Sunday bestsellers

1. In the Name of Honour by Mukhtar Mia, paperback, published by Virago Press, pp 192, Rs 695

2. The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards, paperback, published by Penguin books, pp 401, Rs 695

3. Next by Michael Crichton, published by HarperCollins, pp 400, Rs 350

4. Hannibal Rising by Thomas Harris, published by William Heinemann, pp 337, Rs 500

5. Saving Fish From Drowning by Amy Tan, published by HarperCollins, pp 496, Rs 400

What the books are about:

In the Name of Honour:

Mukhtar Mai came to prominence in June 2002, when journalists in Pakistan first learned of her gang rape, punishment for an ‘honour crime’ allegedly committed by her brother, an offence for which there was never any proof. After the horrific rape, custom dictated that she would kill herself. But Mai defied custom. In an unprecedented act of courage, she took her rapists to court. Mukhtar Mai pitted herself against the system with extraordinary courage and strength of purpose. Timely and topical, In the Name of Honour is the inspirational true story of a woman who fought and triumphed against exceptional odds.

The Memory Keeper’s ...

Dr David Henry and his wife Norah are a bright and almost perfect couple, but things are likely to change as she gives birth, a year after their marriage. When Norah gives birth to a twin, Dr Henry does the delivery and the first child makes her debut into the world. Right away David notices that the child is a victim of Down’s syndrome. With panic in his heart, he gives the child to one of the nurses Caroline, asking her to take it to an infirmary, where she would be looked after with expert care. Following the birth of the second child David must tell his wife something about the first child so he decides to tell her that the child was born dead. This story hinges on this little girl’s entrance into this world. You will see how the telling of one lie has influenced the life of so many people in this book.

Next:

Is your loved one missing some body parts? Are blondes becoming extinct? Is everyone at your dinner table of the same species? It’s 2006: do you know who all your children are? Do you know humans and chimpanzees differ in only 400 genes? And why does an adult human being resemble a chimp fetus? There’s a new genetic cure for drug addiction — is it worse than the disease? Ever want to design your own pet? Change the stripes on the fish in your aquarium? Ever think to sell your body fat — or donate it to charity? Or sell your eggs and sperm online for thousands of dollars? Did you know one fifth of all your genes are owned by someone else? Come to think of it, could you and your family be pursued cross country just because you happen to have certain genes in your body? Welcome to our genetic world. Fast, furious, and out of control. This is not the world of the future — it’s the world right now. Most of the events in this book have already happened. And the rest are just around the corner. Get used to it.

Hannibal Rising:

Thomas Harris has written the most compelling psychological suspense of our time and each of his novels has been an event. In Dr Hannibal Lecter, he has gone beyond creating a master villain to present one of the most irresistibly brilliant and disturbing characters in all of literature. Now, in Hannibal Rising, readers will at last learn of Lecter’s beginnings and will see the evolution of his evil.

Saving Fish From Drowning:

This is the highly-anticipated novel from the best-selling author of The Joy Luck Club and The Bonesetter’s Daughter. On an ill-fated art expedition of the Southern Shan State in Burma, 11 Americans leave their Floating Island Resort for a Christmas morning tour — and disappear. Through the twists of fate, curses, and just plain human error, they find themselves deep in the Burma jungle, where they encounter a tribe awaiting the return of the leader and the mythical book of wisdom that will protect them from the ravages and destruction of the Myanmar military regime. Filled with Amy Tan’s signature ‘idiosyncratic, sympathetic characters, haunting images, historical complexity, significant contemporary themes, and suspenseful mystery’ (Los Angeles Times). Saving Fish from Drowning seduces the reader with a facade of Buddhist illusions, magical tricks, and light comedy, even as the absurd and picaresque spiral into a gripping morality tale about the consequences of intentions — both good and bad — and of the shared responsibility that individuals must accept for the actions of others.

Information courtesy: UNITED BOOKS, Ganesh Man Singh building, Northfield Cafe ph: 4229 512; Bluebird stores in Lazimpat & Tripureshwore, ph: 4245 726; Momo’s and More,

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