We recommend: The best new book releases
The best of new fiction
Mudritha by Jissa Jose, translated by Jayasree Kalathil: A woman called Mudritha has gone missing. A 30-year-old man, Aniruddhan, reports this at the local police station. He has never met Mudritha, but had helped her plan a trip to Odisha, with nine other people. There is no progress and the case is likely to be closed, until a female officer, Vanitha steps in, to investigate it secretly. As it unravels, Vanitha learns more about the group of women who travel the world to escape their mundane lives. Translated from Malayalam, the novel, through its women, touches upon themes of love, desire, ambition, and more. No reviews are out so far. (February 6)
The Comeback by Annie Zaidi: This new novel by the prolific author from Allahabad is set on the crossroads between the glitz and glamour of Bollywood and the local appeal of theatre. An actor named John runs his mouth a little too much during an interview—the revelations spell upheaval for John’s old friend, Asghar. With uncertainty surrounding his career and personal life, Asghar runs off to his hometown to start afresh with a grassroots theatre. But there’s one key commonality for these characters between these national and hyperlocal industries—ego. With Asghar mounting his comeback, what does that mean for his equation with John? (February 5)
Casualties of Truth by Lauren Francis-Sharma: The author’s previous literary novels ‘Til the Well Runs Dry’ and ‘Book of the Little Axe’, garnered critical acclaim. ‘Casualities of Truth’, once again chronicles historical events through people trying to find peace in their circumstances. Prudence Wright, a former McKinsey consultant, lives in Washington DC with her husband and autistic son. She and David step out for dinner one evening with the latter’s colleague who turns out to be someone from Prudence’s past. As a law intern in South Africa in 1996, Prudence confronted the horrors of human rights abuse. Prudence was a victim herself, a secret she had managed to keep so far. The book questions, among other things, if one can truly leave the past behind? (February 11)
Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky: ‘Shroud’ follows two women, Juna Ceelander and Mai Ste Etienne, who are forced to make an emergency landing on a deadly, high-gravity moon after a catastrophic accident. Stranded on the inhospitable surface, they must survive as they journey across the moon’s treacherous terrain. As they struggle to find salvation, they begin to uncover the secrets of Shroud’s alien species, which seems to understand them as much as they do (February 27).
The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen by Yuta Takahashi, translated by Cat Anderson: This one’s for people who love slow-burn Japanese books like the ‘Before the Coffee Gets Cold’ series. In this book, instead of a special chair, the curious cat is the time machine. The story follows a 19-year-old Kotoko Niki who suddenly loses her elder brother. Unable to cope with the pain, she heads to the Japanese seaside café, The Chibineko Kitchen, where she meets the chef and the cat who help ease her. (February 4)
This month’s poetry pick
Poet in the New World: Poems, 1946–1953 by Nobel laureate Czeslaw Milosz: A collection of previously untranslated poems written during his time in Washington, D.C., and his years in Europe before and after World War II. This volume offers a glimpse into Milosz's life as a diplomatic official in the US after the war, capturing his struggle to reconcile the horrors of his past with his new world. The collection spans poems written from 1945 in Warsaw to those from Europe in the early 1950s, providing an intimate portrayal of his personal and poetic evolution during a tumultuous period in history. The book highlights Milosz's grappling with violence, displacement, and the role of language in shaping the future. (February 4)
The best of new non-fiction
World After Gaza by Pankaj Mishra: Looks at two major stories of the 20th century: the West’s victory over totalitarian regimes and the global struggle for racial equality. Using the Middle East conflict as a starting point, Mishra explores how memories of slavery, colonialism, and decolonisation shape the world’s views today. He reflects on the growing racial tensions and the rise of far-right politics, urging us to think about how these issues affect the present and the future. (February 6)
Tested by Pat Cummins: The World Cup-winning captain of the Australian men’s team has become the latest cricketer to tell their life story, but this one goes beyond mere recollections of crazy anecdotes. As a current cricketer just three years into their captaincy tenure, Cummins appears interested in exploring all things leadership—from the miniscule decisions to the big calls, and it all tests your resolve. As such, Cummins interviews eleven leaders across industries—such as Dennis Lillee and Ronnie Screwvala—to impart their perspectives. There are no reviews out for this book yet, but cricket journalist Peter Lalor offers a useful breakdown of Cummins’ insights. (February 15)
Pratap by Chander Mohan and Jyotsna Mohan: The book looks at the Urdu newspaper Pratap—and its Hindi counterpart Vir Pratap—launched in 1919 by Mahashay Krishan. The authors are his grandchildren. The paper has played a pivotal role in all the landmark events from Independence to the Emergency and Operation Blue Star—which is all chronicled through the anecdotes of the paper’s founder and editors. (February 3)
Cleavage by Jennifer Finney Boylan: In 2003, Jennifer Finney Boylan became the first transgender writer in America to write a bestselling book titled ‘She’s Not There’ which explored the gender binary and how it shapes our life from the food we eat and the dreams we dream. The new book ‘Cleavage’ takes the discussion a step forward and opens space to review how times have changed in terms of the politics of coming out, the image of self and body as well as relationships and friendships.
As for the reviews, New York Times says "With its frank depiction of marriage and parenthood after transition, ‘She's Not There’ mapped what was, for many, uncharted territory. ‘Cleavage’ picks up the story with confidence, clarity, and perspective.” Publishers Weekly writes “Boylan is an accomplished and playful writer, adept at handling serious subjects with a light but poignant touch.” (February 4)
