We recommend: The best new book releases
The best of new fiction
The Other Mothers by Katherine Faulkner: Tash is a journalist and someone who has newly entered motherhood. She finds a local playgroup for her son, which is located in a wealthy neighbourhood. A young nanny dies soon after, and Tash decides that this is the best way for her to relaunch her journalism career. Faulkner, through this book, writes a fast paced thriller about murder, motherhood and wealth. (December 5)
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon: Set in the 18th century, this is a historical murder mystery novel featuring a midwife Martha Ballard, and the small town of Hallowell, where she lives. A man accused of rape has been found dead in the ice during peak winter. Martha is set on finding out what exactly happened to this man, and on the night of the assault. She is at the centre of this scandal, and has to deal with betrayal and other prejudices from the community as she tries to solve this murder. (December 5)
Yours for the Taking by Gabrielle Korn: Set in a futuristic 2050 where climate change anxiety is more real, the novel is premised on the greediness of the billionaire’s world. Jacqueline Millender is the founder and architect of the Inside Project—which is a special housing system meant to protect WOC and queer women from patriarchy and climate disaster. In a lottery system, protagonist Ava, Shelby, Jacqueline’s trans assistant and medical school graduate Olympia get chosen to live there and are enamoured by the feminist outlook of the place. But as the story progresses, the characters realise they are part of a sinister plan. We are intrigued. Kirkus Reviews writes: “Like the woman at its center, this novel sparkles with interesting ideas but struggles to delve deeper.” (December 5)
This month’s poetry pick
Tender Headed by Olatunde Osinaike. In Tender Headed, Osinaike shares poems about the vulnerability of being a man. The collection is an exploration of Black identity and masculinity in America, and it features poems about fatherhood, Black life in the US, generational neglect and identity. (December 5)
The best of the non-fiction list
Breaking the Mould : Reimagining India's Economic Future by Raghuram Rajan and Rohit Lamba. Economists Raghuram Rajan and Rohit Lamba offer to answer the question—‘What should India do to secure a better future?’—from the lens of economic development and policy. The two professors offer a clear analysis of the steps taken by the government of India to uplift India’s citizens, but also point out the many weaknesses in our systems that restrict our growth and hamper the lives of millions of people. If you’re looking for a book that will offer vivid examples about the state of our economy and how we can do better, this is it. (December 5)
Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel by Shahnaz Habib: An immigrant and an Indian Muslim, writer and traveller Shahnaz, through this book offers to look at the history of travel, and the stories of many underappreciated artefacts of travel. She writes essays about passports, guidebooks, expressways etc. She explores how a lot of the history of travel is from an Euro-American perspective, and with her unique background provides a curious and fascinating look at travel. Anyone who travels, or wants to travel should read this collection of essays that combines history and personal narratives. Kirkus Reviews praises the book and notes that it is “enlightening and entertaining”. (December 5)
Love Jihad and Other Fictions : Simple Facts to Counter Viral Falsehoods by Sreenivasan Jain, Mariyam Alavi and Supriya Sharma. This book is for someone who is interested in learning more about conspiracy theories and many lies peddled on family WhatsApp chats that become viral. The authors, all of whom are journalists, assess the many claims and theories we see around us in social media such as love jihad, the rising population of Muslims to control India, theories of how Christians are waging a religious war against Hindus etc. With rigorous research and analysis, the book provides facts that help you interrogate these falsehoods and understand how these viral conspiracies can be countered. With the election season coming, this seems like the perfect book to prepare for the social media onslaught. (December 5)
The Grammar of My Body by Abhishek Anicca: This is a memoir and a collection of deeply personal essays where Abhishek writes about living with a chronic illness and disability. He shares the ordinary and daily stories of a queer-disabled man and how he is navigating through life. In case you’re looking for a good collection of essays, definitely check this one out. (December 4)
