Bookshelf

What I’ve been reading

A collection of books I’ve read and would recommend, organized by year.

2026

Welcoming more serendipity in my book choices this year.

She Who Became the Sun

Shelley Parker-Chan

Reading: January 2025

I seem to be drawn to historic fiction based in East Asia.

In Every Mirror She’s Black

Lola Akinmade Åkerström

Read: January 2025

Three Black women from different places end up in Sweden for different reasons, on different terms, and get to see Swedish society for what it is.

2025

Take My Hand

Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Read: December 2025

A book that taught me (once again) that fiction and narrative are more powerful tools to grasp the gravity of uncomfortable historic events and social facts.

Best Of Friends

Kamila Shamsie

Read: December 2025

Girls everywhere are the same, and ones from the Indian subcontinent are particularly plucky. I enjoyed the stories of two friends in Pakistan, all the way from girlhood in Karachi to rich professional careers in London.

Americanah: A novel

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Read: October 2024

This book made everything simultaneously better by validating my observations about Americans, and worse by not redeeming them from my already unflattering impression.

2024

The Poppy War

Rebecca F Kuang

A special cross between fantasy, magial realism and historic fiction, such a treat for anybody who enjoys these genres. If you’re unfamiliar with history China, Korea and Japan, you may not make the connections, but if you do, it will be cathartic and poetic, you’ll love how beautifully the story addresses deep, shared wounds.

Em and the Big Hoom

Jerry Pinto

Read: January 2025

We take life as it comes, and we write about it like it will be the most important story ever told.

2023

Coming Out As Dalit

Yashica Dutt

Likely the majority experience in India, such little representation in Indian literature.

Illustration: What’s the Point?: A Book of Illustrated Illustrations that Illustrate Illustration

Mouni Feddag

A book for the soul that sometimes wonders – what’s the point anyway.

The Ivory Throne: Chronicles of the House of Travancore

Manu S. Pillai

Read: 2023 Historically important nuances that everybody, especially Dravidians should know about matrilineal culture.

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I enjoyed the stories of two friends in Pakistan, all the way from girlhood in Karachi to rich professional careers in London. ]{.book-note} ::: ::: ::: {.book-card} ::: {.book-cover} ![](images/books/book_2025_03.jpg) ::: ::: {.book-info} [**Americanah: A novel**]{.book-title} [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie]{.book-author} [Read: October 2024]{.book-year} [This book made everything simultaneously better by validating my observations about Americans, and worse by not redeeming them from my already unflattering impression.]{.book-note} ::: ::: ::: ::: {.year-section} ## 2024 {.year-heading} ::: {.book-card} ::: {.book-cover} ![](images/books/book_2024_01.jpg) ::: ::: {.book-info} [**The Poppy War**]{.book-title} [Rebecca F Kuang]{.book-author} [Read: 2024]{.book-year} [A special cross between fantasy, magial realism and historic fiction, such a treat for anybody who enjoys these genres. If you're unfamiliar with history China, Korea and Japan, you may not make the connections, but if you do, it will be cathartic and poetic, you'll love how beautifully the story addresses deep, shared wounds. ]{.book-note} ::: ::: ::: {.book-card} ::: {.book-cover} ![](images/books/book_2024_02.jpg) ::: ::: {.book-info} [**Em and the Big Hoom**]{.book-title} [Jerry Pinto]{.book-author} [Read: January 2025]{.book-year} [ We take life as it comes, and we write about it like it will be the most important story ever told.]{.book-note} ::: ::: ::: {.year-section} ## 2023 {.year-heading} ::: {.book-card} ::: {.book-cover} ![](images/books/book_2023_01.jpg) ::: ::: {.book-info} [**Coming Out As Dalit**]{.book-title} [Yashica Dutt]{.book-author} [Read: 2023]{.book-year} [Likely the majority experience in India, such little representation in Indian literature.]{.book-note} ::: ::: ::: {.book-card} ::: {.book-cover} ![](images/books/book_2023_02.jpg) ::: ::: {.book-info} [**Illustration: What's the Point?: A Book of Illustrated Illustrations that Illustrate Illustration**]{.book-title} [Mouni Feddag]{.book-author} [Read: 2023]{.book-year} [ A book for the soul that sometimes wonders -- what's the point anyway.]{.book-note} ::: ::: ::: {.book-card} ::: {.book-cover} ![](images/books/book_2023_03.jpg) ::: ::: {.book-info} [**The Ivory Throne: Chronicles of the House of Travancore**]{.book-title} [Manu S. Pillai]{.book-author} [Read: 2023]{.book-year} [ Historically important nuances that everybody, especially Dravidians should know about matrilineal culture. ]{.book-note} ::: :::