2024 has been a good year regarding the number and variety of books I could find to read.
January started well, and I set a challenging target of 50 books for the year. It’s quite ambitious, especially since I tend to gravitate towards novels that are at least 400-500 pages long in paperback form. I’ve been steering clear of short stories for a while now. Thick books are my thing—the more I can sink my teeth into the theme, the juicier it gets!
So here goes friends…my 10 best reads of 2024… (not considering repeat reads and in no order of priority) –
- The Nightingale BY Kristin Hannah
This was my first read of the author and it is one of her best. The story of two sisters with disparate lives and struggles in German-occupied France during WWII is emboldening, disheartening, and engrossing. How we overcome fear in the face of ultimate challenges in our lives and those of our loved ones, how we tap into reserves of strength we didn’t know we possessed; this book will stay with me for years to come.
A House Without Windows BY Nadia Hashimi
This is an emotionally powerful and haunting story of friendship that depicts the plight of women in Afghanistan under Taliban. How our lives turn on their head in a single moment and how we continue to protect those that we love, will shock you, silence you, and bring a tear to your eye.
The Remains of the Day BY Kazuo Ishiguro
This one’s a classic and I read it later than I should have. How do we do what makes us happy while still performing our duty as per the letter? How do we make time for something or someone we love, and what if the love/care does not get reciprocated as we would like? This story, so simple yet so nuanced, so carefree yet so critical is worth a read any day.
- The Women BY Kristin Hannah – Since my first read by the author was a huge hit for me, I read quite a few of her works this year. And she did not disappoint. This book about a young nurse who serves in the United States Army – Nurse Corps during the Vietnam War, draws a grim picture of the reality of the war.
The Last Queen BY Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
This story about the last reigning queen of India’s Sikh Empire is a vivid and engrossing read like any other book by the author. A commoner who rose to power by becoming a warrior and ruler defeated her fears and did not let dynasty politics break her. How she defied tradition and did not succumb to threats will mesmerize you and make you root for Jindan, the queen.
When Breath Becomes Air BY Paul Kalanithi
What happens when a lawyer stands as a criminal in court, or a teacher finds himself receiving a lecture, or in this case, a neurosurgeon in his nascent stages of reaching the pinnacle of success suddenly finds himself in the grip of the dreaded disease that is destined to kill him. What makes this book particularly powerful is its first-person narrative and the writer’s unwavering acceptance as he progresses through his journey.
The Far Field BY Madhuri Vijay
Kashmir. The land of gods, a backdrop of ethereal beauty. Amidst this, the narrator, suddenly thrown into the deep end, witnesses both sides of the conundrum that is Kashmir. Whom to trust? Who is right? A wonderful book that will stay with you long after you finish reading.
Fall of Giants BY Ken Follet
Another great book that I read after having had it in my TBR for ages. WWI has seldom been done better.
11.22.63 BY Stephen King
What if you had a time machine? Or discovered a wormhole that takes you to your past and lets you change history? This was a laborious read not because it was boring, but because its repeated timelines and premise make you take minutes to pause in between. When one reads to the end, one realizes how difficult it is if we get what we want. If we were able to rewrite history, are we sure to do justice?
Yellow Crocus Series BY Laila Ibrahim
This is the story from those days when rich plantation owners made slaves of the black working class. Even in those trying times, an unlikely friendship that blooms between a newborn child of a rich family and her nanny who is deep in the hell of slavery, and how their bond grows; forms the crux of this series. Vivid writing and imaginative plot devices make this a very engaging read.
Manobina Nanda Ganguly
Manobina is a Computer Engineer by profession, working for over two decades. An avid reader since childhood, she loves reading both fictions and non fictions. She can be reached at manobina@gmail.com.
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