My Digital Library

This is a catalog of books that have been discussed in this blog. Explore by clicking on the genre of your interest/s. The ones with a ":-)" indicate the reads that most impressed me.

Non Fiction

• Culture/History
• Unveiling India - Anees Jung (a beautiful essay on the multiple facets of Indian women) :-)
• Yuganta - Irawati Karve (an academic discourse on Mahabharatha - its various adaptations and relevance to the Indian community)
• Educative
• Design Meets Disability - Graham Pullin (a brilliant book that revamps the prevalent attitude and culture towards designing assistive products for the disabled, by suggesting the influence of art, fashion and interaction design to erase the stigma associated with disability) :-)
• The Stuff of Thought - Steven Pinker (What are thoughts made of? Words? Or are words made of thoughts? The book is a comprehensive psycho-linguistic discussion on the interaction between language and cognition)
• The Whale: In Search of the Giants of The Sea - Philip Hoare (A beautifully writing book on whales - some history, biology, and myths regarding the mysterious giants of the sea)
• Inspirational
• Mental Fight - Ben Okri (inspirational poems motivating change and urging a brighter future)
• My Posse Don't Do Homework - Loue Anne Johnson (inspirational account of one teacher's successful reformation of her rebellious students, by giving them a chance) :-)
• Notes to Each Other - Hugh Prather, Gayle Prather (candid reflections on how to make relationships last)
• Tuesdays With Morrie - Mitch Albom (inspirational, philosophical reflections of a dying professor)
• Memoir
• Bossypants - Tina Fey (Tina Fey’s witty memoir is a celebration of feminism)
• Confessions of a Former Child - Daniel Tomasulo (A psychologist’s memoir of his childhood relationship with his parents, and his journey towards resolving the issues)
• Eat Pray Love - Elizabeth Gilbert (a woman's search for self-realization and spirituality)
• How I Became a Human Being (a touching memoir of a polio-stricken man’s struggles to gain acceptance in society, as a fellow human being)
• I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings - Maya Angelou (heart-tugging life story of a talented and strong African-American woman who has risen up as an acclaimed poet and writer)
• I Raise My Eyes To Say Yes - Ruth Sienkiewicz-Mercer (an emotional and inspirational memoir of a woman who suffered from Cerebral Palsy) :-)
• Meaning of a Disability - Albert Robillard (an objective and scientific discussion of living a life with Paralysis and ALS)
• Moab is My Washpot - Stephen Fry (The British comedian/actor/writer’s candid, witty, and interesting autobiography of the first 20 colorful years of his life)
• Notes to Myself - Hugh Prather (sensitive and candid notes reflecting the author's realizations in life)
• Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman - Richard Feynman (Popular physicist, Feynman's recount of his life, and his fun and interesting experiments with Science and Physics)
• The Diary of Anne Frank - Anne Frank (The tragic real-life accounts of an intellegent Jewish teenager caught in the cruel grips of World War II)
• The Diving Bell and The Butterfly - Jean-Dominique Bauby (a moving and inspiring memoir of a man’s last months facing "locked-in-syndrome") :-)
• The Opposite of Fate - Amy Tan (poignant and honest memoir, infusing plenty of hope and positivity)
• The Summing Up - Somerset Maugham (Maugham summarizes his life's experiences and revelations)
• Philosophy
• How Good People Make Tough Choices - Rushworth Kidder (a discussion of the philosophy of morality, and the popular moral principles used to resolve moral dilemmas)
• Manual of the Warrior of Light - Paulo Coelho (inspirational, philosophical quotes)
• Sophie's World - Jostein Gaarder (Although, the book is seen as Fiction, the bulk of the book is non-fiction. Gaarder summarizes the history of western philosophy, such that even a young precocious girl can understand the heavy themes) :-)
• The Conquest of Happiness - Bertrand Russell (Why is happiness so elusive, and how do we conquer it and our minds?)
• The Pig That Wants to be Eaten - Julian Baggini (100 philosophical thought experiments for a rigorous mental exercise. Themes are repetitive)
• The Prophet - Kahlil Gibran (Gibran's popular collection of poems encompassing life's different facets and phases) :-)
• Psychology
• A Mind Apart - Susanne Antonetta (An honest view of minds afflicted with conditions such as bipolar disorder, and heavy questions on whether these genes should be given a chance to survive)
• Dibs in Search of Self - Virginia Axline (a heart-tugging real life story of an emotionally disturbed child and his journey of recovery through Axline's innovative therapeutic technique - Play Therapy) :-)
• Imagine - Jonah Lehrer (Ah, the controversial book plagued by issues on self-plagiarism and fabrication of quotes. Still, an interesting and educative read)
• Man’s Search for Meaning - Victor Frankl (an extremely impressionable book on the techniques of Logotherapy that urges man to seek a meaning in life to survive the most tragic episodes of life. This technique is presented in the context of Frankl’s gruelling time at the Nazi concentration camps) :-)
• Play Therapy - Virginia Axline (An introduction to the principles of Play therapy, designed for helping emotionally troubled children) :-)
• The Art of Choosing - Sheena Iyengar (A comprehensive treatise on the beliefs and realities of the role of Choice in our lives. A compelling read) :-)
• The Happiness Hypothesis - Jonathan Haidt (A comphrensive and theoretically grounded book on the things that influence, impact, and augment Happiness. Interesting read)
• The Introvert Advantage - Marti Olsen Laney (This eye-opening book offers clear physiological and psychological reasons behind introversion and extroversion and offers, empathetic and practical suggestions to make the best of your temperament; not to be trivialized as "self-help")
• Science
• Anatomy of a Rose - Sharman Russell (a poetry on the science of flowers and their role in the ecosystem)
• Death by Blackhole and Other Quasmic Quandaries - Neil DeGrasse Tyson (A nicely written book that takes on an educational history of astrohphysics and cosmology; entertainingly written)
• Genome - Matt Ridley (an extremely well-written book that introduces the science of genetics)
• Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors - Carl Sagan (traces human being's grand ancestors - starting from star dust to the apes, and links them all together in evolution's drama) :-)
• The Dragons of Eden - Carl Sagan (A Pulitzer-prize winning book on the evolution of the human brain and intelligence)
• The Moral Animal - Robert Wright (uses the science of evolutionary psychology to understand human beings, their behavior, cognition and the concept of morality)
• The Origins of Virtue - Matt Ridley (Through plenty of evidences and scientific data, Ridley joins other scientists like Dawkins to argue that virtues/morality/altruism/reciprocity/cooperation are inherently formed out of “selfish” needs to survive, make progress, and propagate our genes)
• Sociology
• Behind the Beautiful Forevers - Katherine Boo(a distrubing account of the tragic lives of slum dwellers in Bombay who were residing near the Bombay Airport)
• Spirituality
• Autobiography of a Yogi - Paramahansa Yogananda (expounds the significance of Kriya Yoga, a form of meditation technique, to help master our minds, realize ourselves and our purpose in life)
• Meeting of Minds (dialogue between the 14th Dalai Lama and Chan Master Sheng-Yen on the topic of Tibetan and Chinese Buddhism)
• The Spirit of Buddhism - Sogyal Rinpoche (explores the future of Buddhism in western lands, and highlights the principles that shouldn't be watered down)

Fiction

• Award Winning Literature
• A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kenney Toole (Pulitzer Prize winner; The book relates the adventures of an eccentric idealist; humorous in parts and sad between the lines, this book brings out the frustrations of a man that struggles to fit in)
• Life of Pi - Yenn Martel (Man Booker Prize Winner; a disturbing, yet brilliant exploration of survival, and the purpose of religion and God) :-)
• One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Nobel Prize winner; philosophical, magical realism that traces the trials and tribulations of a South-American dynasty)
• The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy (Man Booker Prize winner; a heart-wrenching, poignant story of the cruelties of caste distinctions in India. Creative and beautiful writing) :-)
• The Goldfinch - Donna Tart (Pulitzer Prize winning novel of an orphaned boy reminiscent of Olive Twist finding meaning in his life; compelling writing and themes) :-)
• The Good Earth - Pearl Buck (Pulitzer Winning Book that beautifully recreates life in China during the early 1900s. Wonderful writing and characterization) :-)
• The Inheritance of Loss - Kiran Desai (Man Booker Prize winner; a disturbing, yet realistic portrayal of the life of illegal and legal Indian immigrants in the US)
• The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro (A simple and touching story of one conscientious stiff-upper-lipped English butler and all that remains at the end of his profession)
• The Old Man and The Sea - Ernest Hemingway (Hemingway's masterpiece; an allegory of our lust for materialism, and the significance of human-will and courage)
• The White Tiger - Aravind Adiga(Man Booker Prize Winner; An honest and brutal account of the socio-economic disparities in India and an unflinching story of an underdog making it big; powerful writing, interesting characters)
• Children's Classics
• Chronicles of Avonlea - Lucy Maud Montgomery (a charming collection of short-stories set in Avonlea)
• A Wrinkle in Time - Madeline L'Engle ( Newbery Award winning science-fiction classic)
• Island of the Blue Dolphins - Scott O'Dell (Newbery Award winning story of survival)
• Rainbow Valley - Lucy Maud Montgomery (The seventh book in the Anne of Green Gables series, where the kids try to figure out what is good conduct)
• The Chronicles of Narnia - C.S.Lewis (The fantastical childrens’ tales of adventure that take place in the magical world of Narnia)
• The Giver - Lois Lowry (Newbery Award winning science-fiction that shows the ugly side of Utopia, and unfolds the importance of love and one's identity)
• The Land of the Blue Flower - Frances Hogdson Burnett (a beautiful tale of peace and the power of optimism)
• The Lost Prince - Frances Hogdson Burnett(a tale of patriotism, friendship and leadership as two young boys aid in bringing about a revolution to restore peace to their homeland)
• The Sea Fairies - Frank L. Baum (a deep sea fantasy and adventure with mermaids and exotic sea creatures)
• The Secret Garden - Frances Hogdson Burnett (an endearing tale of optimism and hope) :-)
• The Velveteen Rabbit - Margery Williams(an adorable little story of a stuffed rabbit learning what it means to be Real)
• Under the Lilacs - Louisa May Alcott (a sweet story of friendship and happy ending about an orphaned boy and his poodle)
• Classics
• 1984 - George Orwell (a disturbing story that warns us of a future that misplaces the principles of communism) :-)
• Animal Farm - George Orwell (a satire of socialism going awry, creatively depicted through animals establishing their society) :-)
• Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy (Tolstoy's priced work of tragedy exploring the themes of marriage and infidelity)
• Candide - Voltaire (satirical, philosophical drama exploring the questions of free-will, destiny and intelligent design)
• Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky (contemplative book on the nature of crimes, punishments and philosophy of morality) :-)
• David Copperfield - Charles Dickens (the classic tale of an orphaned boy finding his place in the world)
• Emma - Jane Austen (One of Austen’s favorite works; a charming, plucky heroine believes she is a born match-maker and ends up creating a romantic muddle)
• Les Miserables - Victor Hugo (A deeply moving classic that beautifully explores the philosophy of morality) :-)
• Moby-Dick - Herman Melville (A classic literary giant on the glories of whales and whaling, and the addictive spirit of adventure that is larger than Life itself)
• Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck (a classic story of friendship in a ruthless world)
• Tess of the D’urbervilles - Thomas Hardy(A radical story of the ways in which certain Victorian virtures are meaningless and hollow and destroys the life an otherwise virtuous woman; interesting discussions on morality and religion; excellent writing) :-)
• The Brother's Karamazov - Fyodor Dostoyevsky (a mind-bending classic that meticulously analyzes the meaning of morality and whether religion and notions of God influence it more)
• The Great Gatsby - Scott Fitzgerald (The great American classic of the rise of moral decay and disillusioned dreams in a wealthy, materialistic society)
• Trimalchio - Scott Fitzgerald (The initial unedited manuscript of The Great Gatsby; even better than the edited version) :-)
• The Phantom of the Opera - Gaston Leroux (a taut mystery and suspense thriller surrounding the escapades of the Opera ghost in the Paris Opera House)
• The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde (a portrait of vanity and materialism)
• The Power of Darkness - Leo Tolstoy (a dark drama of debauchery and sins that highlight the significance of our conscience)
• The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne (a sensitive and detailed exploration of morality and the definition of sin in the context of infidelity)
• The Thorn Birds - Colleen McCullough(A family saga of love and loss) :-)
• Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe (tells the story of the rise and fall of an African tribal community)
• Watership Down - Richard Adams (classic survival story of rabbits in the wild)
• Fantasy
• Ever - Gail Carson Levine (a book of fantasy and magic tying the power of the human mind and will)
• Mermaids - An Anthology (short-stories surrounding the myths of the sea and its fantastical creatures)
• Princess Ben - Catherine Murdock (a charming coming-of-age fantasy story to appeal young adults)
• The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien (a wonderful prelude to the Lord of the Rings)
•  Historical Fiction/Mythology
• Madame Tussaud - Michelle Moran (Informative read on Madame Tussaud’s life, and rise to fame during the French revolution)
• A Memory of Wind - Rachel Swirsky (A brief but poignant look into the thoughts and feelings of Iphigenia, the young girl who was sacrificed to help pave the way for the popular War of Troy)
• Mozart’s Sister - Nancy Somer (An interpretation of the life of Mozart’s equally talented sister, Nannerl, who was hushed to live her life cloistered in her little town, when her brother reached the heights of glory)
• Ponniyin Selvan (Vol 1.) New Floods - Kalki Krishnamurthy (An English translation by Indra Neelameggham that retells the epic historical tale of King Raja Raja Chozha of the Tamil dynasty; highly engaging and beautiful narration) :-)
• Ponniyin Selvan (Vol.2) - Whirlwind - Kalki Krishnamurthy (Second part of the historical drama that heightens the suspense of the tale as it unravels the vital mysteries) :-)
• Ponniyin Selvan (Vol.3) The Killer Sword - Kalki Krishnamurthy (The third part of the epic story of King Raja Raja Choza of the Tamil dynasty, translated by C.V Karthik Narayanan) :-)
• Ponniyin Selvan (Vol.4) The Crown - Kalki Krishnamurthy (The fourth part of the epic story of the Chozha dynasty) :-)
• Ponniyin Selvan (Vol.5a) The Pinnacle of Sacrifice - Kalki Krishnamurthy (The first part of the fifth volume of the epic story of the Choza dynasty) :-)
• Ponniyin Selvan - The Finale - Kalki Krishnamurthy (The final book on the magnanimous story of King Raja Raja Chozha) :-)
• Shadow Princess - Indu Sundaresan (The third book in the Mughal history series that tells the story of Jahanara, Aurangazeb, and the construction of the Taj Mahal)
• The Feast of Roses - Indu Sundaresan (historical fiction surrounding Nur Jahan, the Mughal dynasty and their reign in India; sequel to The Twentieth Wife)
•  The Palace of Illusions - Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (historical fiction; the Mahabharata retold from the perspective of Draupadi)
• The Twentieth Wife - Indu Sundaresan (historical fiction, surrounding Nur Jahan, the Mughal dynasty and their reign in India)
• Humor
• Love Among the Chickens - P.G. Wodehouse (A light and fun read on the funny escapades of running a chicken farm in the country, and the woes of a wistful lover trying to win over his lady and her father)
• The Rosie Project - Graeme Simsion (A hilarious and intelligent read on love and life, and our social ironies)
• Three Men in a Boat - Jerome K. Jerome (A humorous account of three men on an adventure)
• Three Men and a Maid - P.G.Wodehouse (A breezy and fun read on the debacles of three men trying to sort out their love lives>
• Weekend Wodehouse - P.G. Wodehouse (Collection of excerpts from the master’s expert stories) :-)
• Literary Fiction
• A Personal Matter - Kenzaburo Oe (It’s the story of a weak-spirited man coming to terms with the birth of his first son, born with a rare medical complication)All Under Heaven - Pearl Buck (explores the personal challenges of immigrating to the US and seeking acceptance, during the era of communism)
• Americanah - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (A bold novel on the subtle ways in which racism exists in America)
• An Atlas of Impossible Longing - Anuradha Roy (A moving, gripping, multi-generational story set in India) :-)
• And the Mountains Echoed - Khaled Hosseini (Stories within stories relate the lives of people that are searching for something to fill their internal voids)
• Bombay Time - Thrity Umrigar (Umrigar brings out the necessity and communal harmony that comes from being part of a close-knit community and social group)
• Ceremony - Leslie Marmon Silkon (a morose story of a Native-American’s struggles to forget the horrors of war by reconnecting with the mystic rituals and spiritualism of his people)
• Clear Light of Day - Anita Desai (A sensitive and beautiful commentary on the emotional ties within a family that hurt, tug, and love)
• Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres (A tragic story of love and war; beautiful, strong writing and memorable characters)
• Cutting For Stone - Abraham Verghese (An epic medical drama with Ethiopia’s political conflicts and a family’s emotional upheaval serving as the backdrop; wonderful characterization and beautiful writing) :-)
• How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia - Mohsin Hamid (A rags to riches story of a naive young man wanting to make a good living in a corrupt developing country; well written book with good characterization)
• In Custody - Anita Desai (A timid man interviews a disturbed Urdu poet for the sake of capturing his wisdom for posterity. What follows is a frustrating and poignant experience; sensitive writing and great characters)
• Last Man in Tower - Aravind Adiga (what does greed and desperate need to survive reduce human beings to? An interesting study of characters in a cut-throat society in Bombay)
• Letter from Peking - Pearl Buck (Explores the meaning of companionship and loneliness. Beautiful writing)
• Making Faces - Amy Harmon (A beautiful story on the value of inner-beauty)
• Me Before You - Jojo Moyes (A moving and thougtful book on euthanasia and the realities of living life paralyzed in a wheelchair)
• Moth Smoke - Mohsin Hamid (This story is about the stifling social & political structures of a corrupt Pakistani city that lead to the gradual spiraling descent of the protagonist into hopeless, helpless, self-destruction)
• Never Let me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro (A haunting story of degrading humanity in an era of scientific progress)
• Portrait of a Marriage - Pearl Buck (sensitive portrayal of the challenges of love and marriage)
• The Age of Shiva - Manil Suri (a sensitive portrayal of a woman’s life in India in the 60s and 70s; special focus on mother-son relationship; mesmerizing writing) :-)
• The Art of Hearing Heartbeats - Jan-Philipp Sendker (A beautiful, poignant story of love that transcends mundande human expectations)
• The Book Thief - Markus Zusak (A touching story of a young girl coping with the loss of her family as she grows to build relationships with her foster family during the harrowing time of World War II)
• The Death of Vishnu - Manil Suri (An interesting book of many themes surrounding middle-class life in Bombay; sprituality and religious symbols are subtley stitched into the story to make for a novel that relies more on the reader’s interpretation)
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows (A warm and uplifting read about the strength and kindness of the inhabitants of Guernsey during and post World War II)
• The Hungry Tide - Amitav Ghosh (an intersting story of ugly history, interesting mythology and fierce natural calamities surrounding the enigmatic Sundarbans; Ghosh asks difficult questions regarding wildlife conservation in the light of human survival)
• The Lowland - Jhumpa Lahiri (An enaging moving story of loss and acceptance)
• The Museum of Innocence - Orhan Pamuk (A saga of socio-cultural reflections surrounding a man’s obsession with a woman he cannot have; The nuanaces of Turkey’s social and cultural fabric are nicely brought out)
• The Namesake - Jhumpa Lahiri (the story explores the confusions and rifts between first and second generation Indian Americans, and the second generation’s perpetual search for their identity)
• The Reader - Bernard Schlink (A harrowing and poignant story of a woman who served as a Nazi guard; beautiful writing, haunting characters)
• The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid (A well written thought-provoking story of a smart Pakistani man torn between his loyalty to his country and the allure of the U.S at the turning point of 9/11)
• The Samurai's Garden - Gail Tsukiyama (a sensitive coming-of-age story that explores the themes of friendship, companionship and resilience)
• The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd(A beautiful story of motherly love, forgiveness, and acceptance; very evocative and poignant) :-)
• Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen (A touching story on the life of Circus performers and the unattractive backstage of a Circus management)

Magical Realism

• Haroun and The Sea of Stories - Salman Rushdie (A wonderful fantastical adventure that reinstates the importance of Imagination and freedom of expression) :-)
• Luka and The Fire of Life - Salman Rushdie (Luka’s magical adventure to secure the Fire of Life that burns within us to keep our lives going; extremely creative and meaningful word plays)
• The Enchantress of Florence - Salman Rushdie (An enigmatic story about Akbar’s mesmerizing, but lost grand-aunt, and the illusions of reality)
• The Ground Beneath Her Feet - Salman Rushdie (An odyssey of love and passion)
• The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern (A beautifully written book that hypnotises the reader with its luscious visual descriptions of an enigmatic circus and the charcters behind it)
• We Need New Names - NoViolet Bulawayo (An honest and raw story surrounding social upheavals, identity, and immigration)

Mystery

• Finding Nouf - Zoe Ferraris (a mystery that deepens to offer a glimpse of the Arabian culture and traditions, and how they clash with the ideals of the modern era)
• Haunting Bombay - Shilpa Agarwal (A spooky ghost story that raises important social issues, which especially haunt Bombay)
• The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold (psychological thriller involving a dead rape victim, her killer and her family. Beautiful writing, sensitive exploration of acceptance)

Philosophy

• Anthem - Ayn Rand (Rand’s philopshy of Objectivism and Individualism is conveyed through a dystopian tale; short and easy to digest version of her philosophy)
• By The River Peidra I Sat Down and Wept - Paulo Coelho (philosophical, inspirational story of following your heart)
• Siddhartha - Herman Hesse (A beautiful synthesis of eastern and western philosophical ideals, explored through a young Brahmin boy’s spiritual quest to find his Self)
• The Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka (philosophical exploration of the interaction between the mind and body)
• Veronika Decides to Die - Paulo Coelho (philosophical, contemplative book on life's existential questions, and the definition of "normalcy")

Psychology

• Imperfect Birds - Anne Lammot (beautiful exploration of teenage rebellion)
• Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes (Heart-wrenchingly sad and intelligent portrayal of the dangers of altering the human brain) :-)
• Room - Emma Donoghue (A very interesting psychological study on what social isolation does to the human mind) :-)
• Testimony - Anita Shreve(a powerful emotional drama that captures the breadth and depth of psychological and ethical implications of a mishandled sex-scandal in a private school)
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon (A raw, honest, and incisive story on a family that fractures and regroups to raise an autistic boy)
• The Irresistible Henry House - Lisa Grunwald (A psychological sketch of a “practice baby” that was handled by several “mothers” but connected with none; moving and fascinating)

Science Fiction

• Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins (the second book of the popular trilogy where teenagers are made to fight to death as a source of entertainment; better than the first book in the series)
• Eros, Philia, Agape - Rachel Swirsky (A succinct look at the possibility of humans finding love and companionship with an Android)
• Flatland - Edwin A. Abott (Classic science fiction, uses ingenious creativity to introduce the concept of multiple dimensions (3+) in our world) :-)
• Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins (The third in the series of the popular trilogy where teenagers are made to fight to death as a source of entertainment; series ends well)
• Sphere-Land - Diony's Burger (a "sequel" to Flatland, that nicely explains the concept of a spherical world)
• The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins (the first of the popular trilogy where teenagers are made to fight to death as a source of entertainment)

Short Stories

• Brahma’s Hair - Maneka Gandhi with Yasmin Singh (Mythological stories on the origins and natures of some of the most common Indian plants; makes for nice bed-time reading for kids (and adults))
• East, West - Salman Rushdie (Short stories that bring out the essence of the East and the West, and the culmination of the two)
• Collected Stories of Roald Dahl (one of the best short-story collections of Roald Dahl)
• In the Convent of Little Flowers - Indu Sundaresan (A powerful set of short-stories that deal with some of India’s most haunting issues)
• The Stolen White Elephant - Mark Twain (a short satire on the police department)
• The Thing Around Your Neck - Chimamanda Adichie (A collection of honest, moving, short-stories of Nigerians)
• The Unicorn Expedition and other fantastic tales of India - Satyajit Ray (Highly imaginative, mystical and science-fiction short-stories)

Others

• A Breath of Fresh Air - Amulya Malladi (The emotional reflections of a couple dealing with the confrontation of their past)
• Anthill - Edward. O. Wilson (A young boy in Alabama makes it his life’s mission to grow into a Naturalist who will preserve natural habitats to maintain the ecosystem; contains interesting information on ant colonies)
• Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet - Jamie Ford (A delicate story of lost love and the woes of Chinese and Japanese immigration during the Second World War)
• Maybe Someday - Colleen Hoover (A different read that explores the questions surrounding physical vs. emotional infedility)
• The Bean Trees - Barbara Kingsolver (a story of a woman's search for her identity and meaning in life)
• The Broken Wings - Kahlil Gibran (A sad story of social restrictions and unrealized love)
• The Help - Kathryn Stockett (A story of redemption during the Civil Rights movement in the U.S; heartwarming)
• The Last Letter from your Lover - Jojo Moyes (A romantic drama with predictable twists and ending, but a nice breather between heavy books)
• The Man Who Ate the 747 - Ben Sherwood (a fun exploration of the meaning of true love and its limits)
• The People of The Mist - H.Rider Haggard (an action-packed page turner which takes place in an ancient African tribe)
• The Piano Teacher - Janice Y. K. Lee (offers a look into Hong Kong’s culture and lifestyle during the World War II and immediately following it; also incorporates the conspiracy of the Chinese Crown Collection)
• The Splendor of Silence - Indu Sundaresan (An American-Indian romance that unravels at the backdrop of India’s pre-Independence era)
• The World We Found - Thrity Umrigar (A contemplative novel on women’s friendships; focuses on Indian society; brings out the schism between idealism and reality)
• Who By Fire - Diana Spechler (A contemplative novel on guilt, and coping with tragedy)