Shashi Tharoor's Book Recommendations

Nalanda: How it Changed the World

by Abhay K

"My review in @mathrubhumieng of @abhay_k's new book "Nalanda: How it Changed the World": https://english.mathrubhumi.com/columns/i-mean-what-i-say/recreating-nalanda-the-luminous-jewel-of-ancient-learning-column-shashi-tharoor-b0aa3c5d It's breathtaking in its sweep and lyrical in its glory. Must read!"

Bitter Gourd

by Anupama Raju

"Delighted to release the latest book by my favourite Thiruvananthapuram poet, @anupamaraju, whose “Bitter Gourd” showcases her remarkable talent for elevating daily experiences into profoundly meaningful art. A lovely gathering at the Alliance Francaise."

Murder at the Mushaira

by Raza Mir

"Thanks to Covid I’ve been able to finish the best historical novel I’ve ever read. RazaMir’s #MurderAtTheMushaira is a suspenseful mystery-thriller, brilliantly written & superbly constructed, about Delhi on the verge of Revolt in 1857. Its evocation of the era is unmatched. Wah!"

Akbar: The Great Mughal

by Ira Mukhoty

"In-depth research, riveting storytelling, and critical & nuanced analysis all come together seamlessly to bring this complex emperor to vivid life in “Akbar: The Great Mughal” by Ira Mukhoty.  ⁦@AlephBookCo⁩"

The Mahabharata transcreated by P. Lal

by P. Lal

"1.The Mahabharata transcreated by P. Lal A wonderfully racy, contemporary translation of the timeless epic, melding poetry and prose and full of contemporary idiom, Prof. Lal’s is unarguably the best and most readable one-volume version of the Mahabharata."

The Discovery of India

by Jawaharlal Nehru

"2.The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru The brilliant mind of the great nationalist sparkles in this evocation of the cultural, political and civilizational heritage of our nation."

One Hundred Years of Solitude

by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

"https://t.co/rfR1tllGRa Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez Magnificent, uplifting and profoundly moving, sweeping in its recreation of a magical world of never-ending enchantment, the “novel of the century”."

The Book of Laughter and Forgetting

by Milan Kundera

"4.The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera Dry wit, spare prose, penetrating political insight characterize this unsparing portrait of Eastern Europe under Soviet Communist domination."

Heavy Weather

by P. G. Wodehouse

"4/7 Heavy Weather by P. G Wodehouse: One of the funniest of Wodehouse’s well-crafted masterpieces, among the many others he’s written; any one of several other masterworks by him would do as well. @TharoorBhakt"

The Saga of Khassak

by O.V. Vijayan

"5/7 The Saga of Khassak by OV Vijayan: This was originally a Malayalam novel that invented magic realism years before Gabriel García Márquez attempted it. @TharoorAssociates"

The One Hundred Year-Old Man Who Jumped out of a Window and Disappeared

by Jonas Jonasson

"7/7 The One Hundred Year-Old Man Who Jumped out of a Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonsson: The funniest, most joyous book I have read in years. Twentieth-century history retold through an ingenious plot in a comic caper that never ceases to surprise and delight. @OmarAbdullah"

And Then…?

by Abraham Mathew

"Also at @klibf_kla, launched the English translation (by my colleague Shibu Appukuttan) of Abraham Mathew’s novel “And Then…?” whose protagonist literally finds himself in Limbo surrounded by ghosts from the past. A thought-provoking work of philosophical musings. Enjoyed interacting with young readers afterwards."