These are some pretty good books :)
*A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra
This novel is about a constellation of vital people for Havaa proving, once again, the old adage: it takes a village to raise a child.
With this novel, Marra has accomplished two brilliant feats:
1. brought the Chechen conflicts to life;
2. woven an intriguing tale that sucks the reader right in and then leaves him gasping for air at the end.
The only reason why I have not placed this book in the Amazing section is that the book is wound along an all too familiar trope: saving a child from a senseless enemy. Otherwise, this is a cleverly crafted novel, with the seemingly disparate elements coming together at the end leaving no questions about the fates of the main characters.
Recommended if you want an engrossing tale set in an unfamiliar land dealing with the universality of humanity, for better or for worse.
*A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
A Little Life was anything but a little book. After a confusing beginning, trying to keep track of the different characters, it turned out to be quite addictive. What began as a book of four friends metamorphosed into a book of one man and his friends. While it was really tragic how the abuse Jude suffered scarred him for the rest of his life, very Freudian, of course, I would have liked more about Jude’s friends: JB and Malcolm, too. At the end, I’m not too sure how to rate this book; in terms of basic plot—it worked, I was hooked and wanted to know what happened next. However, at the end of the book, I wondered what the book has left me with: a few points to ponder, yes, but did it shake me in any profound way, no.
Recommended if you have plenty of time and want to read a book about friends.
*A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman
*A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman
They came, they saw and they wrote...such has been the case for numerous visitors to
India. What makes Miller’s account refreshing is that it is two stories in one. Primarily, it is a chronological account of what different travellers had to say about their visit to India, which is quite fascinating. It is amusing to note how India was seen as a land of monsters and mythological creatures. It is also interesting to discover the relative open-mindedness of non-European travellers—their willingness to adapt and learn the local language—of course, there were always exceptions to this; the most notable exception being Miller himself. His account of his explorations in India form the second trajectory of the book. The most charming aspect of Miller’s honest account is how he doesn’t see himself as a foreigner and reacts to critical others the way an Indian would.
If you enjoy travelogues and love India, this book is meant for you.
*A Thousand Years of Good Prayer by Yiyun Li
A collection of short stories, written in a simple, straightforward manner about 'ordinary' Chinese citizens, this book manages to unerringly confirm the notion of the injustice of the Maoist regime in China. Often this critique is veiled and not even the main focus of the story but slips out in the details of people's circumstances. What is particularly creditable about this book is that I found myself reading the stories to find out what happened to the characters and not to find out how dreadful the regime was, even though that was a message that I walked away with.
Read this book, for its engaging short stories, perfect for when you want a good read but don't have time for a full-length novel.
*All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
*Amy Tan's novels.
I am a real fan of Tan's books, ever since I read her first book which came out when I was in high school. My personal favourite still remains The Joy Luck Club a collection of inter-connected stories of mothers and daughters. The Kitchen God's Wife has an amazing ending which beautifully encapsulates the novel. I remember enjoying The Hundred Secret Senses and The Bonesetter's Daughter. In Saving Fish From Drowning, Tan moves away from China to Myanmar. The novel begins on a light note with the outrageous antics of a group of American tourists but then darkens once things go horrible wrong in Myanmar, giving one an insight into the plight of the Karen tribe.
Recommended if you want to read stories focusing on relationships set in China, Myanmar and the US.
*An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine
*Ancient Stone Riddles by Srikumar M Menon (non-fiction)
An excellent introduction to the Megaliths of South India!!!!
Recommended for those who don't mind getting a bit senti.
*And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
One was a bit sceptical about this book, given that A Thousand Splendid Suns was such a let down...maybe my zero expectations is why I quite enjoyed this book. Instead of following the normal narrative of a novel, Hosseini opts for multiple voices presenting their own individual stories which are to an extent interconnected and yet independent. As a result of such a technique, one gets glimpses of stories rather than one complete whole story.Recommended for those who don't mind getting a bit senti.
*Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
*Anything Considered by Peter Mayle
Recommended if you want a good laugh
*Asura: The Tale of the Vanquished by Anand Neelkantan
Having never quite liked the Ramayana (after all Ram was certainly far from being the perfect man, being a lousy husband and an unethical warrior), I was quite interested to see a book that presents the epic story from Ravan's point of view. This book is a very clever retelling of the epic, weaving in local traditions and blending it with the general trajectory of Indian history. Certain bits in the book jarred a bit, but on the whole Neelkantan presents us with quite a probable account of the epic.
Recommended for those who enjoy an intelligent retake on myths.
*Asura: The Tale of the Vanquished by Anand Neelkantan
Having never quite liked the Ramayana (after all Ram was certainly far from being the perfect man, being a lousy husband and an unethical warrior), I was quite interested to see a book that presents the epic story from Ravan's point of view. This book is a very clever retelling of the epic, weaving in local traditions and blending it with the general trajectory of Indian history. Certain bits in the book jarred a bit, but on the whole Neelkantan presents us with quite a probable account of the epic.
Recommended for those who enjoy an intelligent retake on myths.
*Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie
*BearTown by Fredrik Backman
*Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
*Beyond the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo (non-fiction)
*Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
*Beyond the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo (non-fiction)
*Bhairavi by Shivani
*Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis De Bernieres
(Bhairavi: The Runaway by Shivani, translated from the Hindi by Priyanka Sarkar)
Shivani is a writer one has heard a lot about but been too afraid to pick up as her books are in Hindi. When I heard about Bhairavi now having an English translation, I leapt at the chance to finally read one of her books. Not being pressed for time, I decided to challenge myself and read the Hindi original simultaneously with the English translation. Lo and behold, this exercise finally made clear to me my friend's reservations about reading a translation, for Sarkar's translation of Bhairavi is a clumsy one which fails to do justice to the rich evocative language of the original. Initially I thought that perhaps Sarkar was a writer who was not too comfortable with the English language, but then I read her preface to the novel and realised that was not the case. More galling is how she positions information differently in the translation from the original—most evident being the very first paragraph of the book (spoiler alert: the original just mentions a woman in pain while the translation mentions that the same woman was an accident victim—thus, reducing the mystery of the woman in the translation). Even more mystifying was the fact that Shivani's daughters Ira and Mrinal have given her access to Shivani's papers and have endorsed this translated volume. The act of translation is an art that not everyone has mastered, clearly not Sarkar, which is such a pity as Bhairavi deserves so much better.
As for the original novel itself, while many of the Hindi words were unfamiliar to me, I found myself slowly lost in the sounds of the poetic language, rich descriptions which created vivid images in my mind. Initially, I was slowly making my way through the novel but towards the end I was in a tearing rush to find out how things would work out, or not. On reaching the end, I found myself very, very angry; not with the book but with the reality of Indian society that Shivani presents one with—men unable to control their lust and the women who pay the price for that, while the men carry on with their lives as if nothing had happened! Apart from the plot, Bhairavi provides a window into Kumaoni culture and life in an ashram of Aghori yogis. While one may like to think that this is a dated perspective of Indian society (1978), deep down not much has changed unfortunately.
The original Bhairavi in Hindi is what is placed under this category of good reads while the translation would not have been placed here.
*China in Ten Words by Yu Hua
*Chronicle of a Corpse Bearer by Cyrus Mistry
Cyrus Mistry’s recent novel is a gem of a book. It is elegantly written and tackles serious issues subtly and at times with a touch of humour. Right from the start, it tugged at my heartstrings making me feel a tremendous sadness for Phiroze, who gave up everything to be with Seppy, the love of his life, the only one who understood him, to have her taken away from him so soon. Yet, Phiroze never complains about how unfair life is, making me marvel at his strength. Mistry is a fine writer, for the language of Chronicle of a Corpse Bearer is so evocative and often borders on the poetic, a delight for the reader. What made reading this book all the more pleasurable was its physical format, credit for which must go to Aleph. It’s a slim hardbound edition with textured paper, making even the physical act of turning a page a delight.
*Gone Girl by Gilian Flynn
*Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
A rather irreverent and comic approach to Armageddon that is quite a delight. Though the televised series is, dare I say it, better!
*Granta 112: Pakistan
*Half the Night is Gone by Amitabha Bagchi
This novel is a tale of many relationships: those between master and servant, lovers, peers, spouses, parents and children; both the ties that bind them and the frailties that break them. All of these are painted for the most part against the backdrop of a Delhi long gone. While Bagchi does bring the novel all the way to the 2000s, the overriding picture presented is that of life in the havelis of Old Delhi. The USP of this novel lies in the way Bagchi has interwoven Urdu poetry along with the Ramcharitramanas; an unusual juxtaposition which works given that life in Delhi was a blend of two cultures. Reading this novel one is whisked back in time only to be brought back to the present with a sense that as far as relationships are concerned not much has changed, for human nature is still the same.
Recommended if you want a glimpse of life in Dilli Shahr.
*Chronicle of a Corpse Bearer by Cyrus Mistry
Cyrus Mistry’s recent novel is a gem of a book. It is elegantly written and tackles serious issues subtly and at times with a touch of humour. Right from the start, it tugged at my heartstrings making me feel a tremendous sadness for Phiroze, who gave up everything to be with Seppy, the love of his life, the only one who understood him, to have her taken away from him so soon. Yet, Phiroze never complains about how unfair life is, making me marvel at his strength. Mistry is a fine writer, for the language of Chronicle of a Corpse Bearer is so evocative and often borders on the poetic, a delight for the reader. What made reading this book all the more pleasurable was its physical format, credit for which must go to Aleph. It’s a slim hardbound edition with textured paper, making even the physical act of turning a page a delight.
Recommended: if you want to read a beautifully crafted novel about a little known community within the Parsis, that of the khandias, or corpse bearers.
*Circe by Madeline Miller
*Circe by Madeline Miller
*Continent by Jim Crace
Continent is more of a collection of short stories than a novel. What unites these stories is that there are set in North America in a different time, a world that seems to be very different than the one we live in today. Yet, as one delves into these stories one sees that despite very different circumstances human emotions do not change. Each of these stories deals with some aspect of the exploitative and mean nature of humans. It was this mix of the known and unknown that made these stories so compelling, apart from being so well written. Recommended if you want a quick but thought provoking read.
Continent is more of a collection of short stories than a novel. What unites these stories is that there are set in North America in a different time, a world that seems to be very different than the one we live in today. Yet, as one delves into these stories one sees that despite very different circumstances human emotions do not change. Each of these stories deals with some aspect of the exploitative and mean nature of humans. It was this mix of the known and unknown that made these stories so compelling, apart from being so well written. Recommended if you want a quick but thought provoking read.
*Eat the Buddha by Barbara Demick
*From A to X by John Berger
*Ghachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanbhag
*Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
A rather irreverent and comic approach to Armageddon that is quite a delight. Though the televised series is, dare I say it, better!
*Granta 112: Pakistan
*Half the Night is Gone by Amitabha Bagchi
This novel is a tale of many relationships: those between master and servant, lovers, peers, spouses, parents and children; both the ties that bind them and the frailties that break them. All of these are painted for the most part against the backdrop of a Delhi long gone. While Bagchi does bring the novel all the way to the 2000s, the overriding picture presented is that of life in the havelis of Old Delhi. The USP of this novel lies in the way Bagchi has interwoven Urdu poetry along with the Ramcharitramanas; an unusual juxtaposition which works given that life in Delhi was a blend of two cultures. Reading this novel one is whisked back in time only to be brought back to the present with a sense that as far as relationships are concerned not much has changed, for human nature is still the same.
Recommended if you want a glimpse of life in Dilli Shahr.
*His Father's Disease by Aruni Kashyap
*Honour by Elif Shafak
A real tear jerker of a book, that really makes you empathise for the protagonist.
*I Do Not Come to You by Chance by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani
*If On A Winter's Night A Traveller by Italo Calvino
If On A Winter’s Night A Traveller is one of a kind: a book written in the second person, a book of so many beginnings, a book that contains the writer’s manifesto all rolled into one. It’s a really intelligently written book, definitely not a light read as its peppered with lines that could each start a whole discussion. It’s a rather addictive book, though each chapter takes a while to get into but after a couple of pages one is hooked. Definitely a book that demands a lot from its reader and not a quick read. This is a book meant to be digested slowly without too many gaps so as not to loose the threads; but so worth the effort.
Recommended when you need a challenging read that provides food for thought!
*Kohinoor by William Dalrymple and Anita Anand
If you want to learn about the chequered fortune of the owners of the Kohinoor, this is the book to read. Well written and concise, this book is a riveting read. Of course, the authors are lucky to have such a fascinating subject to write about. The book charts the history of the Kohinoor from the Mughals to the present day controversy surrounding the stone. Despite being written by two writers this book flows smoothly. In fact, what made the book all the more pleasurable to read was that unlike Dalrymple's other books, Kohinoor does not become repetitive; probably because it is written by two scholars or because it is not a voluminous book. Whatever the reason, this is a quick, interesting read.
Recommended if you want a read about the levels man will stoop to for the love of a stone!
*Honour by Elif Shafak
A real tear jerker of a book, that really makes you empathise for the protagonist.
*I Do Not Come to You by Chance by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani
*If On A Winter's Night A Traveller by Italo Calvino
If On A Winter’s Night A Traveller is one of a kind: a book written in the second person, a book of so many beginnings, a book that contains the writer’s manifesto all rolled into one. It’s a really intelligently written book, definitely not a light read as its peppered with lines that could each start a whole discussion. It’s a rather addictive book, though each chapter takes a while to get into but after a couple of pages one is hooked. Definitely a book that demands a lot from its reader and not a quick read. This is a book meant to be digested slowly without too many gaps so as not to loose the threads; but so worth the effort.
Recommended when you need a challenging read that provides food for thought!
*Kohinoor by William Dalrymple and Anita Anand
If you want to learn about the chequered fortune of the owners of the Kohinoor, this is the book to read. Well written and concise, this book is a riveting read. Of course, the authors are lucky to have such a fascinating subject to write about. The book charts the history of the Kohinoor from the Mughals to the present day controversy surrounding the stone. Despite being written by two writers this book flows smoothly. In fact, what made the book all the more pleasurable to read was that unlike Dalrymple's other books, Kohinoor does not become repetitive; probably because it is written by two scholars or because it is not a voluminous book. Whatever the reason, this is a quick, interesting read.
Recommended if you want a read about the levels man will stoop to for the love of a stone!
*Ladakh: A Wanderer's Spectacle by Nabarun Bhattacharya
The present pandemic has rendered most of us armchair travellers, attempting to slake our wanderlust by poring through a variety of travelogues. I chanced upon this particular book in the library and am so glad I picked it up for it's not the traditional coffee table book. Yes, it does have gorgeous drool-worthy pictures of Ladakh which does make one feel all the more terrible to be stuck here in the dreary plains. More than the pictures I found myself pulled in by the writer's account of a faith-healer's session. At the end of the book I was swept by the realisation of how brutally frank the author has been about himself. It was with a heavy heart that I put the book down knowing that there would be no more, for Bhattacharya died before he could complete this book at the age of forty-seven. I am so glad that the Niyogi Books decided to publish this book posthumously for it is a most worthy addition to the existing literature on Ladakh.
*Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
I had been toying with the idea of picking up a Le Guin, as clearly she is part of the sci-fi canon. What finally made me read this book was a review which heralded this book for looking at gender fluidity. Unfortunately, when you pick up a book that is supposed to deal with an issue, and it doesn't really, one is left disappointed, which is what happened to me. Also, perhaps as I am a reader in 2019, a lot of the plot elements of the book were no longer novel, such as the trudge through the ice—which read like an Antarctica exploration. Yes, the idea of gender fluidity of the creatures is quite unusual, but I do wish the ramifications of this were explored in greater detail, as there was so much potential here. Nonetheless, I have placed this book in this category as despite these shortcomings I still was compelled to read on.
*Letters from A to X by John Berger
*Life of Pi by Yann Martel
*Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
I had been toying with the idea of picking up a Le Guin, as clearly she is part of the sci-fi canon. What finally made me read this book was a review which heralded this book for looking at gender fluidity. Unfortunately, when you pick up a book that is supposed to deal with an issue, and it doesn't really, one is left disappointed, which is what happened to me. Also, perhaps as I am a reader in 2019, a lot of the plot elements of the book were no longer novel, such as the trudge through the ice—which read like an Antarctica exploration. Yes, the idea of gender fluidity of the creatures is quite unusual, but I do wish the ramifications of this were explored in greater detail, as there was so much potential here. Nonetheless, I have placed this book in this category as despite these shortcomings I still was compelled to read on.
*Life of Pi by Yann Martel
*Lost Enlightenment: Central Asia's Golden Age from the Arab Conquest to Tamerlane by Frederick Starr
*Mila 18 by Leon Uris
*Misconceptions: Truth, Lies and the Unexpected on the Journey to Motherhood by Naomi Wolf (non-fiction)
*Miss Burma by Charmaine Craig
For a review click on the following link:
https://dbookhub.blogspot.com/2019/05/january-2019-readings_68.html
*My Grandmother Sends her Regards and Apologises by Fredrik Backman
What a charming book!—a poignant tale of the bond between a granddaughter and her grandmother and the fairy tales they shared. Backman’s masterstroke is how the fairy tales encapsulated the grandmother’s world and so the characters were drawn from the residents of the apartment block they lived in. Of course, real life is very much present in the book and so Backman deals with death, bullying, drugs head on. More than the plot, though his brilliance is in the whacky characters that he has fleshed out from the unconventional grandmother to the gutsy Elsa to a bumbling father to the PTSD suffering soldier to the anal Brit-Marie to name a few. A measure of how much I enjoyed this book is that I promptly looked up the others by him and have put them on my reading list.
A book for when one wants to be reminded of the magic and strength of fairy tales.
*My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk
This was not an easy book to finish reading, as it was very heavy...in terms of sheer length (666 pages); explorations of philosophical matters pertaining to painting; and the multiple narrative voices, of both the dead and living. So why then have I placed this book here? Simply because it was a very fascinating and thought-provoking book, especially given my interest in miniature paintings and the medieval world. Pamuk does a brilliant job of bringing to life medieval central Asia. At the heart of the novel are the time old conflicts of East vs West, religion vs. artistic freedom. Throwing in a murder mystery which keeps one guessing to the end, was a smart way to keep the reader hooked. Perhaps the only real irritant is Pamuk's obsession with penises, which he takes to extremes when having a horse talk about its penis!
Recommended for those who want to read about medieval miniaturists.
*Mila 18 by Leon Uris
*Misconceptions: Truth, Lies and the Unexpected on the Journey to Motherhood by Naomi Wolf (non-fiction)
*Miss Burma by Charmaine Craig
For a review click on the following link:
https://dbookhub.blogspot.com/2019/05/january-2019-readings_68.html
*My Grandmother Sends her Regards and Apologises by Fredrik Backman
What a charming book!—a poignant tale of the bond between a granddaughter and her grandmother and the fairy tales they shared. Backman’s masterstroke is how the fairy tales encapsulated the grandmother’s world and so the characters were drawn from the residents of the apartment block they lived in. Of course, real life is very much present in the book and so Backman deals with death, bullying, drugs head on. More than the plot, though his brilliance is in the whacky characters that he has fleshed out from the unconventional grandmother to the gutsy Elsa to a bumbling father to the PTSD suffering soldier to the anal Brit-Marie to name a few. A measure of how much I enjoyed this book is that I promptly looked up the others by him and have put them on my reading list.
A book for when one wants to be reminded of the magic and strength of fairy tales.
This was not an easy book to finish reading, as it was very heavy...in terms of sheer length (666 pages); explorations of philosophical matters pertaining to painting; and the multiple narrative voices, of both the dead and living. So why then have I placed this book here? Simply because it was a very fascinating and thought-provoking book, especially given my interest in miniature paintings and the medieval world. Pamuk does a brilliant job of bringing to life medieval central Asia. At the heart of the novel are the time old conflicts of East vs West, religion vs. artistic freedom. Throwing in a murder mystery which keeps one guessing to the end, was a smart way to keep the reader hooked. Perhaps the only real irritant is Pamuk's obsession with penises, which he takes to extremes when having a horse talk about its penis!
Recommended for those who want to read about medieval miniaturists.
*Our Lady of the Nile by Scholastique Mukasonga
*Our Moon Has Blood Clots on It by Rahul Pandita (non-fiction)
*Pakistani Bride by Bapsi Sidhwa
*Please Look After Mother by Kyung-Sook Shin
*Resistance by Barry Lopez
*Red Sorghum by Mo Yan
*Samskara by U.R. Ananthamurthy
*Silk by Alessandro Baricco
*Sikkim: Requiem for a Himalayan Kingdom by Andrew Duff (non-fiction)
*Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
*Our Moon Has Blood Clots on It by Rahul Pandita (non-fiction)
*Pakistani Bride by Bapsi Sidhwa
*Please Look After Mother by Kyung-Sook Shin
*Resistance by Barry Lopez
*Red Sorghum by Mo Yan
*Samskara by U.R. Ananthamurthy
Samskara is a gutsy novel for it portrays Brahmins in a very poor light. I wonder, if it had been published in today’s intolerant India, what kind of a reception it would have received. It is a well written, well-structured taut novel that examines the dilemma faced by a Brahmin community on the death of a rogue member. However, once the only upright member of the community errs or should I say sin, the book shifts focus to the personal dilemma of this character. What I really liked about this book, apart from depicting the greed and cowardice of the Brahmins, was how Ananthamurthy subtly shows that even morally upright characters are not perfect and often their morality is founded on egoistic impulses, which makes one question whether the character was actually such a saint?
Of course, the book is a translation, the handicaps of which are pointed out in an essay by Susheela Punitha at the end of the book. Yet, I still recommend reading this book, for even if the nuances are different in the translation, the main issues remain the same.
Recommended if you want a book that makes you examine philosophical questions.
*Sikkim: Requiem for a Himalayan Kingdom by Andrew Duff (non-fiction)
*Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
*Straight to Normal: My Life as Gay Man by Sharif D. Rangnekar
*Sudden Death by Alvaro Enrigue
*Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
*The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
It is one thing to present a possibility of what might have happened…but as a reader what do you do with a book that presents events involving historical characters that could never have happened…and yet manage to present a very plausible reason as to why things are the way they are? In the case of Sudden Death, Quevedo and Caravaggio could never have met; and yet the outcome of a tennis match between the two explains the former's prejudices so well. And also, what do you do with a book that poses many a question such as what did happen to Anne Boleyn's hair? But more importantly what is the book trying to convey? In the words of Enrigue, when he wrote the book he was angry because the "bad guys always win"; elsewhere he commented, "a whole host of people can manage to understand absolutely nothing, act in an impulsive and idiotic way, and still drastically change the course of history". Enrigue seems to suggest that the world as we know it is the result of totally unplanned, random juxtapositions/confluences/meetings changing not just the lives of people but maps and canvases and objects of the world? Despite all these questions, this novel was a wonderful, exhilarating, refreshing read; it is always so exciting to see how the form of the novel can be experimented and tweaked with. After all how often does one come across a novel featuring Anne Boleyn's hair, tennis, the Conquest of Mexico by Cortes, the Counter-Reformation, Caravaggio and the Spanish poet Quevedo?
*Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
*The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
*The Black Hill by Mamang Dai
The Black Hill is a moving tale that throws light on the tribal past of Arunachal Pradesh. The narrative gives one an insight into how these lands functioned as a buffer zone between Tibet and the outside world. This novel also illustrates how crazy missionaries were with their suicidal desire to bring in new converts into the fold…a trend that still exists today with the same consequences: the American missionary in the Andaman &Nicobar islands…perhaps if he had read this book he may have desisted...then again, does anyone ever learn from history?
Read to learn about a land shrouded in mystery.
*The Buddhas of Bamiyan by Llewelyn Morgan (non-fiction)
*The Colour Purple by Alice Walker
*The Colour Purple by Alice Walker
*The Dark Road by Ma Jian
Thank God I'm not a Chinese peasant woman--that's the thought that kept going though my mind while reading this book. Not that atrocities against women do not happen elsewhere, but through this book one can see how deadly situations become when the state gets involved. The Dark Road focuses on China's one-child policy and the state's efforts to enforce it which results in cruel, inhuman, risky forced abortions--even of women in their 8th month of pregnancy Ma Jian focuses on one couple in particular and the husband's obsession on having a son at all costs. Needless to say, the brunt of the cost is felt by the wife who struggles to have some sort of control over her body. Through the course of the book, one is given a glimpse of other wrongs in Chinese society such as internal passports, forced labour camps, corruption and pollution. Yet, through it all, I could not put the book down as I wanted to find out what happens next.
Recommended for those who want to gain an insight into life in Communist China, though be warned it is not for the faint-hearted.
*The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
*The Eighth Life by Nino Haratischvili
*The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
*The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
*The Hare with the Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance by Edmund de Waal (non-fiction)
*The Help by Kathryn Stockett
*The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
*The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa
*The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
*The Illicit Happiness of Other People by Manu Joseph
How do I classify this book--a funny one, a slow one, a gripping one, a weighty one; I guess it's all of these and more all rolled into one. The book is hinged on a father's quest to find out why his teenage son committed suicide. Through the course of the book, we are given a glimpse of middle-class families in Madras, not just their daily routines and aspirations but also their seamier side of sex, violence, apathy, drunkenness and cruelty. Into this mix, are thrown in deep philosophical questions, lightened by the fact that it is for the most part youngsters who are grappling with them. Interspersed in the narrative are comic description of people and their follies.
Recommended if you have the patience to get into a weighty, comical tragedy, well worth the effort for this is a book written by a rather intelligent writer.
*The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
*The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
*The Hare with the Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance by Edmund de Waal (non-fiction)
*The Help by Kathryn Stockett
*The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
*The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa
*The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
*The Illicit Happiness of Other People by Manu Joseph
How do I classify this book--a funny one, a slow one, a gripping one, a weighty one; I guess it's all of these and more all rolled into one. The book is hinged on a father's quest to find out why his teenage son committed suicide. Through the course of the book, we are given a glimpse of middle-class families in Madras, not just their daily routines and aspirations but also their seamier side of sex, violence, apathy, drunkenness and cruelty. Into this mix, are thrown in deep philosophical questions, lightened by the fact that it is for the most part youngsters who are grappling with them. Interspersed in the narrative are comic description of people and their follies.
Recommended if you have the patience to get into a weighty, comical tragedy, well worth the effort for this is a book written by a rather intelligent writer.
*The Master & Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
A devilishly good read!
The Mysterious True History of Nomi Ali by Uzma Aslam Khan
Would this be a book worth reading, was the the thought that ran through my head when I picked it up, coloured by too many recent disappointments. For the first fifty odd pages, I thought that perhaps this was the case: too much of a deja vu; but then before I knew it I was sucked into the narrative and found myself up way past my bedtime unable to put the book down. In hindsight, the sense of deja vu was there because I guess any book that deals with war will touch upon the universal themes of suffering and betrayal. What kept this book going was its setting: the Andaman islands under both the British and the Japanese, coupled with its varied cast of characters: from Punjabi prisoners to Burmese local borns to indigenous tribals, ensuring that this was a multi-layered novel. Apart from being a good read this book was unique in that it touched upon the history of the Andaman Islands from the 1930s till India's independence, a chapter that is missing from most accounts of Indian history.
Recommended if you want a war novel which will also introduce you to a neglected chapter from history.
*The Places in Between by Rory Stewart
The Mysterious True History of Nomi Ali by Uzma Aslam Khan
Would this be a book worth reading, was the the thought that ran through my head when I picked it up, coloured by too many recent disappointments. For the first fifty odd pages, I thought that perhaps this was the case: too much of a deja vu; but then before I knew it I was sucked into the narrative and found myself up way past my bedtime unable to put the book down. In hindsight, the sense of deja vu was there because I guess any book that deals with war will touch upon the universal themes of suffering and betrayal. What kept this book going was its setting: the Andaman islands under both the British and the Japanese, coupled with its varied cast of characters: from Punjabi prisoners to Burmese local borns to indigenous tribals, ensuring that this was a multi-layered novel. Apart from being a good read this book was unique in that it touched upon the history of the Andaman Islands from the 1930s till India's independence, a chapter that is missing from most accounts of Indian history.
Recommended if you want a war novel which will also introduce you to a neglected chapter from history.
*The Places in Between by Rory Stewart
*The Pregnant King by Devdutt Patnaik
*The President's Gardens by Muhsin Al-Ramli
After a long time I found myself totally hooked by a book. Fortunately, having had the luxury of time, being in a better headspace allowed me to finish this book in a day. The combination of a good plot, interesting characters whose setting allowed me to learn about another place just had me riveted. While this was not the first book I have read set in Iraq, it did have me googling the key events and historical personages (Saddam and his family) to know more about Iraq. What was also interesting was to hear the perspective of the common man regarding the Gulf Wars, whose coverage one marvelled at in High School when it was broadcast to the world by CNN & BBC. Now reading the book, I realised that the Western forces were no saints and as usual the atrocities conducted by the victors are never reported.
Recommended if you want a good saga set in a historically important time.
*The Princess and the Political Agent by Binodini
What made this book interesting to read was not so much the central event—ie the marriage of Sanatombi and Maxwell—which ironically, was barely covered by the book; but instead all the events that preceeded and followed the marriage. Key events of Manipuri history that most Indians, including me, are totally unaware of. It was fasinating to learn about a new culture and society which had a very different trajectory from that of Delhi. The only two commonalities that Manipur and North India shared were Vaishnavism and the British colonial experience. It's a fact of history, that we often like to brush aside, that Manipur really became a part of India because of the British.
Recommended if you want to learn about a neglected history chapter.
*The President's Gardens by Muhsin Al-Ramli
After a long time I found myself totally hooked by a book. Fortunately, having had the luxury of time, being in a better headspace allowed me to finish this book in a day. The combination of a good plot, interesting characters whose setting allowed me to learn about another place just had me riveted. While this was not the first book I have read set in Iraq, it did have me googling the key events and historical personages (Saddam and his family) to know more about Iraq. What was also interesting was to hear the perspective of the common man regarding the Gulf Wars, whose coverage one marvelled at in High School when it was broadcast to the world by CNN & BBC. Now reading the book, I realised that the Western forces were no saints and as usual the atrocities conducted by the victors are never reported.
Recommended if you want a good saga set in a historically important time.
*The Princess and the Political Agent by Binodini
What made this book interesting to read was not so much the central event—ie the marriage of Sanatombi and Maxwell—which ironically, was barely covered by the book; but instead all the events that preceeded and followed the marriage. Key events of Manipuri history that most Indians, including me, are totally unaware of. It was fasinating to learn about a new culture and society which had a very different trajectory from that of Delhi. The only two commonalities that Manipur and North India shared were Vaishnavism and the British colonial experience. It's a fact of history, that we often like to brush aside, that Manipur really became a part of India because of the British.
Recommended if you want to learn about a neglected history chapter.
*The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue
*The Road by Cormac McCarthy
*The Secret of Santa Vittoria by Robert Crichton
*The Selector of Souls by Shauna Singh Baldwin
A book that is so Delhi in parts that I was pulled into all its drama. The typical property feuds, teas at the Gymkhana, the pomp and show of the rich, the arranged marriages....However, this novel is much more than a critique of the superficial Delhi life. With a shift of setting to a fictional mountain village, the book takes on the issue of female infanticide. By addressing this issue through the local village life, the reader doesn't stray from the book but becomes caught up int he the local village politics. Perhaps, at times the novel reduces ground reality to very neat stereotypes, but it does so without losing the reader's attention.
Recommended if you want to read a North Indian novel that tackles serious issues of the day.
*The Shadow of the Crescent Moon by Fatima Bhutto
I must admit that I was rather sceptical about the merits of this book when I picked it up, as I am wary of celebrity writers, for their books somehow always get good reviews, warranted or not. I was, therefore, pleasantly surprised by this book. It was a gripping novel narrated from different perspectives, unfolding over merely three hours in a fictional town in North-Western Pakistan. The novel shifts from present to past and back again through timely flashbacks to contextualise the events. Through the lives of the 5 protagonists, we are given an insight into the messy state of affairs in this border region of Pakistan: an oppressive government, the secessionist desires of the local population, contradictory loyalties of individuals, the human cost of living in a war zone. The novel moves rapidly towards its unexpected cliff-hangar ending, leaving one thinking that there is no hope!
Recommended if you want to read about the complexities of life in frontier Pakistan and if you want a quick, taut novel to read.
*The Siege: The Attack on the Taj by Adrian Levy and Cathy Scott-Clark
A riveting account of the Taj siege of 26/11. It points out in no uncertain terms how this attack was the result of a colossal intelligence failure. Prior to the attack the intelligence services ignored all information warning of such an assault, leaving the city open for the terrorists to literally sail in. During the siege, police chief chose inaction over action. The police officers within the hotel were not provided back-up, because of which they lost two opportunities to flush out the terrorists. A police vehicle on the streets was not warned about the terrorists they drove straight into. The NSG was unable to fly in at once as the requisite protocol needed to be followed; meanwhile the Marine Commandos were not allowed to go to the rescue as the authorities felt they were not trained to deal with such situations. Basically, 26/11 was a tragedy of poor decision making at the top resulting in a host of missed opportunities.. The real heroes of this tragedy were the Taj staffers who literally sacrificed their lives to save the guests, some of whom were quite obnoxious.
Recommended if you want to read a non-fiction book that reads like fiction.
*The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
*The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
*The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan
Amy Tan never ceases to amaze me...right from page one she pulls me into her story and I become oblivious to the world around me until I have finished reading the book. Even though I don't always like the way the protagonist reacts to situations I find myself compelled to read on. The Valley of Amazement recounts the story of Violet, how she becomes a courtesan in early 20th century China and struggles to live life on her terms. As the reader, one is witness to the ups and downs of her life. What really troubled me while reading this book was to see how difficult it was for women of that time to control their own lives, they were really at the mercy of men, no matter how strong they might be.
Recommended if you want to be swept into another world!
*The Wandering Falcon by Jamil Ahmed
A disturbing book, not so much for its plot but for the disturbing reality it portrays...namely that of life in a no-mans land on the Afghan-Pak border. This book--a novel or a collection of short stories--with only a secondary character in common is narrated in a simple prose that seems to echo the starkness of its setting. While this novel could be placed in the list of books that give you a peek into another world, I placed it here due to the writer's skill which elevated it to a definite good read.
Recommended for those who do not mind being left with a number of questions.
*The Wife by Meg Wolitzer
This was one movie adaptation I knew I had to see, but I was determined to read the book before seeing the movie. So read it, I did. And yes, it was a good read, predictable perhaps but oh so necessary to have been written and to have been read. This novel makes one relook at the phrase 'behind every successful man there stands a woman". In this account of a marriage partnership, we see how much a woman has to give, she may not always be a victim but the way the world is compels her to make the flawed decisions she does. While reading this book, instead of picturing Glenn Close as the wife, Claire Underwood (Robin Wright) of the first few seasons of House of Cards kept coming to mind…a powerful woman forced to take the backseat in the face of her husband's ambitions. What I really enjoyed about the book was how the wife was so aware of her husband's frailties and the way she did not mince her words. Yet, I was saddened to think how we women are often forced into situations which don't let us achieve our potential as we are often curtailed by our biology and society's expectations. At the end, I realised that we must caution the next generation of women against making such faulty decisions and to not be afraid of success on their own terms; for while the world has changed from the 1950s society still remains patriarchal.
Read for a harsh critique of the male ego and frailties.
*This is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz
*Three Sisters by Bi Feiyu
*One Part Woman by Perumal Murugan translated by Aniruddhan Vasudevan
A tale told simply and yet so evocative, the intense sadness that the protagonists feel because of their inability to have a child keeps hitting one in successive waves. Not only do they have to deal with their own personal sadness, the couple is constantly reminded of their failure by the cruel taunts or innuendoes constantly dropped by all and sundry around them. It is this miserable sadness that compels this couple, so in love with each other, to contemplate resorting to an age old practice of consensual sex on a festival night between any man and woman—the pre-modern version of sperm donors. Unfortunately, a lot of right wing people objected to this book forcing Murugan to give up writing—another tragedy that has enveloped the book. All I can say is that they either have not read the book or they are a thick-skinned bunch of idiots who have missed the point of the book—the repercussions of such a choice on the couple’s relationship. Apart from the plot, I also enjoyed the additional details the writer provided about daily village life in South India, an area one is not familiar with at all.
Recommended for a sensitive depiction childlessness places on a married couple in a traditional society.
*Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
*Vanara by Anand Neelakantan
For a review click on the following link: https://dbookhub.blogspot.com/2019/05/january-2019-readings_68.html
*What the Body Remembers by Shauna Singh Baldwin
*The Selector of Souls by Shauna Singh Baldwin
A book that is so Delhi in parts that I was pulled into all its drama. The typical property feuds, teas at the Gymkhana, the pomp and show of the rich, the arranged marriages....However, this novel is much more than a critique of the superficial Delhi life. With a shift of setting to a fictional mountain village, the book takes on the issue of female infanticide. By addressing this issue through the local village life, the reader doesn't stray from the book but becomes caught up int he the local village politics. Perhaps, at times the novel reduces ground reality to very neat stereotypes, but it does so without losing the reader's attention.
Recommended if you want to read a North Indian novel that tackles serious issues of the day.
*The Shadow of the Crescent Moon by Fatima Bhutto
I must admit that I was rather sceptical about the merits of this book when I picked it up, as I am wary of celebrity writers, for their books somehow always get good reviews, warranted or not. I was, therefore, pleasantly surprised by this book. It was a gripping novel narrated from different perspectives, unfolding over merely three hours in a fictional town in North-Western Pakistan. The novel shifts from present to past and back again through timely flashbacks to contextualise the events. Through the lives of the 5 protagonists, we are given an insight into the messy state of affairs in this border region of Pakistan: an oppressive government, the secessionist desires of the local population, contradictory loyalties of individuals, the human cost of living in a war zone. The novel moves rapidly towards its unexpected cliff-hangar ending, leaving one thinking that there is no hope!
Recommended if you want to read about the complexities of life in frontier Pakistan and if you want a quick, taut novel to read.
*The Siege: The Attack on the Taj by Adrian Levy and Cathy Scott-Clark
A riveting account of the Taj siege of 26/11. It points out in no uncertain terms how this attack was the result of a colossal intelligence failure. Prior to the attack the intelligence services ignored all information warning of such an assault, leaving the city open for the terrorists to literally sail in. During the siege, police chief chose inaction over action. The police officers within the hotel were not provided back-up, because of which they lost two opportunities to flush out the terrorists. A police vehicle on the streets was not warned about the terrorists they drove straight into. The NSG was unable to fly in at once as the requisite protocol needed to be followed; meanwhile the Marine Commandos were not allowed to go to the rescue as the authorities felt they were not trained to deal with such situations. Basically, 26/11 was a tragedy of poor decision making at the top resulting in a host of missed opportunities.. The real heroes of this tragedy were the Taj staffers who literally sacrificed their lives to save the guests, some of whom were quite obnoxious.
Recommended if you want to read a non-fiction book that reads like fiction.
*The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
I do have to say that each time I pick up a Pulitzer prize winner, I find a wonderful read. It’s lovely to come across a book award which really awards deserving books, unlike other unnamed prizes which seem to be motivated otherwise.
This book is a departure from a lot of war books in that the bulk of the action takes place after the war; yet it makes it very clear just how horrific the Vietnam War was.
It is a multi-faceted tale told by a man with two faces and, therefore, more than just a war novel, as it deals with a variety of issues. Chief among them are those of refugees and their assimilation. The book also addresses the issue of who records history not just in serious books but in other media, notably films. It deals with the idea of revolution and more importantly its defence and what needs to be done to defend it. In other words, often the revolutionary soldiers find themselves betrayed too. To my mind though the most thought provoking issue that was raised was: is doing nothing as bad as indulging in evil actions, should we be mute witnesses to horrors in order to save our skins or should we get involved—a dilemma that everyone will face at least once in their life…
Recommended for an insight into the Vietnam war and its aftermath from a non-American perspective peppered with caustic observations.
*The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan
Amy Tan never ceases to amaze me...right from page one she pulls me into her story and I become oblivious to the world around me until I have finished reading the book. Even though I don't always like the way the protagonist reacts to situations I find myself compelled to read on. The Valley of Amazement recounts the story of Violet, how she becomes a courtesan in early 20th century China and struggles to live life on her terms. As the reader, one is witness to the ups and downs of her life. What really troubled me while reading this book was to see how difficult it was for women of that time to control their own lives, they were really at the mercy of men, no matter how strong they might be.
Recommended if you want to be swept into another world!
*The Wandering Falcon by Jamil Ahmed
A disturbing book, not so much for its plot but for the disturbing reality it portrays...namely that of life in a no-mans land on the Afghan-Pak border. This book--a novel or a collection of short stories--with only a secondary character in common is narrated in a simple prose that seems to echo the starkness of its setting. While this novel could be placed in the list of books that give you a peek into another world, I placed it here due to the writer's skill which elevated it to a definite good read.
Recommended for those who do not mind being left with a number of questions.
*The Wife by Meg Wolitzer
This was one movie adaptation I knew I had to see, but I was determined to read the book before seeing the movie. So read it, I did. And yes, it was a good read, predictable perhaps but oh so necessary to have been written and to have been read. This novel makes one relook at the phrase 'behind every successful man there stands a woman". In this account of a marriage partnership, we see how much a woman has to give, she may not always be a victim but the way the world is compels her to make the flawed decisions she does. While reading this book, instead of picturing Glenn Close as the wife, Claire Underwood (Robin Wright) of the first few seasons of House of Cards kept coming to mind…a powerful woman forced to take the backseat in the face of her husband's ambitions. What I really enjoyed about the book was how the wife was so aware of her husband's frailties and the way she did not mince her words. Yet, I was saddened to think how we women are often forced into situations which don't let us achieve our potential as we are often curtailed by our biology and society's expectations. At the end, I realised that we must caution the next generation of women against making such faulty decisions and to not be afraid of success on their own terms; for while the world has changed from the 1950s society still remains patriarchal.
Read for a harsh critique of the male ego and frailties.
*This is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz
*Three Sisters by Bi Feiyu
*One Part Woman by Perumal Murugan translated by Aniruddhan Vasudevan
A tale told simply and yet so evocative, the intense sadness that the protagonists feel because of their inability to have a child keeps hitting one in successive waves. Not only do they have to deal with their own personal sadness, the couple is constantly reminded of their failure by the cruel taunts or innuendoes constantly dropped by all and sundry around them. It is this miserable sadness that compels this couple, so in love with each other, to contemplate resorting to an age old practice of consensual sex on a festival night between any man and woman—the pre-modern version of sperm donors. Unfortunately, a lot of right wing people objected to this book forcing Murugan to give up writing—another tragedy that has enveloped the book. All I can say is that they either have not read the book or they are a thick-skinned bunch of idiots who have missed the point of the book—the repercussions of such a choice on the couple’s relationship. Apart from the plot, I also enjoyed the additional details the writer provided about daily village life in South India, an area one is not familiar with at all.
Recommended for a sensitive depiction childlessness places on a married couple in a traditional society.
*Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
*Vanara by Anand Neelakantan
For a review click on the following link: https://dbookhub.blogspot.com/2019/05/january-2019-readings_68.html
*When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin Labatut
In When We Cease to Understand the World, Labatut has taken the lives and discoveries of pathbreaking scientists and mathematicians and crafted a tale around them, slipping back and forth across time, traipsing around Europe with side journeys to Japan and ending in Chile, blurring the lines between fact and fiction, so befitting the dystopian world we live in today.
For the most part, the world Labatut describes is a very Germanic one helmed predominantly by Jews, reminding us of how the Jews in the twentieth century accounted for so many innovations.
While the book may seem daunting to people like me who have no clue about the sciences, let alone quantum physics, if you go with the flow you are in for a real stimulating ride.
Without giving away the plot, some of the key themes Labatut addresses include how many of the scientists are like Mary Shelley's Dr Frankenstein unleashing monsters unwittingly. Another interesting theme that emerges is how all geniuses are alike: verging on madness and suffering the same disbelief by those who cannot comprehend their discoveries. In a way, the scientists that people Labatut's book are like modern day seers. Another parallel that emerges is the similarity between the rational world of science and the creative world; for the proponents of new theories of physics had to see the world in a very creative way, to think it anew so to speak. In other words, new scientific theories are very much an artistic creation.
Labatut in a rather subtle manner focuses on the difference between Judaeo-Christian and Eastern, in particular Hindu, world views. The former having a rigid faith in a rational god which prevents none other than Einstein from accepting a new scientific view versus the Hindu acceptance of endless possibilities which makes it easier to accept the seemingly preposterous claims of quantum physics.
I found it quite interesting to note that Labatut echoes Carlo Rovelli's ideas of looking Eastwards to understand Quantum mechanics. According to Rovelli, Nagarjuna's idea of interdependence givers us a better way of understanding Quantum physics.
While a book like this might be difficult to bring to a close, Labatut does so through the only wholly fictional chapter in the novel, which weaves in elements from the previous stories, thus, resulting in a book of seemingly disparate short stories that merge into a retelling of some of the greatest discoveries of twentieth century science and maths as a single cohesive narrative.
Though I really enjoyed When We Cease to Understand the World since it challenged me as the reader to really engage and pay attention to what Labatut had to say; what marred the book from being a great one in my opinion are the liberties he took with the East, in his grotesquely sexualised portrayal of Hafez and Kali. While I am totally in favour of artistic expression, it really rankled that that the sexually perverse scenes of the book featured Asian figures, who are so revered in their respective cultures, which just goes to show how Westerners still have a long way to go in shedding their Orientalist tinged glasses.
Also, there seems to have been an oversight on Labatut's part when he clubs Rommel with the other German Generals who committed suicide rather than face defeat at the hands of their enemy; for Rommel's death was more of an execution than suicide because of his involvement in the failed assassination attempt on Hitler.
Barring the above issues, this is definitely a book worth reading, especially for the way it has been crafted.
*Women in the Picture by Catherine McCormack
*Written in Tears by Arupa Patangia Kalita
