What better way to unwind in this weather, especially in rain-soaked Mumbai, than with a book and a steaming cuppa? Some of India’s top publishers and editors draw up their favourite picks
V Geetha
V Geetha, publisher, co-founder, Tara Books
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The 90 Day Cast by Joelle Joulivet (Tara Books), an illustrated book for adults, comprising a set of 90 self portraits by Joelle, who composed them, while recovering from a neck injury; inspirational for those who are looking to sketch their rainy afternoons away.
Walking is a Way of Knowing, by Madhuri Ramesh and Manish Chandi (Tara Books), for children and young persons, who wish to explore the forest or the hills during the monsoon. A wonderful tale of walking wisdom from tribal elders.
Naveen Kishore, publisher, SeaGull Books
A forthcoming book I just worked on, Vénus Khoury-Ghata’s The Fiancee Rode In on a Donkey (SeaGull) has some beautiful passages on downpours in the desert. It’s a lyrical novel set in 19th century North Africa about a young Jewish girl’s travels across the desert with Christians and Muslims.
There are several melancholic titles, like Nabarun’s Hawa Hawa (SeaGull) and Rajkamal Chaudhary’s Traces of Boots on Tongue (SeaGull) that behove the monsoon mood.
Priya Kapoor, publisher, Roli Books
I never tire of recommending The Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips (Penguin Random House). A brilliant, brilliant, haunting debut set in Kamchatka (far eastern Russia). Given what Elisabeth Gilbert has done with her forthcoming book set in Russia it may have been cancelled in today’s world!
Gods of Willow: A Coming of Age Story by Amrish Kumar (Roli) is a witty, moving, endearing coming-of-age novel set in the backdrop of the India I grew up in — at the cusp of liberalisation, witnessing the rise of communal violence and politics and a feverishly changing world. And yet it’s a universal story of a boy, relationships and growing up (one Mumbai-walas will especially relate to since half of it is set in their city).
I don’t gravitate towards business books or “how to” books but I do read everything that JR Moehringer (ghost) writes. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight (Simon & Schuster) is possibly a book you can read in one sitting. A great story told very well.
Renuka Chatterjee, vice president, publishing, Speaking Tiger
Between Heaven and Earth: Writings on the Indian Hills, edited by Ruskin Bond and Bulbul Sharma (Speaking Tiger) is a favourite because what better than curling up in an armchair and reading about the hills on a rainy day.
Song of the Golden Sparrow by Nilanjan Choudhury (Speaking Tiger) is funny, clever and also gives one plenty to think about. And if you can’t go outdoors because it’s raining — it’s a good time to think!
Priya Krishnan, senior editor, Tulika
The short story collections by Somerset Maugham take you places — the South Sea Islands, Indochina, Paris, the West Indies. His prose style, though easy, glints with wisdom, irony and humour! With a great sense of time and place, he builds drama as deftly as he can evoke quietude. And this makes his stories ideal to dip into, while sipping cups of tea or coffee as the skies open up. And there is a short story called Rain by Maugham!
Parthiban’s Dream (Tulika), Kalki’s famous novel, translated by Nirupama Raghavan when she was all of 15, is a pacy thriller with its non-stop action that takes you back to a time of kings and kingdoms, courage and conspiracies. It’s perfect for an adrenaline rush when Nature has slowed things down.
I would also recommend Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day (Faber and Faber) or Isabella Hammad’s The Parisian (Vintage) that I recently read. Ishiguro’s Zen butler and his understatement is a brilliant portrait of a man and the times, as is the protagonist in The Parisian, who’s not Zen at all but all too human.
Sudeshna Shome Ghosh, publisher, editor, Talking Cub
Nimmi Daruwala’s life is as hilarious as it is relatable. There’s never a dull moment in the books in the series, with her eccentric school principal, the friends who make life interesting, and Nimmi herself, one of the funniest, sweetest characters in Indian children’s books. Nimmi’s Crawful Camping Days by Shabnam Minwalla (Talking Cub) is the latest book in the series of four middle-grade novels, and we recommend curling up with one or all of them on a rainy afternoon.
Ciphers, villainous villains, two heroes on a mission, a treasure hunt — and a dog! Travel from Kolkata to Shillong to the beautiful Khasi Hills, in search of a lost treasure. Filled with action and adventure on every page, The Treasure of the Khasi Hills by Hemendra Kumar Roy (Speaking Tiger), translated by Jashodhara Chakraborti, from a classic Bengali novel will have readers turning the pages breathlessly.
Did you know?
The earthy smell of rain is called petrichor. It is derived from the Greek words “petra” (stones of earth) and “ichor” (golden fluid that flows from the veins of the immortals).
The Guide's Top 5 Monsoon Reads
1. Chasing the Monsoon by Alexander Frater
2. Swimming in the Monsoon Sea by Shyam Selvadurai
3. Heat and Dust by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
4. Rain in the Mountains by Ruskin Bond
5. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
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