'I'm always astonished if someone says they haven't read The God of Small Things'

Rupesh Shetty, General Manager, Hakkasan Dubai, lists his favourite reads

What are you reading now?
Good to Great by Jim Collins, an insightful read about company management and how to turn a good business into a great one. It's been interesting, trying to take Collins' ideas and applying them to the current hospitality industry in the region.

A book that changed your life?
You Can Win by Shiv Khera explained simple ways of thinking positive and, specifically, how to turn weaknesses into strengths. I liked this quote in particular: "Winners don't do different things. They do things differently." As you can tell, I'm a big fan of motivational books!

A book you think is underrated?
I'm not sure it counts as underrated, as it was a huge critical and commercial success - but I'm always astonished when people say they haven't read The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. For me, that book was a rite of passage and really showed me how immersive and colourful fiction could be. I loved it so much that I couldn't wait to get my hands on her most recent novel, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. Sadly, I didn't enjoy it as much - but 20 years of waiting might have set my expectations too high.
Your favourite literary character?
I grew up reading about Sherlock Holmes and find him an endlessly fascinating character. He is so logical when solving crimes but also completely inept socially. His intelligence is vast but it doesn't make him perfect, which I always found comforting. I also love the friendship he shares with Watson - it's full of quick jibes but they are so obviously loyal to each other.
A literary quote that stands out.
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world" from The Words of Gandhi.