Five must-read books on our list this month

Anannya SarkarPublished on Oct 27, 2022

From historic retellings to prescient plots, here are five new books to keep you hooked

An anthology, two novels, a thriller and a non-fiction have made it to our must-read list

An anthology, two novels, a thriller and a non-fiction title have made it to our must-read list

While the festive season has been underway, there was also never any better time to cuddle up with a book and enjoy some much-needed solo time. It’s been an exciting period for book lovers as both Man Booker-winning author George Saunders and Nobel Prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk have their latest books out–a rare anthology after a decade and an evocative read taking you back in time, respectively. There is also Udayan Mukherjee’s examination of economic and cultural faultlines through his latest book set in Calcutta while Alice Feeney’s thriller is a classic that makes for a breezy read. Plus if you are a coffee-lover, you are perhaps a minority in our country, which makes it even more pertinent to pick up Kavery Nambisan’s book on growing coffee in India. Here’s more on these picks:

Liberation Day by George Saunders:From the winner of the Man Booker Prize comes his first collection of stories in a decade. George Saunders’ Liberation Day shows that the author has had some time to think as readers are reeled in with a powerful hook, into the worlds of his nine shorts. A true reflection of the changing times, the stories contained in this anthology also include worldviews such as an aged American retelling the story of lost freedoms or in another, how Americans are brainwashed and reprogrammed. Meanwhile, there is also a story about how the poor are enslaved and left at the mercy of the rich. Choice is an important part of every story, one that has been made into a noun, more than a word–and it’s quite apt for the world today as we try to wrap our heads around their consequences. So when a historic American chapter such as Battle of Little Bighorn is reenacted, the act of making choices becomes more pertinent. Evocative storytelling is an art that Saunders had mastered and Lincoln in the Bardo was an example of it, if not a benchmark. — **Liberation Day** **by George Saunders:**
From the winner of the Man Booker Prize comes his first collection of stories in a decade. George Saunders’ *Liberation Day* shows that the author has had some time to think as readers are reeled in with a powerful hook, into the worlds of his nine shorts. A true reflection of the changing times, the stories contained in this anthology also include worldviews such as an aged American retelling the story of lost freedoms or in another, how Americans are brainwashed and reprogrammed. Meanwhile, there is also a story about how the poor are enslaved and left at the mercy of the rich. Choice is an important part of every story, one that has been made into a noun, more than a word–and it’s quite apt for the world today as we try to wrap our heads around their consequences. So when a historic American chapter such as Battle of Little Bighorn is reenacted, the act of making choices becomes more pertinent. Evocative storytelling is an art that Saunders had mastered and *Lincoln in the Bardo* was an example of it, if not a benchmark.

Nights of Plague by Orhan PamukIn his latest novel, Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk continues his work of perhaps showing, perhaps trying to reconstruct a future in his homeland of Turkey with a story set in its history. In the world of Mingheria that Pamuk has forged, the plague is being viewed as a political construct as characters such as Bonkowski Pasha, the Ottoman Empire’s chief inspector of Public Health and Sanitation, Princess Pakize and her newly-wedded husband Doctor Nuri Bey, a quarantine doctor, are all instrumental in telling the story of a land and its mishmash of modernity and traditionalism, plague and platitude, mystery and fact; thereby further solidifying Pamuk’s standing in his world of metafiction. — **Nights of Plague** **by Orhan Pamuk**
In his latest novel, Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk continues his work of perhaps showing, perhaps trying to reconstruct a future in his homeland of Turkey with a story set in its history. In the world of Mingheria that Pamuk has forged, the plague is being viewed as a political construct as characters such as Bonkowski Pasha, the Ottoman Empire’s chief inspector of Public Health and Sanitation, Princess Pakize and her newly-wedded husband Doctor Nuri Bey, a quarantine doctor, are all instrumental in telling the story of a land and its mishmash of modernity and traditionalism, plague and platitude, mystery and fact; thereby further solidifying Pamuk’s standing in his world of metafiction.

No Way In by Udayan MukherjeeThey say that the books belonging to a particular time are either inspired by, or are prescient foretellings of, a time and place. Set in Bengal, Udayan Mukherjee’s new novel looks at the seeds of communal politics being sowed, with the historic 2014 elections as the peg. Within the set-up of a genteel Indian middle class exists the faultlines for all to watch. Based in a tony south Calcutta neighbourhood, Rana Banerjee’s family is in stark contrast to Sabita and her 10-year-old son, who have both just fled Assam. Within these two sets of people existed a chasm divided by wealth and politics that has an overarching effect on all their lives. While the story is personal, it is also reflective of the times we live in, making Mukherjee’s novel a gripping read. — **No Way In** **by Udayan Mukherjee**
They say that the books belonging to a particular time are either inspired by, or are prescient foretellings of, a time and place. Set in Bengal, Udayan Mukherjee’s new novel looks at the seeds of communal politics being sowed, with the historic 2014 elections as the peg. Within the set-up of a genteel Indian middle class exists the faultlines for all to watch. Based in a tony south Calcutta neighbourhood, Rana Banerjee’s family is in stark contrast to Sabita and her 10-year-old son, who have both just fled Assam. Within these two sets of people existed a chasm divided by wealth and politics that has an overarching effect on all their lives. While the story is personal, it is also reflective of the times we live in, making Mukherjee’s novel a gripping read.

Cherry Red, Cherry Black: The Story of Coffee in India by Kavery NambisanAs the name suggests, this book tells the story of coffee in India, which is the sixth largest producer of the beloved beverage in the world. Kavery Nambisan takes readers into a curious journey as she unravels facts such as how there are an estimated 2,10,000 coffee producers in the country, with Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala being the major producers. But did you know that most of these coffee producers are small farmers with smaller plots of around two hectares? While India still continues to remain a mostly tea-loving nation, the story of growing coffee by small-time, single producers is one that is both endearing and resilient. — **Cherry Red, Cherry Black: The Story of Coffee in India** **by Kavery Nambisan**
As the name suggests, this book tells the story of coffee in India, which is the sixth largest producer of the beloved beverage in the world. Kavery Nambisan takes readers into a curious journey as she unravels facts such as how there are an estimated 2,10,000 coffee producers in the country, with Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala being the major producers. But did you know that most of these coffee producers are small farmers with smaller plots of around two hectares? While India still continues to remain a mostly tea-loving nation, the story of growing coffee by small-time, single producers is one that is both endearing and resilient.

Daisy Darker by Alice FeeneyA good, old whodunnit is often the remedy to many a reading block and what better than one written by New York Times-bestseller author, Alice Feeney. They say that there is nothing more dangerous than a family harbouring secrets and there possibly couldn’t be a worse place to reveal them than on an island during a family reunion. That is exactly what happens as a crumbling Gothic house on an island plays host to a fractured family coming together for Nana’s birthday. However, things start going wrong as a tide lashes the island, marooning its occupants as Nana is found dead soon after. What follows is a classic case of a thriller unfolding in typical Feeney style, which will make you want to finish the book in no more than two sittings. — **Daisy Darker** **by Alice Feeney**
A good, old whodunnit is often the remedy to many a reading block and what better than one written by *New York Times-*bestseller author, Alice Feeney. They say that there is nothing more dangerous than a family harbouring secrets and there possibly couldn’t be a worse place to reveal them than on an island during a family reunion. That is exactly what happens as a crumbling Gothic house on an island plays host to a fractured family coming together for Nana’s birthday. However, things start going wrong as a tide lashes the island, marooning its occupants as Nana is found dead soon after. What follows is a classic case of a thriller unfolding in typical Feeney style, which will make you want to finish the book in no more than two sittings.

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From historic retellings to prescient plots, here are five new books to keep you hooked

An anthology, two novels, a thriller and a non-fiction title have made it to our must-read list

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