Spring is here! Some of you might have a trip planned around Easter time, or at least some time off at home to unwind and enjoy a book or two, so Diwan has prepared the ultimate reading list for the sunny month of April.
The Healing Self: A Revolutionary Plan for Wholeness in Mind, Body, and Spirit by Deepak Chopra
The Healing Self offers a unique “whole system” approach that integrates mind and body into one entity. In our fast-paced and ever-changing world, the burden of healing rests on the individual making the right lifestyle choices every day. A cutting-edge, Seven-Day Action Plan allows the reader free choice to develop a personalized path to self-healing. The Healing Self is destined to be a landmark book in the growing movement of self-care and lifelong wellness.
The History and Religious Heritage of Old Cairo: Its Fortress, Churches, Synagogue, and Mosques by Carolyn Ludwig, Morris Jackson, Sherif Sonbol
Just to the south of modern Cairo stands the historic enclave known as Old Cairo, which grew up in and around the Roman fortress of Babylon, and which today hosts a unique collection of monuments that attest to the shared cultural heritage of ancient Egyptians, Christians, Jews, and Muslims. In this lavishly illustrated celebration of a very special place, renowned photographer Sherif Sonbol’s remarkable images of the fortress, churches, synagogue, and mosque illuminate the living fabric of the ancient and medieval stones, while the text describes the history of Old Cairo from the time of the ancient Egyptians and the Romans to the founding of the first Muslim city of al-Fustat. The book delves into the Jewish history of the area, exploring the famous Genizah documents found in the Ben Ezra Synagogue that tell so much about everyday life in medieval Egypt, and explores the early Coptic Christian churches, some of the oldest in the world, then ventures into the arrival of the Muslims in the seventh century, their establishment of al-Fustat on the edge of Old Cairo, and the building of the oldest mosque in Africa.
Big History: Our Incredible Journey, from Big Bang to Now by David Christian
From the formation of our universe to the present day, countless major events have changed the course of life on Earth. Big History brings together an incredible range of perspectives, using multiple disciplines including physics and sociology to bring us the story of 13.8 billion years of remarkable history. With a foreword by TED speaker Professor David Christian, Big History is a truly unique look at the history of the world. The perfect gift for everyone interested in every aspect of history, Big History presents the history of the world as you’ve never seen it.
Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff
With extraordinary access to the Trump White House, Michael Wolff tells the inside story of the most controversial presidency of our time. The first nine months of Donald Trump’s term were stormy, outrageous — and absolutely mesmerizing. Now, thanks to his deep access to the West Wing, bestselling author Michael Wolff tells the riveting story of how Trump launched a te nure as volatile and fiery as the man himself. In this explosive book, Wolff provides a wealth of new details about the chaos in the Oval Office.
Pippa: Simple Tips to Live Beautifully by Pippa O’Connor
Pippa O’Connor shares her top tips and insights for how to live well, look good and feel great. ‘The older I’ve become, the more confident I am in my own skin. I don’t follow trends that I know won’t suit me and I’ve learned to make the best of what I have’.
Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan
Anatomy of a Scandal is a disarming and provocative psychological thriller. Sophie’s husband, James, is a loving father and a successful public figure. Yet he stands accused of a terrible crime. Sophie is convinced he is innocent and desperate to protect her family. Kate is the barrister prosecuting his case. She’s certain that he is guilty and determined he should pay. Is James the victim of an unfortunate misunderstanding or the perpetrator of something sinister? Who is right: Sophie or Kate? This scandal will have far-reaching consequences for them all.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor black neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr. But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
Angie Thomas’s searing debut about an ordinary girl in extraordinary circumstances addresses issues of racism and police violence with intelligence, heart, and unflinching honesty.
Savages: The Wedding (The Saint-Etienne Quartet Part One) by Sabri Louatah
The setting is Paris, it’s the eve of the French presidential elections – ‘The Election of the Century’ say the newspaper headlines with the nation’s first Arab candidate. On the same day in Saint-Etienne, a family is frantically preparing for a grand wedding. Within a few hours, the threads start to unravel, and the collision between the destiny of a family and the hopes of a country becomes inevitable.
With the pacing of a thriller, Louatah melds the tense atmosphere of a family saga with the gripping suspense of a political drama into one breathtaking read.
Fashion: The Ultimate Book of Costume and Style by Judith Watt
3,000 years of fashion history in one stylish visual guide. Fashion is the definitive guide to the evolution of costume and style. Breathtaking in its scope, Fashion is packed with over 1,500 costumes from around the globe and lavishly illustrated with a mix of original fashion plates, archive images and commissioned photography. Plus features on famous trend-setters, fashion icons and designers from Jackie Onassis to Alexander McQueen bring the world of fashion to life.
Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment by Robert Wright From one of America’s greatest minds, a journey through psychology, philosophy, and lots of meditation to show how Buddhism holds the key to moral clarity and enduring happiness. In Why Buddhism is True, Wright leads readers on a journey through psychology, philosophy, and a great many silent retreats to show how and why meditation can serve as the foundation for a spiritual life in a secular age. At once excitingly ambitious and wittily accessible, this is the first book to combine evolutionary psychology with cutting-edge neuroscience to defend the radical claims at the heart of Buddhist philosophy. With bracing honesty and fierce wisdom, it will persuade you not just that Buddhism is true—which is to say, a way out of our delusion—but that it can ultimately save us from ourselves, as individuals and as a species.
