My Decade In Books
Hello Readers!
We are nearing the end of yet another year but more importantly 2 days short of the end of this decade! Personally, this decade has probably been the most impactful and eventful decade of my life. From quitting my first job and moving away from my family to pursue my masters in Delhi to landing a job in one of the most reputed organizations in India and the world, to living in several cities across the next 6 years to getting married and moving to a different continent - phew! it has been one roller coaster ride! And somewhere in between all these events, I have endured a personal loss so big that I don't quite remember the person I was when I was ringing in New Year 2010 with my family.
But through all this thick and thin, I've had the wonderful company of a some of the most memorable reads of my lifetime. While an eclectic list of authors like Ayn Rand, Paulo Coelho, Jeffery Archer, Khaled Hosseini, Robin Cook, Mario Puzo, Thomas Harris, Michael Crichton, John Grisham and Dan Brown influenced my reading choices in my late teens and twenties I was gradually looking to explore new literary genres and authors. While the last decade saw me read a lot less, serendipity made up for it with some memorable reads I'll remember for decades to come.
And as we near the end of this decade, I wanted to take a moment to talk about my top 10 books that not just were some great pieces in writing but also in many ways influenced my thinking and my perspective on life. They made me laugh and cry but not without leaving behind nuggets of life lessons for me to ponder on. Some of these books were real commercial success and were not necessarily in any way contenders for literary awards. And while we are on the topic of disclaimers, I must add that I am very well aware that there are so many wonderful books that are still out there from this decade and the many more prior to it waited to be read. So, in no way is this list exhaustive, but merely a compilation of my favorites reads of the last 10 years.
And without further ado, let the countdown begin! 😊
This book was a pretty long read at about 700+ pages. But not for a second was I distracted from the story. The pace of the book (albeit a few chapters) was fast and never had a dull moment. I loved this family drama spread across 4 generations, delicately handling all the individual characters with astonishing detail and depth and while some parts seemed unnecessary it still was a very satisfying reading experience. A story of hope and struggles of a Korean woman and her family amidst the Japanese annexation, this book is definitely a great piece of historical fiction.
(The book review for this one somehow fell through the cracks and I feel it's now a little too late to write one)
Bad Blood is a Non Fiction book but reads like a 'creepy science experiment gone wrong' fiction. The book revolves around the Biotechnology startup Theranos and its founder Elizabeth Holmes, and how in a cascading set of events spanning over a decade went from a Unicorn start up to a -under investigation by the SEC - defunct organization. This piece of investigative journalism and writing by John Carreyrou is a masterpiece and is probably one of my first reads in this genre. Mr. Carreyrou is a Pulitzer prize winner for one his earlier investigative works and has won many other esteemed awards in his career. Needless to say, his 20 years of experience in journalism reflects rather profoundly in his writing of this book. It reminds me of the Oscar winning movie on Investigative Journalism - Spotlight, which was also inspired by the non fiction - betrayal. And why is it not a surprise that Bad Blood will also soon follow suit down the Hollywood path, and will be played by my favorite actor - Jennifer Lawrence. Definitely a must read!
Autobiographies and Biographies can often make for an insightful read but it largely hinges on the writing skills and the genre. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to read some of the best autobiographies of some world renowned leaders and the closest I have come to this list is ' A Beautiful Mind' - the Biography of John Nash, Which till date remains one of my all time favorite (and tearful) reads. Becoming by Michelle Obama is a humble and candid portrayal of her early life and her journey as the First Lady of the United States of America. The Obama power couple will probably be etched in the US history for breaking a lot of cultural barriers and having a huge influence on the American Citizens and on people worldwide. A very inspirational read, especially for women!
Autobiographies At a glance, this book may seem like an outlier to a list of books heavy on emotions and writing because neither is this book heavy on emotions nor does it have an intentional show of literary prowess. However, what it does have is a light handed, almost comical take on a subject that is so so profound, especially in today's internet era. Ms. Honeyman's literary skills are disguised very cleverly in this rather lighthearted read that not only manages to make you laugh and cry at periodic intervals, but also leaves your heart all warm and fuzzy. But most importantly, it definitely makes you brood over the importance of mental health and loneliness.
Boy, can I talk about this series endlessly?! Women have been portrayed as many things in the history of literature; for most part - gentle, emotional, helpless and the likes as such. But rarely does one come across a female lead so self-sufficient to a book or a movie that no other character makes the grade. Lisbeth Salander for me is the epitome of a superwoman in literary fiction. While it may be a predictable fiction but is a great source of courage and intellectual inspiration to women, especially in their teens or twenties. I have to add that the first book in this series in probably the best, but I loved reading all the 3 books just as much!
This book is definitely the underdog of this list and yes, for me it managed to be memorable enough to bag the 5th spot in this list. But this is just me being geeky (with no regrets)! This book is a non fiction with anecdotal insights into the evolution of human brain over centuries in time. Sam Kean, the author has written science columns for prestigious papers like The New York Times and Psychology Today and has also authored 5 books. This book is a fascinating read for even a layman in neuroscience and human Psychology. Insightful, hilarious, witty and engaging, need I say more?
This book and the movie adaptation have received extensive acclaim and many awards and is possibly the best Thriller I've read in a long long time. When Amy, the wife of a writer Nick disappears on their 5th anniversary, he becomes prime suspect, with all the evidences pointing towards him. As the story unravels and a neck breaking speed, it begins to throw light on the real personalities of the lead protagonists. Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike have delivered a superlative performance in the movie adaptation leaving you questioning your own marriage (if applicable) in real life. Read the book and then go watch the movie! You won't be disappointed.
(Image Source - Google and Goodreads)
Number 3 - When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi I am at loss of words when it comes to talking about this book. When Breath becomes air is the real life story (autobiography) of Paul Kalanathi who was a 35 year old Neurosurgeon who was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and had only close to 20 months to live. This emotionally stirring memoir is about how he and his wife - Lucy Kalanithi grapple with this devastating news and its indelible impact on their relationship and lives. Some of the chapters draw you to tears and leave you an emotional wretch. Have a tissue box handy is all I can say.
Number 2 - A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (Find my review here)
It is ironic that my top 3 books are all depressing stories of life but I rated this no. 2 because of its haunting visuals that the author could conjure up through her writing. It is a deeply emotional and disturbing read and may not be everyone's cup of tea. But for me, the prose and the story very powerful and impactful. this Booker prize shortlist is also a playing field for a myriad of topics such as homosexuality, self-inflicted abuse, loneliness and drug abuse and it suffices to say that this a potent mixture of topics to write about.
This book won the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction for the year 2015 and over this entire decade of reading, this book has been my best read. Intense yet heartwarming, Bleak yet hopeful. This lines and words are intricate and skillfully strung together to detail out some defining moments of this story. History Fiction is one of my favorite genres and is always a comfort read but this book was so much more than that. The writing, poignant and remarkable and the words will stay with you for a many years to come. I urge you to read this book.
And with that we come to the end of this post. Before I sign off, I wanted to point to the fact that it is heartening to see just as many women writers in this list as men and as coincidental as it was, I am looking forward to an upward trend in the next decade. With that, I thank you for reading this post and wish you a wonderful new year 2020 and a brand new decade!
Happy Reading!
SSB
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