Welcome to the fifth edition of my year in books. It\u2019s been an interesting year for me, even when I look at my reading journey. There have been obvious slumps and then there are the sudden periods of hyper activity. The latter mostly coincide with holidays or when I am sick. In some ways, I have started slotting reading as a guilty pleasure. So, some days when there is nothing else I would rather do, you can find me curled up in a corner with a book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It would be remiss of me to not mention the debate that such lists trigger. Even when I told a close friend about my husband egging me on to target a higher number of books for the year, she looked at me with distaste rebutting that reading should be a pleasure and not a goal based activity. I do understand the value of slowly savouring all that you read, and maybe even the re-reading of good books often advocated. However, in this case I choose to be greedy. I believe there is just so much good content out there that I would rather chase after it in the hopes of enriching myself and my writing style, than settle for a comfortable pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You could also check out the last four editions of my year in books:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My year in books – 2021<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n My year in books \u2013 2020<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n My year in books \u2013 2019<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n My year in books \u2013 2018<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that it\u2019s out of the way, let\u2019s get on with the 65 books that made up my 2022. As always, all titles are linked to their Goodreads page. This list consists only of the new books I managed to finish. Wherever possible, I have added a quote I liked from the book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The year started on a great note with this memoir that my sister-in-law gave us for last Christmas. It\u2019s not a simple event chronology as what you expect with such books but more like Will Smith along with his co-author Mark Manson digging deeper into what each experience taught him. There is a streak of humour across a lot of narratives but they rarely let go of the underlying analysis and maybe even acknowledgement of errors where applicable. All in all, a highly memorable read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My imagination is my gift, and when it merges with my work ethic, I can make money rain from the heavens.<\/em><\/p>\nWill, Will Smith<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 2. People we Meet on Vacation \u2013 Emily Henry<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n A highly rated romance that had me scratching my head as to why. Two best friends who meet for an annual vacation, where one of them realises feeling more than called for (I forget who). The usual predictable stuff where even the writing didn\u2019t make anything better than normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instantly, I know she\u2019s right. She\u2019s seen right through the word vomit to the center of things. \u201cIsn\u2019t that ridiculous?\u201d I groan-laugh. \u201cMy life turned out how I hoped it would, and now I just miss wanting something.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nPeople we Meet on Vacation, Emily Henry<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 3. The Last Gift \u2013 Abdulrazak Gurnah<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This was my first book club read for the year, which means it was complex and came with multiple layers. As always, once I discussed the book with the group is when I truly understood a lot of the depth hidden in the prose. It encompasses so many themes really, be it immigration, mortality or how you view your parents. Would I have finished it if not for the book club? Possibly not. But, for anyone looking for a well-set human drama this makes for a good read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They did not understand the tragedy of being you. Instead of taking charge of your life, you keep waiting for something to happen and then you get depressed when nothing does. You think you have unfulfilled ambitions but you don\u2019t, all you have are desires, little fun-filled daydream desires.<\/em><\/p>\nThe Last Gift, Abdulrazak Gurnah<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 4. Greenlights \u2013 Matthew McConaughey<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Another one of the memoirs and another one that I would definitely recommend. I have mostly viewed McCounaughey as a light actor with my first brush of him being his movie The Wedding Planner with J Lo. Once I read this book, I was surprised by what a deep thinker he seems to be. The experiences he described of travelling in Africa and with his RV as well as the struggle and wait to start doing meaningful work kept me riveted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A denied expectation hurts more than a denied hope, while a fulfilled hope makes us happier than a fulfilled expectation. Hope\u2019s got a higher return on happiness and less debit on denial, it\u2019s just not as measurable. <\/em><\/p>\nGreenlights, Matthew McCounaughey<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 5. Every Last Secret \u2013 A.R. Torre<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n So far as psychological thrillers go, I have read better. But, in what seems to be currently my favourite genre, this one was a decent enough read. Two catty women apparently out to get to the same man who is married to one of them. The writing is pretty decent and the story build-up is pacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. The Heart Principle \u2013 Helen Hoang<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n A promising romance sensitively written about the usual opposites attract. However, unless you are looking for a very predictable plotline with barely any differentiation, then alone would I say pick this one up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s better never to be successful at all, or to have success for a short while, only to lose it.<\/em><\/p>\nThe Heart Principle, Helen Hoang<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 7. Do Epic Shit \u2013 Ankur Warikoo<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n I often frequent a street stall to get my pick of popular books. This Indian self-help book was sourced from there. Some days back, I came across the fact that this also ended up being the publisher\u2019s best selling title for the year. So, clearly many Indians are influenced by him and are looking to make their lives better or atleast signal that intent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 8. I Came Upon a Lighthouse \u2013 Shantanu Naidu<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This was a cute short book about a very unusual much-talked about friendship between the author and the business legend Ratan Tata. Even as you read it, you end up marvelling at how some relationships serendipitously come about. It\u2019s a nice and simple read worth spending a weekend on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 9. Crying in H. Mart \u2013 Michelle Zauner<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Let me caution you. The first word of the title could well be your reaction while reading the book. It\u2019s a beautifully written, poignant memoir of the author\u2019s experience with her mother\u2019s cancer. The way the relationship evolves through that journey and also how she starts to really embrace her Asian roots during that time. Location no bar, for you could end up crying just about anywhere while reading this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Within five years, I lost both my aunt and my mother to cancer. So, when I go to H Mart, I\u2019m not just on the hunt for cuttlefish and three bunches of scallions for a buck; I\u2019m searching for memories. I\u2019m collecting the evidence that the Korean half of my identity didn\u2019t die when they did.<\/em><\/p>\nCrying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 10. Project Hail Mary \u2013 Andy Weiss<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Another book club read which was quite a tome. While I was meant to finish it in February, finally I got to it only in this month. But, what a book! What scientifically well-researched imagination. The idea of the earth coming to an end and a few humans collaborating with an alien species for mutual survival is done brilliantly. To my non-scientific mind, it was tough going initially but I am so glad I persevered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wow. I\u2019m sitting here in a spaceship in the Tau Ceti system waiting for the intelligent aliens I just met to continue our conversation\u2026and I\u2019m bored. Human beings have a remarkable ability to accept the abnormal and make it normal.<\/em><\/p>\nProject Hail Mary, Andy Weiss<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 11. The Map of Love \u2013 Ahdaf Soueif<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet another, yes book club read. This book was dense and deep in it\u2019s own way. The best part about it was the setting in 1920s Egypt and the way it traverses so many conventional genres. It has elements of romance, history, politics and mystery. It is a long one and at times you wonder if the editor could have snipped off more. But, towards the end all of it seems to come together and make sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How do I translate \u2018tarab\u2019? How do I, without sounding weird or exotic, describe to Isabel that particular emotional, spiritual, even physical condition into which one enters when the soul is penetrated by good Oriental music? A condition so specific that it has a root all to itself: t\/r\/b.<\/em><\/p>\nThe Map of Love, Ahdaf Soueif<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 12. She Swiped Right Into my Heart \u2013 Sudeep Nagarkar<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ugh! If I had to name one book I absolutely regretted picking up, this wins that honour hands down. A colleague recommended to me as a swap after I gave her a copy of my book Second Serve<\/a>. It was badly written cringe worthy crap which made me wonder how such authors get such a wide audience. I refuse to waste any more words on it and will simply move on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 13. Spinning Silver \u2013 Naomi Novik<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The month started with a week of resort vacation which meant I got quite a lot of reading done, including finishing some long lingering books. Case in point being this one. An interesting fantasy tale, almost in the young adult genre, it started off really well. In between somewhere, either the author or me the reader lost the plot somewhere to make it sluggish. But, either way it\u2019s worth a read for the characters and the cold world that the book paints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 14. Sweet Bean Paste \u2013 Durian Sukegawa<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Being an English translation of a Japanese book, this was a cute simple read focusing on relationships through yummy sweet bean buns. The two things blended so well that I could almost get a whiff of the buns baking in the small confectionery. The two protagonists are the most unlikely characters you would expect to find value in each other and yet it works, wonderfully so. In fact, this is another one of those books that could end with you scouting for the tissue box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I feel sure that one day you will find whatever it is you seek, and that the spark that leads to it will come from hearing some kind of voice. People\u2019s lives never stay the same colour forever. There are times when the colour of life changes completely.<\/em><\/p>\nSweet Bean Paste, Durian Sukegawa<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 15. The Chancellor \u2013 Kati Morton<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n For long I have been a fan of Angela Merkel. This was one of the most well-written biographies I have read in a long time (I am yet to read Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson and hope to do so next year). The book goes into her early life influences as well as what made her such a formidable statesperson. The thing that caught me most offguard though was just how nonchalant a lot of politicians are in some countries. There are stories of her enjoying a quiet life beyond work and even shopping for her own groceries. Another aspect I liked was the way the couple manages their marriage. All in all, a good holistic look into the life of an admirable woman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At a moment of global political and social rupture, no leader on the world stage has protected the post\u2013World War II liberal democratic order as fiercely she did, confronting aggressive authoritarians from Putin to Trump. She transformed Germany into the leader of Europe\u2014not just an economic leader but a moral one too\u2014and into an immigrant nation by accepting one million Middle Eastern refugees.<\/em><\/p>\nThe Chancellor, Kati Morton<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 16. The Socrates Express \u2013 Eric Weiner<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This was one of my most memorable books of the year. I have often wanted to understand Philosophy a little better but mostly put it off after the initial few bits of reading. In this one, Weiner distils the teachings of fourteen philosophers while travelling in trains along routes they would have traversed. He covers a wide range of topics including purpose of life, death, aging, violence, kindness, mindfulness all in a tongue-in-cheek manner derived from philosophers like Thoreau, Socrates, Gandhi, Confucius and Neitzche. Despite the depth of the content, he makes it oh-so-readable. I would highly recommend it to anyone who does not have a mental block against non-fiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We always need wisdom, but we need different kinds of wisdom at different stages of our lives. The \u201chow to\u201d questions that matter to a fifteen-year-old are not the ones that matter to a thirty-five-year-old\u2014or a seventy-five-year-old. Philosophy has something vital to say about each stage. The stages, I\u2019m learning, fly by. Too many of us hum along, cluttering our minds with the trivial and the silly, as if we have all the time in the world. We don\u2019t.<\/em><\/p>\nThe Socrates Express, Eric Weiner<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 17. The Last Queen \u2013 Chitra Divakaruni<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet another book club read. However, if you come in expecting Palace of Illusions standards, this book could disappoint. While it still helps to give atleast a cursory introduction to the Sikh dynasty, the book could have been so much more. If this is the book you choose to start your journey of reading Divakaruni, then you might just like it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She adds, ‘And remember this: whenever possible, don’t fight openly with your enemy. Let them think they’ve won – and then strike when least expected.’<\/em><\/p>\nThe Last Queen, Chitra Divakaruni<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 18. Going Public \u2013 U.K. Sinha<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n I got a copy of this book at an event and it had been gathering dust in some corner of the bookshelf. I had attempted it earlier but the dry language was a big put-off. This year though I succeeded and I am glad I did. For someone like me who is nascent enough to the investment landscape in India, this is a good primer of what has gone to build this ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 19. Lost in a Good Book \u2013 Jasper Fforde<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n I got my first taste of Jasper Fforde last year where I met Thursday Next in The Eyre Affair. I loved the world that Fforde created and it was a full rush of novelty. However, in this one considering a dearth of novelty factor, I found the writing a tad tedious. I wasn\u2019t really a fan of the book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 20. Silver Linings Playbook \u2013 Matthew Quick<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Although I have heard of the much-acclaimed movie a long time back, I finally read the book. It can be called a Romance but in that case it is one of the different ones. Two unusual people come together having battled different life circumstances and mindsets. The way the author unwraps the story can either irritate you or keep you hooked. It was the latter for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I tell him I like the room, and we talk about my love of clouds and how most people lose the ability to see silver linings even though they are always there above us almost every day.<\/em><\/p>\nSilver Linings Playbook, Matthew Quick<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 21. One Perfect Grave \u2013 Stacy Green<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is not for the faint hearted considering the book starts with a child\u2019s corpse. It\u2019s one of those racy, pacy thrillers that work best when you want to get out of a reading slump. The kind of book that keeps you hooked just to know what will happen next or who the killer really is. Is it truly distinctive in any way? Possibly not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 22. Lies Lies Lies \u2013 Adele Parks<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Another one from my current favourite genre of psychological thrillers. It\u2019s funny how so many of those have marriage at the centre. A couple that looks happy enough from the outside, a husband with an alcohol problem and an accident that unravels things unexpectedly. Again, a good pacy read if you like the genre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The thing about people is that it takes years, and years, and years to know them. Really know them. Because we hide things, all of us, all the time. We\u2019re ashamed, cautious or secretive. Sometimes, we just have trust issues and feel people need to earn the right to knowledge about our true selves. We don\u2019t gift it generously. And even when you finally think you know someone, something changes. We can\u2019t know each other. It\u2019s a fool\u2019s game trying to.<\/em><\/p>\nLies Lies Lies, Adele Parks<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 23. A Thousand Questions \u2013 Saadia Faruqi<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is definitely a young adult read but the cover of this Pakistani and Pakistani American girls intrigued me. What really pops out is the innocence of the two girls and the way they see the world around them. A bit like To Kill a Mockingbird.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some days are chock-full of activity, but others\u2014like this afternoon\u2014are as slow as refrigerated chocolate syrup running down a tall glass of milk.<\/em><\/p>\nA Thousand Questions, Saadia Faruqi<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 24. It Ends With us \u2013 Colleen Hoover<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n What a wild success this book was! Hoover takes her own sweet time to build it up with the two protagonists meeting and falling in love. Since the main theme explored in the book hasn\u2019t been revealed in the blurb I will keep mum. What I can say is that there are some good insights into why some people continue to tolerate things you would not relate to. Sounds cryptic but I gotta preserve the suspense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 25. On Earth we\u2019re Briefly Gorgeous \u2013 Ocean Vong<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This was another book club pick for the LGBTQ theme. I have possibly had enough of mush. Hence, even though the expressions were for two men, it just didn\u2019t appeal to me much in terms of reading content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 26. The 100-year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared \u2013 Jonas Jonasson<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Borrowed this book from a friend who picked it out for me knowing my love for A Man Called Ove. What I loved about it was the setting in the less explored (in literary terms) country of Sweden for me. The writing is eclectic and most of the characters are pretty wonky. In some ways, it reminds you of those old-style comedy movies where just about anything can happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But what finally formed young Allan’s philosophy of life were his mother’s words when they received the news of his father’s death. It took a while before the message seeped into his soul, but once there, it was there for ever:<\/em> Things are what they are, and whatever will be will be. <\/em><\/p>\nThe 100-year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared, Jonas Jonasson<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 27. The World for Sale \u2013 Javier Blas & Jack Farchy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n I was recommended this book last year but finally got to it. It\u2019s a wonderful treatise on how some crony capitalists control the flow of precious natural resources. Unlike what you might expect, the reading is simple and pacy despite all the facts that it\u2019s packed with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The term \u2018commodity trader\u2019 conjures a variety of different images, from the roaring trading pits of Chicago to the banks of computer screens on a Wall Street trading floor. But the focus of this book is the companies and individuals whose business is buying and selling physical commodities. It is they who control the flow of natural resources around the world; it is in their hands that an almost unique type of political and economic power is concentrated.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nThe World for Sale, Javier Blas & Jack Farchy<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 28. Lilac Girls \u2013 Martha Hall Kelley<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This year I picked up surprisingly few World War reads. This one was on my list for a long time. The varied perspectives of three women in strikingly different circumstances was a treat to read. The parts of the female-only Nazi camp at Ravensbruck can still make you shudder more than seven decades after it\u2019s occurrence. What surprised me the most was the inspiration the book took from real people who had walked this earth. If like me you like female-oriented takes on history, you wouldn\u2019t regret picking this up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once in Paris, I borrowed our caretakers\u2019 old Peugeot, which was powered by an improvised wood-burning stove fixed to the back. A wartime lack of gasoline had led to widespread use of these homemade gasogenes, wood gasification units mounted on the backs of buses, taxicabs, and private cars. It was quite a sight to see these vehicles on the streets, each with its own combustion tank fixed to the rear.<\/em><\/p>\nLilac Girls, Martha Hall Kelly<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 29. Now is Everything \u2013 Amy Giles<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n A young adult thriller with a dark theme running across it. It\u2019s one of those books that will keep you hooked till the time you ascertain what really happened. The characters are well fleshed out and the story has enough to keep you interested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 30. Sparks Like Stars \u2013 Nadia Hashimi<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is another of those war-torn fiction books where a girl is rescued from Afghanistan after witnessing a family tragedy. Her past obviously catches up with her a few decades later even as she has built a new life for herself. Somewhat predictable but two of the American characters really drew me in. Also, there is something about the backdrop of war that draws me towards this genre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n People say ‘third world’ and think it just means countries without internet or paved roads,” I say. “But ‘third world’ is Cold War terminology. NATO countries are the first world and the Communist bloc is the second world. The third world was where those two clashed. So the mess in Afghanistan is actually a first and second world problem.<\/em><\/p>\nSparks Like Stars, Nadia Hashimi<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 31. A Thousand Brains \u2013 Jeff Hawkins<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This was a much-touted non-fiction book advocated by Bill Gates as well. Beyond the main idea of different overlapping pillar-like structures in the brain, I found the book a little tedious. Maybe I am just not evolved enough yet to appreciate it\u2019s intellectual genius.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A reference frame tells you where things are located relative to each other, and it can tell you how to achieve goals, such as how to get from one location to another. We realized that the brain\u2019s model of the world is built using maplike reference frames. Not one reference frame, but hundreds of thousands of them. Indeed, we now understand that most of the cells in your neocortex are dedicated to creating and manipulating reference frames, which the brain uses to plan and think.<\/em><\/p>\nA Thousand Brains, Jeff Hawkins<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 32. Sach Kahun Toh \u2013 Neena Gupta<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Neena Gupta has been one of the most convention-breaking actresses in the country. Her autobiography came across as chilled out as she seems to be. If you go reading it just to get more juicy details about her and Viv Richards, you will be disappointed. But, if you are after a certain sense of nostalgia about life in the 80s, then you will be delighted when you read anecdotes of her using a neighbourhood shop for phone calls. You could also go in for a perspective about life from a no-nonsense person who knows her mind enough to follow her own radar. You won\u2019t be disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I want the whole world to know that you won’t get anywhere if you aren’t besharam (shameless). That you need to push for what you want and not sit back and wait for offers to fall in your lap. If anything, people in the industry appreciate being pushed, and receiving pictures and requests for follow-ups. It keeps you on top of their mind and helps them know who is actually serious. <\/em><\/p>\nSach Kahun Toh, Neena Gupta<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 33. The Guncle \u2013 Steven Rowley<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Recommended by some articles and a book club friend, this was one of those unassuming books that covered so many deep subjects \u2013 loss, grieving, friendship, family and even homosexual love. The writing is fun and frothy without feeling like it\u2019s letting go of the seriousness it is endeavouring to capture. Yet again, having two kids as protagonists adds to the charm of the book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You think you\u2019re so complicated. That you exist on a higher plane above everyone and everything else, thinking we can\u2019t understand you. But you don\u2019t and we do. You promised yourself you would never get that close to anyone again? And now all these years later you have allowed yourself. Or maybe not even allow\u2014kids don\u2019t give you much of a choice. But you feel something, and you\u2019re scared and you\u2019re trying to run from it and, goddammit, I won\u2019t let you.<\/em><\/p>\nThe Guncle, Steven Rowley<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 34. The Maid \u2013 Nita Prose<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n A much hyped book with it\u2019s distinctive red and black cover that didn\u2019t really do much for me. It\u2019s a murder whodunit with a very simple character at it\u2019s heart. But considering how widely explored the genre is, this one added nothing new to it for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 35. Ready Player One \u2013 Ernest Cline<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Metaverse is a buzz word these days. You have gotta be living under a rock if you ain\u2019t curious about it. My curiosity led me to this 2011 book which is probably the first such expression of the concept. It\u2019s a long read and I think the editor could have done a better job but fascinating nevertheless. If you are looking to immerse yourself in an alternate world, this is a great option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If I\u2019d been hungry, I could have ordered a real slice of pizza at the counter. The order would have been forwarded to a pizza vendor near my apartment complex, the one I\u2019d specified in my OASIS account\u2019s food service preference settings. Then a slice would have been delivered to my door in a matter of minutes, and the cost (including tip) would have been deducted from my OASIS account balance.<\/em><\/p>\nReady Player One, Ernest Cline<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 36. Sh!t no One Tells You \u2013 Dawn Dais<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sadly, this one was my first pick to try and prepare myself for an upcoming life changing event. Turns out, the author seemed to be more like someone who loved laughing at her own jokes and thought of herself as oh-so-funny. It\u2019s also possible that a gaggle of her girlfriends also found her funny. I, though, came out pretty disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 37. Nothing Like a Ravishing Governess \u2013 Emily Honeyfield<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ah well, we all have guilty pleasures. Sometimes I need to read certifiable trash to cleanse my palate of the sensible reads ingested before. This was one such palate cleanser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 38. The Underground Railroad \u2013 Colson Whitehead<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n A much acclaimed book, I enjoyed the world it painted till a certain point. Beyond that, it felt like the protagonists are running from one place to the other with much of the same following them. Most importantly, the climax as absolutely under whelming after spending so much time on the book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the surgeries that Dr. Stevens described, Cora thought, the whites had begun stealing futures in earnest. Cut you open and rip them out, dripping. Because that\u2019s what you do when you take away someone\u2019s babies\u2014steal their future. Torture them as much as you can when they are on this earth, then take away the hope that one day their people will have it better.<\/em><\/p>\nThe Underground Raiload, Colson Whitehead<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 39. The Paris Wife \u2013 Paula Mclain<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This was a book I borrowed from the American Library. It captures the relationship between Ernest Hemingway and his first wife Hadley Richardson. Since I have scant knowledge about the swinging 20s and the clique of artists in Paris, it opened a whole new world for me. The way Mclain covered Hadley\u2019s insecurities and anxieties also made for an interesting read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ernest once told me that the word paradise was a Persian word that meant “walled garden.” I knew then that he understood how necessary the promises we made to each other were to our happiness. You couldn’t have real freedom unless you knew where the walls were and tended to them. We could lean on the walls because they existed; they existed because we leaned on them.<\/em><\/p>\nThe Paris Wife, Paula Mclain<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n 40. The Happiest Baby on the Block \u2013 Dr. Harvey Karp<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is another one of those books which I read to prepare myself for upcoming motherhood. Dr. Karp is also referred to as the baby whisperer and the book concerns itself with his idea of 5 S\u2019s that can sooth babies. How well it works is yet to be seen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 41. The Art of Gathering \u2013 Priya Parker<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Another book picked up from the American Library. It was one of the most thought-provoking reads for me this year. The idea of really thinking out every detail of each gathering made so much sense. The anecdotes and the examples that Parker gives from her work just make it all so much more substantial. A must read if you are looking to enrich your human interactions in just about any way you choose to gather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When we don’t examine the deeper assumptions behind why we gather, we end up skipping too quickly to replicating old, staid formats of gathering. And we forgo the possibility of creating something memorable, even transformative.<\/em><\/p>\nThe Art of Gathering, Priya Parker<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n 42. Peach Blossom Spring \u2013 Melissa Fu<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n I picked up this much acclaimed historical fiction based in East Asia with probably very high expectations. I think in a large way it seemed very reminiscent of Pachinko to me. It was a nice read especially with a good view to the hardships faced by the people during the Sino-Japanese war. Beyond that, nothing very different or special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 43. Harsh Realities \u2013 Harsh Mariwala & Ram Charan<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n A book that could have been so much more. I got a copy of it in one of the conferences. To the uninitiated, Harsh Mariwala is a brilliant Indian businessman who set up the sprawling oil company Marico. I think there could be many wonderful stories to illuminate that journey. Unfortunately, this one reads more like a business school case study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 44. The Forty Rules of Love \u2013 Elif Shafak<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n A Book Club read, this is a book that is suddenly finding favour with readers again. I adored Shafak\u2019s prose in The Bastards of Istanbul. In this case, the story is dipped in fact with characters like Rumi and Shams Tabrizi. At some points, I found the philosophy a bit too holier-than-thou and over the top. What did help was a wonderful, engaging discussion in a book club meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Every true love and friendship is a story of unexpected transformation. If we are the same person before and after we loved, that means we haven\u2019t loved enough.<\/em><\/p>\nThe Forty Rules of Love, Elif Shafak<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 45. The Joys of Compounding \u2013 Gautam Baid<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This was a book I picked up at an airport. Personally, I was a bit misled by the subtitle as I thought the book would talk more about habits that can have compounding effects in your life, like learning. Turns out, master investor Gautam Baid, is talking about his passion of investing in equities. Of course I love the asset class but for quite some time I have stopped spending too much time in analysing stocks choosing to keep it time-efficient by investing more in funds. So beyond a point, my eyes sort of glazed over the immense and sometimes repetitive details that he goes through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lucky people are those who acknowledge just how fortunate they are and feel grateful for what they have. If you want to feel rich, just count all the gifts you have that money can’t buy. In my view, this self-realization is the most important step toward being lucky.<\/em><\/p>\nThe Joys of Compounding, Gautam Baid<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 46. Brain Rules for Baby \u2013 John Medina<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Another of the parenting books, it did not have anything too memorable for me. I am a fan of psychology but somehow this book didn\u2019t add too much to my repertoire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 47. Secret Life of Bees \u2013 Sue Monk Kidd<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Come to think of it, many books this year seemed to have kids as protagonists. Case in point being this one where the eleven-year old Lily Owens learns all about life with her stand-in black mother and the three beekeeping sisters. It\u2019s warm and charming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some people have a sixth sense, and some are duds at it. I believe I must have it, because the moment I stepped into the house I felt a trembling along my spine, down my arms, pulsing out from my fingertips. I was practically radiating. The body knows things a long time before the mind catches up to them. I was wondering what my body knew that I didn’t.<\/em><\/p>\nSecret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n 48. Death by Bubble Tea \u2013 Jennifer Chow<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nJanuary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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