What We Are Reading Today: ‘What – Reason Behind Every Desire’

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Updated 20 April 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘What – Reason Behind Every Desire’

  • “The book’s strength lies in its blend of research and relatable examples, making complex theories accessible to a wide audience,” Ghaffar told Arab News

Author: Abdul Ghaffar

In his second book, “What – Reason Behind Every Desire,” Saudi author Abdul Ghaffar takes readers on a journey through the depths of human desires, exploring the underlying motivations that drive us.

Ghaffar, a Riyadh resident, offers a fresh perspective on the complexities of human nature and the pursuit of fulfilment.

Ghaffar’s first book was “Why – Reason for Every Action,” and in his new work he is equally eloquent and thought-provoking as he delves into the fundamental question of why we want what we want. Drawing from psychology, philosophy, and his own life, Ghaffar skillfully unravels the intricate layers of our desires, shedding light on the subconscious forces that shape them.

Through engaging storytelling and astute analysis, Ghaffar encourages readers to reflect on their own desires and consider the deeper meanings behind them.

“The book’s strength lies in its blend of research and relatable examples, making complex theories accessible to a wide audience,” Ghaffar told Arab News. “The inspiration came from my deep curiosity about the reasons behind desires and motivations. I believe that understanding the ‘why’ behind our desires is crucial for personal growth and fulfillment. The impetus behind this work was the desire to provide readers with a valuable perspective on this topic, empowering them to make more conscious choices in life.”

Whether discussing the role of societal norms in shaping desires or exploring the concept of desire as a form of self-expression, the author has maintained a captivating narrative that keeps readers engaged from start to finish.

Moreover, “What – Reason Behind Every Desire” offers some practical insights and actionable steps for readers to better understand and navigate their desires.

Ghaffar’s writing is lucid and concise, ensuring that even complex concepts are presented in a simple manner.

The book has been nominated for the Next Generation Indie Book Awards in the Non-Fiction, Self-Help category, Ghaffar said, adding: “To be acknowledged by the Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group is truly humbling.”

 


What We Are Reading Today: ‘Lost Souls’ by Sheila Fitzpatrick

Updated 16 November 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Lost Souls’ by Sheila Fitzpatrick

When World War II ended, about 1 million people whom the Soviet Union claimed as its citizens were outside the borders of the USSR, mostly in the Western-occupied zones of Germany and Austria.

These “displaced persons,” or DPs—Russians, prewar Soviet citizens, and people from West Ukraine and the Baltic states forcibly incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1939—refused to repatriate to the Soviet Union despite its demands.

Thus began one of the first big conflicts of the Cold War. In “Lost Souls,” Sheila Fitzpatrick draws on new archival research, including Soviet interviews with hundreds of DPs, to offer a vivid account of this crisis, from the competitive maneuverings of politicians and diplomats to the everyday lives of DPs.


What We Are Reading Today: Leibniz in His World: The Making of a Savant

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Updated 15 November 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: Leibniz in His World: The Making of a Savant

  • Drawing on extensive correspondence by Leibniz and many leading figures of the age, Audrey Borowski paints a nuanced portrait of Leibniz in the 1670s, during his “Paris sojourn” as a young diplomat

Author: Audrey Borowski

Described by Voltaire as “perhaps a man of the most universal learning in Europe,” Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646–1716) is often portrayed as a rationalist and philosopher who was wholly detached from the worldly concerns of his fellow men. Leibniz in His World provides a groundbreaking reassessment of Leibniz, telling the story of his trials and tribulations as an aspiring scientist and courtier navigating the learned and courtly circles of early modern Europe and the Republic of Letters.

Drawing on extensive correspondence by Leibniz and many leading figures of the age, Audrey Borowski paints a nuanced portrait of Leibniz in the 1670s, during his “Paris sojourn” as a young diplomat and in Germany at the court of Duke Johann Friedrich of Hanover. She challenges the image of Leibniz as an isolated genius, revealing instead a man of multiple identities whose thought was shaped by a deep engagement with the social and intellectual milieus of his time. Borowski shows us Leibniz as he was known to his contemporaries, enabling us to rediscover him as an enigmatic young man who was complex and all too human.

 

 


What We Are Reading Today: Henry V by Dan Jones

Updated 14 November 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: Henry V by Dan Jones

Dan Jones’ “Henry V” examines the life and leadership of England’s greatest medieval king.
In 1413, when Henry V ascended to the English throne, his kingdom was hopelessly torn apart by political faction but in less than ten years, he turns it all around. By common consensus in his day, and for hundreds of years afterward, Henry was the greatest medieval king that ever lived.
A historical titan, Henry V transcends the Middle Ages which produced him, and his life story has much to teach us today.

What We Are Reading Today: ‘Following the Bend’ by Ellen Wohl

Updated 13 November 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Following the Bend’ by Ellen Wohl

When we look at a river, either up close or while flying over a river valley, what are we really seeing?

“Following the Bend” takes readers on a majestic journey by water to find answers, along the way shedding light on the key concepts of modern river science, from hydrology and water chemistry to stream and wetland ecology.

In this accessible and uniquely personal book, Ellen Wohl explains how to “read” a river, blending the latest science with her own personal experiences as a geologist and naturalist who has worked on rivers for more than three decades. 


UK writer Samantha Harvey wins 2024 Booker with space novel

Updated 13 November 2024
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UK writer Samantha Harvey wins 2024 Booker with space novel

  • The prize is seen as a talent spotter of names not necessarily widely known to the general public

LONDON: British writer Samantha Harvey on Tuesday won the 2024 Booker Prize, a prestigious English-language literary award, for her novel tracking six astronauts in space for 24 hours.
Harvey’s “Orbital” follows two men and four women from Japan, Russia, the United States, Britain and Italy aboard the International Space Station and touches on mourning, desire and the climate crisis.
The 49-year-old Harvey previously made the longlist for the Booker Prize in 2009 with her debut novel “The Wilderness.”
Harvey dedicated the prize to “all the people who speak for and not against the earth and work for and not against peace.”
Chair of the judges, Edmund de Waal, said “everyone and no one is the subject” of the novel, “as six astronauts in the International Space Station circle the earth observing the passages of weather across the fragility of borders and time zones.”
“With her language of lyricism and acuity Harvey makes our world strange and new for us.”
A record five women were in the running for the £50,000 ($64,500) prize which was announced at a glitzy ceremony in London.
Previous winners include Salman Rushdie and Margaret Atwood.
The prize is seen as a talent spotter of names not necessarily widely known to the general public.
The Booker is open to works of fiction by writers of any nationality, written in English and published in the UK or Ireland between October 1, 2023 and September 30, 2024.