reading habit
Books Editor’s note
I have something *very* exciting for you all today: a giveaway! Remember the Splainer Reading Challenge from the beginning of this year? To enter the giveaway, simply send me an email with all the books you’ve read this year so far that fulfil any of the categories from the challenge, and I will pick and announce a winner in the next column. The prize? A copy of ‘Indian Icon: A Cult Called Royal Enfield’ by Amrit Raj. Easy peasy!
But before that, some bookish news for you all.
A list of good literary reads
One: In the Millions, an ode to the magic of comic books—from someone whose childhood was shaped by his love of Spiderman—who then grew out of comics, only to rediscover them as an adult while also coming to terms with their worth as they become vintage, priceless issues.
Two: This is an incredibly fascinating article on Sapiens, the evolution of writing and script. It uses the invention of the Vai script of Liberia in West Africa and the documentation of its evolutionary history as the springboard for its thesis, dropping intriguing tidbits like how “a number of early Vai letters are in fact depictions of real things: a pregnant woman, an enslaved man, a human ear, a dying tree, shot pellets, coins, and water” along the way.
Three: If you were impressed by the meeting of (spoilers) the three Spidermen in ‘Spiderman: No Way Home,’ wait till you see this: in Vanity Fair, two Darcys collide—the dreamy Colin Firth, whose portrayal of Darcy is nothing short of iconic in the BBC adaptation of ‘Pride and Prejudice;’ and the stoically handsome Matthew Macfadyen, who portrayed the character in the 2005 movie adaption—as they talk about their new movie, ‘Operation Mincemeat,’ based on a book of the same name by Ben Macintyre, which, in turn, is an account of real events that took place during WWII. Literally every single element of this is pure gold. Oh, what I will give for a P&P multiverse.
Four: We know more about the Brontë sisters now than before, and yet so little (Book Riot has some cool facts about them). That’s slowly changing, thanks in part to Sally Jaspars, a PhD student at the University of Aberdeen, who has discovered that Anne, the youngest, was keenly interested in geology and collected rock specimens that displayed her intricate knowledge. “She was an intelligent and progressive individual who was in tune with the scientific inquiry of the time.” The Guardian has the details.
Five: Never judge a book by its cover, they say, but should you judge an author by their fashion choices? Obviously not, but this ranking of famous authors’ trademark looks on LitHub is still a good old time—and might even get you started on your own unique look for your author photo.
Six: This year is the 10th anniversary of the publication of ‘Gone Girl’ by Gillian Flynn. Suffice it to say that the book started a movement—for a certain kind of female protagonist, for a certain genre of books, for a certain style of book title, you name it—that still goes strong today. In Esquire, Maris Kreizman takes a look at its lasting legacy and how it became the tour de force that it is.
Seven: A common refrain with cookbooks recently has been, “Why do I need to hear about the author’s childhood before I reach the actual recipe for the coq au vin?” One might want to reconsider this opinion after reading this dissection of the phenomenon of cookbook as memoir on Bon Appétit, which talks about how they are becoming effective means of wielding “the power of the personal,” throwing light on the political and social undercurrents in the author’s life.
Eight: This personal essay in the Yale Review about reading Anne Carson after a breakup is stunning, the prose mesmerising. “Love, to him, was something like a complete freedom of self-expression so expansive and natural it didn’t have to be contained in words but could instead be communicated purely through gaze, or touch, or atmospheric resonance.”
Quick fixes aka a few varied recommendations
Currently reading: I saw ‘Bunny’ by Mona Awad some time ago shelved as dark academia, set at a college famous for its literature programme, and I was in. What I was not prepared for was how absolutely bonkers it was going to be. Samantha Heather Mackie looks from afar at her four beautiful course-mates who are inseparable, constantly hugging each other, fawning over each other, calling each other “bunny.” Samantha despises them with all her being, until one day she is invited to join them for one of their soirees. Pure, utter madness ensues.
Bookish adaptation to watch out for: I watched Emma—as promised last time—and it was fantastic. Humour, heart, the British countryside, Bill Nighy with his impeccable comedic timing—I could not find fault with this adaptation.
I also watched ‘Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?’ based on the novel of the same name by Agatha Christie, and what a delight it was! Adapted this year for TV by Hugh Laurie (who also has a bit part in it), it stars Will Poulter as unexpectedly charming hero and the ineffable Lucy Boynton as determined, unconventional heroine who both turn amateur detectives to solve the murder of a man whose last words were “why didn’t they ask Evans?” You can find out why indeed for yourself on SonyLiv.
Underrated book of the week: I read and loved ‘The Fair Fight’ by Anna Freeman, the story of a female boxer trying to make a good life for herself in 18th century Bristol, England. I am always looking for women doing unconventional things in times when they were not allowed to do most things, and this book tackles that angle excellently. In addition to pugilism, there’s an exploration of the constant warring between classes, the definition of freedom and independence, living within constraints of different kinds and unexpected friendships. Please read.
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.