No one really asks me for book recommendations. I just give them.
And like I said, they have a 87% success rate. That number is based on absolutely nothing. It's possible that I picked it because my childhood home was number 87.
Back to books. I'm organising my recommendations by genre and theme.
Biographies and autobiographies
One of my favourite photos. I love my books, and of course, I love my dog.
Biographies and autobiographies
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
Jobs' interesting life and Isaacson's brilliant writing is a combination that doesn't go wrong!
Greenlights by Matthew McConnaughey
An easy read about an ordinary man from Mid-West America who made it big.
Halla Bol: The Death and Life of Safdar Hashmi by Sudhanva Deshpande
A rather unknown story of the man who shaped Indian theatre in small and big ways.
Lone Fox Dancing by Ruskin Bond
Ruskin Bond, the perpetual storyteller, tells his own story in this lovely book.
The Fragrance of Guava by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Plinio Apuleyo Mendoza
In this book-length interview with his childhood friend, Marquez spares no details about his life and work.
Books on food
Be My Guest by Priya Basil
A thought provoking collection of essays on food, identity, belonging and generosity.
Mrs. LC's Table by Anoothi Vishal
A glimpse into Kayastha food and culture, and Vishal's family all at once. The book comes with a lot of recipes!
How the British Fell in Love with Food
From the rise of celebrity chefs to the popularity of avocados, this collection of food blogs present a rich food history.
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
The story of a young woman who finds brief moments of solace while cooking in an otherwise tragic life.
Crime fiction
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Four octagenarians solve a murder. What's not to love?
The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
Sequel to The Thursday Murder Club, and just as exciting!
The Bangalore Detectives Club by Harini Nagendra
A twenty-something woman in 1920s Bangalore becomes a self-appointed detective.
Anxious People by Frederik Backman
This hostage drama is at once funny and profound.
The Secret Place by Tana French
If you've seen Derry Girls on Netflix, you will love this book.
Historical and mythological fiction
The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan
Jehangir and Nur Jahan's forgotten love story comes to life in this book.
Feast of Roses by Indu Sundaresan
The marriage that follows the romance. Feast of Roses is the sequel to The Twentieth Wife.
The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
The story of the Mahabharata, as told by Draupadi.
Karna's Wife by Kavita Kane
An outcast and his wife's story against the backdrop of the Mahabharata.
Memoirs
Marley and Me by John Grogan
This book is just as much a family's story as it is about a dog's life. There's never a dull moment!
The Way I See It: A Gauri Lankesh Reader
Writing by and on Gauri Lankesh, a journalist who was murdered in 2017.
To Sir, With Love by E.R. Braithwaite
One of my personal favourites on tough love and the power educators can have over those they teach.
A Home for Gori by Habib Rehman and Kishore Singh
A touching book about dogs, especially the ones that we grow to love.
Hannah's Gift by Maria Housden
Heart-wrenching story of a 2-year-old with cancer and how she chose to live her short life.