If you’re looking for a book recommendation to start your reading journey, you’ve come to the right place. Out of thousands of books, I’ve curated the top 10 books for you to read. The books are a blend of fact, fiction, fantasy and realism. Read through and pick your favorite, and begin your journey into the world of words.
Here are the 10 best books hand-picked books for you to read:
1. The Blue Umbrella
The Blue Umbrella is a brilliant novella written by Ruskin Bond. It centres around Binya, a girl who lives in a small village in Himachal Pradesh. Binya acquires a beautiful blue umbrella from a foreigner in exchange for her leopard claw pendant. She gains the envy of the entire village especially the village shopkeeper, Ram Bharosa. The book is about how the fancy blue umbrella changes the life of Binya and Ram.
2. The Palace of Illusions
The novel, The Palace of Illusions, is a brilliant take on the epic Mahabharata through the eyes of Draupadi (Panchaali) by the award-winning novelist, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. The world through the eyes of Draupadi is a patriarchal society where she marries five men. She portrays the events that unfold which lead to the great war in a way which takes the reader through a completely different journey. She has re-imagined the Mahabharata through Panchaali.
3. Poonachi: Or The Story of a black goat
Perumal Murugan’s one of a kind a novel tells the story of Poonachi, an orphan goat. He explains the complexities of human life through the story of the black goat. She comes under the care of an old couple, thus, beginning her journey of survival. Through the story, we grow with the little goat through her solidarity, fear, and independence.
4. The Alchemist
Paulo Coelho’s, The Alchemist, has influenced the lives of millions. The book revolves around a shepherd boy who listens to the calling of the universe to fulfill his destiny. He embarks on a journey to find the treasure that calls to him through his dreams. The path he chooses changes his life forever.
5. Latitudes of Longing
Latitudes of Longing is the phenomenal debut novel of Shurbhangi Swarup. The book depicts the connection between the extremities of life, from life and death to loneliness and reprieve. The book follows a scientist in his quest for answers. It brings together companionship, the supernatural, transformations and silence through a beautiful blend.
6. A Fine Balance
In an “undefined city” in India, at the time of The Emergency, four people come together in an attempt to survive. The forge bonds and their fate remains undecided. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry captures India’s corruption, cruelty, dignity and heroism.
7. The White Tiger
Aravind Adiga’s, The White Tiger won the Man Booker Prize for its sheer brilliance. It is the narration of Balram Halwai, a village boy, and his journey through life. The book explicitly reveals the problems created by caste, religion, poverty, loyalty and corruption in India.
8. Capitalism: A Ghost Story
Capitalism: A Ghost Story is a book through which the author, Arundhati Roy, criticizes the dark side of democracy and capitalism which leads to the death of thousands of farmers and other laborers who are at the lowest level of the economy. She calls forth the ghosts of these men and women, who have suffered unfairly, to hold the people accountable for their actions.
9. The Hungry Tide
Amitav Ghosh’s thought-provoking novel brings to light the life in the islands in the Bay of Bengal. Piyali Roy, a marine biologist, finds herself thrown amidst this world through a disaster. The book is about her journey to complete her research and her desperate attempt to find her way home.
10. India 2020
The brilliant Scientist, APJ Abdul Kalam, examines India and her growth, her strengths and weaknesses through India 2020. Through the book, he explains how India can become one of the top economies in the world by the year 2020. However, practicality is questionable.