Reading List

The Covid pandemic is what sparked my interest for reading, giving me more time to explore things I had not before. Since then, I have not looked back. Recently, I also invested in an e-reader, which has transformed my reading experience. Now, I can read effortlessly during my commutes to school or unwind with a good book before going to bed. Following are some books I've read, re-read, and recommend.

Sapiens

Yuval Noah Harari

Fascinating overview of human history. Changed how I think about our species

Non-fiction

Don't Be Evil

Rana Foroohar

An eye-opening look at Big Tech. Made me deactivate my instagram account

Non-fiction

Project Hail Mary

Andy Weir

Loved this! The science is fun and the friendship is heartwarming. Go Rocky!

Sci-fi

Never Enough

Andrew Wilkinson

Was super inspiring to read this insightful book, signed by Andrew Wilkinson himself

Biography

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Douglas Adams

Hilarious and absurd in the best way. Don't forget your towel!

Sci-fi

Dune

Frank Herbert

A classic for a reason. The world-building is just incredible

Sci-fi

1984

George Orwell

Terrifyingly prescient. Big Brother is watching, and it's more relevant than ever

Classic

Tuesdays With Morrie

Mitch Albom

A feel good book that left me with a very refreshing view on life

Philosophy

The Shiva Trilogy

Amish Tripathi

I did enjoy how he tried to de-mythicise it, and how there are “real” explanations for the myths

Fiction

Tuesdays With Morrie

Mitch Albom

A feel good book that left me with a very refreshing view on life

Philosophy

The Three Body Problem Trilogy

Cixin Liu

Some disgusting, terrifying ideas about what lies in the intergalactic space out there

Sci-fi

Stories of Your Life and Others

Ed Chiang

A bunch of very good imaginitive plots that left my mind boggled

Sci-fi

Hyperion

Dan Simmons

Mind-blowing sci-fi that kept me up at night. The Canterbury Tales in space!

Sci-fi

The Fall of Hyperion

Dan Simmons

A solid follow-up, though not quite as captivating as the first

Sci-fi

Dune

Frank Herbert

A classic for a reason. The world-building is just incredible

Sci-fi

Dune Messiah

Frank Herbert

Interesting continuation of Paul's story, but a bit slower than the first

Sci-fi

The Palace of Illusions

Chitra Banerjee

A fascinating retelling of the Mahabharata from Draupadi's perspective

Fiction

To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee

A timeless classic that still resonates today. Scout's voice is unforgettable

Classic

Dracula

Bram Stoker

Creepy and atmospheric. The epistolary format really adds to the suspense

Classic

The Fifth Season

N.K. Jemisin

Wow! The world-building and character development are top-notch

Fantasy

Fahrenheit 451

Ray Bradbury

A chilling look at a world without books. Made me appreciate reading even more

Sci-fi

Never Let Me Go

Kazuo Ishiguro

A very weird book that does not reveal where it's going at any point

Fiction

Animal Farm

George Orwell

A clever allegory that's still relevant today. Simple yet powerful

Classic

1984

George Orwell

Terrifyingly prescient. Big Brother is watching, and it's more relevant than ever

Classic

Project Hail Mary

Andy Weir

Loved this! The science is fun and the friendship is heartwarming. Go Rocky!

Sci-fi

A Scanner Darkly

Philip K. Dick

A mind-bending exploration of identity and addiction. Dick at his paranoid best

Sci-fi

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Douglas Adams

Hilarious and absurd in the best way. Don't forget your towel!

Sci-fi

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

Douglas Adams

More galactic hijinks. Not quite as fresh as the first, but still a fun ride

Sci-fi

The Talented Mr. Ripley

Patricia Highsmith

A tense psychological but predictable thriller. Ripley is a fascinating, if disturbing, character

Thriller

Mexican Gothic

Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Creepy and atmospheric. A fresh take on the gothic horror genre

Horror

The Hunger Games Trilogy

Suzanne Collins

The plot is quite interesting

Fiction

The Bluest Eye

Toni Morrison

Powerful and heartbreaking. Morrison's prose is simply beautiful

Fiction

Frankenstein

Mary Shelley

A classic for a reason. The themes of creation and responsibility are timeless

Classic

Black Warrant

Sunil Gupta

The confessions of a Tihar Jailer gave interesting insights into the cases of infamous convicts and incidents in India during end of 20th century

Non-fiction