I moved this from my blog to substack because why the hell not and because I wanted to keep my blog to other themes I was writing about/intend to write about.
If you were subscribed to my blog, I’ve imported you to this substack as well ( since my blog had reading updates too ) - if this shouldn’t have been done please do feel free to unsubscribe from this substack ( you’re still subscribed to my blog )
This issue was supposed to go out a couple of days ago, apologies for being late with this.
These were the 5 books I read in January:
Go Tell It on the Mountain - James Baldwin
I’d seen videos of James Baldwin speaking extempore on Youtube and seen his quotes floating around especially with the things that were happening reading civil rights last year, but, never read his works.
I finally decided to get around to reading a book of his and I was blown away.
It was half way through the book that I realised that I hadn’t read a coming of age story of any black author upto this point ( the book is semi-autobiographical )
When I was done with the book, I realised that this was very likely the first ever book set in the the U.S that I’d read which didn’t mention white America more than in passing. I found this surprising and weird at the same time.
A quote that I found representative of Baldwin’s messaging through the book:
It was he who, unforgivably, taught her that there are people in the world for whom ‘coming along’ is a perpetual process, people who are destined never to arrive.
Definitely recommend this book, also going to pick another Baldwin novel within the next few months, please do give recommendations for similar novels.
The Midnight Library - Matt Haig
I picked this book up in order to give a friend company while she was reading this and help her finish. Unfortunately she hasn’t finished the book yet, I’m still owed a book discussion.
The book starts off well, the premise is neatly set up, but, it then fails to deliver great punches every time a thread is resolved, it also doesn’t explore the concept behind the book enough in my view.
This book was also to me, the start of a theme of books around repetition/reliving a life for January, more on that later.
It’s an interesting, short read, but, not one of my favourites.
Ghachar Ghochar - Vivek Shanbag
This was a birthday gift from a friend, always my favourite gifts to give and receive.
I took my time picking this book up, but, finished it in all of 3 hours.
Easily amongst the most engaging books I’ve read in a while, the book was originally written in Kannada, I read the translation by Srinath Perur.
The story is simple, the book is almost fully a flashback, but, the pacing of the story and the colourful way in which the characters are presented was a treat in itself.
Lovely, simple read, definitely recommend.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being - Milan Kundera
I finally picked this book up after a friend suggested we read this, do a book discussion and maybe even record it, but, I think those plans are scrapped for now.
This was the second book in my theme of repetition/reliving, in concept and in the story itself.
It took me a while to really grab onto the underlying themes in the book ( even though the central theme is basically laid bare in front of you in the first chapter ) , but, once I got them, I saw them everywhere.
The language is fun, simple and lucid. I loved how much Kundera explores each of the main characters, their thoughts and their actions, from multiple perspectives.
It is set around the time of the Prague spring when there was an invasion of Czechoslovakia by USSR+, this setting and its impact on peoples lives is initially in the backdrop of the main plotlines.
Beautiful book, will be re-reading it sometime later this year maybe to see if there are any themes that I catch this time around.
Ages of Discord - Peter Turchin
I found this book through a tweet I saw sometime last year.
This is easily amongst the best books about current global trends out there.
It gets a bit academic and detailed at times but it’s worth spending the time.
Incredibly insightful.
The fact that it was written pre-2017 makes it all the more amazing.
This book was also part of my theme of reading books around repetition/reliving this month, a little unnerving since I didn’t really go about picking books around the theme, it just so happens that these were the books I picked.
If you have any other recommendations of books around this theme please do share them as well.
Currently Reading
The Tartar Steppe - Dino Buzzati
Cancer Ward - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Gödel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid - Douglas R. Hofstadter
The Bluest Eye - Toni Morrison
If you have any recommendations or comments leave them below.
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Thank you for reading
Sainath