A diverse slate of upcoming books is set to hit the shelves, covering themes ranging from India’s nation-building journey and the rise of artificial intelligence to conflict, humour, crime and extraordinary personal courage.

Investigative journalist Josy Joseph’s Birth of a Nation: The Twenty-One Days That Made India revisits the dramatic final weeks before Independence, revealing how a small group of officials worked to prevent the fragmentation of India into multiple princely states.

In The New Divide: Power, Control & The Cost of AI, AI governance expert Jibu Elias examines the promises and perils of artificial intelligence, raising questions about power, inequality, job displacement and the future of human agency.

Acclaimed Israeli scholar and peace activist David Shulman’s Freedom and Despair: Notes from the West Bank offers a deeply personal account of life under occupation in Palestine, blending memoir, activism and reflections on hope.

For readers seeking lighter fare, Khyrunnisa A.’s Happy Go Funny presents a collection of humorous observations and quirky anecdotes drawn from everyday life.

The literary lineup also includes Backlash, an acclaimed Malayalam novel by Devadas V.M., translated by Nandakumar K., which follows a retired policeman confronting the ghosts of his past amid Kerala’s changing social and political landscape.

Meanwhile, Sampa: Vishvas, Dhairya Aur Sankalp Ki Anoothi Dastaan by Sanjeev Paliwal and Meenakshi Choudhary tells the true story of a Haryana schoolteacher whose relentless fight helped secure the release of her husband after he was taken hostage by Somali pirates.

Together, the books offer readers a wide-ranging exploration of history, technology, politics, literature and the enduring strength of the human spirit.