reading habit
Book Editor’s Note
Thank you to everyone who wrote in with the books they’re reading. My TBR pile is now basically Jenga, and I can’t be happier about it. I want to give a special shout out to ‘World of Wonders’ by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, which is an enthusiastic and loving recommendation from subscriber Shyamala Das. The collection of essays about the natural world is gorgeous to behold. Keep them coming!
A list of new releases
Fiction:
‘Jungle Nama: A Story of the Sundarban’ by Amitav Ghosh, illustrated by Salman Toor: A new Ghosh is always exciting, and this one even more so, as his first-ever book in verse. An adaptation of an episode from the legend of Bon Bibi, a tale popular in the villages of the Sundarban, it’s a story of a mighty spirit, the goddess of the forest, and humans rich and poor, greedy and content, standing as cautionary tales for the rest of us. Find a sample here, which also includes some of the gorgeous illustrations inside the book.
‘Arzu’ by Riva Razdan: This has the sound of an inviting twist to a much-loved genre. All Arzu wants is for her millionaire boyfriend to propose to her before the 1991 liberalization of the Indian economy sours his mood. But as things go totally not according to plan, Arzu and her bua (aunt), Parul, find themselves in New York, where the former is to attend finishing school. While there, she chances upon an idea that can change the face of an entire industry in India. The last line in the blurb says “can someone who has always played second fiddle to the men in her life discover how to become the heroine of her own story?” and I was SOLD.
‘The Last Light of Glory Days: Stories from Nagaland’ by Avinuo Kire: A fantastic and essential collection of ten short stories that delve deep into a range of issues and sentiments rooted in the state. There are interconnected stories set against the backdrop of an as yet unresolved Indo-Naga conflict that originated in the 1940s; other tales find contemporary settings intertwined with Naga myths and folk legends. Kire is a teacher in Nagaland who deftly manages to disentangle the preconceived notions around her state from its ground reality through her writing.
‘A Court of Silver Flames’ by Sarah J Maas: The fourth in the incredibly popular A Court of Thorn and Roses series sees reluctant High Fae Nesta Archeron trying to find her way in the strange and deadly world she now lives in, while struggling with her conflicting feelings for the battle-scarred Cassian. Meanwhile, a new alliance poses a grave threat to the peace of the realms. Nesta and Cassian find themselves back in a war battling demons of various kinds as they both also search for who they really are.
‘My Year Abroad’ by Chang-rae Lee: Two men from completely different worlds, personalities and cultures—the quiet Tiller and the larger-than-life Pong Lou—set out on a trip across Asia. The aftermath of the year-long sojourn is strange and startling as the two men come to terms with what happened on the trip and what their lives look like now. A perfect sampling of humour meeting darkness, the book is reminiscent of the classic bildungsroman about the many lives us humans end up leading.
Non-fiction:
‘Susegad: The Goan Art of Contentment’ by Clyde D’Souza: The craze around “hygge”, “ikigai” and the many other ways to enhance one’s life makes this book even more exciting—Susegad is a Konkani word with no direct translation, but conveys a sense of fulfilment and relaxation that one is bound to find only in Goa. A great reprieve from our fast, filled-to-the-brim lives, D’Souza takes on a beautiful journey across Goa’s beaches, greenery, food, culture and so much more through this gem of a book, in the hope that we will also find our Susegad.
‘Let Me Tell You What I Mean: Essays’ by Joan Didion: This slim, delicious volume collects some of the early essays by the extraordinary icon. Didion always has something for everyone, and this collection is no different—she writes about Hemingway, Martha Stewart, meeting Nancy Reagan, Gamblers Anonymous, being rejected by Stanford and so much more, each piece as perceptive, prescient and amusing as ever.
‘Bare Necessities: How to Live a Zero-Waste Life’ by Sahar Mansoor and Tim de Riddler: Another necessary addition to everyone’s TBR in my opinion, this book is by the founder of the sustainable brand Bare Necessities. It includes useful and simple-to-apply-to-your-everyday-life lessons on how to lead a more environmentally conscious lifestyle and minimize your carbon footprint, eventually living a zero-waste life.
‘Wild And Wilful: Tales of 15 Iconic Indian Species’ by Neha Sinha: An eye-opening book, it helps shift our perspectives towards how we experience animal-human interactions and what we take away from them. An informed, almost loving take on how wild animals deserve to exist in tandem with humans with the same care and attention we give ourselves, it delves deep into conservation, agency and decision-making in animals, and combines science and storytelling skillfully.
‘Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future’ by Elizabeth Kolbert: The author of the critically acclaimed ‘The Sixth Extinction’ sets out to meet biologists, engineers, physicists and more in this pressing new book about the new world we are creating for ourselves through our actions. She examines our interventions into the natural world and how they act as double-edged swords—at times imperiling the planet, at others giving hope for our salvation.
Quick fixes, aka a few varied recommendations
What I’m reading: I picked up ‘The Sun Down Motel’ by Simone St. James thinking it was a mystery, but it turned out to also be spooky, with elements of pure horror. Told from the points of view of Viv, who vanishes from the eponymous motel in the 1980s, and Carly, her niece, trying to figure out what happened to her aunt in 2017, it’s a story I’m completely on board with, though it isn’t much fun when you suddenly have to sleep with the lights on.
A childhood fave: Oh man, ‘The Secret City’ by Chris Archer, first in the awesomely named ‘Pyrates’ series, was what I based my entire future on when I was 12—clearly, I’m related to a pirate who buried his treasure somewhere in my city, and my friends and I are supposed to follow ancient clues, underground tunnels and fiendish puzzles to claim what is rightfully mine. This is the series that I most associate with the Scholastic Book Fair at school, so you can tell that the nostalgia is strong with this one.
Book-adjacent rec of the week: The End of the World Review is my go-to place for carefully curated books reviews, essays, interviews, reporting and more that may fly under the mainstream radar. Its creator, Dana Snitzky, is wry and funny and picks/writes about topics both entertaining and informative. There’s something for everyone here.
Underrated author of the week: Alan Bradley went ahead and created a character that I’ve always wanted to be—even now. His eleven-year-old chemist/sleuth Flavia de Luce, operating in her tiny British village in the 1950s solely on will and gumption, is a straight shot of serotonin into my brain. There are 10 books out in the series so far, and I don’t think it’s unreasonable to hope that it keeps going on for as long as I’m alive and reading.
Bookish adaptation to watch out for: I started Shetland on Netflix not knowing it was based on Ann Cleeves’ super-popular Jimmy Perez series; I just needed a murder mystery fix. It totally paid off. The characters are refreshing and feel new, despite some cliches, and the Scottish landscape (and accents!) is a sight for sore eyes (and ears!). Already twiddling my thumbs in anticipation of the next season.
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