This summer vacation, make your reading time meaningful with a specially curated list by Crafted by Vikrant and recommended by Ananta Press Publishing. These 10 books, written by different authors, bring together a powerful collection of fiction, nonfiction, stories, poetry, stock market knowledge, life lessons, financial fundamentals, personal growth, and much more.
Whether you want to understand life better, grow emotionally, improve your financial mindset, or simply read something meaningful during your summer break, these books are a perfect choice for you.
1. Kagaj Par Jo Thahar Gaya by Rahul Singh Gautam
Kagaz Par Jo Thehar Gaya is a collection of moments, emotions, and thoughts that quietly stayed behind with time. This book does not try to explain life; it simply lets the reader feel it. Every word comes from experience and connects softly with the heart. Some lines make you pause, some stay with you silently, and some slowly become a part of your own memories.
2. The Diary of Vivienne: Is Hope Enough? by Dr. Glenville Ashby
This book is a powerful story of faith, hope, war, and human survival. Told through a mysterious diary and letters from the past, the book explores a future world facing suffering, moral collapse, and spiritual questions. Through Vivienne’s journey, it asks whether humanity can truly change—or repeat the same mistakes again.
3. Courage Within by Dr. Sushant Rajput
This book is a powerful collection of stories rooted in Indian culture, designed to inspire grit, resilience, and strong values. Blending simple storytelling with meaningful life lessons, the book connects with young readers while offering deep reflections for adults. Each story highlights discipline, courage, and character, the qualities which are essential in today’s fast-changing world. Dr. Rajput, a bestselling author and mentor, brings together lived experiences and timeless wisdom, making this not just a book to read, but one to reflect on and carry forward.
4. The First Wave: Life of a Covid Warrior by Dr. Prashant Nayak
In the face of adversity, the human spirit often shines brightest. Dr Prashant Nayak’s latest book, ‘The first wave’ stands as a testament to this truth.In this riveting account, the accomplished fertility consultant and gynaecologist Prof.Dr Prashant Nayak from AIIMS, Raipur takes us on an emotional roller coaster through his experience as a front line COVID warrior during the initial onslaught of the pandemic in India. One of the striking aspect of ‘ The first wave’ is it’s day to day narrative that captures the evolving situation not only in the country but across the globe. This book with a very much engaging narrative written by Dr. Prashant Nayak, who has a multi-faceted identity as a surgeon, as a researcher, teacher and writer being published by Garuda Prakashan Delhi is available at Amazon both in kindle and paperback format.
5. Zero to Hero and Hero to Superstar by Dr Reji D. Nair
The book 'Zero to Hero and Hero to Superstar: Igniting Young Minds' is not just for reading but for active use—a companion that helps young readers monitor growth, unlock potential, and build habits for success. Written as a story about a young boy, it uses engaging narratives, illustrations, and relatable ideas to inspire during formative years. Each chapter offers motivational quotes, life lessons from both renowned and lesser-known individuals, and highlights qualities that lead to greatness. Worksheets and references encourage reflection and deeper learning, while a progress tracker supports real-life application. More than a book, it serves as a practical guide for self-development. Authored by Dr. Reji D. Nair, an accomplished writer and academic.
6. Tortoise Path to Success by Dr Reji D. Nair
The book 'Tortoise Path to Success: Pathway for Elders' is a motivational, practical guide centered on elderly readers yet meaningful for all ages. Inspired by the author’s experience with his mother and the tortoise-and-hare fable, it shows aging as a time for renewal, purpose, and joy. It uniquely combines the steady “tortoise approach” with Kaizen, emphasizing gradual, consistent progress. Through simple reflections and exercises, readers build awareness, change habits, and grow calmly. Covering health, relationships, finances, and well-being, each chapter includes tools for application. Its core message is clear: with patience and consistency, every stage of life offers growth, meaning, and fulfillment.
7. Laxmi Manthan Tribology (3 Books Series) by Sumedh Baghla
Sumedh Baghla is one of the finest yet underrated authors in the field of stock market and financial literacy. Through his powerful three-book series, he explores the fundamental as well as hidden aspects of the stock market in a simple and practical way. Whether you are a beginner trying to understand the basics or an experienced investor looking to strengthen your financial knowledge, this book series is worth reading in sequence. Covering important lessons on money, market understanding, and financial growth, all three books are available on Amazon.
8. Actor's Life Book (Volume One) by Raaja Jaffrey
We are not living in a crisis of intelligence; we are living in a crisis of readiness. Actor’s Life Book (Volume One) is a self-transformative training toolkit that brings together Indian performance wisdom, emotional intelligence, and contemporary neuroscience to redefine how actors, storytellers, and conscious individuals understand their craft and life. Written by Raaja Jaffrey, an actor, drama therapist, and narrative architect who has mentored thousands across India’s leading platforms for over two decades, this book offers a living method for serious performers and seekers. Volume Two, The Human Instrument, takes this journey even deeper, making the series a profound and essential read. Available on Amazon, Flipkart, and Notion Press.
9. The Lonely Lions by Manya Jha & Sushil Baranwal
The Lonely Lions: On Strength, Solitude, and the Long Road of Entrepreneurship by Manya Jha and Sushil Baranwal is a deeply reflective book about the inner journey of entrepreneurship. It explores the loneliness, discipline, responsibility, fear, and quiet strength required to build something meaningful from the ground up. Instead of giving formulas for success, the book gives words to the silent struggles entrepreneurs often face while choosing a difficult path and staying committed to it. Through the metaphor of the lion, it presents leadership as calm endurance, restraint, and integrity—making it a powerful read for entrepreneurs and anyone creating their own path in life.
10. When Gods Created Us by Manya Jha
When Gods Created Us is a mythological-philosophical work that explores what was originally placed within human beings, what civilization gradually taught them to forget, and why that forgetting matters today. Through the recurring presence of a cosmic council, the book traces the evolution of human consciousness—awareness, instinct, emotion, curiosity, compassion, imagination, courage, and purpose—before logic, systems, and external structures began to dominate human identity. It does not present myth as fantasy or technology as an enemy; instead, it uses both to ask a deeper question: what truly makes us human in an age where artificial intelligence can calculate, predict, and analyze? The book argues that humanity was never designed merely to survive, perform, compete, or outthink its own inventions, but to awaken to the full depth of the mind it carries. Serious, reflective, and timely, When Gods Created Us invites readers to rediscover the wisdom, compassion, meaning, and inner architecture that remain at the heart of being human.
All the books featured in this list are available on Amazon. Simply search by the book title or the author’s name to find them. Thank you so much for reading and giving your valuable time. To discover more such meaningful and inspiring books, you can also follow @craftedbyvikrant on Instagram.
