Some books take you somewhere else. This one keeps you exactly where things are—in the narrow lanes of rural poverty, in homes without doors, in lives shaped by caste and survival. The Elephant Chaser’s Daughter by Shilpa Raj is a memoir, not a story. That difference matters. Shilpa doesn’t dress up her childhood or make…
Some books comfort you. Some challenge you. Some make you angry. One Part Woman by Perumal Murugan does something different. It sits heavy in your chest. It makes you uncomfortable in a way you can’t quite shake off. This is a novel about a couple—Kali and Ponna—who love each other deeply. They have a good…
Some novels announce themselves loudly. They grab you by the shoulders and demand your attention with dramatic events and shocking revelations. The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri is not that kind of novel. This is a book that works quietly. That builds slowly. That stays with you not because of what happens, but because of what…
You know the Ramayana. Everyone knows the Ramayana. Rama is the perfect hero. Hanuman is the devoted servant. And somewhere in the background, there are these monkey warriors—Vanaras—who help Rama defeat Ravana and rescue Sita. That’s the story we’ve all been told. The story where Rama is right about everything and anyone who opposes him…