Ahead of the release of their eagerly anticipated thriller, The President is Missing, President Bill Clinton shared his favourite James Patterson novels with us.
Along Came a Spider – an Alex Cross book
Two children have been kidnapped from an elite private school in Washington DC, and Alex Cross is charged with finding them. The kidnapper is their maths teacher, a man named Gary Soneji. As Cross gets pulled deeper into the strange world of the kidnapper, it becomes clear he is not what he seems…
Kiss the Girls – an Alex Cross book
Alex Cross’s niece, Naomi, is missing. Cross fears the disappearance could be linked to a string of recent abductions and murders. Two brilliant and twisted killers, operating on opposite sides of the country, are collaborating and competing, encouraging each other to perpetrate increasingly horrific crimes. Cross must hunt down these two brutal masterminds – not only to rescue his niece, but also to save the lives of the many others still in danger…
Both Along Came a Spider and Kiss the Girls were made into Hollywood blockbusters starring Morgan Freeman as Alex Cross.
The Black Book
Being a cop runs in Billy Harney’s family. The son of Chicago’s Chief of Detectives whose twin sister, Patti, also followed in their father’s footsteps, Billy would give up everything for the job – including his life. After a brutal shooting, Billy is left for dead alongside his tempestuous former partner and an ambitious assistant district attorney. But somehow Billy survives – and is charged with double murder.
Billy remembers nothing about the shooting. Retracing his steps to find proof of his innocence, he discovers the existence of a little black book that he suspects contains the truth that will either set him free, or confirm his worst fears…
Haunted – a Michael Bennett book
Detective Michael Bennett is ready for a vacation after a series of crises push him, and his family, to the brink. He settles on an idyllic small town in the beautiful Maine woods. But just when Bennett thinks he can relax, he gets pulled into a case that has shocked the tight-knit community. Kids are disappearing with no explanation – until several bodies turn up in the woods.
Far from the city streets he knows so well, Bennett is fighting to protect a town, the law, and the family that he loves above all else.
Category: Recommendations
Try Something Different; June Reads for you
With the new month comes a number of new books across various genres. How about you leave the comfort of your favorite subject and try something new? From politics to mythology, business, love and fun fiction, we have a range of options for you!
Here is the list of books to look out for this June.
Goodbye Freddie Mercury
Nadia Akbar’s audacious debut has all the makings of a cult novel-parties, drugs, mysteries, love triangles, political intrigue and power struggles-but its lush, sexy writing has the assuredness and precision of the most acute style of our time. Told in alternating voices and brimming with sharp observation, Goodbye Freddie Mercury hits the rocks and trails atwist.
For Reasons of State: Delhi Under Emergency
In For Reasons of State, two staff reporters at the Patriot have supplied first-hand evidence of the ruthlessness with which people’s homes were torn down and the impossible resettlement schemes introduced. Part reportage and part human stories, this definitive volume evokes the life and times of the Emergency and how it unfolded, and remains perennially relevant.
Kannur: Inside India’s Bloodiest Revenge Politics
Kannur, a sleepy coastal district in the scenic south Indian state of Kerala, has metamorphosed into a hotbed of political bloodshed in the past few decades. Even as India heaves into the age of technology and economic growth, the town has been making it to the national news for horrific crimes and brutal murders with sickening regularity. Ullekh’s investigations and interviews reveal a bigger game at work involving players who will stop at nothing to win.
Shekhar: A Life
On the night before he is to be hanged as a political prisoner, Shekhar finds himself drawn into a vortex of scattered memories–flashes of childhood angst and youthful love amidst days of high idealism and constant struggle against the British Raj. Enveloped by his past and wracked by a tumult of emotions, he muses on the philosophical questions that have consumed him and the ideological fervour that has led him to his inevitable fate. And as the appointed hour approaches, he must reconcile himself with who he has become and what he truly stands for.
Prison Days and Other Poems
Agyeya was jailed as a revolutionary by the British authorities in the early 1930s-an experience that indelibly shaped his literary output. The verses in this collection vividly conjure the horror and tedium of imprisonment: the sound of iron gates clanging shut and the shadows cast by the bars of a cell. But Agyeya’s vision never descends into bleakness.
Requiem in Raga Janki
Based on the real-life story of Hindustani singer Janki Bai Ilahabadi (1880-1934), Requiem in Raga Janki is the beautifully rendered tale of one of India’s unknown gems. Moving from Hindustani classical music’s earliest times to the age of the gramophone, from Tansen’s mysticism to Hassu Khan’s stringent opposition of recordings, this is a novel that brings to life a golden era of music through the eyes of a gifted performer.
Familiar Strangers
Priya and Chirag are like several other modern couples, living life at breakneck speed, unknowingly stuck in the rut of a marriage that is obviously dying, if not already dead. But things start to change when Priya’s position in Chirag’s life is threatened by his past-his ex-girlfriend, who returns when they least expect it. A third person’s entry into their marriage awakens emotions that have been dormant for too long. But is it too late? Is the damage beyond repair?
Little Things
You don’t need big things to happen. A little love, a little togetherness and a little happiness are all you need! Unpretentious and honest, this book offers a peek into the life of a young couple who knows how to find meaning in the ‘little things’. Adapted from Dice Media’s immensely popular web series by the same name, Little Things is both delightful and entertaining.
Games Customers Play – What they don’t tell you about buyer-seller relationships
Business has been an endless series of games played by buyers and sellers-with one difference. Both sides could win at the same time. In Games Customers Play, Ramesh Dorairaj shows you how to spot such games and change the rules to your advantage. So that it doesn’t matter what the deal is, you will always win!
The Two Minute Revolution: The Art of Constantly Creating Value in Business
Unlike usual business books, The Two-Minute Revolution provokes you to think big-about innovation as well as excellence in on-the-ground execution. Insightful and packed with fascinating examples-from creating and launching Maggi Noodles to spearheading the highly effective Jaago Re campaign for Tata Tea-this book suggests tried and trusted strategies for building extraordinary brands.
Storywallah
In 2011, the screenwriter, lyricist and journalist Neelesh Misra started mentoring a handpicked group of writers called the Mandali. These were men and women of all ages, backgrounds and dispositions. Translated for the first time in English, this collection represents the Mandali at the height of its powers. These are fresh, untamed voices aided and abetted by a master storyteller.
The Most Dangerous Place: A History of the United States in South Asia
The definitive history of US involvement in South Asia, The Most Dangerous Place presents a gripping account of America’s political and strategic, economic and cultural presence in the region. By illuminating the patterns of the past, this sweeping history also throws light on the challenges of the future.
Me Against the Mumbai Underworld
Me against the Mumbai Underworld is the story of Isaque Bagwan, three-time recipient of the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry and a small-town boy who pursued his big-city dreams and ambitions as an upright police officer. His life, which has captured the imagination of many writers and filmmakers, is presented here with all its gut-wrenching details.
Ha Ha Hu Hu: Reasons to Make This Your Next Read
Viswanadha Satyanarayana (1895–1976) is regarded as one of the most important writers and poets of the Telugu canon. He was the first Telugu writer to win the Jnanpith Award in 1971 and was also awarded the Padma Bhushan.
Ha Ha Hu Hu; A Horse-Headed God in Trafalgar Square contains two novellas by him, Ha Ha Hu Hu: A Horse-Headed God in Trafalgar Square and Vishnu Sharma Learns English and is translated by Velcheru Narayana Rao.
Ha Ha Hu Hu tells the delightful tale of an extraordinary creature that mysteriously appears in London one fine morning, causing considerable excitement and consternation among the city’s denizens.
In the hilarious satire Vishnu Sharma Learns English, a Telugu lecturer is visited in a dream by the medieval poet Tikanna and the ancient scholar Vishnu Sharma with an unusual request: they want him to teach them English!
Here are a few reasons to make this your next read.
Books That Celebrate Mom
On mother’s day or any other day, it is always a great idea to celebrate your mom. So we have compiled a list of perfect reads that honor these unbreakable caregivers and boss ladies. Check them out now!
The Thousand Faces of Night by Githa Hariharan
A subtle and tender tale of women’s lives in India, this award-winning novel is structured with the delicacy and precision of a piece of music. Fusing myth, tale and the real voices of different women, The Thousand Faces of Night brings alive the underworld of Indian women’s lives.
Ladies Coup by Anita Nair
Meet Akhilandeshwari, Akhila for short: forty-five and single, an income tax clerk and a woman who has never been allowed to live her own life—always the daughter, the sister, the aunt, the provider. Until the day she gets herself a one-way ticket to the seaside town of Kanyakumari. This is a story of a woman’s search for strength and independence.
This Wide Night by Sarvat Hasin
The Maliks live a life of relative freedom in 1970s Karachi: four beautiful sisters, Maria, Ayesha, Leila and Beena, are warily watched over by an unconventional mother. Captain Malik is usually away, and so the women forge the rules of their own universe, taking in a few men: Amir, the professor who falls in love with Maria, and Jamal, the neighbour who tells this tale. The curious young man is drawn in by all four sisters, and particularly by rebellious Ayesha. But slowly, it becomes clear he will never completely penetrate their circle—just as they will never completely move with the tide that swirls so potently around them.
Millionaire Housewives by Rinku Paul
Millionaire Housewives tells the stories of twelve enterprising homemakers who, in spite of having no prior experience in business, managed to build successful empires through the single-minded pursuit of their goal, defying all stereotypes. For Ambika Pillai-one of the most well-known names in the world of hair and beauty-it was the need to be financially independent that led her down this path. For celebrity chef Nita Mehta, entrepreneurship was the result of wanting to do something beyond her traditional role as a homemaker. Millionaire Housewives offers valuable lessons for homemakers who want to venture into entrepreneurship.
Legacy: Letters from Eminent Parents by Sudha Menon
Legacy brings forth a rare collection of personal and evocative letters from parents to their daughters. Through their fearless approach to life, love, and overcoming obstacles, these icons from the world of business, arts, films, food, and sports share their experience and wisdom as they pass them on to their daughters. Deeply moving and thought provoking, Legacy is a remarkable collection of life lessons that will delight and inspire at the same time.
The Mother-In-Law by Veena Venugopal
In this witty and often painfully funny book Veena Venugopal follows eleven women through their marriages and explores why the mother-in-law is the dreaded figure she is. Meet Deepa, whose bikini-wearing mother-in-law won’t let her even wear jeans; Rachna who fell in love with her mother-in-law even before she met her fiancé only to find both her romances sour. The Mother-in-Law is a book that will make you laugh and cry and understand better the most important relationship in a married woman’s life.
Mom in the City by Kausalya Saptharishi
When single working mother, Ira, enrolls her son, Abhi, at Bumblebees, a posh playschool in Lutyens’ Delhi, little does she know what she is getting into. The other moms are everything she is not—impeccably groomed, fashionistas who throw lavish birthday parties for their children and holiday in exotic locales. In her eagerness to befriend these hip moms, Ira inadvertently lets slip a lie about her marriage that could lead to her being ostracized from this clique. Mom in the City is an intimate, humorous, and poignant story about contemporary motherhood, love, and life in India.
The Mother I Never Knew by Sudha Murty
Sudha Murty’s new book comprises two novellas that explore two quests by two different men—both for mothers they never knew they had. Venkatesh, a bank manager, stumbles upon his lookalike one fine day. When he probes further, he discovers his father’s hidden past, which includes an abandoned wife and child. Mukesh, a young man, is shocked to realize after his father’s death that he was actually adopted. He sets out to find his biological mother. The Mother I Never Knew is a poignant, dramatic book that reaches deep into the human heart to reveal what we really feel about those closest to us.
Bijnis Woman by Tanuja Chandra
A masaledaar mix of fact and fiction, action and emotion, drama and passion—these strange, funny, intriguing tales from small-town Uttar Pradesh have been passed orally from one generation to the next. The bizarre chronicle of a lazy daughter-in-law, the court clerk who loved eating chaat, two cousins inseparable even in death, a blind teacher who fell in love with a woman with beautiful eyes and other wild tales from Bareilly, Lucknow, Hapur, Badaun, Sapnawat and Pilibhit, places big and small, in that fascinating part of India called Uttar Pradesh.
The Mirror of Beauty by Shamsur Rahman Faruqi
The Mirror of Beauty embarks on an epic journey that sweeps through the death-giving deserts of Rajputana, the verdant valley of Kashmir and the glorious cosmopolis of Delhi, the craft of miniature painting and the art of carpet designing, scintillating musical performances and recurring paintings of mysterious, alluring women. Its scope breathtaking, its language beguiling, and its style sumptuous, this is a work of profound beauty, depth and power.
That Long Silence by Shashi Deshpande
Jaya’s life comes apart at the seams when her husband is asked to leave his job while allegations of business malpractice. Differences with her husband, frustrations in their seventeen-year-old marriage, disappointment in her two teenage children, the claustrophia of her childhood-all begin to surface. Shashi Deshpande gives us an exceptionally accomplished portrayal of a woman trying to erase a ‘long silence’ begun in childhood and rooted in herself and in the constraints of her life.
Margot by Reba Som
Among all the disciples of Swami Vivekananda, Sister Nivedita occupies pride of place. Margaret Noble arrived at India’s shores in the late nineteenth century, took the vows of a brahmacharini, and devoted the rest of her life to the cause of India. In this compelling biography, the author traces the development of Margaret from a loyal Irishwoman into Sister Nivedita, and finally into ‘Lok Mata’ or ‘People’s Mother’—a title bestowed on her by Tagore.
Sita by Devdutt Pattanaik
This book approaches Ram by speculating on Sita—her childhood with her father, Janak, who hosted sages mentioned in the Upanishads; her stay in the forest with her husband who had to be a celibate ascetic while she was in the prime of her youth; her interactions with the women of Lanka, recipes she exchanged, emotions they shared; her connection with the earth, her mother; her role as the Goddess, the untamed Kali as well as the demure Gauri, in transforming the stoic prince of Ayodhya into God.
Devi by Mrinal Pande
Writer and journalist Mrinal Pande sees in strong passionate women who defy the strictures of a male-dominated world, shades of the Goddess. There were many such women in her life, women who succeeded beyond the expectations of men. First, there was her forceful mother, the writer Shivani. Then came Badi Amma, the most colorful woman in this book, her domineering, intellectual aunt. There were friends who silently lived lives of emotional deprivation till they opted out of the world altogether. There were women who made the news and women who preyed on men. In all these women, the writer sees the original Devi.
Balancing Act by Meera Godbole Krishnamurthy
Balancing Act is a book that is all about the balancing act that Tara Mistri does on a day-to-day basis in her life. Tara Mistri is a stay-at-home mother, who is a frustrated architect as well. She is described as being a baker of biscuits and a maker of bricks. Tara is perplexed by the absolute confusion in her life and is inspired by the Salk Institute, which is in California. Her aim is to bring in the kind of symmetry that exists there, into her own life.
Books to Keep Busy with This May
This May, Penguin brings some interesting reads to you! From books that give a glimpse into the world of Supreme Court Judges to the best-loved stories from Sudha Murty to solving murder mysteries to taking an intimate tour of online sex cultures and discovering fitness secrets of Bollywood stars, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s take a look at the list of books we have for you this May!
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1. The Lord and Master of Gujarat
The Lord and Master of Gujarat is set four years after The Glory of Patan, and unfolds at dizzying speed, abounding in conspiracies, heroism and romance. This is an epic novel in the grand tradition of Alexandre Dumas. Arguably K.M. Munshi’s best-known work, it deftly weaves state politics and battles with personal trials and tribulations into one glorious tapestry.
2. Supreme Whispers: Conversations with Judges of The Supreme Court of India 1980-1989
This book yields a fascinating glimpse into the secluded world of the judges of the Supreme Court in the 1980s and earlier.
Over the course of a decade, George H. Gadbois, Jr. met judges of the Supreme Court of India who gave him astonishing details: about what they actually thought of their colleagues, about the inner workings and politics of the court, their interactions with the government and the judicial appointments process, among many other things.
3. Devlok with Devdutt Pattanaik 3
In, Devlok with Devdutt Pattanaik 3 you will read about the various versions of the Ramayana found across Asia. There are chapters on Buddhism and Jainism and their fascinating histories. Learn where the concept of marriage comes from, the reasons behind the many riti-riwaz in Hinduism and the place of fathers and fatherhood in Indian mythology, among myriad other topics and lesser-known tales – all tackled by Devdutt in a Q&A format.
4. Murder at the Happy Home for the Aged
The inhabitants of the Happy home for the aged are first perplexed when a body is found hanging in the garden, then decide to come together to solve the murder that has suddenly brought the violence of the world into their Goan arcadia.
Patiently, and with flashes of inspiration, the unlikely detectives follow the clues and in doing so emerge from the isolated and separate worlds they had inhabited for so long.
5. Cyber Sexy
In this intrepid, empathetic and nuanced account of the sexual shopping cart that is the internet today, Richa Kaul Padte takes readers on an intimate tour of online sex cultures. From camgirls to fanfiction writers, homemade videos to consent violations, Cyber Sexy investigates what it means to seek out pleasure online.
And as for whether or not something counts as porn? You’ll know it when you see it.
6. Life Over Two Beers and Other Stories
Sanjeev Sanyal, bestselling author of Land of the Seven Rivers, returns to enthral readers with a collection of unusual stories. Written with Sanjeev’s trademark flair, the stories crackle with irreverence and wit. From the vicious politics of a Mumbai housing society to the snobberies of Delhi’s cocktail circuit, the stories in Life over Two Beers and Other Stories get under the skin of a rapidly changing India – and leave you chuckling.
7. Here, There and Everywhere: Best-loved stories of Sudha Murty
Wearer of many hats – philanthropist, entrepreneur, computer scientist, engineer, teacher – Sudha Murty has above all always been a storyteller extraordinaire. Here, There and Everywhere is a celebration of her literary journey and is her 200th title across genres and languages. Bringing together her best-loved stories from various collections alongside some new ones and a thoughtful introduction, here is a book that is, in every sense, as multifaceted as its author.
8. Laughter Yoga: Daily laughter practices for health and happiness
A practice involving prolonged voluntary laughter, laughter yoga is based on scientific studies that have concluded that such laughter offers the same physiological and psychological benefits as spontaneous laughter.
This comprehensive book by the founder of the laughter yoga club movement, Dr Madan Kataria, tells you what laughter yoga is, how it works, what its benefits are and how you can apply it to everyday life.
9. Birthing Naturally
Birthing Naturally is a comprehensive book on pregnancy wellness that aims to increase the chances of expecting mothers in giving a successful and less-stressful natural birth. This book will help you as a friend and as an antenatal caregiver so you can enjoy your pregnancy, and provide valuable tips for your postnatal period to complete your experience of motherhood.
10. Fitness Secrets of the Stars
With detailed daily workouts, diets and plans followed by Bollywood actors for specific roles, Fitness Secrets of the Stars will show you how to get in shape like your favourite movie star. The authors also provide a peek into each star’s fitness philosophy along with interesting personal anecdotes and the ways in which they motivate themselves to not only achieve great bodies but also maintain them. Whether you’re just starting your fitness journey or looking to ramp it up a notch, this book is sure to help you look like a star.
11. A Cage of Desires
Renu had always craved love and security, and her boring marriage, mundane existence somehow leads her to believe that, maybe, this is what love is all about. Maya, on the other hand, is a successful author who is infamous for her bold, erotic books.
What do these two women have in common? How are their lives intertwined?
12. Dancing with Swans: A Book Of Quotes
Words have the power to move and motivate; to inspire as well as compel one to rethink their life choices. And often, a very short phrase is enough to set one on the right path. When you read and reread every word of Dancing with Swans, each quote opens up pathways within, helping you to lead your day-to-day life in the most spiritual manner. They shall help you give each moment your Divine Best and empower you to go through whatever is in store for you gracefully.
13. Disrupt and Conquer: How TTK Prestige Became a Billion-Dollar business
In this book, the current chairman of The TTK Group, T.T. Jagannathan, along with Sandhya Mendonca, takes us through the journey of this extraordinary company which fought off bankruptcy and rose like a phoenix to become a highly profitable, successful entity.
With invaluable business lessons, decades of experience and innovation distilled in these pages, Disrupt and Conquer is a must-read for aspiring entrepreneurs, executives and business leaders.
14. The Fuzzie and the Techie: Why the Liberal Arts will Rule the Digital World
If you majored in the humanities or social sciences, you were a fuzzy. If you majored in the computer sciences, you were a techie, Scott Hartley first heard the terms ‘fuzzy’ and ‘techie’ while studying at Stanford University. This informal division has quietly found its way into a default assumption that has misled the business world for decades: that it’s the techies who drive innovation.
Scott Hartley looks inside some of today’s most dynamic new companies, reveals breakthrough fuzzy-techie collaborations, and explores how such collaborations are at the center of innovation in business, education, and government, and why liberal arts are still relevant in our techie world.
15. Born with Wings: The Spiritual Journey of a Modern Muslim Woman
Born with Wings is a powerful, moving, and eye-opening account of Daisy Khan’s inspiring journey—of her self-actualization and her success in opening doors for other Muslim women and building bridges between cultures. It powerfully demonstrates what one woman can do—with faith, love, and resilience.
16. Calling Sehmat
Inspired from real events, this is the story of a young college-going Kashmiri girl, Sehmat, who gets to know her dying father’s last wish and can do little but surrender to his passion and patriotism and follow the path he has so painstakingly laid out. It is the beginning of her transformation from an ordinary girl into a deadly spy.
7 Quotes about 'The Tatas' that will make you pick a copy of 'Creation of Wealth'
Russi M. Lal started his career in journalism in 1948 at the age of nineteen. He was the director of Tata’s premier trust, the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, for eighteen years as well as the co-founder and chairman of the Centre for Advancement of Philanthropy. The Creation of Wealth is R.M. Lala’s best-selling account of how the Tatas have been at the forefront in the making of the Indian nation.
Here are 10 phenomenal quotes about the Tatas from some of the most notable personalities of this country.
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To know how modern India came into existence, you must pick a copy of Creation of Wealth!
5 reasons why Undercover Princess by Connie Glynn should be the next read for you.
Connie Glynn has always loved writing and her new book, Undercover Princes (The first in The Rosewood Chronicles) is about two fourteen-year-olds, one who never wanted to be a princess in the first place and the other who is obsessed with them.
Here are 5 reasons why Undercover Princess should be the next read for you.
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- If you enjoy magical fairy tales
- Riveting mysteries
- Heart warming friendships
- Love stories
- Politics and parties
5 James Patterson books that are a must-read
James Patterson is a legend when it comes to thriller novels. He has created not only some memorable characters like Alex Cross and Michael Bennet, but also has some exciting series like the Middle School series, Women’s Murder Club in his kitty.
A writer for all age groups, here are five books you should read by the author.
The People vs Alex Cross
In this engaging thriller, Alex Cross finds himself on the wrong side of law. Charged with the murder of his nemesis, Cross is being portrayed as one of the trigger-happy cops who think they’re above the law. Cross knows his crime was an act of self-defense but will the jury see his view? This trial will keep you hooked till the last page.
Along Came A Spider
![Along Came a Spider: (Alex Cross 1) by [Patterson, James]](https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51gVeKl1i%2BL._SY346_.jpg)
Two children have been kidnapped by their maths teacher, a man named Gary Soneji. Alex Cross is tasked with finding the kids but as he goes in deeper in the world of the kidnapper, he will find out that things are different than what it seems.
Hunted
Co-written with Andrew Holmes, this riveting thriller is about former SAS Agent David Shelley who goes looking for an old friend and finds him dead. Shelley can only find the truth behind his friend’s death if he puts himself in the same dangers as his friend. Will Shelley get to the truth? There’s only one way to find out.
Zoo
![Zoo (Zoo Series Book 1) by [Patterson, James]](https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61fKB-HzqQL._SY346_.jpg)
What happens when the animals take over? Jackson Oz, a young biologist watches vicious animal attacks with an increasing sense of dread. As the attacks grow in ferocity, Oz with the help of ecologist Chloe Tousignant, races to warn world leaders before it’s too late. Will he able to stop it or will there be no place left for the humans to hide?
The Trial
![The Trial: BookShots (A Women’s Murder Club Thriller Book 1) by [Patterson, James]](https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/5187iABLqnL._SY346_.jpg)
Women’s Murder Club’s Detective Lindsay Boxer has finally managed to capture the drug cartel boss who has been tormenting her for months. He has threatened to unleash violence on everyone involved in the case, the whole city is paralysed and the Murder Club is caught in the eye of the storm. What happens next? Read and find out!
Intrigued yet? Tell us what you think of James Patterson’s works in the comments below.
10 Books by Charles Dickens Every Millennial Should Read
Charles Dickens can easily be termed as a phenomenon. The English writer and social critic was a hardworking journalist and a great novelist. He created some of the most cherished characters in literature: the Artful Dodger, Mr Pickwick, Pip, David Copperfield, Little Nell, Lady Dedlock, and many more.
Here we take a look at his 10 books that should be on every Millennial’s list.
1. Great Expectations
In what may be Dickens’s best novel, humble, orphaned Pip is apprenticed to the dirty work of the forge but dares to dream of becoming a gentleman — and one day, under sudden and enigmatic circumstances, he finds himself in possession of “great expectations.”
2. A Tale of Two Cities
A Tale of Two Cities, portrays a world on fire, split between Paris and London during the brutal and bloody events of the French Revolution.
3. Bleak House
Regarded as Dickens’ masterpiece, the plot revolves around a long-running legal case entitled Jarndyce vs Jarndyce. Mixing romance, mystery, comedy, and satire, Bleak House limns the suffering caused by the intricate inefficiency of the law.
4. The Adventures of Oliver Twist
The Adventures of Oliver Twist is the story of a young orphan. It revolves around his childhood in a workhouse, his subsequent apprenticeship with an undertaker, his escape to London and finally his acquaintance with the Artful Dodger. It is both an angry indictment of poverty, and an adventure filled with an air of threat and pervasive evil.
5. A Christmas Carol
Ebenezer Scrooge is a bitter, cold-hearted old miser lacking in Christmas spirit. He is visited by four ghosts, the ghost of his former business partner and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come, who take Scrooge on respective journeys. One of the best-loved Yuletide tales by Dickens, a Christmas Carol is filled with compassion and humor.
6. David Copperfield
David Copperfield is the story of a young man’s adventures on his journey from an unhappy and impoverished childhood to the discovery of his vocation as a successful novelist. In David Copperfield – the novel he described as his ‘favourite child’ – Dickens drew revealingly on his own experiences to create one of the most exuberant and enduringly popular works, filled with tragedy and comedy in equal measure.
7. Little Dorrit
A masterly evocation of the state and psychology of imprisonment, Little Dorrit is one of the supreme works of Dickens’s maturity.
8. The Pickwick Papers
Few first novels have created as much popular excitement as The Pickwick Papers – a comic masterpiece that catapulted its twenty-four-year-old author to immediate fame. Readers were captivated by the adventures of the poet Snodgrass, the lover Tupman, the sportsman Winkle and, above all, by that quintessentially English Quixote, Mr Pickwick, and his cockney Sancho Panza, Sam Weller.
9. Our Mutual Friend
Charles Dickens’s last complete novel, Our Mutual Friend is a glorious satire spanning all levels of Victorian society. It centres on an inheritance – Old Harmon’s profitable dust heaps – and its legatees, young John Harmon, presumed drowned when a body is pulled out of the River Thames, and kindly dustman Mr Boffin, to whom the fortune defaults. The novel is richly symbolic in its vision of death and renewal in a city dominated by the fetid Thames, and the corrupting power of money.
10. Dombey and Son
A compelling depiction of a man imprisoned by his own pride, Dombey and Son explores the devastating effects of emotional deprivation on a dysfunctional family and on society as a whole. In his introduction, Andrew Sanders discusses the character of Paul Dombey, business and family relationships in Dombey and Son and their similarities to Dickens’s own childhood.
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5 Books That Will Help You Keep Your New Year Resolutions
New Year begets hopes and possibilities to achieve what we have been resolving to do all year. So, if you are looking for additional motivation, we have got you covered!
Here are five books that will help you achieve your New Year’s resolutions:
Hack into Your Creativity
If you have resolved to pursue writing, this is the book for you. If you’re new to writing prompts, indulge in all the different ways you can kick-start the creator inside of you. Hack into your creativity is equipped to help you discover interests and abilities that you didn’t even know you had.
My First Kitchen
New year is all about new beginnings. So, if you are just beginning to cook, let Michelin-starred chef, restaurateur and food writer, Vikas Khanna help you achieve your goal. In this book, Khanna teaches you how to take the first step in establishing a kitchen of your own. With over 100 recipes, you will become a whizz-cook in no time.
Where Will You be in Five Years
If you have been resolving to set goals for yourself, here’s a suggestion for you. Peak performance coach Arfeen Khan in Where will you be in five years gives you not only the mantra to turn your dreams into reality, but also puts a deadline to it. This book will help you overcome your personal problems and set on a path of growth and change.
The Shivfit Way
What if we told you that the author of this book is the trainer behind Aamir Khan’s muscular look in Dhoom 3, Sonakshi Sinha’s bodacious curves in Dabangg and can help you achieve your fitness goals? Shivoham in The Shivfit Way outlines eight basic moves that will help you achieve a strong body and ensure you meet all your fitness goals.
The Pioppi Diet
![The Pioppi Diet: A 21-Day Lifestyle Plan by [Malhotra, Aseem, O'Neill, Donal]](https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41NJ6j%2B4z-L._SY346_.jpg)
Are you stressing over eating right and being healthy? Then your worries end right here! Dr Aseem Malhotra, based on five years of research, has created a diet which does not require you to say ‘no’ to things you love, nor exercising for hours. The Pioppi Diet will help you make simple, achieve, and long-lasting changes while letting you eat your favourite things.
So, now go get that resolution fulfilled!
