Hello, a happy 2025 to everyone.
Continuing
the habit, here is a list of books I read in 2024.
1. A Fine Balance (Fiction) by Rohinton Mistry; The first book of the year has been
generally disappointing in the past, but NOT this one. What a monumental piece
of work. He is unflinching in his descriptions of squalor and filth as well as
the caste atrocities. There are pages where I wanted to kill the author. His
capacity to unleash tragedies one after the other is bordering on the insane. A
very matter of fact, realistic book with no fictional liberties of justice
catching up with the evil ones. Like in life, many get away after evil deeds
and many suffer unjustly. Dina aunty, Maneck, Ishwar, Om, Shankar, Rajaram, the
beggarmaster, Avinash, his sisters, his parents, Nusswan, Ruby, Dharamsi,
monkeyman……… so many characters, but all neatly tied in the end. The last two
pages alone deserve an award. Will stay with me for a long long time. Will try
and catch up on his remaining 3 books too.
a.
Started on 18th December and
finished on 13th January
b.
Recommended by Self
2. Where Stones Speak – Historical
Trails in Mehrauli, the First City of Delhi (Non-Fiction) by Rana Safvi; A nice book listing the historical
attractions in and around Delhi. With some anecdotes and myths and history. The
recommendation in the end tells you how to go and visit these places, how much
time to allocate and other details.
a. Started on 13th January and
finished on 16th January
b. Recommended by self
(after interacting with the author once)
3. Troy (Mythical) by Stephen Fry; Fry tells you repeatedly “you do not have
to remember all the names, the main characters will fall into place”. And, he
is right. Reading the characters at the end was like walking through a maze,
blindfolded and intoxicated. The main story itself was fabulous. The cunning of
Odysseus, valor of Hector, skill of Achilles, beauty of Helen and the general
depravity of all mortals and gods. Fry has made it easy to wade through and his
wit is inimitable. A most satisfying read.
a. Started on 16th January and
finished on 23rd January
b. Gifted by Murali
& Vidya, so counts as their recommendation.
4. Uncommon Type – some stories (Fiction) by Tom Hanks; An actor as capable as TH can also write!
That itself is a plus. The general verdict is; this is just about average.
Quite a few bordering on the pretentious. Who’s who, Go see Costas and Wang is
perfect, These are the meditations of my heart, the past is important to us –
are the stories that stand out as exceptional. The idea of keeping a typewriter
in every story and achieving it was a lovely idea. Well executed. Never found a
mention or presence of one jarring or superfluous.
a.
Started on 23rd January and
finished on 31st January.
b.
Recommended by self
5. A Gentleman’s Word: The Legacy of
Subhas Chandra Bose in Southeast Asia (Non-Fiction) by Nilanjana Sengupta; A revelation. I did not know so
much about Bose. His respect for and empowerment of women stand out singularly
as a great achievement. While Gandhi groomed women as Sita, Bose opted them to
be Jhansi Ranis. His impatience, even to the extent of asking his mother “how
can you not be disturbed” is infectious. His stand on anti-communalism is not a
mere vote bank tactic or lip-service. The way he demonstrated his convictions
is amazing. My respect for this man has increased now. All those who cast a
doubt because of his interactions with Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan
understand him superficially without realizing that he never compromised his
principles, nor made compromises on his end goals. Once again we need to
understand the meaning of the word “nuance” when trying to understand history.
a.
Started on 31st January and
finished on 4th February
b.
Recommended by Arko
6. The Inheritance Of Loss (Fiction) by Kiran Desai; A few bits left open in the end. That is
the way life unfolds, right? Not everything is neatly tied in the end. A story
that looks at migrants, aspirations, class difference, revolution, and
retribution. The language and the imagery are top notch. “Several generations
to have their hearts in other places, their minds thinking about people
elsewhere” and “Ashes have no weight, they tell no secrets, they rise too
lightly for guilt; too lightly for gravity, they float upward and, thankfully,
disappear” – the book is full of such brilliant observations. A satisfying
read.
a.
Started on 6th February and
finished on 11th February
b.
Recommended by self
7. If this is A Man (Non-Fiction) by Primo Levi; “If I was God, I would spit at Kuhn’s
prayer”, “The living are demanding; the dead can wait” “Till I am ready for the
chimney” “I am not even alive enough to think of how to kill myself”. Such a
wonderful book with such deep insights into questioning the madness and trying
to reason the unreasonable. The pain is felt on every page. How the inmates
became something less than men. Devoid of feelings, waiting for the neighbor to
die so that you can eat his ration. How theft is practiced with no shame or
guilt. How the ONLY purpose was to live yet another day. That I have been to
Auschwitz seven times already, seen those places he mentions, and familiar with
the towns and names all make it more personal. A brilliant book. Cried the
usual buckets.
a.
Started on 12th February and
finished on 19th February
b.
Recommended by self
8. Too Loud A Solitude (Fiction) by Bohumil Hrabal; From defining solitude, to having so
many disparate characters that are his trademark; a guy who takes photographs
without a film roll, rats engaged in war in the sewers, endless beers, horny
ladies, a woman who “only with a bed and a clear cut goal, built herself a
home”…The end packed a punch that you did not see coming
a.
Started on 19th February and
finished on 20th February
b. All books of Hrabal are deemed as recommended
by Naren
9. Einstein His Life and Universe
(Non-Fiction) by Walter Isaacson; A
wonderful book. Einstein had the same approach to life as that of the little prince.
Curiosity guided him everywhere. Even after all these years, you find it
difficult to understand his breakthrough theories. Even after Mr. Isaacson
tried his best to present it in the simplest way. His adamant behavior in not
accepting quantum physics personifies his entire faith; that the universe must
obey simple rules. His humility stands above everything else. His prophetic
remarks about Israel and Arabs haunted me as I happened to be reading the book
when Israel was conducting its genocide in Gaza. A man of extreme intelligence,
passionate, considerate and not without flaws. While religious believed in God
because of miracles, the absence of miracles convinced him of order in the
universe.
a.
Started on 21st February and
finished on 26th March
b.
Recommended by self
10. The Idiot (Fiction – Bildungsroman) by Elif Batuman; One of those books that I picked up
after reading the blurb. A good book. The writer has a sense for writing absurd
scenes with poker faced seriousness. A mix of John Irving and PGW. Tremendous
command over the language. A satisfying read.
a.
Started on 27th March and finished
on 21st April
b.
Recommended by Self,
a random pick up
11. The Other Name – Septology I-II (Fiction) by Jon Fosse; Gifted by Wojciech and a book by a Nobel
Laureate at that. It is unlike any book that I have read before. The writing
style is inconceivable. It is like you have a recorder that records your
thoughts as you think without any redacting. An interesting read. The entire
339 pages that cover the first two volumes can be written in two paragraphs.
Now will go and get the other books in the septology.
a.
Started on 22nd April and finished
on 22nd May
b.
Gifted by Wojciech
, so counted as his recommendation.
12. African Diary (Travelogue) by Bill
Bryson; The author needs no recommendations. A quick and enjoyable read.
The episode describing the origin of the name “Man-eater's junction” is vintage
Bryson. His flying experience is another hilarious part in this small and
lovely book.
a.
Started on 22nd May and finished
on the same day
b.
Recommended by self.
13. Swadeshi Steam – V.O.Chidambaram Pillai and the Battle against the
British Maritime Empire (Non-Fiction) by A.R.Venkatachalapthy;
The book could have been a dreary material. Credit to the author to make it
such an easy read. A lot of hard work goes behind when you read something
simple – this book is a living proof of that statement. 40 years of research
and obsession shows through every page. The vile British with all their devious
ways to strangle a new establishment, the lukewarm locals not ready to loosen
their purses and the steadfast determination of few individuals all add up to
record how hard a struggle it was and it pains when you see that people do not
acknowledge the freedom that they got. The efforts of Meenakshi, an illiterate
woman, homebound fighting on so many fronts arranging VOC’s release while
taking care of her family was a revelation. And the good old style of notes at
the bottom of the page was such a relief. No need for two bookmarks.
a.
Started on 22nd May and finished
on 31st May
b.
Recommended by self
14. Blood Meridian or The evening redness in the west (Fiction) by Cormac McCarthy; I have no idea what this book was
about. Formless and elusive. His penchant for describing violence in its most
elemental form is scary. The ongoing Euros2024 meant the book took longer to
finish. But, I feel even otherwise it would have taken long. His writing style
is brilliant and I just wish he had written something that made sense!
a.
Started on 1st June and finished
on 1st July
b.
Recommended by self.
15. Appeasing Hindutva: An analysis of the nationalist LGBTQ discourse
in India (Non-Fiction) by Aarthi Murali;
The master’s thesis submission by my friend’s daughter. The title hooked me in
and I am listing it as one of the books that I have read this year considering
its length. An interesting point of view in explaining how the queer movement
in India chooses to be political in its associations to get what it needs by
aligning with right wing and local political groups and is often at crossroads
with the left leaning queer movement. And how the SC which could have delivered
a landmark judgment chose to opt a safer alternative indirectly supporting
anti-minority sentiments.
a.
Started on 1st July and finished
on 3rd July
b.
Recommended by Murali.
16. Prophet Song (Fiction) by Paul
Lynch; A booker prize winner usually goes into your list. It was further
strongly recommended by Mihir, who has never gone wrong with a recommendation
so far. Easily the best booker prize winner I have read by a mile. What a work!
I started this year with a Rohinton Mistry book and I wanted to kill that
author for ripping my heart apart. Paul Lynch joins the queue. He was
relentlessly chipping away at your stoicism and made sure you broke down and
cried. Chapter 8 was a nightmare. I took a lie down after reading that chapter
and went back only when I gathered enough strength to address the final
chapter. “End of the world is always a local event” and “History is full of
people who did not know when to leave” were two statements that will haunt me forever.
He elaborates on the second statement with an even more powerful explanation.
If Paul Lynch does not write another word, he is still assured a place among
the best writers of his generation, even my generation.
a.
Started on 3rd July and finished
on 13th July
b.
Recommended by self
and Mihir.
17. People, Power and Profits – Progressive Capitalism For An Age of
Discontent (Non-Fiction) by Joseph E.
Stiglitz; His clarity and depth of knowledge are amazing. A Nobel
winner, so it should come as no surprise. What he points out are so elementary
that it stuns you to see the level of inaction in the world. Money has become
the king. He explains how tax is not a bad word. Explains inequality as the
basic malady. Democracy, an active media, checks and balances, no monopoly or
monopsony, need to invest in research, need for competition – all ingredients
needed for a robust economy. It is still possible but increasingly looking
unlikely. Some statistics are mindboggling. 25% of all prisoners are in the USA
while UAS accounts only for 5% of the world population. 5% of the workforce in
the USA is from prisons! Land of the free, indeed! A government can never be
the solution, only the problem is simply wrong. Well worded.
a.
Started on 14th July and finished
on 30th July
b.
Recommended by Ujval.
18. Pyre (Fiction) by Perumal
Murugan; A brutal Murugan weaving his magic. The blurb prepares you for
a tragedy but even that preparation is not enough. I will need to take a break
for a day or two before I start my next book. I need something light, so will
probably pick up a Bryson.
a.
Started and finished on 31st July
b.
Recommended by Self
19. India after Gandhi (Non-Fiction) by Ramachandra
Guha; For some reasons, though the title clearly says otherwise, I
thought this was another book on Gandhi when I bought this. I can’t recommend a
better book for contemporary history of India since independence. He has
successfully kept his bias out of the narrative. A wonderful study on India.
The repeated obituaries written about India by outsiders as well as from those
within make the survival of India all the more commendable. A nation without a
common language, a common enemy or a war/revolution shaping its formation is a
commendable feat. The epilogue forms a perfect coda questioning if democracy
survives in India. 50-50 is an apt summary. A brilliant book. I ended up buying
a Tamil book through the author’s recommendation and earmarked two more.
a.
Started on 1st August and finished
on 2nd September
b.
Recommended by self
20. 18-avadhu Atchakodu (Fiction – Tamil) by Ashokamitran; Mr. Guha mentioned this book in his
notes. A chance trip to India ensured that I could get a copy, thanks to the
ever reliable staff at Higginbotham. Reading a book in Tamil after a long time
and the reading was a bit slow. A fictional account of the Hyderabad merger
after the independence through the eyes of a common man, almost a coming of age
story. What could have been one of the countless accounts of a historic event
told as a story transforms into a piece of work that will haunt you forever
with just three paragraphs on the last page. Massive respect for this man.
a.
Started on 3rd September and
finished on 6th September
b.
Recommended by Ramachandra
Guha.
21. How To Stop Time (Fiction) by Matt
Haig; Pretentious and as all pretentious things go, crap. A waste of
time. The recommendations and reviews by magazines and other celebrities come
as a surprise. A disappointing book. The blurb reminded me of the 2007 film The
Man from Earth and that is one of the reasons why I bought this book. Sigh.
a. Started on 7th September and
finished on 10th September
b.
Recommended by self.
22. Backstage – The Story Behind India’s High Growth Years (Non-Fiction) by Montek Singh Ahluwalia; A book that lists the economic
challenges that India faced and some near miracles that saved the nation. The
single biggest gain for me would be knowing the full story behind the
sensational 2G scam. And how media driven witch hunt can derail actual progress
potential. A good record of the actual growth and the policy decisions that
shaped the growth. Towards the end one could not shake off the feeling that
comparisons between UPA and NDA periods appeared a bit political. Inevitable,
probably. A readable account of a fantastic period of India as well his whole
life.
a. Started on 11th September and
finished on 17th September
b. Recommended by Self
23. Rosarita (Fiction) by Anita Desai;
A simple and deep story. The prose of Ms. Desai is elegant and enticing. A
story of partition and the revolution, a story of parent and children, a story
of exploration and finding. Satish Gujral would have been so happy had he been
alive to read this. Any further discussion on the plot will involve spoilers.
An enjoyable read.
a. Started on 17th September and
finished on 18th September
b. Recommended by self
24. The world goes on (Fiction) by Laszlo
Krasznahorkai; A mixed bag. I would not label this as fiction. Some
parts were exceptional and others complete drivel. The writing style reminded
me of Jon Fosse’s. Can’t understand it being good enough to win The Man booker
International!
a. Started on 19th September and
finished on 24th September
b. Recommended by self
25. Chronicles of a liquid society (Essays) by Umberto Eco: A collection of his newspaper columns.
Written in his inimitable wit. A pleasure to read.
a.
Started on 24th September and
finished on 7th October
b.
Gifted by Pavel,
so counts as his recommendation.
26. Maha Periyavar (Tamil – Non Fiction) by Indira Soundarrajan; Maha Periyavar was a man who
commanded respect. He does not need books like these that borders on flattery.
Read the book as my mother kept following up.
a. Started on 7th October and
finished on 10th October.
b. I gifted it to my mom who returned it to me –
so self recommendation
27. Godel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid (Non-Fiction) by Douglas R. Hofstadter; Exceptionally brilliant and
insanely frustrating in equal parts. There were moments I was certain that I
was reading some of the most original, daring and clear thoughts ever conceived
by a human mind, and there were times I was left wondering WTF am I reading…. A
mixed bag but quite an exceptional book.
a.
Started on 11th October and
finished on 10th November
b.
Recommended by Lubomir
Paroha
28. Yellowface (Fiction) by Rebecca
F Kuang; The book started well and proceeded brilliantly and then just
faded and disintegrated. Could have been an exceptional book but ended as a
tepid one. A fast read after the sloth paced GEB prior to this and that is the
only redeeming factor.
a.
Started on 10th November and
finished on 11th November
b.
Recommended by The
Guardian
29. Notes from a big country (Non-Fiction) by Bill Bryson; What needs to be said about Bryson. The
master of his genre. Had me laughing throughout the book. A genius.
a. Started on 11th November and
finished on 14th November.
b. Recommended by self
30. Chip War (Non-Fiction) by Chris
Miller; If history and importance of semiconductors and chips, a
thoroughly technical and political issue, were to be written by Robert Ludlum,
this would be it. A timely topic and engagingly written. How few firms like
TSMC and ASML hold the fate of the world in their hands and how little anyone
realizes it is amazing. And those visionaries who shaped the semiconductor /
chip industry in the early years in silicon valley has been told countless
times and it always inspires you once more. A brilliant read.
a. Started on 14th November and
finished on 22nd November
b. Recommended by Sean
31. The bookshop woman (Fiction) by Nanako
Hanada; A good read. It could have been a much shorter book. But if it
is really the life story of the author (supported by the fact that she is now
running a bookshop in Japan), then it is really impressive. The love for books
shines through and one can relate to it easily.
a. Started on 22nd November and
finished on 24th November
b. Recommended by self.
Book
#32 has crept into 2025. When the book in question is a 800+ page behemoth with
a font size 10, you can understand and forgive.
This
year I merged my hobby of sketching to give an additional layer of
personalization to my blog. The idea was given by my daughter who in fact
picked it up from a random Twitter post. Thanks to Akshaya and the twitter
handle @mrs_g_rider
See
you all again in 12 months’ time.
