My Top Books of 2020
Two months late to this but at least I am here! I read a lot(by my standards in 2020, thank you COVID-19). I read 27 books in 2020, which is almost double of how many I wanted to read(my goodreads challenge was 15). Out of these 27 some were a hit and some were a miss. I thought it will be nice to recommend the ones I really liked, and maybe you could pick one of these this year.
Here is how we are going to do this, I will recommend the books basis condition, for example, if you are in mood/state X you should read book Y. In that spirit, I am going to recommend 5 books from my 2020 read list. I have also tried to include synopsis of the books so that you can sample them as you read this post.
Let’s get going then. Happy reading in 2021. I hope you find something in this list that interests you.
If you have a couple of hours to kill and want to read something that will stay with you for a long time , read Ghachar Ghochar
Elegantly written and punctuated by moments of unexpected warmth and humor, Ghachar Ghochar is a quietly enthralling, deeply unsettling novel about the shifting meanings—and consequences—of financial gain in contemporary India.
I read this on my flight back home and to this day, at random times, I think about this book. This book is reverse Schitt’s Creek, to put it in simple terms. In 119 pages, Vivek Shanbhag managed to completely transport me to a world of a humble family that lives in Bangalore. This book has so many hidden layers to it; everything in this book has a meaning. It kept me engaged, brimming with profound meaning of the simplest things. CAN’T RECOMMEND ENOUGH.
If you are feeling lonely/missing home and want to read wholesome story about found family, read Nothing to See Here
Kevin Wilson’s best book yet — a moving and uproarious novel about a woman who finds meaning in her life when she begins caring for two children with remarkable and disturbing abilities
This book is so wholesome, with a weird plot. It includes some kids that literally catch fire(the cover is not a metaphor). The premise of the book is a bit odd, but that is what lured me into reading it. It is a heartwarming book that has a lot of underlying themes like class divisions, the dynamics of friendship, loneliness, and the power of love. It might sound a bit too weird for some, but if you read it with an open mind, you will surely love it.
If you are going through a reading block and want to read a fast-paced, amazing thriller, read Sharp Objects
Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, reporter Camille Preaker faces a troubling assignment: she must return to her tiny hometown to cover the unsolved murder of a preteen girl and the disappearance of another. For years, Camille has hardly spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or to the half-sister she barely knows: a beautiful thirteen-year-old with an eerie grip on the town. Dogged by her own demons, she must unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past if she wants to get the story—and survive this homecoming.
Oh boy, I love Gillian Flynn. I love reading thrillers where I am not able to guess the ending but once I reach the ending I can see all the clues that the author dropped. Just like in Gone Girl, she does a fantastic job of challenging the stereotypical notion that women are damsels in distress. The characters are supremely messed up, and extremely human at the same time. All I want to say is that this book was shocking, unexpected, creepy, extremely well-written. GO READ IT, WHO DOESN’T LOVE A GOOD THRILLER?
If you exist, I think you should read Educated
Educated is an account of the struggle for self-invention. It is a tale of fierce family loyalty and of the grief that comes with severing the closest of ties. With the acute insight that distinguishes all great writers, Westover has crafted a universal coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of what an education is and what it offers: the perspective to see one’s life through new eyes and the will to change it.
I am sorry(actually not) for this state, but I genuinely believe that everyone should read this extremely powerful memoir. I can’t say anything that has not already been said about this book. It is just astounding the courage that Tara Westover showed while fighting inconceivable odds and building a successful life for her. DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR, AND READ THIS.
If you are feeling that you are struggling in life, you should read An American Marriage
This stirring love story is a deeply insightful look into the hearts and minds of three people who are at once bound and separated by forces beyond their control. An American Marriage is a masterpiece of storytelling, an intimate look into the souls of people who must reckon with the past while moving forward- with hope and pain- into the future.
This might sound like a weird recommendation for this condition, but hear me out. This book made me realise that everyone has struggles. This book made me realise the world is not always black and white it is difficult at times to figure out who is right/wrong in a situation. The book has a gripping plot that challenges the notion that you’ll wait forever for the person you love. This story doesn’t have a fairy tale ending. I was constantly torn between who to empathize more with. Both the characters have been put into a super-difficult position. I haven’t experienced what they went through, but the characters—and their reactions to the situation—seemed extremely plausible to me.
Feel free to check out my goodreads. You might get some more books from there.
I would also like to mention some of the newsletters that I have read in 2020 and continue to read in 2021. Finshots-Daily dose of the latest, most important Financial developments delivered in plain English. Keeping up with India-Keeping up with India is a newsletter that covers all the latest news and trends in the Indian start-up ecosystem. Brain Pickings by Maria Popova-Brain Pickings has a free Sunday digest of the week’s most interesting and inspiring articles across art, science, philosophy, creativity, children’s books, and other strands of our search for truth, beauty, and meaning.
See you soon for a new post!
Thanks for reading! You can always email me to chat about this post - or anything else.