

Moving deftly between horticultural histories, the mythologies of capitalism and the social and cultural repercussions of colonialism, Smoke and Ashes reveals the pivotal role one small plant has played in the making of the world as we know it - a world that is now teetering on the edge of catastrophe.

---

'In thinking about the opium poppy's role in history it is hard to ignore the feeling of an intelligence at work. The single most important indication of this is the poppy's ability to create cycles of repetition, which manifest themselves in similar phenomena over time. What the opium poppy does is clearly not random; it builds symmetries that rhyme with each other.

It is important to recognize that these cycles will go on repeating, because the opium poppy is not going away anytime soon. In Mexico, for instance, despite intensive eradication efforts the acreage under poppy cultivation has continued to increase. Indeed, there is more opium being produced in the world today than at any time in the past.

Only by recognizing the power and intelligence of the opium poppy can we even begin to make peace with it.']]> 417 Amitav Ghosh 9356992665 Akansha 0 to-read 4.05 2024 Smoke and Ashes: A Writer's Journey through Opium's Hidden Histories
author: Amitav Ghosh
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.05
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]]> The Brothers Karamazov 4934
This award-winning translation by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky remains true to the verbal inventiveness of Dostoevsky’s prose, preserving the multiple voices, the humor, and the surprising modernity of the original. It is an achievement worthy of Dostoevsky’s last and greatest novel.]]> 796 Fyodor Dostoevsky 0374528373 Akansha 0 to-read 4.38 1879 The Brothers Karamazov
author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.38
book published: 1879
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]]> <![CDATA[Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions]]> 25666050 A fascinating exploration of how insights from computer algorithms can be applied to our everyday lives, helping to solve common decision-making problems and illuminate the workings of the human mind

All our lives are constrained by limited space and time, limits that give rise to a particular set of problems. What should we do, or leave undone, in a day or a lifetime? How much messiness should we accept? What balance of new activities and familiar favorites is the most fulfilling? These may seem like uniquely human quandaries, but they are not: computers, too, face the same constraints, so computer scientists have been grappling with their version of such issues for decades. And the solutions they've found have much to teach us.

In a dazzlingly interdisciplinary work, acclaimed author Brian Christian and cognitive scientist Tom Griffiths show how the algorithms used by computers can also untangle very human questions. They explain how to have better hunches and when to leave things to chance, how to deal with overwhelming choices and how best to connect with others. From finding a spouse to finding a parking spot, from organizing one's inbox to understanding the workings of memory, Algorithms to Live By transforms the wisdom of computer science into strategies for human living.]]> 368 Brian Christian 1627790365 Akansha 0 currently-reading, august-23 4.11 2016 Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions
author: Brian Christian
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2016
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking]]> 18693884 The Freakonomics of math—a math-world superstar unveils the hidden beauty and logic of the world and puts its power in our hands

The math we learn in school can seem like a dull set of rules, laid down by the ancients and not to be questioned. In How Not to Be Wrong, Jordan Ellenberg shows us how terribly limiting this view is: Math isn’t confined to abstract incidents that never occur in real life, but rather touches everything we do—the whole world is shot through with it.

Math allows us to see the hidden structures underneath the messy and chaotic surface of our world. It’s a science of not being wrong, hammered out by centuries of hard work and argument. Armed with the tools of mathematics, we can see through to the true meaning of information we take for granted: How early should you get to the airport? What does “public opinion” really represent? Why do tall parents have shorter children? Who really won Florida in 2000? And how likely are you, really, to develop cancer?

How Not to Be Wrong presents the surprising revelations behind all of these questions and many more, using the mathematician’s method of analyzing life and exposing the hard-won insights of the academic community to the layman—minus the jargon. Ellenberg chases mathematical threads through a vast range of time and space, from the everyday to the cosmic, encountering, among other things, baseball, Reaganomics, daring lottery schemes, Voltaire, the replicability crisis in psychology, Italian Renaissance painting, artificial languages, the development of non-Euclidean geometry, the coming obesity apocalypse, Antonin Scalia’s views on crime and punishment, the psychology of slime molds, what Facebook can and can’t figure out about you, and the existence of God.

Ellenberg pulls from history as well as from the latest theoretical developments to provide those not trained in math with the knowledge they need. Math, as Ellenberg says, is “an atomic-powered prosthesis that you attach to your common sense, vastly multiplying its reach and strength.” With the tools of mathematics in hand, you can understand the world in a deeper, more meaningful way. How Not to Be Wrong will show you how.]]> 480 Jordan Ellenberg 1594205221 Akansha 0 currently-reading, august-23 3.94 2014 How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking
author: Jordan Ellenberg
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2014
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]]> <![CDATA[I'm Just Saying: A Guide to Maintaining Civil Discourse in an Increasingly Divided World]]> 61271862 A straightforward look at the history and the art of maintaining courteous communication in an increasingly divided world.

Have you ever been in a conversation that, after volleying back and forth, ended with the words, “I’m just saying . . .”? Usually, this signals frustration, that the discussion has reached a dead end, that you haven’t made your point, and may even leave you feeling that your relationship with the other person has changed for the worse. Digital interactions, devoid of nuance and understanding, further complicate discussion. We may believe that we are superior because our opinions are the “right” ones, and in the future avoid conversations with those whose opinions differ from ours, sending us into a never-ending echo chamber.

In I’m Just Saying, author Milan Kordestani shows us that although challenging conversations can be unpleasant, they can also help us grow. Sometimes, people inspire us to change how we speak, making us better communicators in the process as we search to find common ground with those with whom we disagree. Kordestani uses contemporary case studies and personal experience to teach readers how to have constructive conversations by engaging in civil discourse—the idea that good-faith actors can reach consensus on any opinion-based disagreement. He discusses influential leaders and reflects on his successes and failures in creating The Doe, an online publication focused on civil discourse. He addresses the challenges that digital media consumption presents when seeking common ground—especially when people are only digitally connected.

Civil discourse, an essential part of democracy, is becoming rare in today's digital age. I’m Just Saying examines discourse's successes and the ways to rebuild it. Drawing from history, popular culture, and personal anecdotes, the book promotes effective civil discourse by providing practical advice and strategies for respect. Through story, I’m Just Saying offers insight and tools for politeness in a divided world.]]> 268 Milan Kordestani 0757324517 Akansha 0 to-read 4.25 2023 I'm Just Saying: A Guide to Maintaining Civil Discourse in an Increasingly Divided World
author: Milan Kordestani
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2023
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]]> <![CDATA[Think Straight: Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life]]> 36640169 99% of your thoughts are useless. William James, once the leading psychologist in America, and one of the founders of the philosophical school of pragmatism, put it best:
"A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices."
Pragmatism believes that the mind is a tool. Your mind should work for you, not against you. People who don't master their mind, don't believe it's possible.
They say: "I can't help but thinking these things."
Well, you can TAKE CONTROL of your mind with enough practice. I've done it. And in THINK STRAIGHT, I share exactly how. It's a quick read and you can use it to immediately to improve your thinking.
You have the ability to decide what you think. Or, you can choose NOT to think.
And that is one of the most important and most practical things you can learn in life. Before I learned that skill, I would spend hours and hours inside my head. Just think about how much you think. And the list goes on. THINK STRAIGHT reveals the recipe for taking control of your mind so you can improve your life, career, relationships, business.
I wrote this little book in a way that you can read it more than once. And I hope that this book serves as an anchor to you--especially during trying times.
The mind is the most powerful tool on earth. Change the way you think. And you'll change your life.]]> 78 Darius Foroux Akansha 0 3.90 2017 Think Straight: Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life
author: Darius Foroux
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2017
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]]> <![CDATA[The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time]]> 1618 226 Mark Haddon 1400032717 Akansha 0 to-read 3.89 2003 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
author: Mark Haddon
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2003
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/03/19
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]]> <![CDATA[Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values (Phaedrus, #1)]]> 629 Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is an examination of how we live, a meditation on how to live better set around the narration of a summer motorcycle trip across America's Northwest, undertaken by a father & his young son.]]> 540 Robert M. Pirsig 0060589469 Akansha 0 to-read 3.77 1974 Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values (Phaedrus, #1)
author: Robert M. Pirsig
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.77
book published: 1974
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/03/17
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]]> <![CDATA[Material Girls: Why Reality Matters for Feminism]]> 54646323 'A clear, concise, easy-to-read account of the issues between sex, gender and feminism . . . an important book' Evening Standard 'A call for cool heads at a time of great heat and a vital reminder that revolutions don't always end well' Sunday Times Material Girls is a timely and trenchant critique of the influential theory that we all have an inner feeling known as a gender identity, and that this feeling is more socially significant than our biological sex.Professor Kathleen Stock surveys the philosophical ideas that led to this point, and closely interrogates each one, from De Beauvoir's statement that, 'One is not born, but rather becomes a woman' (an assertion she contends has been misinterpreted and repurposed), to Judith Butler's claim that language creates biological reality, rather than describing it. She looks at biological sex in a range of important contexts, including women-only spaces and resources, healthcare, epidemiology, political organization and data collection.Material Girls makes a clear, humane and feminist case for our retaining the ability to discuss reality, and concludes with a positive vision for the future, in which trans rights activists and feminists can collaborate to achieve some of their political aims.]]> 432 Kathleen Stock 0349726590 Akansha 0 to-read 4.18 2021 Material Girls: Why Reality Matters for Feminism
author: Kathleen Stock
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2021
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]]> <![CDATA[If I Were in Charge of the World and Other Worries]]> 558665 56 Judith Viorst 0689707703 Akansha 0 to-read 4.11 1981 If I Were in Charge of the World and Other Worries
author: Judith Viorst
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.11
book published: 1981
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Courtship & Marriage: A Guide for Indian Couples]]> 6433990 246 Vijay Nagaswami 0143028081 Akansha 0 to-read 3.75 Courtship & Marriage: A Guide for Indian Couples
author: Vijay Nagaswami
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.75
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]]> World Order 20821140 World Order a deep meditation on the roots of international harmony and global disorder. Drawing on his experience as one of the foremost statesmen of the modern era—advising presidents, traveling the world, observing and shaping the central foreign policy events of recent decades—Kissinger now reveals his analysis of the ultimate challenge for the twenty-first century: how to build a shared international order in a world of divergent historical perspectives, violent conflict, proliferating technology, and ideological extremism.

There has never been a true “world order,” Kissinger observes. For most of history, civilizations defined their own concepts of order. Each considered itself the center of the world and envisioned its distinct principles as universally relevant. China conceived of a global cultural hierarchy with the Emperor at its pinnacle. In Europe, Rome imagined itself surrounded by barbarians; when Rome fragmented, European peoples refined a concept of an equilibrium of sovereign states and sought to export it across the world. Islam, in its early centuries, considered itself the world’s sole legitimate political unit, destined to expand indefinitely until the world was brought into harmony by religious principles. The United States was born of a conviction about the universal applicability of democracy—a conviction that has guided its policies ever since.

Now international affairs take place on a global basis, and these historical concepts of world order are meeting. Every region participates in questions of high policy in every other, often instantaneously. Yet there is no consensus among the major actors about the rules and limits guiding this process, or its ultimate destination. The result is mounting tension.

Grounded in Kissinger’s deep study of history and his experience as National Security Advisor and Secretary of State, World Order guides readers through crucial episodes in recent world history. Kissinger offers a unique glimpse into the inner deliberations of the Nixon administration’s negotiations with Hanoi over the end of the Vietnam War, as well as Ronald Reagan’s tense debates with Soviet Premier Gorbachev in Reykjavík. He offers compelling insights into the future of U.S.–China relations and the evolution of the European Union, and examines lessons of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Taking readers from his analysis of nuclear negotiations with Iran through the West’s response to the Arab Spring and tensions with Russia over Ukraine, World Order anchors Kissinger’s historical analysis in the decisive events of our time.

Provocative and articulate, blending historical insight with geopolitical prognostication, World Order is a unique work that could come only from a lifelong policymaker and diplomat.]]> 420 Henry Kissinger 1594206147 Akansha 0 currently-reading 4.03 2014 World Order
author: Henry Kissinger
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2014
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]]> <![CDATA[Mossad: The Greatest Missions of the Israeli Secret Service]]> 13623874
Through intensive research and exclusive interviews with Israeli leaders and Mossad agents, authors Michael Bar-Zohar and Nissim Mishal re-create these missions in riveting detail, vividly bringing to life the heroic operatives who risked everything in the face of unimaginable danger. In the words of Shimon Peres, president of Israel, this gripping, white-knuckle read "tells what should have been known and isn't--that Israel's hidden force is as formidable as its recognized physical strength."]]> 388 Michael Bar-Zohar 0062123408 Akansha 5 4.15 2010 Mossad: The Greatest Missions of the Israeli Secret Service
author: Michael Bar-Zohar
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2010
rating: 5
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]]> Invisible Cities 9809 165 Italo Calvino 0156453800 Akansha 0 to-read 4.15 1972 Invisible Cities
author: Italo Calvino
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.15
book published: 1972
rating: 0
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]]> The Complete Cosmicomics 13118669 444 Italo Calvino Akansha 0 to-read 4.03 1997 The Complete Cosmicomics
author: Italo Calvino
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.03
book published: 1997
rating: 0
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]]> 100 Quotes to Make You Think! 9972277 33 Wolfgang Riebe Akansha 0 to-read 3.51 2010 100 Quotes to Make You Think!
author: Wolfgang Riebe
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2010
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[A Room of One's Own / Three Guineas]]> 52228 A Room of One's Own (1929), she examines the work of past women writers, and looks ahead to a time when women's creativity will not be hampered by poverty, or by oppression. In Three Guineas (1938), however, Woolf argues that women's historical exclusion offers them the chance to form a political and cultural identity which could challenge the drive towards fascism and war.]]> 470 Virginia Woolf 0192834843 Akansha 0 to-read 4.20 1938 A Room of One's Own / Three Guineas
author: Virginia Woolf
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.20
book published: 1938
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]]> Night and Day 116056 496 Virginia Woolf 0140185682 Akansha 0 to-read 3.77 1919 Night and Day
author: Virginia Woolf
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.77
book published: 1919
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Make Lemonade (Make Lemonade, #1)]]> 250924 An award-winning novel about growing up and making choices.

Virginia Euwer Wolff's groundbreaking novel, written in free verse, tells the story of fourteen-year-old LaVaughn, who is determined to go to college—she just needs the money to get there.

When she answers a babysitting ad, LaVaughn meets Jolly, a seventeen-year-old single mother with two kids by different fathers. As she helps Jolly make lemonade out of the lemons her life has given her, LaVaughn learns some lessons outside the classroom.]]> 200 Virginia Euwer Wolff 0805080708 Akansha 0 to-read 3.70 1993 Make Lemonade (Make Lemonade, #1)
author: Virginia Euwer Wolff
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.70
book published: 1993
rating: 0
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]]> Mrs. Dalloway 14942 194 Virginia Woolf 0151009988 Akansha 0 to-read 3.79 1925 Mrs. Dalloway
author: Virginia Woolf
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.79
book published: 1925
rating: 0
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]]> To the Lighthouse 59716
As time winds its way through their lives, the Ramsays face, alone and simultaneously, the greatest of human challenges and its greatest triumph—the human capacity for change.]]> 209 Virginia Woolf Akansha 0 to-read 3.81 1927 To the Lighthouse
author: Virginia Woolf
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.81
book published: 1927
rating: 0
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]]> An Ideal Husband 5296 Sooner or later, Wilde notes, we shall all have to pay for what we do. But he adds that, No one should be entirely judged by their past.Together with The Importance of Being Earnest, it is often considered Wilde's dramatic masterpiece. After Earnest, it is his most popularly produced play"]]> 78 Oscar Wilde 048641423X Akansha 0 to-read 4.01 1893 An Ideal Husband
author: Oscar Wilde
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.01
book published: 1893
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[All That’s Left in the World (All That's Left in the World, #1)]]> 58329296 What If It's Us meets They Both Die at the End in this postapocalyptic, queer YA adventure romance from debut author Erik J. Brown. Perfect for fans of Adam Silvera, Alex London, and Heartstopper by Alice Oseman.

When Andrew stumbles upon Jamie's house, he's injured, starved, and has nothing left to lose. A deadly pathogen has killed off most of the world's population, including everyone both boys have ever loved. And if this new world has taught them anything, it's to be scared of what other desperate people will do . . . so why does it seem so easy for them to trust each other?

After danger breaches their shelter, they flee south in search of civilization. But something isn't adding up about Andrew's story, and it could cost them everything. And Jamie has a secret, too. He's starting to feel something more than friendship for Andrew, adding another layer of fear and confusion to an already tumultuous journey.

The road ahead of them is long, and to survive, they'll have to shed their secrets, face the consequences of their actions, and find the courage to fight for the future they desire, together. Only one thing feels certain: all that's left in their world is the undeniable pull they have toward each other.]]> 345 Erik J. Brown 0063054973 Akansha 0 to-read 4.21 2022 All That’s Left in the World (All That's Left in the World, #1)
author: Erik J. Brown
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2022
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots]]> 13547241 New York Times bestselling memoir of a young Jewish woman’s escape from a religious sect, in the tradition of Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s Infidel and Carolyn Jessop’s Escape, featuring a new epilogue by the author.

As a member of the strictly religious Satmar sect of Hasidic Judaism, Deborah Feldman grew up under a code of relentlessly enforced customs governing everything from what she could wear and to whom she could speak to what she was allowed to read. It was stolen moments spent with the empowered literary characters of Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott that helped her to imagine an alternative way of life. Trapped as a teenager in a sexually and emotionally dysfunctional marriage to a man she barely knew, the tension between Deborah’s desires and her responsibilities as a good Satmar girl grew more explosive until she gave birth at nineteen and realized that, for the sake of herself and her son, she had to escape.]]> 262 Deborah Feldman 1439187010 Akansha 0 to-read 3.98 2012 Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots
author: Deborah Feldman
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2012
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/03/08
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]]> H is for Hawk 18803640 300 Helen Macdonald 0224097008 Akansha 0 to-read 3.72 2014 H is for Hawk
author: Helen Macdonald
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2014
rating: 0
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]]> Becoming 38746485
In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same.]]> 448 Michelle Obama 1524763136 Akansha 0 to-read 4.41 2018 Becoming
author: Michelle Obama
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2018
rating: 0
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]]> Why Not Me? 30268522 From the author of the beloved New York Times bestselling book Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and the creator and star of The Mindy Project comes a collection of essays that are as hilarious and insightful as they are deeply personal.

In Why Not Me?, Kaling shares her ongoing journey to find contentment and excitement in her adult life, whether it's falling in love at work, seeking new friendships in lonely places, attempting to be the first person in history to lose weight without any behavior modification whatsoever, or most important, believing that you have a place in Hollywood when you're constantly reminded that no one looks like you.
In "How to Look Spectacular: A Starlet's Confessions", Kaling gives her tongue-in-cheek secrets for surefire on-camera beauty, ("Your natural hair color may be appropriate for your skin tone, but this isn't the land of appropriate-this is Hollywood, baby. Out here, a dark-skinned woman s traditional hair color is honey blonde.") "Player" tells the story of Kaling being seduced and dumped by a female friend in L.A. ("I had been replaced by a younger model. And now they had matching bangs.") In "Unlikely Leading Lady", she muses on America's fixation with the weight of actresses, ("Most women we see onscreen are either so thin that they're walking clavicles or so huge that their only scenes involve them breaking furniture.") And in "Soup Snakes", Kaling spills some secrets on her relationship with her ex-boyfriend and close friend, B.J. Novak ("I will freely admit: my relationship with B.J. Novak is weird as hell.")
Mindy turns the anxieties, the glamour, and the celebrations of her second coming-of-age into a laugh-out-loud funny collection of essays that anyone who's ever been at a turning point in their life or career can relate to. And those who've never been at a turning point can skip to the parts where she talks about meeting Bradley Cooper.]]> 240 Mindy Kaling 0804138168 Akansha 0 to-read 3.92 2015 Why Not Me?
author: Mindy Kaling
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2015
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness]]> 13547180 250 Susannah Cahalan 145162137X Akansha 0 to-read 4.06 2012 Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness
author: Susannah Cahalan
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2012
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks]]> 13642999 The definitive political biography of Rosa Parks examines her six decades of activism, challenging perceptions of her as an accidental actor in the civil rights movement

Presenting a corrective to the popular notion of Rosa Parks as the quiet seamstress who, with a single act, birthed the modern civil rights movement, Theoharis provides a revealing window into Parks’s politics and years of activism. She shows readers how this civil rights movement radical sought—for more than a half a century—to expose and eradicate the American racial-caste system in jobs, schools, public services, and criminal justice.]]> 320 Jeanne Theoharis 0807050474 Akansha 0 to-read 4.02 2013 The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks
author: Jeanne Theoharis
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2013
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[When Women Ruled the World: Six Queens of Egypt]]> 37706369
Female rulers are a rare phenomenon--but thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt, women reigned supreme. Regularly, repeatedly, and with impunity, queens like Hatshepsut, Nefertiti, and Cleopatra controlled the totalitarian state as power-brokers and rulers. But throughout human history, women in positions of power were more often used as political pawns in a male-dominated society. What was so special about ancient Egypt that provided women this kind of access to the highest political office? What was it about these women that allowed them to transcend patriarchal obstacles? What did Egypt gain from its liberal reliance on female leadership, and could today's world learn from its example?

Celebrated Egyptologist Kara Cooney delivers a fascinating tale of female power, exploring the reasons why it has seldom been allowed through the ages, and why we should care.]]> 400 Kara Cooney 1426219776 Akansha 0 to-read 3.68 2018 When Women Ruled the World: Six Queens of Egypt
author: Kara Cooney
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2018
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life]]> 28789677
Still known to millions primarily as the author of the The Lottery, Shirley Jackson (1916-1965) has been curiously absent from the mainstream American literary canon. A genius of literary suspense and psychological horror, Jackson plumbed the cultural anxiety of postwar America more deeply than anyone. Now, biographer Ruth Franklin reveals the tumultuous life and inner darkness of the author of such classics as The Haunting of Hill House and We Have Always Lived in the Castle.

Placing Jackson within an American gothic tradition that stretches back to Hawthorne and Poe, Franklin demonstrates how her unique contribution to this genre came from her focus on "domestic horror." Almost two decades before The Feminine Mystique ignited the women's movement, Jackson's stories and nonfiction chronicles were already exploring the exploitation and the desperate isolation of women, particularly married women, in American society. Franklin's portrait of Jackson gives us "a way of reading Jackson and her work that threads her into the weave of the world of words, as a writer and as a woman, rather than excludes her as an anomaly" (Neil Gaiman).

The increasingly prescient Jackson emerges as a ferociously talented, determined, and prodigiously creative writer in a time when it was unusual for a woman to have both a family and a profession. A mother of four and the wife of the prominent New Yorker critic and academic Stanley Edgar Hyman, Jackson lived a seemingly bucolic life in the New England town of North Bennington, Vermont. Yet, much like her stories, which channeled the occult while exploring the claustrophobia of marriage and motherhood, Jackson's creative ascent was haunted by a darker side. As her career progressed, her marriage became more tenuous, her anxiety mounted, and she became addicted to amphetamines and tranquilizers. In sobering detail, Franklin insightfully examines the effects of Jackson's California upbringing, in the shadow of a hypercritical mother, on her relationship with her husband, juxtaposing Hyman's infidelities, domineering behavior, and professional jealousy with his unerring admiration for Jackson's fiction, which he was convinced was among the most brilliant he had ever encountered.

Based on a wealth of previously undiscovered correspondence and dozens of new interviews, Shirley Jackson―an exploration of astonishing talent shaped by a damaging childhood and turbulent marriage―becomes the definitive biography of a generational avatar and an American literary giant.]]> 608 Ruth Franklin 0871403137 Akansha 0 to-read 4.23 2016 Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life
author: Ruth Franklin
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average rating: 4.23
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]]> <![CDATA[All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation]]> 25814394
The New York Times bestselling investigation into the sexual, economic, and emotional lives of women is “an informative and thought-provoking book for anyone—not just the single ladies—who want to gain a greater understanding of this pivotal moment in the history of the United States” (The New York Times Book Review).

In 2009, award-winning journalist Rebecca Traister started All the Single Ladies about the twenty-first century phenomenon of the American single woman. It was the year the proportion of American women who were married dropped below fifty percent; and the median age of first marriages, which had remained between twenty and twenty-two years old for nearly a century (1890–1980), had risen dramatically to twenty-seven.

But over the course of her vast research and more than a hundred interviews with academics and social scientists and prominent single women, Traister discovered a startling truth: the phenomenon of the single woman in America is not a new one. And historically, when women were given options beyond early heterosexual marriage, the results were massive social change—temperance, abolition, secondary education, and more. Today, only twenty percent of Americans are married by age twenty-nine, compared to nearly sixty percent in 1960.

“An informative and thought-provoking book for anyone—not just single ladies” (The New York Times Book Review), All the Single Ladies is a remarkable portrait of contemporary American life and how we got here, through the lens of the unmarried American woman. Covering class, race, sexual orientation, and filled with vivid anecdotes from fascinating contemporary and historical figures, “we’re better off reading Rebecca Traister on women, politics, and America than pretty much anyone else” (The Boston Globe).]]> 339 Rebecca Traister 1476716560 Akansha 0 to-read 3.99 2016 All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation
author: Rebecca Traister
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.99
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]]> Jane Austen at Home 31450766
Worsley examines the rooms, spaces and possessions which mattered to her, and the varying ways in which homes are used in her novels as both places of pleasure and as prisons. She shows readers a passionate Jane Austen who fought for her freedom, a woman who had at least five marriage prospects, but--in the end--a woman who refused to settle for anything less than Mr. Darcy.

Illustrated with two sections of color plates, Lucy Worsley's Jane Austen at Home is a richly entertaining and illuminating new book about one of the world’s favorite novelists and one of the subjects she returned to over and over in her unforgettable novels: home.]]> 387 Lucy Worsley 125013160X Akansha 0 to-read 4.25 2017 Jane Austen at Home
author: Lucy Worsley
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2017
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]]> <![CDATA[The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote]]> 35743037 The nail-biting climax of one of the greatest political victories in American history: the down and dirty campaign to get the last state to ratify the 19th amendment, granting women the right to vote.

Nashville, August 1920. Thirty-five states have ratified the Nineteenth Amendment, twelve have rejected or refused to vote, and one last state is needed. It all comes down to Tennessee, the moment of truth for the suffragists, after a seven-decade crusade. The opposing forces include politicians with careers at stake, liquor companies, railroad magnates, and a lot of racists who don't want black women voting. And then there are the 'Antis'--women who oppose their own enfranchisement, fearing suffrage will bring about the moral collapse of the nation. They all converge in a boiling hot summer for a vicious face-off replete with dirty tricks, betrayals and bribes, bigotry, Jack Daniel's, and the Bible.

Following a handful of remarkable women who led their respective forces into battle, along with appearances by Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, Frederick Douglass, and Eleanor Roosevelt, The Woman's Hour is an inspiring story of activists winning their own freedom in one of the last campaigns forged in the shadow of the Civil War, and the beginning of the great twentieth-century battles for civil rights.]]> 416 Elaine F. Weiss 0525429727 Akansha 0 to-read 4.02 2018 The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote
author: Elaine F. Weiss
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2018
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]]> <![CDATA[Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Her Daughter Mary Shelley]]> 22294061 Romantic Outlaws is the first book to tell the story of the passionate and pioneering lives of Mary Wollstonecraft – English feminist and author of the landmark book, The Vindication of the Rights of Women – and her novelist daughter Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein.

Although mother and daughter, these two brilliant women never knew one another – Wollstonecraft died of an infection in 1797 at the age of thirty-eight, a week after giving birth. Nevertheless their lives were so closely intertwined, their choices, dreams and tragedies so eerily similar, it seems impossible to consider one without the other.

Both women became famous writers; fell in love with brilliant but impossible men; and were single mothers who had children out of wedlock; both lived in exile; fought for their position in society; and thought deeply about how we should live. And both women broke almost every rigid convention there was to break: Wollstonecraft chased pirates in Scandinavia. Shelley faced down bandits in Naples. Wollstonecraft sailed to Paris to witness the Revolution. Shelley eloped in a fishing boat with a married man. Wollstonecraft proclaimed that women’s liberty should matter to everyone.

Not only did Wollstonecraft declare the rights of women, her work ignited Romanticism. She inspired Coleridge, Wordsworth and a whole new generation of writers, including her own daughter, who – with her young lover Percy Shelley – read Wollstonecraft’s work aloud by her graveside. At just nineteen years old and a new mother herself, Mary Shelley composed Frankenstein whilst travelling around Italy with Percy and roguish Lord Byron (who promptly fathered a child by Mary’s stepsister). It is a seminal novel, exploring the limitations of human nature and the power of invention at a time of great religious and scientific upheaval. Moreover, Mary Shelley would become the editor of her husband’s poetry after his early death – a feat of scholarship that did nothing less than establish his literary reputation.

Romantic Outlaws brings together a pair of visionary women who should have shared a life, but who instead shared a powerful literary and feminist legacy. This is inventive, illuminating, involving biography at its best.]]> 649 Charlotte Gordon 1400068428 Akansha 0 to-read 4.16 2015 Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Her Daughter Mary Shelley
author: Charlotte Gordon
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2015
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]]> <![CDATA[Victoria The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire]]> 24212581
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY
THE NEW YORK TIMES - ESQUIRE - THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY

"Victoria the Queen, Julia Baird's exquisitely wrought and meticulously researched biography, brushes the dusty myth off this extraordinary monarch."--The New York Times Book Review (Editor's Choice)

When Victoria was born, in 1819, the world was a very different place. Revolution would threaten many of Europe's monarchies in the coming decades. In Britain, a generation of royals had indulged their whims at the public's expense, and republican sentiment was growing. The Industrial Revolution was transforming the landscape, and the British Empire was commanding ever larger tracts of the globe. In a world where women were often powerless, during a century roiling with change, Victoria went on to rule the most powerful country on earth with a decisive hand. Fifth in line to the throne at the time of her birth, Victoria was an ordinary woman thrust into an extraordinary role. As a girl, she defied her mother's meddling and an adviser's bullying, forging an iron will of her own. As a teenage queen, she eagerly grasped the crown and relished the freedom it brought her. At twenty, she fell passionately in love with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, eventually giving birth to nine children. She loved sex and delighted in power. She was outspoken with her ministers, overstepping conventional boundaries and asserting her opinions. After the death of her adored Albert, she began a controversial, intimate relationship with her servant John Brown. She survived eight assassination attempts over the course of her lifetime. And as science, technology, and democracy were dramatically reshaping the world, Victoria was a symbol of steadfastness and security--queen of a quarter of the world's population at the height of the British Empire's reach. Drawing on sources that include fresh revelations about Victoria's relationship with John Brown, Julia Baird brings vividly to life the fascinating story of a woman who struggled with so many of the things we do today: balancing work and family, raising children, navigating marital strife, losing parents, combating anxiety and self-doubt, finding an identity, searching for meaning.]]> 696 Julia Baird 1400069882 Akansha 0 to-read 4.19 2016 Victoria The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire
author: Julia Baird
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2016
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]]> <![CDATA[Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers Who Helped Win World War II]]> 34184307 In the tradition of Hidden Figures and The Girls of Atomic City, Code Girls is the astonishing, untold story of the young American women who cracked key Axis codes, helping to secure Allied victory and revolutionizing the field of cryptanalysis.

Recruited by the U.S. Army and Navy from small towns and elite colleges, more than ten thousand women served as codebreakers during World War II. While their brothers and boyfriends took up arms, these women moved to Washington and learned the meticulous work of code-breaking. Their efforts shortened the war, saved countless lives, and gave them access to careers previously denied to them. A strict vow of secrecy nearly erased their efforts from history; now, through dazzling research and interviews with surviving code girls, bestselling author Liza Mundy brings to life this riveting and vital story of American courage, service, and scientific accomplishment.]]> 640 Liza Mundy 0316439894 Akansha 0 to-read 3.91 2017 Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers Who Helped Win World War II
author: Liza Mundy
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2017
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]]> <![CDATA[The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II]]> 15801668 The incredible story of the young women of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, who unwittingly played a crucial role in one of the most significant moments in U.S. history. The Tennessee town of Oak Ridge was created from scratch in 1942. One of the Manhattan Project’s secret cities, it didn’t appear on any maps until 1949, and yet at the height of World War II it was using more electricity than New York City and was home to more than 75,000 people, many of them young women recruited from small towns across the South. Their jobs were shrouded in mystery, but they were buoyed by a sense of shared purpose, close friendships—and a surplus of handsome scientists and Army men!

But against this vibrant wartime backdrop, a darker story was unfolding. The penalty for talking about their work—even the most innocuous details—was job loss and eviction. One woman was recruited to spy on her coworkers. They all knew something big was happening at Oak Ridge, but few could piece together the true nature of their work until the bomb "Little Boy" was dropped over Hiroshima, Japan, and the secret was out. The shocking revelation: the residents of Oak Ridge were enriching uranium for the atomic bomb.

Though the young women originally believed they would leave Oak Ridge after the war, many met husbands there, made lifelong friends, and still call the seventy-year-old town home. The reverberations from their work there—work they didn’t fully understand at the time—are still being felt today. In The Girls of Atomic City, Denise Kiernan traces the astonishing story of these unsung WWII workers through interviews with dozens of surviving women and other Oak Ridge residents. Like The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, this is history and science made fresh and vibrant—a beautifully told, deeply researched story that unfolds in a suspenseful and exciting way.

]]> 373 Denise Kiernan 1451617526 Akansha 0 to-read 3.70 2013 The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II
author: Denise Kiernan
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2013
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]]> <![CDATA[The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra]]> 18404173
Over the years, the story of the four Romanov sisters and their tragic end in a basement at Ekaterinburg in 1918 has clouded our view of them, leading to a mass of sentimental and idealized hagiography. With this treasure trove of diaries and letters from the grand duchesses to their friends and family, we learn that they were intelligent, sensitive and perceptive witnesses to the dark turmoil within their immediate family and the ominous approach of the Russian Revolution, the nightmare that would sweep their world away, and them along with it.

The Romanov Sisters sets out to capture the joy as well as the insecurities and poignancy of those young lives against the backdrop of the dying days of late Imperial Russia, World War I and the Russian Revolution. Rappaort aims to present a new and challenging take on the story, drawing extensively on previously unseen or unpublished letters, diaries and archival sources, as well as private collections. It is a book that will surprise people, even aficionados]]> 492 Helen Rappaport 1250020204 Akansha 0 to-read 3.86 2014 The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra
author: Helen Rappaport
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2014
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]]> <![CDATA[Hidden Figures: Young Readers' Edition of Hidden Figures―Celebrating African American Women Pioneers at NASA]]> 27161178
Moving from World War II through NASA’s golden age, touching on the civil rights era, the Space Race, the Cold War, and the women’s rights movement, Hidden Figures interweaves a rich history of mankind’s greatest adventure with the intimate stories of five courageous women whose work forever changed the world.]]> 346 Margot Lee Shetterly 006236359X Akansha 0 to-read 3.94 2016 Hidden Figures: Young Readers' Edition of Hidden Figures―Celebrating African American Women Pioneers at NASA
author: Margot Lee Shetterly
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2016
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]]> <![CDATA[Agent Sonya: Moscow's Most Daring Wartime Spy]]> 52578861
„Agent Sonja” on põnev ülevaade ühe naise elust, mis liikus samas rütmis kommunismi tõusu ja langusega. Tunnustatud ajaloolase Ben Macintyre’i sulest on varem eesti keeles ilmunud „Spioon ja reetur”.]]> 377 Ben Macintyre 0593136306 Akansha 0 to-read 4.12 2020 Agent Sonya: Moscow's Most Daring Wartime Spy
author: Ben Macintyre
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2020
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]]> <![CDATA[Code Name: Lise: The True Story of the Woman Who Became WWII's Most Highly Decorated Spy]]> 40539126 The true story of the woman who became WWII's most highly decorated spy

The year is 1942, and World War II is in full swing. Odette Sansom decides to follow in her war hero father’s footsteps by becoming an SOE agent to aid Britain and her beloved homeland, France. Five failed attempts and one plane crash later, she finally lands in occupied France to begin her mission. It is here that she meets her commanding officer Captain Peter Churchill.

As they successfully complete mission after mission, Peter and Odette fall in love. All the while, they are being hunted by the cunning German secret police sergeant, Hugo Bleicher, who finally succeeds in capturing them. They are sent to Paris’s Fresnes prison, and from there to concentration camps in Germany where they are starved, beaten, and tortured. But in the face of despair, they never give up hope, their love for each other, or the whereabouts of their colleagues.

In Code Name: Lise, Larry Loftis paints a portrait of true courage, patriotism, and love—of two incredibly heroic people who endured unimaginable horrors and degradations. He seamlessly weaves together the touching romance between Odette and Peter and the thrilling cat and mouse game between them and Sergeant Bleicher.]]> 384 Larry Loftis 1501198653 Akansha 0 to-read 3.94 2019 Code Name: Lise: The True Story of the Woman Who Became WWII's Most Highly Decorated Spy
author: Larry Loftis
name: Akansha
average rating: 3.94
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]]> <![CDATA[A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II]]> 40595446 The never-before-told story of one woman's heroism that changed the course of the Second World War

In 1942, the Gestapo sent out an urgent transmission: "She is the most dangerous of all Allied spies. We must find and destroy her."

This spy was Virginia Hall, a young American woman--rejected from the foreign service because of her gender and her prosthetic leg--who talked her way into the spy organization deemed Churchill's "ministry of ungentlemanly warfare," and, before the United States had even entered the war, became the first woman to deploy to occupied France.

Virginia Hall was one of the greatest spies in American history, yet her story remains untold. Just as she did in Clementine, Sonia Purnell uncovers the captivating story of a powerful, influential, yet shockingly overlooked heroine of the Second World War. At a time when sending female secret agents into enemy territory was still strictly forbidden, Virginia Hall came to be known as the "Madonna of the Resistance," coordinating a network of spies to blow up bridges, report on German troop movements, arrange equipment drops for Resistance agents, and recruit and train guerilla fighters. Even as her face covered WANTED posters throughout Europe, Virginia refused order after order to evacuate. She finally escaped with her life in a grueling hike over the Pyrenees into Spain, her cover blown, and her associates all imprisoned or executed. But, adamant that she had "more lives to save," she dove back in as soon as she could, organizing forces to sabotage enemy lines and back up Allied forces landing on Normandy beaches. Told with Purnell's signature insight and novelistic flare, A Woman of No Importance is the breathtaking story of how one woman's fierce persistence helped win the war.]]> 352 Sonia Purnell 073522529X Akansha 0 to-read 4.08 2019 A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II
author: Sonia Purnell
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.08
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]]> <![CDATA[Madame Fourcade's Secret War: The Daring Young Woman Who Led France's Largest Spy Network Against Hitler]]> 41796203 The little-known true story of Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, the woman who headed the largest spy network in occupied France during World War II, from the bestselling author of Citizens of London and Last Hope Island

In 1941 a thirty-one-year-old Frenchwoman, a young mother born to privilege and known for her beauty and glamour, became the leader of a vast intelligence organization--the only woman to serve as a chef de r�sistance during the war. Strong-willed, independent, and a lifelong rebel against her country's conservative, patriarchal society, Marie-Madeleine Fourcade was temperamentally made for the job. Her group's name was Alliance, but the Gestapo dubbed it Noah's Ark because its agents used the names of animals as their aliases. The name Marie-Madeleine chose for herself was Hedgehog: a tough little animal, unthreatening in appearance, that, as a colleague of hers put it, "even a lion would hesitate to bite."

No other French spy network lasted as long or supplied as much crucial intelligence--including providing American and British military commanders with a 55-foot-long map of the beaches and roads on which the Allies would land on D-Day--as Alliance. The Gestapo pursued them relentlessly, capturing, torturing, and executing hundreds of its three thousand agents, including Fourcade's own lover and many of her key spies. Although Fourcade, the mother of two young children, moved her headquarters every few weeks, constantly changing her hair color, clothing, and identity, she was captured twice by the Nazis. Both times she managed to escape--once by slipping naked through the bars of her jail cell--and continued to hold her network together even as it repeatedly threatened to crumble around her.

Though so many of her agents died defending their country, Fourcade survived the occupation to become active in postwar French politics. Now, in this dramatic account of the war that split France in two and forced its people to live side by side with their hated German occupiers, Lynne Olson tells the fascinating story of a woman who stood up for her nation, her fellow citizens, and herself.]]> 464 Lynne Olson 0812994760 Akansha 0 to-read 4.18 2019 Madame Fourcade's Secret War: The Daring Young Woman Who Led France's Largest Spy Network Against Hitler
author: Lynne Olson
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2019
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]]> <![CDATA[The Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear]]> 56132724
The horrific conditions inside the Illinois State Hospital in Jacksonville, Illinois, are overseen by Dr. Andrew McFarland, a man who will prove to be even more dangerous to Elizabeth than her traitorous husband. But most disturbing is that Elizabeth is not the only sane woman confined to the institution. There are many rational women on her ward who tell the same story: they've been committed not because they need medical treatment, but to keep them in line - conveniently labeled "crazy" so their voices are ignored.

No one is willing to fight for their freedom and, disenfranchised both by gender and the stigma of their supposed madness, they cannot possibly fight for themselves. But Elizabeth is about to discover that the merit of losing everything is that you then have nothing to lose...]]> 540 Kate Moore 1492696722 Akansha 0 to-read 4.28 2021 The Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear
author: Kate Moore
name: Akansha
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2021
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