Flame: The Story of My Mother Shahnaz Husain
Nelofar Currimbhoy
Hachette India
It’s the story of Shahnaz Husain, the legend, through the eyes of her daughter who walked with her through her successful journey. The insights into Shahnaz’s personal and professional life are eye-opening. The international brand ambassador of Ayurveda was always ahead of her times, blending Ayurveda with modern technology. The life experiences of this beauty diva, peppered with rare family photographs, make for a warm read.

War Paint
Lindy Woodhead
It’s the tale of the creation of the modern cosmetics and beauty industry by two remarkable women – Elizabeth Arden and Madame Helena Rubinstein. Between them they left an extraordinary legacy that touches the lives of several women today. The book traces the humble beginnings of both the women and examines the forces that influenced and drove them in the backdrop of the period they lived in. The most intriguing bit: they hated each other. Entertaining to the last bit!

Eat Delete: The ‘Anti Quick-Fix’
Pooja Makhija
HarperCollins
There is no such thing as a ‘quick fix’ for weight loss says the nutritionist-author. The key to a hotter you is to take it easy, really listen to your body, and make measured and sustainable nutritional and lifestyle changes. The starting point of any weight-loss programme doesn’t begin with what’s on your plate – it begins with what’s in your mind. Ranbir Kapoor, Karan Johar, Ekta Kapoor and Sushmita Sen are endorsing her programme – if it works for you, we’d be glad.

Look what we found...
Going through Verve’s ceiling-high book shelves, I stumbled upon Close-Up: Memoirs of a Life on Stage and Screen one summer afternoon. I just couldn’t put the book down. This no-holds-barred memoir of century-girl Zohra Sehgal is so fascinating that one keeps on reading till the end. First published in 2010 by Women Unlimited, it presents a ringside view of a feisty, beautiful woman from an aristocratic family, who in 1930, went to Germany to study modern dance. Imagine – the period, the society, the times. After working with Uday Shankar and Prithviraj Kapoor, Sehgal went on to be a part of British theatre and television in the 1960s and ’70s. With stills from stage and films and beautifully penned letters from Prithviraj Kapoor, this skillfully written chronicle is a delightful read.

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