reading habit

Editor’s note

This week, splainer trainee, Prasanna, curates the latest book releases and a list of delightful literary reads. Also: we’d love to hear your suggestions on what you’d like to see in this section. Please email us at talktous@splainer.in with your comments and suggestions.

Books Releasing in October

• Mantel Pieces: Hilary Mantel of the Wolf Hall trilogy is back, this time with a collection of essays that talk about everything from Madonna to the Virgin Mary, from insights into the Tudor royalty to her infamous speech ‘Royal Bodies’, spanning three decades. (October 3, 2020)
• A Drop Of Blood: Joginder Paul’s translated novel shows us the price to pay for an easy income by selling blood, and how the ones in power destroy the vulnerable. (October 5, 2020)
• Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia: In the manga adaptation of BBC’s Sherlock, the detective and the doctor race against time to save the royal family from one Irene Adler. For fans of manga and Sherlock, this book is a must have! (October 6, 2020)
• Kleptopia: A stark reminder of the moolah-thirsty world we live in, this book that reads like a thriller shows us just how deep the pockets of dirty money are, and how they are disrupting entire governments around the world. (October 10, 2020) 
• The Haunting Of Alma Fielding: In this reworking of a true story, we encounter a woman haunted by the paranormal and a ghost hunter desperate to prove that the ‘other’ world exists. What they find in the end, is weirder than ever. (October 10, 2020)
• How To Talk To Robots: AI has permeated every aspect of our life, and it’s high time we understand how to expertly navigate it. How To.. does just that, by offering practical solutions for the AI challenge. (October 25, 2020)
• The Devil And The Dark Water: Murder, mayhem and whispers of a demon on a ship on which a famous detective is imprisoned forms the alluring story of the book, guaranteed to keep you hooked. (October 28, 2020)
• Troy: Stephen Fry and a retelling of the legend of Troy—need we say more? (October 29, 2020)

Also this: Sex Ed For Adults, Sophie Kinsella’s newest chick-lit (Love Your Life), an adventurous travel guide to the fantasy world (Notes From Small Planets), Voices Of Dissent and James Patterson’s newest thriller (Private Moscow) are also releasing this month. Make space in your TBR pile now!

A fab list of literary reads

• Can a straight, cis-gender man write from a trans perspective? Author of Honeybee answers in this read. 
• Listen to Hari Kunzru talk about Red Pill, his newest novel, which takes its name from a phrase from ‘The Matrix’. 
• When is it okay to write about someone else’s culture or experience? This thought provoking piece answers the question.  
• Unlovable female protagonists in YA novels—where are they? 
• The enchanting, albeit violent history of the word ‘cuck’. 
• Want YA romance-less and escapist book recommendations? Listen to this episode of Get Booked. 
• USPS’ process of choosing a literary stamp is a read worthy of your time.