Born a Crime: STORIES FROM A SOUTH AFRICAN CHILDHOOD By TREVOR NOAH. Courtesy Penguin Random House
Born a Crime: Stories From A South African Childhood By Trevor Noah. Courtesy Penguin Random House

My favourite reads: Chitrabhanu Kadalayil



Whittling my favourite reads down to five proved an exercise in futility. So I’ve chosen books I read recently and enjoyed immensely. What seemed like a cop-out at first has helped me realise that my interests have changed over time, and are more varied than ever before.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah (2016)

The centrepiece of comedian Trevor Noah’s autobiography is his story growing up as a mixed-race child during apartheid in South Africa, when it was illegal for races to mix – hence the title Born a Crime. What makes it so compelling is not just Noah’s dense and dramatic past, but how he weaves South Africa’s complex history and present into it. The book is in equal parts funny and sad, frank and insightful.

Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan by Jake Adelstein (2009)

An entertaining, real-life account of an American journalist cutting his teeth as a crime reporter in Japan. Over the past 25 years, Jake Adelstein has come to be known as an authority on the yakuza – the organised crime syndicates that have flourished in the country since the Second World War. The book provides insight into how the yakuza operate and the manner in which journalists source their facts.

Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew by Shehan Karunatilaka (2010)

Two washed-up cricket enthusiasts are on a lookout for Pradeep Mathew – a spin bowler who, after being tipped to become the next big thing for Sri Lanka, gets disillusioned with the game and does a runner. It’s funny and full of interesting characters (Ari Byrd, the protagonist’s sidekick with withering humour, is my favourite). It’s also peppered with fun trivia on cricket and Sri Lanka.

Lee Kuan Yew: The Grand Master's Insights on China, the United States, and the World by Ali Wyne, Graham T Allison, and Robert Blackwill (2012)

Singapore’s first prime minister helped establish the model of a conservative democracy that politicians in many countries still try to replicate. He was also instrumental in bringing the United States and China closer in the 1970s. This book looks at how the US should manage its relations with China for the larger good. It is a must-read for Donald Trump.

Nehru: The Invention of India by Shashi Tharoor (2003)

Nehru was a secularist and a liberal whose vision of India is under threat as Indians become increasingly nationalistic and majoritarian in their outlook. It is what compelled me to read Shashi Tharoor’s book on India’s first prime minister. In it, Tharoor sheds light on the man – his influences, strengths and weaknesses. He paints Nehru as a heroic figure and gives his reasons why.

Chitrabhanu Kadalayil is assistant sports editor for The National

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8 UAE companies helping families reduce their carbon footprint

Greenheart Organic Farms 

This Dubai company was one of the country’s first organic farms, set up in 2012, and it now delivers a wide array of fruits and vegetables grown regionally or in the UAE, as well as other grocery items, to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi doorsteps.

www.greenheartuae.com

Modibodi  

Founded in Australia, Modibodi is now in the UAE with waste-free, reusable underwear that eliminates the litter created by a woman’s monthly cycle, which adds up to approximately 136kgs of sanitary waste over a lifetime.

www.modibodi.ae

The Good Karma Co

From brushes made of plant fibres to eco-friendly storage solutions, this company has planet-friendly alternatives to almost everything we need, including tin foil and toothbrushes. 

www.instagram.com/thegoodkarmaco

Re:told

One Dubai boutique, Re:told, is taking second-hand garments and selling them on at a fraction of the price, helping to cut back on the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of clothes thrown into landfills each year.

www.shopretold.com

Lush

Lush provides products such as shampoo and conditioner as package-free bars with reusable tins to store. 

www.mena.lush.com

Bubble Bro 

Offering filtered, still and sparkling water on tap, Bubble Bro is attempting to ensure we don’t produce plastic or glass waste. Founded in 2017 by Adel Abu-Aysha, the company is on track to exceeding its target of saving one million bottles by the end of the year.

www.bubble-bro.com

Coethical 

This company offers refillable, eco-friendly home cleaning and hygiene products that are all biodegradable, free of chemicals and certifiably not tested on animals.

www.instagram.com/coethical

Eggs & Soldiers

This bricks-and-mortar shop and e-store, founded by a Dubai mum-of-four, is the place to go for all manner of family products – from reusable cloth diapers to organic skincare and sustainable toys.

www.eggsnsoldiers.com

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Xpanceo

Started: 2018

Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov

Based: Dubai, UAE

Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality

Funding: $40 million

Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)

SPECS: Polestar 3

Engine: Long-range dual motor with 400V battery
Power: 360kW / 483bhp
Torque: 840Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 628km
0-100km/h: 4.7sec
Top speed: 210kph
Price: From Dh360,000
On sale: September


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