Very intriguing writing using a theatre production of Hamlet to convey underlying meanings of the conflict in Israel-Palestine. But there are a lot of unnecessary details about the protagonist who btw is unbearably dull. The audiobook narrator is simply horrendous and I think I lost so much of the charm of this book because the narrator straight up botched the reading. Overall, interesting plot but please don‘t get the audio version on audible.

A bold story to have been written in the mid 1950s. It‘s a tale of homosexual love that, pressed by the times in which it plays out and ideas of masculinity that are held at the core, lead to the destruction of two lives with significant consequences. I wanted to love it more but sadly I didn‘t, but I think it‘s a courageous work that deserves to be widely read. So far though, I prefer Baldwin‘s non fiction work more.

A fast and gripping murder mystery investigated by the first female solicitor of Bombay in 1920s India (based on the first two female lawyer/solicitor(s) of India). Rich in highlighting Parsi and Muslim cultures, and the history of Bombay, the story is fast-paced, with careful attention to detail. Although I wasn‘t particularly astonished by the ending, I definitely enjoyed reading all 400 odd pages of the book.

A quirky tale of a woman whose life‘s mission and purpose is to be a convenience store worker. An indictment of Japanese (and Asian) cultures which value marriage and motherhood over career for women; and only ever particular types of careers over others. A strange and phenomenal tale of being yourself against all odds and against society‘s harsh judgments. Performance on audible is truly fantastic. A memorable read!

A comprehensive guide to understanding the Israel-Palestine conflict. Includes in-depth research and a complete history of the land, how the conflict began, its ensuing developments, the political involvement by United States and the West, and also includes references to the October 07, 2023 war. It is required reading for anyone interested in having an unfiltered, unbiased understanding of the crisis in Palestine, and of the 2023 war.

Set in socialist Poland in the height of uncertainty and political strife, this is a gay romance which is very tender & beautifully written. It explores themes of youth, love, choices, social climbing, and living an authentic life under totalitarian regimes. The language is stunning and visually evocative. A gem.

My first introduction to Shirley Jackson who I‘ve heard so much about! A set of 3 short stories where she offers no easy explanations or conclusions to the reader. An underlying sense of eerie-ness that persists even if we don‘t completely get what‘s going on. Great mindbenders. Definitely interested in reading more of her soon!

A profoundly difficult read because it holds up a mirror to what we all will inevitably face - old age, disease, death. It is an extremely powerful work filled with information and language that we need to learn in order to contemplate the decisions that come with our mortality and those of our loved ones. It can be terribly depressing in many parts and the futility of our lives overwhelmed me at times, but it is necessary reading for everyone.

A lovely book that‘s part memoir of a man who spent 10 years as a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to cope with the grief of losing his older brother to cancer. Meditative, funny, charming. Perfect for art lovers, lots of inside references, artwork mentions, and overall a lovely read.

A layered, beautiful story of a lifelong friendship. An appropriate conclusion to a lifelong friendship that we follow through 4 books. In this we follow them into old age, between 1970s to the early 2000s. Filled with love, loss and strife. Ferrante has a compelling ability to infuse innumerable emotions into her writing, to bring out the beautiful but more importantly, the devastating and ugly parts of being alive. A brilliant series.

#currentlyreading two serious books on varied subjects, each a dire theme of the world today. Being Mortal gives me goosebumps and keeps me up at night, while History of Israel and Palestine is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the genesis and development of the current Israel-Hamas war.

A fictional story about a Syrian refugee couple making the perilous journey from Aleppo to UK. I liked the comparison with bees and beekeeping, and the bond between the protagonist and his cousin. But overall the story didn‘t sit well with me. First, because the female protagonist has no voice and her helplessness was frustrating. Second, the author writing this story in first person feels inauthentic given her own background. Overall, so-so.

Jhumpa Lahiri‘s writing flows like water. In this debut collection of short stories she explores the confusion and conflicts of adopting a home in a foreign land, of the internal complexities of love and marriage, of loneliness and comfort. Beautiful and subtle. She‘s a joy to read each time.

This is the third of the Neapolitan series where we follow Elena and Lila in their late 20s and early 30s. It is a book filled with chaos and disorder, narrating the violent politics of the 1970s and the characters‘ own inner violence. We read about loveless marriages and unusual relationships. We delve deeper and deeper into the lives of the two women and those whose lives are touched by theirs. The Neapolitan novels are a compelling journey

Inspired by the life of the painter Paul Gauguin, Maugham charts a fictional tale based in London, Paris, and Tahiti as we learn about the strange and provocative Charles Strickland.
I liked the first half but then the story started to drag and become repetitive. It is a book of its times and hence unnecessarily sexist and racist. Overall I was underwhelmed by this book.

For days when we feel blue or in need of a pick-me-up, this book is such a solace ❤️. one of my most favourite lines of poetry from Wendell Berry‘s writing, “I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief.” Words to live by & a book that heals the soul.

I returned to my third reading of Joan Didion with The White Album. So far of the other two i had read I loved Year of Magical Thinking & so-so‘d Slouching Toward Bethlehem. I guess my third read also ended up so-so. I really enjoyed a few essays but for the majority this collection underwhelmed me. I was shocked at her essay deriding the women‘s movement & she certainly fell from grace in my eyes. Overall some essays were great but mostly not

Surpassing the first book of the Neapolitan novels, the second book introduces us to the two protagonists who are now coming of age: one trapped in a loveless abusive marriage as she tries to find small comforts and the other in pursuit of academic success and social approval. Incredibly layered and nuanced, we experience the ups and downs of their friendship with them. Can‘t wait to pick up the next in the series!

What I thought I‘d take over 3 months for I finished in 1! I think that reflects more than anything else how much I enjoyed reading this book. A sweeping saga following four families and innumerable characters as they each find their own paths through marriage, love, law, and much else. A masterpiece. So light, engaging and yet still deep. A pleasure to read. An utterly memorable journey. Truly wonderful.

A coming of age story about two young girls in Naples and a social commentary on masculinity & social dynamics of the working class in the 1960s. The writing is rich and characters beautifully crafted. Lots to think about. I immediately bought the next book in the series.

Phew!!! What a brilliantly researched, tragic tale of abuse of power, murder and deceit. I watched the movie and also read the book, and each has done such a fantastic job. The movie picks the central story and doesn‘t deviate from the script but the book gives so much more context, the before and after, delving into all other lives. Phenomenal research and writing. This is a story that is devastating & will stay with me for a long long time.

I‘d been meaning to finish this by the time the movie came out but unfortunately couldn‘t line up my reading just right! Nevertheless, reading this now & finding it so interesting! Plus, peep the amazing bookmark that‘s *just* right for this book!

About a 100 pages in and thoroughly enjoying it while winding down with a glass of red 🍷

Welp! I‘ve just embarked on my LONGEST literary journey ever - 1535 pages of a sweeping family saga. I hope I take maybe 3 months to complete this, because this length is scary! Wish me luck!

A highly informative book. Contains 4 sections - 15 academic essays on the topic of Death Tourism or Thanotourism. Covers memory, ethics and implications of death tourism. Different authors/scholars speak of Manhattan project, 9/11, holocaust tourism, Cambodia‘s killing fields, Rawandan genocide etc. Well-researched and lots to think about. Definitely worth reading if you like academic pieces.

The 29th in a 50 penguin classics box set expedition I set for myself last year (2022) which i accidentally began reading backwards. My first try at Italo Calvino. Well it‘s science fiction with fantasy, two genres that I tend to run away from haha but I did find them strange and fascinating. The weird cosmic facts mingled with love stories was a unique blend. Not for me per se but I‘m sure lovers of either or both genres will enjoy it!

I reread this book after a gap of about 8 years - and boy oh boy is this just as brilliant and relevant as ever?? I am always so impressed by Orwell‘s writing but this one just knocks it out of the park. His incisive analysis of the effects of power and corruption is razor sharp and something we can see at play in our governments across the world. Truly brilliant.

Blew through this wild ride with Karl Rossman in America - a lighter novel by Kafka. But I have to say - Kafka simply decided to not finish writing this book AND left it at a major cliffhanger. Why???? Ahhh the anxiety is going to kill me. But fantastic writing in the first 7 chapters. If you‘re ok with being ghosted by Kafka, this is a fun one.

Audre Lorde simply has a way with words that is unparalleled. So much to think about with this little read that covers 5 powerful essays/speeches that she delivered during her lifetime. I particularly loved “Uses of Anger: Women Responding to Racism” - an essay I‘m sure I‘ll return to time and again in the future.

I‘ve been struggling to find good fiction that satisfies my current mood lately, picked up Kafka‘s America yesterday. Here‘s hoping it pulls me out of this fiction slump! (PS I really enjoy Kafka‘s writing)

An eye opening current read offering important and diverse perspectives on what is known as thanotourism or death tourism - that is tourism to places where there has been historic genocide, loss, torture etc. This book is a set of academic essays on this topic enmeshed with questions of memory, narrative, and identity politics

This book needs to be mandatory reading for all! Thoroughly researched, utterly insightful - Perez delves into many facets of the world where data gaps and gender bias has made women invisible. Easily one of the best books I‘ve read. This is the book you quote when someone says gender bias doesn‘t exist! Infuriating and devastating but so so true.

I love Friends, and I‘d heard a lot about Perry‘s battles with drug abuse and alcoholism, so thought I‘d give this memoir a shot. Perry‘s writing is very honest and open, albeit a tad too casual and informal. I didn‘t enjoy the “writing” but I did appreciate the candour with which he dealt with his demons and his experiences struggling with abuse. Really sad what he‘s been through, but kudos for fighting through it. But not a book for everyone.

An intense, sexually charged book exploring themes of masculinity, queer love, lust and youth in summertime in Italy. I found the first half of the book quite interesting as it set the stage for the two protagonists and their will-they-won‘t-they vibe. But after a point it became highly repetitive. But I did enjoy the ending. Warning- it‘s highly graphic in descriptions of sex so if that‘s not your thing, you should skip this one.

It‘s been a long time since I read a book that was so simple, short, and yet incredibly profound and impactful. Revolving around the Magdalene Laundries, this story quietly reflects upon good and bad, kindness, life, and shows us the long-lasting, generational change that kindness and good deeds can have. Beautiful.

Current read shaping up to be excellently researched. It is so eye-opening, affirming, and at the same time enraging that women in the 21st century still have the problems we do and that it‘s so deeply rooted within the system.

I found this a very enjoyable listen - although I did take a long long time to finish it. It is very atmospheric. Perfect for plant and nature lovers. I found myself really LOOKING at every plant after I started listening to this. Follows 4 separate generations of individuals who are tied together by their atypical approach to plants, including Goethe and Linnaeus. Creative, and loved the ecological elements.

Jazz uses an experimental narrative technique which involves a fragmented insight into the thoughts and psyche of different characters in the novel. The premise is a man who shoots his lover and his “crazy” wife. But as much as that is the premise, this description is the entirety of the plot. Instead it is fluid and focuses on the inner lives of what it is to be black in America in the 1920s. Great concept but far too fragmented for my taste.

Beautiful, thought-provoking prose reflecting on a first generation Vietnamese experience in America, particularly from the lens of a gay man, with immigrant, war-surviving mother & grandmother. The narrative is non-traditional, flitting between memories rather than a coherent “plot”, so it may not be for everyone. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this for the prose, the imagery, and the ecological analogies.

I was really looking forward to this, so I‘m a bit disappointed that it didn‘t turn out to be what I expected. It‘s a non-fiction work that examines Indian masculinity in the context of fitness and bodybuilding and it‘s implications on social mobility. It‘s certainly informative but I wished the author had delved deeper and offered much more critical insight. Good introductory read though if you‘re just entering this realm.

This was a very unique read/listen. A story that really departs from the usual descriptions of Japan as being sex obsessed (Murakami, looking at you). It is a contemporary story delving into the various facets of womanhood in Japan. It explores important themes with great sensitivity. It was like reading someone‘s diary. A good, thoughtful read

Finally finished this mammoth book - it‘s an amusing read delving into 1800s British upper-class society and all its drama, scheming & general madness. I really enjoyed the characters especially how well the two protagonists have been crafted - quintessential madonna and whore. Supporting characters are interesting too. A book of its times surely in relation to race and even gender, ie racist & a bit misogynistic. Flaws aside, a fun read.

A very well written tale bringing forth themes of neocolonialism, indigenous cultures, and the loss/ negotiations of language and culture. The story is slow but beautifully, sensitively written. Characters are well fleshed out. Narration was great on Audible.

Couldn‘t find this book on Litsy so tagging Orwell‘s story that‘s featured here to stand in for the collection. A brilliant collection of short stories and essays that reflect upon themes of death and dying. They are profound, moving, and thought-provoking. Full review on my blog, link in bio.

A story by the real Hollywood actor and director, of a fictional actor who cheats on his wife and then seeks out drugs, sex, and a powerful performance of Shakespeare‘s Henry IV (as Hotspur) on Broadway to redeem himself. It‘s an average read about a whiny protagonist who blames everyone else for the mess he has created. But the passion for theatre and Shakespeare is evident and added to the story.

Easily one of the more intense books I‘ve read in a long time. Premise: People suddenly start to go blind and then are abandoned by their government and asked to fend for themselves - result? Absolutely chaos and anarchy, the disruption of order and organisation, the breakdown of humanity as we know it. Highly compelling work, triggering in parts, vivid descriptions makes your skin crawl. Loved every minute of it.

A very powerful autobiography of a trans person from the Hijra community in India. She writes of the physical, emotional and sexual assault and abuse she faced through her life at the hands of her family, society, and even the police. It also reflects upon the traditions and customs of the Hijra community. TW: trans violence, suicide, sexual assault

Wow! This was a rollercoaster of a ride! If you‘ve watched the film, the book is just as good - with way more details and many more micro narratives. The writing is gripping, the story insanely creative. The whole experience is pretty great. Listened on Audible which was really good!

A book of essays on the incredible painter Amrita Sher-Gil by various figures in the art world who knew her and her works intimately. The essays, while interesting on their own, are a little repetitive as a whole and the last novella inspired by her written by Charles Fabri was pretty terrible. I love this painter so it‘s hard to give this book a so-so rating, but it is what it is.

Incredibly heartbreaking. An autobiographical work after the abrupt deaths of Didion‘s husband and daughter, it reflects on grief and loss and the negotiations we make through magical thinking - thinking if I do this then this won‘t/ hasn‘t happened. Devastatingly beautiful