Winner of the Silver Nautilus Award for Journalism & Investigative Reporting "A book that truly is impossible to put down.”—Washington Post "This remarkable debut is so deeply reported, elegantly written, and profoundly transporting that it reads like a novel you can’t put down. It’s both a nuanced and intimate evocation of Indian culture, and a provocative and exciting meditation on marriage itself."—Katie Roiphe, author of The Violet Hour In the vein of Behind the Beautiful Forevers, an intimate, deeply reported and revelatory examination of love, marriage, and the state of modern India—as witnessed through the lives of three very different couples in today’s Mumbai. In twenty-first-century India, tradition is colliding with Western culture, a clash that touches the lives of everyday Indians from the wealthiest to the poorest. While ethnicity, class, and religion are influencing the nation’s development, so too are pop culture and technology—an uneasy fusion whose impact is most evident in the institution of marriage. The Heart Is a Shifting Sea introduces three couples whose relationships illuminate these sweeping cultural shifts in dramatic ways: Veer and Maya, a forward-thinking professional couple whose union is tested by Maya’s desire for independence; Shahzad and Sabeena, whose desperation for a child becomes entwined with the changing face of Islam; and Ashok and Parvati, whose arranged marriage, made possible by an online matchmaker, blossoms into true love. Though these three middle-class couples are at different stages in their lives and come from diverse religious backgrounds, their stories build on one another to present a layered, nuanced, and fascinating mosaic of the universal challenges, possibilities, and promise of matrimony in its present state. Elizabeth Flock has observed the evolving state of India from inside Mumbai, its largest metropolis. She spent close to a decade getting to know these couples—listening to their stories and living in their homes, where she was privy to countless moments of marital joy, inevitable frustration, dramatic upheaval, and whispered confessions and secrets. The result is a phenomenal feat of reportage that is both an enthralling portrait of a nation in the midst of transition and an unforgettable look at the universal mysteries of love and marriage that connect us all.

When socialite Rhonda Erwin's husband announces his job is relocating to Mumbai for five years, the TypeA, control freak isn't sure she will survive. A quick scouting trip confirms the worst: the city is dirty, choked with traffic, and totally allergic to an opinionated "Madam" from Texas. Convinced India is the wrong choice for her and her family, she still finds herself on a one-way flight to Mumbai with two young sons in tow, praying that the crate carrying all their earthly possessions will be waiting to meet them (it isn't). Rhonda soon discovers that hiring staff, keeping her boys safe from dengue fever, and dissecting the seemingly arbitrary caste systemƒƒ‚ƒƒ‚‚‚ƒƒ‚‚ƒ‚‚"ƒƒ‚ƒƒ‚‚‚ƒƒ‚‚ƒ‚‚€ƒƒ‚ƒƒ‚‚‚ƒƒ‚‚ƒ‚‚"all while navigating a foreign cultureƒƒ‚ƒƒ‚‚‚ƒƒ‚‚ƒ‚‚"ƒƒ‚ƒƒ‚‚‚ƒƒ‚‚ƒ‚‚€ƒƒ‚ƒƒ‚‚‚ƒƒ‚‚ƒ‚‚"takes nothing less than the skill set of a super-woman. A few miserable months in, she makes a desperate choice to let go of things she cannot control. India is my love becomes her mantra, and with the help of her trusty driver Naushad, Rhonda embraces the vibrancy and chaos that is India.

The story concludes with a legacy of courage and sacrifice, leaving Mumbai and the world forever changed.

Near to one billion people call slums their home, making it a reasonable claim to describe our world as a 'planet of slums.' But how has this hard and unyielding way of life been depicted on screen? How have filmmakers engaged historically and across the globe with the social conditions of what is often perceived as the world's most miserable habitats?Combining approaches from cultural, globalisation and film studies, Igor Krstic outlines a transnational history of films that either document or fictionalise the favelas, shantytowns, barrios poulares or chawls of our 'planet of slums', exploring the way accelerated urbanisation has intersected with an increasingly interconnected global film culture. From Jacob Riis' How The Other Half Lives (1890) to Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire (2008), the volume provides a number of close readings of films from different historical periods and regions to outline how contemporary film and media practices relate to their past predeccesors, demonstrating the way various filmmakers, both north and south of the equator, have repeatedly grappled with, rejected or continuously modified documentary and realist modes to convey life in our 'planet of slums'.

In "Happiness Mantra: The New Corporate Currency," delve into the transformative power of happiness in the modern corporate landscape. From tracing the evolution of workplace happiness to examining corporations' pivotal role in fostering socio-economic development, this book offers profound insights, actionable strategies, and insightful reflections to empower readers to leverage happiness for positive change. Through philosophical musings, real-world examples, and pragmatic advice, the authors explore the multifaceted nature of happiness, from its philosophical roots to its impact on corporate culture and leadership. Inspirational and enlightening, "Happiness Mantra" serves as both a clarion call and a roadmap for cultivating happier, healthier work environments, unlocking the boundless potential of happiness in the corporate sphere and beyond. Embark on this transformative journey to harness the potency of happiness, championing a brighter, more fulfilling future for all. Happy Reading! Your Happiness Mantra is HERE...

Like many who are introverted and cautious, Jeff Martindale had only read about those who traveled the world. Then his employer sent him on two international business trips, which became dream voyages to some of the worlds most glamorous locales steeped in history and grandeur. The result is An Accidental Globetrotter, a refreshingly humorous and fact-filled journey by a writer whose sharp prose combines wit, attention to detail, and surprising courage.

‘And when she convinced herself to move on in life, her destiny again redefined ‘love’ for her’ ‘Does first love deserve a second chance,’ she asked herself before taking the final decision of her marriage. She was focused and all into her career when destiny re-opened the most painful chapter of her past. Confronting her past at the time when she had moved on in life leaves her clueless about how to deal with this situation. She is not able to figure out as to how she should treat this unannounced and unwelcomed entry of the person who had once defined the term of ‘love’ for her. Not knowing about what the destiny will unfold for her, she unwittingly makes the situations complex and presents a challenge to him. Steadily, as he starts unlocking the doors of her heart, her deeply buried emotions finds a way back to her. Unconsciously, she starts getting carried away and finds herself trapped once again in the turmoil of those similar emotions. Will this ‘second chance’ be able to redefine love for her? Or the destiny will bring someone else in her life? This intriguing love story will take you through the roller-coaster ride of emotions and will make you believe once again in the power of the word ‘destiny’.