World Fiction Recommendations
5 incredible books from around the globe
Hello there,
If there’s one thing people can’t get enough of, it’s book recommendations. Even if one doesn’t read at all, even if one isn’t going to buy a single copy, even if one has decided to ban books inside their 1 BHK- one cannot help but greedily scroll through a book recommendations article. (Check out the Q1 list)
That’s why I keep writing them. Not only because I’m obsessed with reading and writing, but also because people love reading about books, if not the books themselves.
With that line, I might just have revealed the essence of the human condition. Or, much more likely, I just wrote 10 words made up of 100% pure bullshit that contradict all logic.
But if you want to gain a deeper understanding of the human condition, I’d strongly recommend the idea of making world fiction a big part of your reading.
What are the lived experiences of people in radically different cultures, ideas, and eras like? You may never find that out but at least you can get a first-person view by reading their narratives.
If you’re convinced and can’t wait to try one, here are a few recommendations from around the world:
The Seven Moons Of Maali Almeida: Part fantasy, part political satire, and part murder mystery, this uncategorizable book was the first by a Sri Lankan author to clinch the Booker Prize. This isn’t your usual fiction read. Told from the POV of a gay war photographer, this book takes the reader through the disgusting depravities of the Lankan civil war. Reading this induced feelings of alternating horror and gratitude- of how fortunate we are to have never experienced what the Lankans did as they watched their beautiful paradise getting torn apart. But hey, it’s not just a sad book on civil war. You can find an utterly non-intuitive mix of beautiful writing, biting humor, hard-hitting philosophical musings, and a treatise on (the futility of) life. Highly recommended. But beware, this isn’t an easy read.
The Sympathizer: Just like the previous title, this feels like it doesn’t fit neatly into any category. It’s a war novel. Or a spy novel. Or a political satire. Or a narrative on the Vietnamese experience of living in America. Or a hard-hitting piece of philosophical literature. Every line in this book is like a slap on the face. This was a read where I found myself highlighting a line or two on almost every page with a big smile on my face. Check this: “Besides my conscience, my liver was the most abused part of my body.” Or this: “Isn’t it funny that in a society that values freedom above all things, things that are free are not valued?”. This is the highest quality of writing I’ve ever come across. Viet Thanh Ngyuen helped me understand what it means to write stuff that flows like poetry.
How To Get Filthy Rich In Rising Asia: This isn’t your typical rags-to-riches story. Structured as a satirical self-help book, this is a well-written page-turner that chronicles the rise of a poor, young man in a South Asian country (it won’t take too much brain-work to figure out it’s Pakistan). Mixed in with a love story, this book paints a raw & real picture of what it’s like to break out and rise up the socio-economic ladder. Of all the books on this list, this will be the easiest read.
Half Of A Yellow Sun: Do you know anything about the life experience of Nigerians? Or the fact that they had a major civil war when a group of people tried to declare their independence and form a country called Biafra? History can tell us about facts and figures, but that often makes us yawn till our jaw snaps. Good historical fiction, on the other hand, tells you a little about history, wrapped into a beautiful, human story of different people who lived through a particular period in time. That’s what this book does- laying out the hopes, aspirations, struggles & tribulations of a fine mix of characters: a professor, a beautiful educated woman, and a country servant- as they negotiate with questions of war, love & identity. The best way to know about the African experience is to read such books.
A Gentleman In Moscow: I’m endlessly surprised to see this book in the Top 10 charts in Indian bookstores. Yes, it’s a great book with poetic writing and I’d certainly recommend it, but it’s not a page-turner. This book is destined to be a classic- the kind that you’d want to read slowly as you savor the details. Written in the voice of a cultured aristocrat who has been sentenced to house arrest in a Moscow hotel, this is a beautifully written narrative that captures not only the unique world inside with all its delight & humor but also the world outside as Russia underwent decades of dramatic change and upheaval. Take your time in reading this and soak in the beautiful writing.
That’s it, friends. Did you also read any interesting fiction that you’d like to recommend? Please tell me by hitting reply to the email or commenting on the web article. There’s nothing I enjoy more than discussing books with people.
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