reading habit
Editor’s note
It’s only been three weeks since the year began and it’s already been...a lot. It’s difficult to look away from the rapidly changing news cycle. Thankfully, I get to read books—and read about books—as part of my job, which is almost always a hopeful and tranquil exercise. Here is some of what I’ve been reading these past few days.
A list of literary reads
- New York Times profiles 22-year old Amanda Gorman, who is the youngest poet to recite one of her works at a President’s inauguration ceremony. She is also wise beyond her years: “Poetry is typically the touchstone that we go back to when we have to remind ourselves of the history that we stand on, and the future that we stand for.”
- Akash Poyam in The Caravan has a necessary and educational list of Adivasi literature from around the country. His introduction to the list is especially informative and eye-opening.
- 2021 has made a rather unique dream come true for many authors, both established and aspiring: beloved classic ‘The Great Gatsby’ finally made the leap into public domain, and the adaptations, spin-offs, unofficial prequels, sequels and what-have-you have already started rolling out. The New York Times has a handy round-up. I also love this fantastic joke about the news. A related watch: This YouTube video titled ‘Nick Ain’t Straight’.
- Somak Ghoshal interviews Amitav Ghosh in MintLounge to mark the publication of ‘Gun Island’ in Hindi, Marathi and Malayalam. It’s enlightening and insightful, and a beautiful homage to language and translation.
- The formidable Roxane Gay has a new newsletter, called The Audacity, which is absolutely worth subscribing to. The bestselling author of ‘Bad Feminist’ and ‘Hunger’ is eloquent, scathing and hopeful in equal measure, talking about books, Hollywood, politics, identity and more.
- When we are not reading, I guess we are all watching stuff based on books...right? Here’s a handy list of all the books that are being turned into movies/series this year. Also watch: these excellent looking trailers of ‘Cherry’ and ‘To All the Boys: Always and Forever.’
Quick fixes, aka a few varied recommendations
What I’m reading: This week I’m immersed in a le Carré-esque spy novel called ‘Defectors’ by Joseph Kanon, set during the peak of the Cold War. It stars two American brothers, one of whom defected to Moscow years ago and is now writing his memoir, and the other a publisher, visiting him to discuss and edit his manuscript. As expected, subtle, tense intrigue ensues.
A childhood fave: A young adult classic, ‘The Amulet of Samarkand’ by Jonathan Stroud starring a snarky 5000-year-old jinn and a conflicted 12-year-old magician’s apprentice is perfect for readers both young and old.
Book-adjacent rec of the week: Five Books, a website which rounds up the five best books from leading experts on virtually every topic under the sun, from Space Exploration to Sherlock Holmes.
Underrated author of the week: Lavie Tidhar writes intelligent, thought-provoking genre-bending fiction, the latest of which is ‘By Force Alone’, a retelling of the legend of King Arthur.
Bookish adaptation to watch out for: ‘Anne With An E’ on Netflix has stolen my heart. It is the most wholesome, charming, lovely show, based on ‘Anne of Green Gables’ by LM Montgomery.
Note: Reading Habit is curated by our books editor Anushree Kaushal. Want to send along recommendations, feedback or just say hi? Email her at kaushalanushree@gmail.com