Here's what’s on Mumbaikars’ reading list this September

The Covenant of WaterKavita Pai chartered accountant BandraSpanning two continents three generations and almost 80 decades of a turbulent and pivotal time in history 190077 Abraham Verghesersquos novel reminded me of two other favourites Marquezrsquos One Hundred Years of Solitude and Royrsquos The God of Small Things It covers medicine faith the lush paddy fields of Kerala and the city of Madras Most of all it shows the deep connection between the characters and the steadfastness and goodness of its protagonist Big AmmachiGhostsShrutika Hari marketing professional MaladI took up Dolly Aldertonrsquos novel at a time when I was feeling particularly lost like every other twentysomething year old The main character Nina also feels lost and hopeless On the surface the novel is about modern day dating the phenomenon of lsquoghostingrsquo but I saw it more as a picture of adulthood that most of us are bound to experience friendships changing shape dating becoming exhausting and the weight of the limited time you have left with your parents Itrsquos a great reminder that I am not alone in experiencing this and that female friendships will save youAt the Existentialist CafeacuteSriti Jha actor MaladI READ Sarah Bakewellrsquos book recently and it has consumed my reading life The book is a philosophical and historical account of existentialism as a philosophy It puts existentialism in the sociocultural context of post and preworld war Europe and the world Sartre Beauvoir Camus and many more walk into cafeacutes and bars causing rebellion while listening to jazz and dancing to blues sipping coffee and apricot cocktailsAuditionMannat Jagia senior analyst KalyanWhen I recently read the 2025 Booker Prize shortlisted novel by Katie Kitamura it made me pause reflect and question It is about a woman who is an actress She meets a young man who claims to be her son The facts blur the roles shift the reader is left inside a space where the truth is not fixed but rehearsed Atmospheric and tense it makes one wonder who are we beneath the roles we have learned to play too wellHow to Win the Premier LeagueAbhinn Shreshtha communications professional DadarTHIS book contains a fantastic take on how data science has transformed football The author Ian Graham headed the analytics department at Liverpool FC between 2012 and 2023 He and his team brought Moneyball tactics to football The book offers an insightful look at how the club used this relatively nascent science to build a team that won almost every game during this period It is filled with interesting anecdotes and is a mustread for football fans and those who are interested in the business and management side of sportsThe AccusationAparna Iyer senior intelligence analyst AndheriI came across these short stories by Bandi an anonymous author in North Korea reportedly smuggled out of the country Stifling in its honesty the read provides a neverbeforeseen insight into North Korean society as experienced by a secret dissident who still lives there What struck me is how relatable the characters are a mother comforting her toddler a woman dealing with sexual harassment a son breaking away from his fatherrsquos expectations Yet the stories are so alien coloured by the horrors of life in a deeply suppressed environment