My List Of Ten Good Reads, Especially Curated For You

“A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.” —
George R.R. Martin
Keeping this in mind I present a brief review of ten books from sundry genres
which left their footprints on my psyche, hoping to unleash the magic for you.

1) Man’s Search for Meaning

Frankl was a psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor who brought a psychological
insight to extreme suffering. He observed how individuals coped with suffering
when stripped of family, possessions, identity in the concentration camps. Those
who survived were not necessarily the physically strongest, but those who
retained a sense of inner purpose.
In the second half of the book, Frankl introduced the principles of logotherapy,
which helps people rediscover meaning—whether through work, love, creativity, or the courageous endurance of suffering. In doing so, he offers a path toward inner rejuvenation.

2) The Many Lives of Sayeda X

Sayeda X represents an anonymous woman of the lowest social-economic rung
of India. Her life story over three decades peels the veneer to lay threadbare the
underbelly of our so called ‘civil’ society.
Sayeda is marginalized because of her gender and because she works in the
unorganised sector of the Indian economy with no rights or job security. Just
when things start looking up economically for her, some legal, political or
economic event nips her hopes in the bud. Her resilience offers a powerful
testament to strength and survival.

3) The Song of Achilles

This is the ancient Greek mythology of Achilles, the son of a mortal king
Peleus, and an immortal, cold and cruel goddess, Thetis – born for glory- and

Patroclus – an awkward, fumbling teenager who was exiled to Peleus’ kingdom
for a shameful crime.
The two develop an unflinching bond of friendship, much to the chagrin of
Achilles’ parents. The Centaur, Chiron trained Achilles to be an unconquerable
soldier and Patroclus to be dexterous in the art of medicine.
They meet a tragic end during the Trojan War, but are united in the afterlife.

4) A History of the World in 10 Objects

Through objects carefully chosen from the British Museum from the jade axe to
a solar lamp, each chapter reconstructs the socio-economic and political
structure of the societies which produced them.
These objects were meant to be radiographed on the BBC in 2010. Hence the
audience were intended to use their own imagination while each object was
vividly described verbally. This motivated the listeners to actively participate in
the rendition of history rather than remain passive recipients.
It’s not just the annals of the victors but also the vanquished.

5) Fire Bird

The title of this book is derived from the Tamil word, ‘Aalanda Patchi’, used by
the mother-in-law as a slur against Peruma, the wife of the protagonist, Muthu.
The fire bird represents the illusory nature of permanence in a mutable world.
Muthu, the youngest brother, is outwitted by his eldest brother during the
distribution of ancestral property. Only a measly piece of land with hardly any
water falls in his lot. Hence, Peruma sends him on a journey to get a plot of land
worth having.

6) The Creation of Wealth: The Tatas from the 19th to the 21st Century

This book is about how the economy of India was shaped by the Tatas from its
inception in 1868 to 2007.
Focussing on what made the Tata group different from the other companies, the
book narrates how those at the helm etched out not just a business conglomerate
but also decided to partake in the development of training centres, social
welfare programmes, the human resources in our country, and ultimately the
environment of the country. It is the journey of visionaries and pioneers of paths
uncharted by any before them.

7) Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life

This psychoanalytical book speaks to the soul of those people who are grappling
with a midlife crisis, like the demise of a near or dear one, failure in a
relationship, dealing with buried childhood trauma, questioning their career
choices, etc.
It talks about the cusp of a change and how our soul tries to summon us to this
change through our unconscious psyche. By answering this call we reach our
vocation in life which ultimately leads to the long-lasting feeling of contentment
and joy.

8) Tomb of Sand

This is a book written in Hindi and translated into English but retains the lyrical
and onomatopoeic quality of the original. The protagonist (Ma) slips into
depression, just like sand, at the demise of her husband. She is rejuvenated with
a change in scene at her daughter’s place. The latter considers herself to be
bohemian but is uncomfortable when Ma gets pally with a transgender, Rosie
(Raza). She cannot fathom Ma’s resolve to cross the border and go to Pakistan
to fulfil Rosie’s last wish.

9) Sapiens : A Brief History of Humankind

It is a groundbreaking narrative of humanity’s creation and evolution, one
hundred thousand years ago, when six species of humans inhabited the earth, to
the present when only Homo sapiens abound. What happened to the others?
Harari argues that our ability to cooperate flexibly in large numbers is what sets
us apart from other species. Blending biology, anthropology and economics, the
book shows how imagined realities like religion, money, and nation-states have
shaped societies. Readers are spurred to question the foundations of modern
civilization and the cost of humanity’s rapid progress.

10) The Second Wife and Other Stories

Each protagonist faces a moment of reckoning and has to navigate their paths to
their own moksha, without transgressing the moral boundaries. From a childless
couple who finds solace in the memory of a moonlit night in a houseboat in
Srinagar, to a servant who enters an occupied bathroom by mistake to a tribal
woman who has to spend six months away from her home, the characters
transcend the illicit and dare to defend their dreams on their own, overcoming
the circumstantial barriers and forging their identity anew.
There you are! If even one of these books makes you pause, reflect, or feel seen,
then this journey was worth it. Here’s to stories that speak to your soul—and
stay there.

By Richa Verma

Richa is an online English teacher, independent blogger, voracious reader, movie buff who is smitten with wanderlust, and a homemaker. She can be contacted through her email address richavermamh@gmail.com