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Book Delight : Ten Must-Read Works of Fiction

 by Vibha Sharma

[box]There’s nothing that could be more delightful for a book lover than curling up with a good work of fiction. Vibha Sharma lists and reviews ten must-read novels that captured her interest and imagination for various reasons. It’s story time, folks![/box]

Time Flies by Bill Cosby

Witticism is Bill Cosby’s (of Cosby Show fame) hallmark and in ‘Time Flies’, he brilliantly manages to bring up some issues associated with senility – usually a very sombre subject. The declining physical and mental abilities are brought into picture, highlighted by his own experiences. The book achieves this in an enjoyable way, making it a delightful read. The book does not preach or recommend anything; it is in fact an anecdotal description of dealing with old age. Cosby narrates his own day-to-day failings in managing weight increase, growing waist size, dimming eye-sight, and much more in self-mocking humour.  Personally, I feel it is that kind of book which imparts the wisdom of seeing things in right perspective and learning the art of being positive in every phase of life.  The language of the book is simple, easy to follow and lucid.

 2 States by Chetan Bhagat

Some people may find it satirical, sarcastic or even insulting to the two communities mentioned in the story but the fun value that this book offers cannot be negated. ‘2 States’ is Chetan Bhagat’s autobiographical take on inter-community marriages.

The book starts with a typical scene at IIM -A where Krish, a Punjabi boy falls for Ananya, a “Madrasi” Iyer girl. Matters seem to be under control till the time they are in college but everything starts slipping out of their hands when they decide to take the next step of getting married. The insurmountable task of convincing the families to like the new relationship forms the rest of the book. The novel highlights the point that marriages in India are not just restricted to the boy and the girl involved, but is rather a family affair. Parts of the novel where the cultural differences and dissimilarities are pointed out are hilarious and if you have some idea about the two communities, you can easily relate to the proceedings and can nod your head along. Some comparisons are really witty and very neatly put.

It is one of those, feel good, funny books that have value for serious readers too –  to bring in that perfect siesta kind of breaks from serious reading.

For One More Day by Mitch Albom

‘For One More Day’ is the story of a mother and a son and their relationship which spans a lifetime and even beyond that. The book tries to explore and find an answer to the question – What would you do if you get one more day to spend with your lost loved one? After a suicide attempt, Charles Benetto encounters his dead mother, Pauline’s ghost. Together, the mother and son revisit the trials and tribulations of Pauline, a single mother, after Charles’s father abandoned them. Through this book, Mitch Albom pays tribute to a mother’s love, affection, dedication and patience. As you read this story, you are in for a very sensitive and emotional adventure of their lives and will be compelled to introspect. Mitch Albom has many other bestsellers to his credit – Tuesdays with Morrie, The Five People You Meet in Heaven and Have a Little Faith.

By the Water Cooler by Parul Sharma

Perfect chick-lit. ‘By the Water Cooler’ is the story of two friends –  Mini and Tanya, who studied together, left their previous jobs in an ad agency and are about to commence a new phase of their careers in a fashion house. Mini is the more ambitious of the two while Tanya is a little strange and is more focused on her upcoming marriage with her beau.

Readers are put on a roller coaster ride with Mini and Tanya and the funny incidents they encounter. Parul Sharma offers a whole pot-pourri in this book – right from office gossip to office politics, friendship to back stabbing, office romance to treachery, management basics to self-coined management principles – typical ‘all masala’ corporate culture and how the water cooler becomes an integral part of this culture.

Just as a right proportion of all ingredients is the key to having a delicious meal, so is the perfect mix of wit, humour and engaging story to have an enthralling and amusing page turner. ‘By The Water Cooler’ successfully manages to offer this lovely mélange.

Contact by Carl Sagan

When I am writing about ‘must read’ novels, how can I miss the great fiction of all times, the scientific thriller – ‘Contact’ by Carl Sagan? This is perhaps the only work of fiction written by an esteemed astronomer himself; the authenticity and realism of the events, incidents, details and descriptions, therefore, are simply awe inspiring. Elle, the protagonist, with her knowledge, wisdom, unparalleled belief, passion and determination comes across as a strong character and will surely leave a deep impression in the minds of readers. In December 1999, a team of international scientists decide to take up the most exciting adventure in the history of humankind. They commence this task following some signs from the galaxy, which make them believe that there is indeed some intelligent source out there. Carl Sagan brilliantly narrates the story which seamlessly transcends the boundaries of science, religion, politics and social aspects. A truly exciting and engaging story and one that is superbly narrated.

The Immortals of Meluha by Amish Tripathi

This is the first book of the Shiva trilogy, which swept readers of mythology and fiction off their feet and I am no exception. I have many good things to say about this book – complete originality of plot, many euphoric moments to keep the interest alive till the very last page, meticulous handling of subplots and supporting characters, and brilliant amalgamation of mythology, history and fiction, being just a few of them.

The book is based on a fundamental belief that perhaps actions, deeds and karma are the only deciding factors in transforming an ordinary mortal into Mahadev, God of Gods.

The story begins with a tribal leader Shiva responding to the call of destiny to be the sole saviour, the Neelkanth of Suryavanshis. He embarks on a journey to find evil and fight against it. But is he up against evil? Who is evil? Who is he along with the Suryavanshis fighting against? These are some of the questions which Shiva gradually comes face to face with and tries to find answers to.  A true page turner which captivates the attention of readers from the first page till the last page.

Frindle by Andrew Clements

Frindle is one of the best children’s books that I have read so far. Ten-year old Nick Allen is a smart kid who is always in pursuit of devising innovative ideas to distract the teachers of his class. But Mrs. Granger in fifth-grade is not an easy prey. Nick’s attempts land him in more trouble – he is supposed to write an extra report on how words get added to a dictionary. Incidentally, this new project sparks another brilliant idea in Nick’s mind and he decides to coin his own new word for pen – Frindle. The new word spreads among students like wild fire, much to the very annoyance of school authorities and specifically Mrs. Granger. Besides being a very interesting story, this book subtly highlights much more – an endearing student-teacher relationship, effective learning and power of self-belief. A perfect gift to a young reader.

The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

’The Palace of Illusions’ is a retelling of the age-old epic poem, Mahabharata, but with a difference. The novel is the voice of the female protagonist, Panchaali, and how she views and interprets the situations she gets to confront in her far-from-usual life. The book offers readers flavours of mythology, history and imagination, all rolled in one. Born out of fire with a purpose, married to five royal husbands, having the charismatic Krishna by her side in all difficult phases of life, shouldering the burden of being one of the reasons for the great war between cousins, Panchaali finds herself a puppet in the hands of fate. Through this book, Divakaruni has brought a unique perspective to the proceedings of the great epic. A must-read if you haven’t read it yet!

Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev

I may perhaps be running the risk of not keeping up with times by choosing this book. With a deluge of new books by budding authors in the market, classics are not very preferred picks, or are they? Can classics lose their sheen? To me, a reading list is incomplete without classics.

‘Fathers and Sons’ gave the literary world its first Nihilist (believing in nothing) hero. The novel covers a wide range of emotions, issues, multiple layers of characters, bonds and much more – the timeless generational conflict, ideologies of 19th century Russia, the transitioning Russian society, the friendship between two young men, the transformed relationship between two sets of fathers and sons. By the time the last page is turned, the story manages to leave its indelible mark on the minds of readers. A very emotional and powerful piece of literature, and hence a must-read.

The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

The story begins with “Lillian had been four years old when her father left them, and her mother, stunned, had slid into books like a seal into water”. Lillian accepts her destiny, compensating for the neglect of her mother by taking charge of household chores and in the process, discovers her deep passion for cooking. The array of spices, their aromas, stainless steel skillets, wooden magic wands and the art of cooking mesmerise her. She abhors following any written word to cook, her instincts guiding her through the process. Later Lillian applies this magical sense of cooking to open and operate a restaurant and to conduct cooking classes on Monday nights, called ‘The School of Essential Ingredients’.

Each subsequent chapter explores one class and the lives of the students of a particular session – a long married couple, a woman reconciling with her new identity as a mother, a kitchen designer, a widower, a lawyer, a software engineer and a woman who is finding herself in alien territory as she goes through phases of dementia.

A must read for those who love to cook!

Vibha Sharma regularly reviews books in her blog http://literarysojourn.blogspot.com/

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