Summer Reading II: Non-Fiction

 

In the previous post, I had listed down books which predominantly fell into the fiction genre. In contrast, this post will focus primarily on non-fiction. However, before I start listing down my favorites of the genre, I’ll be doing a short section on contemporary fiction first for the sake of achieving a sense of completion.

Contemporary Fiction

To be honest, I haven’t read a lot of contemporary fiction. I haven’t all the books listed over here. I’ve included them purely on the basis of the recommendations of the online community as well as a few credible friends.

• The Fault in Our Stars- John Green
  Two terminally ill teenagers meet and fall in love. This books is an absolute favorite among my female friends. Get ready to get all teary eyed.
• The Kite Runner- Khaled Hosseni
  Set in modern Afghanistan, The Kite Runner chronicles the lives of two young Afghan boys as they witness the fall of the Afghan monarchy, the Soviet intervention and the rise of the Taliban regime.
• Q&A- Vikas Swarup
  The book on which the Oscar winning movie Slumdog Millionaire is based on, Q&A offers us a glimpse into the dark, macabre lives of children in Mumbai’s slums. After reading the book, you’ll genuinely happy and content with the quality of life you’ve got.
• The Book Thief- Markus Zusak
  Few books have left me in such a maelstrom of emotions as The Book Thief. Set in Nazi Germany and narrated by Death Himself, it is the story of 13 year old Liesel Meminger as she struggles to find happiness and meaning through books.
• Midnight’s Children- Salman Rushdie
  When a book wins the ‘Booker of Bookers’ in both the 25th and the 40th anniversary of the prize, you know it has to be something spectacularly good. Set in post-colonial India, with its magical realism, Midnight’s Children is just that. A must read for every literature aficionado.

Poetry

• The Prophet-Khalil Gibran
  The magnum opus of my favorite poet, The Prophet is filled with timeless advice on everything imaginable: love, work, family, children, relationships, hate. And the lines are so beautiful that they are bound to strike a chord with your heart.
• Gitanjali- Rabindranath Tagore
  This work by Tagore made him the first non-European in history to win a Nobel Prize. And it wasn’t without good reason. Even though I read the translated version, I found his verses to be overwhelmingly euphonious.
• 20 Love Songs and a Song of Despair– Pablo Neruda
  The champion of passion and unrequited love, Pablo Neruda has given words to the ardor of countless lovers across the globe. This is a collection of some of his very best (See Twin Geniuses: Tagore and Neruda).
• Essential Rumi- Coleman Barks
  The translated works of 13th century Sufi mystic poet Rumi, Essential Rumi is a treasure trove of wisdom imparted by the mystic almost over a millennium ago. Like Gibran, Rumi’s lines will definitely manage to reach the deepest centers of your heart.

I realize that the poetry I’ve listed are all translated works. If you want to read ‘pure’ English poetry, look for the works of William Blake (Songs of Innocence and Experience), Walt Whitman (Leaves of Grass), Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, T.S.Eliot, Alfred Lord Tennyson and Edgar Allen Poe.

Biography

• Steve Jobs- Walter Isaacson
  What sets Walter Isaacson’s biography apart is its unapologetic honesty of the man who founded the most valuable company on the planet. Halfway through the book, I hated and loved Jobs at the same time. Very few books will give you such honesty.
• The Man Who Knew Infinity- Robert Kanigel
  My favorite biography, Kanigel’s account of Indian genius Ramanujan is probably the most comprehensive account you will get of the great mathematician’s life.
• The Accidental Billionaires- Ben Mezrich
  Although not a biography per se, Mezrich’s tale of the rise of Facebook and a bitter legal battle that ensued shortly after its launch makes it an exhilarating read.
• Surely you’re joking, Mr. Feynman!- Richard Feynmann
  The autobiography of one of the most eccentric physicists of the twentieth century, this book is an account of the craziest adventures and discussions undertaken by Feynmann.

Art, Culture and History

• Natasha’s Dance- Orlando Figes
  Russia has given some of the greatest authors in history. Russian novels and stories can pierce your heart like no other. This book is an account of the cultural history of Russia that gives us an insight into the kinds of developments that took place that led to the rise of the Russian arts.
• The Story of Art- E.M.Gombrich
  This introduction to art gives us an account of its history from cave paintings to experimental art of the 1960s.
• On Writing- Stephen King
  This semi-autobiography of King is an ode to the art of writing and the struggles and delights of being a writer.
• The Diary of a Young Girl- Anne Frank
  The unintentional autobiography of Holocaust’s most famous victim, The Diary of a Young Girl gives us a surreal glimpse into the lives of the Jews hiding in Nazi Germany.
• Unbroken- Laura Hillenbrand
  This collection of stories from World War 2 gives us accounts of survival, resilience and redemption showcased by civilians and armies alike.

Technology, Math and Startups

• Zero to One- Peter Thiel
  A collection of the notes of the class taught by founder of Paypal and Palantir, Peter Thiel, Zero to One is widely regarded as the bible of starting up.
• The $100 Startup– Chris Guillebeau
  This book is about micro-businesses and roaming entrepreneurs and how it is actually feasible making a living out of doing something that you love (See Microbusiness and Travel)
• The Code Book- Simon Singh
  One of my favorite non-fiction books of all time, The Code Book narrates the little told story of the art of security and secret writing.
• Fermat’s Last Theorem- Simon Singh
  This book is an account of a three centuries long struggle to prove Fermat’s Last Theorem; a proof which Fermat claimed not to have put on paper because it required too much space.
• God Created The Integers- Stephen Hawking
  With commentary from Hawking, God Created the Integers highlights the biggest mathematical breakthroughs in the history of mankind which went to shape human civilization as we know it.

Science

• A Brief History of Time- Stephen Hawking
  Arguably the most famous science book of all time, A Brief History of Time gives the layman a glimpse into the wonderfully complicated universe that we live in and our struggle to understand it.
• A Short History of Nearly Everything- Bill Bryson
  This book on Big History gives us an account of the history of the Universe, from the Big Bang to the present day (See Big History)
• Chariot of the Gods- Erich von Daniken
  A bold hypothesis of how human civilization was shaped by extra terrestrial beings who visited Earth a long time ago, Chariot of the Gods is the quintessential account (and possibly proof) of panspermia and intelligent extra-terrestrial life.
• What If- Randall Munroe
  In this book, former NASA scientist and founder of xkcd comics Randall Munroe answers absurd questions regarding the world and the universe (See Of Science and Comic Books)

Philosophy and Religion

• The God Delusion- Richard Dawkins
  The bible of atheism, The God Delusion argues how the probability of a supernatural being existing is almost zero if the theory of evolution is to be believed.
• The Dhammapada- Anonymous
  The Dhammapada is a collection of the Buddha’s teachings and gives us a glimpse into the teachings and principles of Buddhism.
• History of Western Philosophy- Bertrand Russell
  History of Western Philosophy is an account of every major philosophical thought from the time of the ancient Greeks to the present

Economics and Psychology

• Freakonomics and Superfreakonomics- Steven Leviit and Stephen Dubner
  The craziest economics books you can find, Freakonomics and Superfreakonomics tell us about the hidden side of everything. Why do drug dealers live with their moms? Why should suicide bombers buy life insurance? How did legalization of abortion lead to a drop in crime rate in the US? Read the books to find out.
• Thinking Fast and Slow- Daniel Kahneman
  The bible of Behavioral Economics, Thinking Fast and Slow is one of the best books you’ll read on the subject (See Revisiting Psychology)
• Predictably Irrational- Dan Ariely
  Like the previous book, this too gives us an insight into the anomalies and idiosyncrasies of human behavior. A must read for anyone who plans on starting a business or is in marketing or public relations (See Human Behavior and Irrationality)
• Economics in One Lesson- Henry Hazlitt
  A champion of the Austrian School of Economic Thought, Hazlitt tries to explain the problems with traditional economic principles through a series of well known historical cases.
• The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat- Oliver Sacks
  A brilliant account of the strangest cases encountered by Sacks in his medical career, this book is a must read for anyone with the slightest interest in Clinical Psychology.
• Interpretation of Dreams- Sigmund Freud
  One of the pioneers of the field of Psychology, Freud sets out to explain how our dreams can tell us much about our deepest desire, passion, pain and ambition.

And I shall stop here. I think I have covered a majority of the major fields of interest. Yet, I understand that one person’s experience with books leads to the creation of a relatively skewed list. Again as before, this list is in no ways exhaustive of any kind. There are plenty of amazing books I haven’t listed or have missed out on. Please feel free to list them in the comments.

Summer Reading

 

Urval av de böcker som har vunnit Nordiska rådets litteraturpris under de 50 år som priset funnits

Galaxy S5 Wallpaper

Summer vacations have arrived and people without internships or holiday plans are wondering what to do over the next few months. Quite encouragingly, a considerable number of people have decided to devote a considerable amount of their summer reading books. I’ve had a few people come to me and ask me to give book recommendations for the absolute beginner. That is exactly what I’m going to do, and a little more. I’ll be highlighting all the books that I think would be worthwhile of your time, from the absolute beginner to the seasoned readers who read more than 50 books a year.

The Beginner

For those who have never read, it can be really hard to start. The task of sitting with a 300 page book can seem daunting. And you may not know which books to begin with. Here, I will attempt to do just that. Hopefully, after reading some of the books listed here, you will pick up reading as a lifelong habit and the books you read will open the doors to spectacular worlds for you.

Some of the books listed below are usually regarded as children’s books, meant for kids aged 12 or below. However, don’t let that bother you. I list these books down here because a majority of us were introduced to the world of literature through them. And it’s not like you’ll find them too kiddish. These books are timeless. In fact, I picked up a few Goosebumps titles just a week back and found them as enjoyable as I did in seventh grade (see The Goosebumps Nostalgia)

1. The Goosebumps Series- R.L.Stine

Numbering more than a hundred titles, these horror books by R.L.Stine have sold over 300 million copies worldwide and are one of the best selling books of all time. And it isn’t without good reason. The books are rarely over 150 pages long. They’re extremely easy reads and even though there isn’t much gore, they can manage to give you the creeps. Perfect books for the beginner read. Personally, I’d recommend you try The Headless Ghost, The Cuckoo Clock of Doom and Welcome to Dead House.

2. Famous Five– Enid Blyton

Like R.L.Stine, Enid Blyton’s books to have sold hundreds of millions of copies worldwide. She is the undisputed champion of children’s books. Famous Five is my favorite Enid Blyton series (It was the favorite of the majority in my school). These are adventure books centered around 4 children and a dog and their adventures during the summers. Extremely small and light reads. Enid Blyton has been responsible for introducing generations of children to the wonderful world of reading. Hopefully, she will succeed in doing the same with you too.

3. Chetan Bhagat

Yes, I am recommending Chetan Bhagat. No, I’ve not lost my mind. And please don’t close this tab. Hear me out.

This man might write trash but he has taught an entire generation of Indian youth to read. Read trash, but read nevertheless. And a lot of people I know who consider themselves avid readers have confessed that they’d started with his books. It would be stupid to deny that there is a certain charm in his books. Through his stories, he is able to connect with the country’s youth: Engineering students, Call Center employees, Entrepreneurs, High School Students etc.

If you have a hard time reading, pick one of his books. You’ll certainly find them relatable. And his language is extremely simple and vulgar. It’s got a lot of sex. Not what the literary connoisseur will ever recommend to you but if it gets you reading, I guess it’s not that bad a decision.

4. Asterix- Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo

If you’re having a hard time sitting with picture-less novels, consider trying Asterix as a start. These French comics by Goscinny and Uderzo have sold over 350 million copies worldwide. The 48 page albums are bound to leave you in peels of laughter.
You could try Tintin too. From what I’ve heard, the comics are as good as Asterix.

4. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid

These books are officially meant for children below twelve but I can unhesitatingly state that these are my favorite books. Jeff Kinney’s humor is one of a kind. These journals by adolescent Greg Heffley are sure to keep you humored for the entire duration you have these books in hand. Even the seasoned readers, please give this one a read if you haven’t already.

5. Harry Potter- J.K.Rowling

If someone tells you that they’ve read only one book series, it is highly likely that that series is Harry Potter. The popularity of the series has spawned a multi-billion dollar franchise and has made its author, Rowling, the only person in history to become a billionaire through writing.
One amazing characteristic of the book is that it matures throughout the series. You start with a 11 year old orphan and you end with a 17 year old trying to save his world from the clutches of evil. Harry Potter is testament to the power of books and the worlds it can open to the reader. Pick up the first book and find yourself lost in the wonderful Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Short Fiction

Once you’ve read a few of the books above, you can transition to mainstream literature. In this section, I will list the best (or at least, the most well known) novellas which are considered must-reads by the literary community.

• Lord of the Flies- Willam Golding
  A group of children find themselves on an isolated island and must now fend for themselves sans any adult. What ensues is nothing short of a horror story.
• Fahrenheit 451- Ray Bradbury
  This book is an account of a futuristic world where books are burned down. You’ll start appreciating the impact of books on society after reading this book.
• The Great Gatsby- F. Scott Fitzgerald
  Considered by many as the greatest American novel of the 20th century, this book captures America in the 1920s like never before.
• Of Mice and Men- John Steinbeck
  This book is about outsiders trying to find a place and trying to dream in an unforgiving world. One of the greatest American tragedy novella of the 20th century.
• Animal Farm- George Orwell
  Orwell’s satire on Communism, the Russian Revolution and Josef Stalin is widely regarded as one of the best books of all time.
• The Little Prince- Antoine De Saint Exupery
  The most translated French book, The Little Prince attempts to view our world through the innocent eyes of a child.
• A Christmas Carol- Charles Dickens
  This novella by English great Charles Dickens attempts at showing its readers the importance of festivity, family and relationships.

Fantasy

If you loved Harry Potter (You cannot NOT love Harry Potter. It’s impossible), then you should probably give these books a try. Few genres can create that feeling of teleportation to an entirely different world like fantasy. I loved them. I’m sure you will too.

• Percy Jackson- Rick Riordan
  These books chronicle the adventures of a demigod who must save the world from the rise of the Titans. This series borrows a lot of elements from Harry Potter making it a very interesting read.
• The Chronicles of Narnia- C.S.Lewis
  This series of seven books has been an inspiration to innumerable fantasy authors. The language is much simpler than any other series in this list and makes for a quick, light read.
• The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings- J.R.R. Tolkein
  The father of the fantasy genre, Tolkein was the first to introduce wizards and elves and mythical creatures into contemporary story telling. Admittedly, these books are a difficult read but a staple to everyone who considers themselves a fan of the genre.
• His Dark Materials- Philip Pullman
  BBC rated this series third in its 100 greatest books of all time. It chronicles the adventures of two children as they travel through a series of parallel universes.
• The Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins
  The most popular and highest rated book on Goodreads, The Hunger Games is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a show is held annually with 13 participants fighting to the death.
• A Song of Ice and Fire- George R.R. Martin
  Generally viewed as the greatest fantasy series of all time, A Song of Ice and Fire’s world of Westeros and Essos eclipse even Harry Potter in detail. Each of the books is over 1000 pages long. Gore, sex and violence are in plenty. You need have a hard stomach (and heart) to get through them without any damage.

Classics

I’ll be honest. I’m not a huge fan of classics. I tend to find them boring. And with the exception of The Picture of Dorian Gray, I didn’t find any of the books listed below interesting. But I still include them for the sake of completion. We all have different tastes. Who knows. After reading one of these books, you might actually fall in love in with the genre. Everything’s possible in love and literature.

• The Picture of Dorian Gray- Oscar Wilde
  This novel by Oscar Wilde is the only book I’ve listed in my Favorites list on Goodreads. The novel caused quite a scandal upon its release. But it’s literary genius. Prepare to fall in love with Lord Henry.
• Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen
  The magnum opus of the champion of women authors, Pride and Prejudice deals with issues such as marriage, family and society in 19th century England. Almost all my female friends loved it. Almost all my male friends hated it.
• Little Women- Louisa May Alcott
  The storyline of Alcott’s novel is very similar to that of Pride and Prejudice. Again, I suspect it’ll find a much bigger audience in female readers than male.
• A Tale of Two Cities- Charles Dickens
  One of the best selling books of all time, A Tale of Two Cities contrasts the life of the commoner in Paris and London before and after the French Revolution.
• The Hunchback of Notre Dame- Victor Hugo
  Honestly, I do not remember much of the plot line of this book. I read it a long time ago. What I do remember is that it is a story of father and son fighting over a beautiful damsel which leads to a grisly tragedy.
• Around the World in 80 Days- Jules Verne
  Through this book, the father of science fiction delivers a tale that was far ahead of its time. It follows Phileas Fogg as he tries to travel the world in 80 days through land and sea to win a wager.
• 1984- George Orwell
  Probably the most famous dystopian novel of all time, George Orwell’s frightening prediction of how the world would have been in 1984 is a horror story in every right. You’ll be glad the world didn’t descend to such anarchy after reading the novel.
• To Kill A Mockingbird- Harper Lee
  “Shoot all the bluejays you want but remember, it is a sin to kill a mockingbird”. This monumental work of Harper Lee is perhaps the finest commentary on the notions of racism and justice.

Thriller

There are very few people out there who don’t enjoy the thriller/detective genre. These are the ones which do not let you put the book down unless you’re done with it.

• Dan Brown
  According to me, he is the best thriller writer in the world. I loved each and every one of his books. They tend to focus on Science, Religion and Philosophy, topics I’m deeply interested in. Even if you don’t end up reading all his works, make sure you at least give The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons and Inferno a try. Trust me, they’ll be worth every second you spend with them.
• And Then There Were None- Agatha Christie
  This is my favorite Agatha Christie book. It is easily one of the best thriller stories ever written. Few books had me so dumbfounded until the very end as this one.
• The Hound of the Baskervilles- Arthur Conan Doyle
  Now required reading for every 12th grade CBSE student, I consider this the best Sherlock Holmes story. Set in a remote moor with a gigantic man killing hound on the loose, The Hounf of the Baskervilles will not allow you peace until you’ve found out the end of the story.

Philosophical Fiction

• The Fountainhead- Ayn Rand
  This book introduced Ayn Rand’s school of philosophy, Objectivism, to the world. It is considered Bible by many an architect in my college. It follows the life of Howard Roark as he struggles to find a place in a collectivist world.
• The Stranger- Albert Camus
  Albert Camus’ most famous work, The Stranger introduced us to the school of philosophical thought known as Absurdism: that there is no inherent meaning to human life.
• The Trial- Franz Kafka
  Very similar to The Stranger in terms of the plot, The Trial too focuses on subjects such as absurdism and existentialism (To know more, you can read my post on Absurdism and Existentialism)
• Siddhartha- Herman Hesse
  This book follows the great Buddha’s namesake as he travels and struggles to find the meaning of life.
• Thus Spoke Zarathustra- Friedrich Nietzsche
  It is unlikely that you will read a book as complex as Thus Spoke Zarathustra. It is one of the most misquotes, misrepresented books of all time. To know more, see Nietzsche.
• Dostoyevsky
  Few can spin magic with the pen as well as this eighteenth century author. Although his books are centered around characters living in St. Petersburg in the 18th century, there are few works of fiction that you’ll find so relatable (I’ve written a separate blog post on this. See Reading Dostoyevsky)

WordPress tells me I’m close to 2500 words in this post already. I think I’ll stop here. I shall post a sequel to this, listing contemporary fiction, biographies, poetry and non-fiction.

The list I have compiled above has been directly influenced by the literature I or my peer group has read. As a result, it may seem skewed to many readers out there. So let this be known that this list is in no way exhaustive. There are plenty of good books that I’ve missed out or haven’t listed. Please feel free to list your favorites in the comments. I’d love to go through your recommendations too.