I have always been inclined to stories and accounts that are deliciously off beat, a coming of age story or portrayal of an individual who shattered convention. Stories set amidst wilderness or the ones illuminating a faraway culture. Writing that gets into my bones & makes me take notes to ponder over; a character so quirky that makes normal boring; pictures that stir my senses. Words that fire up my imagination & kindle a desire to explore the expansive mountains to wondrous blues to bustling cities. It has always been books that sparked such emotions for me & they still do since they leave a lot of room for imagination and are open to interpretation. With books I was able to take a journey across the world, live in a fantastical land or witness the most gruelling courtroom drama and still be back in time for dinner!

 Books have also been an informal form of learning. A fuel to my creative inclinations and a link to humans that inspired me. I learnt early on that with every book or story, be it fluff or deep psychology; dystopian or fantasy fiction, I am going to learn something new. I might not like them all but I am certainly going to be richer with a new piece of information to keep. They were inlets to new insights and most importantly they were always moulding or rewiring beliefs.

An Instagram challenge (a tough one for yours truly) by a friend to share 10 of my favourite reads got me thinking and I started putting together a list. So here are the few of the many books & writings that echoed, enthralled, inspired, educated, made me happy or cry my eyes out but most importantly stretched my imagination with words that have stayed with me.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman 

As the title suggests it follows the life of Ove and his idiosyncrasies. The writing is so hauntingly beautiful that it made me pause and contemplate life as we see it. A book that left me in tears after a long time, proper tear-streaked cheeks! Here is one of my favourite quotes from the book:

“Death is a strange thing. People live their whole lives as if it does not exist, and yet it's often one of the greatest motivations for living. Some of us, in time, become so conscious of it that we live harder, more obstinately, with more fury. Some need its constant presence to even be aware of its antithesis. Others become so preoccupied with it that they go into the waiting room long before it has announced its arrival. We fear it, yet most of us fear more than anything that it may take someone other than ourselves.”

Runaway Jury by John Grisham

My first and one of my all-time favourite John Grisham books. A fast paced enthralling thriller. When I came to know there is a movie adaptation (which I did pretty late), I made it to the video rental guy right away! But I am glad that I read the book first!

Home Going by Yaa Gyasi

An evocative & unflinching portrayal of slave trade and its impact on generations. The story follows the journey of numerous characters with their tragic arcs. A book that leaves you with an unsettling discomfort as it presents one of the darkest chapters of human history.

Love X Life X Style by Garance Dorè

A classic white shirt, blue jeans, a messy bun worn with red lips & brogues can never go wrong! Fresh and appealing stories on life, style & career from Paris to NYC. It just inspires you to be effortlessly chic inside-out. It is positive, fun and warm. An ideal gift for your girlfriends!

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

I found this book when I was grappling with self-doubt on whether I could make a career in the creative field. It spoke to me as a friend dispensing words of encouragement. It did make me pick up a project that I had been procrastinating about for a while.

9 Man Eaters & A Rogue by Kenneth Anderson

This book drew me into its world at the word go! Oh! how I fell in love with the Jungles of India. The captivating description and edge of the seat encounters with man-eating cats easily beats any modern day urban thrillers.

Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat

Did you know bananas were acidic! After getting my hands on this one, I started cooking with logic. This book did not intimidate me, with approachable funny prose, simple honest tips and lovely illustrations it made cooking simple for me. The Netflix Documentary and Nosrat’s infectious laugh were just an added bonus.

Everything Ruskin Bond

It is honestly very difficult for me to choose my favourite Ruskin Bond book. I love everything he writes. Something about his writing is so endearing. Every time I read his books I feel as if I am right next to the character walking amongst the pine trees, eating chaat or simply admiring a flower. He made me fall in love with the mountains and its flora and made me realise that a year is not complete without a trip to the Mountains. I do have a favourite from his compilation of short stories though. ‘Ghost Stories from the Raj’, which  turned me into resident storyteller at house parties :)

French Milk by Lucy Kinsley

It is an illustrated diary of the author’s trip to Paris with her mother. They rent an apartment and spend 5 weeks in the city taking in the sites and eating lots of food. As she described the food it made me want to book my next holiday to Paris right away. Sadly 2020 had other plans. Soon very soon I will be enjoying some buttery croissants with a coffee in a café on the sidewalk with a chequered tablecloth and some daisies in a vase as I take notes on fashion from the streets. Amen!

100-Year-Old Man Who Jumped Out of the Window and Vanished by Jonas Jonasson

On his 100th Birthday Allan Karlsson sets out on an adventure of a lifetime. I picked up this single copy from a book store because I was intrigued by the title. It turned out to be a real delight. A quirky character with a larger than life back story. It presents some of the most significant events of the 20th Century in the most bizarre plot. Quite a unique book with lots of hilarious moments.

The written word printed on paper still does the magic for me despite the barrage of digital options available today. I am currently into cook books, the likes of Ottolenghi, Meera Sodha, Alice Waters and also books on anything to do with Plants. I hope someday I can whip up a complete meal with produce from my own garden for family & friends. Till then I keep this dream alive through books.

P.S – Writings on Travel will have to be a separate list. If you love travel memoirs like me then you could start with Bill Bryson or Pico Iyer.