Indian Readers discussion

I have been reading a lot of books on thrillers and fiction. I have been reading robin cook, Michael Connelly, John Grisham, stieg Larson, Jeffrey archer and the likes. I want to broaden my horizons and read books by different authors too. Something serious also will not hurt.

I need recommendations for books. I am hoping based on my tastes, you guys could recommend a few books. Currently, I'm looking at reading "memoirs of a geisha".

if you want crime novels by good authors I hope you'll like books by P D James and Elizabeth George.
Have read Memoirs of Geisha, but didnot like it much. But it has got many good reviews.
"the Help" by Kathryn Stockett is a very good book.

Smitha wrote: "if you want crime novels by good authors I hope you'll like books by P D James and Elizabeth George.
Have read Memoirs of Geisha, but didnot like it much. But it has got many good reviews.
"the Hel..."

Thanks for a quick response smitha,
Can you list some books that might interest me authored by P D James or elizabe

okay, let me check out the ones I have read.

I'd love to read books by Indian authors as well. Only issue is that I Don't know where to begin. As I have been reading thrillers all this while, nobody has suggested any Indian author yet. If there is any book ( non fiction included ) that is a must read, I'm up for it. As I said, something serious is good too

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31... is the first of Elizabeth George's Inspector Lynley - Barbara Havers mysteries

Shroud for a nightingale http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/76... - one of the best books by PD James that I've read

As regarding to Indian authors, I just love Jhumpa Lahiri, Rohinton Mistry, R K Narayan, Kiran Desai, Amulya Malladi, Chitra Divakaruni. You can just put their names in the search box above to see the review of the books they've written, though R K Narayan is not well represented in Good Reads

R K Narayan is simply great. Read his books as a child. But yeah, I'll check out the other authors too. Thanks smitha.

If u r looking for an Indian book in similar genre, i wud recommend Chanakya's Chant, a diff kind of book, not exactly a typical thriller, but the story moves at a compelling pace...

If you like misteries and thriller I can suggest you one of the most famous Italian writers in this genre and his books were also translated.
It is Andrea Camilleri and his series of Montalbano is very famous (they made also a series for the television).
Unfortunately I don't know Indian authors who write thriller, the other members of the group will be more usuful as me in this.

Okie Nikihil, I would not want to bombard you with a huge list of books. :) I will recommend ones I really liked.

If thriller is what you like, do check out Anne Perry. Her novels are set in the Victorian era. She has created two investigators, viz, Thomas Pitt, a police inspector and William Monk, a private detective. The use of common sense used in order to investigate a scene of crime and the detailed writing keeps me hooked.

R. K. Narayan, in my opinion, is easily the best Indian author. Add Salman Rushdie, V. S. Naipaul, Jhumpa Lahiri to the list as well. I swear by classics and Charles Dickens is indispensable in my list. Jane Austen, Bronte sisters are my other favourite authors from the genre of classics.

And if you haven't read J. K. Rowling do it without losing any time.

Happy reading :)

Have you tried Greg Iles ?? He is brilliant..Try Spandau Phoenix...

Wow, thanks guys. I now have a huge list of books to read. I'm reading "The guide" by R. K. Narayan now and will then move to "Shroud of the Nightingale".

I will definitely try and read some and hopefully all the books mentioned by you guys.

I'm looking forward to reading Rohinton Mistry too.

we had just read "the Guide" and had group discussion a few months back

crime novel and thrillers? :( too bad, had you said love stories I'd have recommended my novel :P

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Try it,you won't regret :)

And anything by Terry Pratchet.

some thriller recommendations mentioned below in descending order of their literary merit:-

sleuth (shaffer)- fiction, play
virgin suicides (jeffrey eugenides)- fiction, novel
rebecca (du maurier)- fiction, novel
naked lunch (burroughs)- fiction, novel/autobiography
in cold blood (truman capote)- non fiction, novel
strangers on a train (highsmith)- fiction, novel
after dark (murakami)- fiction, novella
american psycho (brett easton ellis)- fiction, novel
picnic at hanging rock (lindsay)- fiction, historical novel
fury (rushdie)- fiction, novel

Sherin wrote: "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Try it,you won't regret :)

I don't regret it at all. I have all the BBC audio episodes :)

:)

Nikhil! People have flooded you with fiction. Now be a good reader and dig into non-fiction too. This will definitely serve you the 'broadening the horizons part'.
Last (and best) non-fiction I have ever read in my life is 'The emperor of all maladies', Siddhartha Mukherjee. Surprise yourself with the sheer volume of facts and figures provided. He has done some research I say. Please try some light reading (aka self-help) like Robin Sharma (he is my guru), Rhonda Bryne etc. 'The secret' and 'The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari' are must reads.
I want to tell philosophical and spiritual books too but I will shut up now :P

You better Rosun :D

I hate those positive thinking books. I am currently reading "unbroken". It is based on a true story and has loads of facts and figures from the days of the world war.

Parikhit wrote: "You better Rosun :D"

I will see you! It's high time i demand some little respect for what I enjoy reading! Not everyone is into Shakespeare and THE 'classics'.

Nikhil wrote: "I hate those positive thinking books."
Not so soon! Come on... Don't judge them already.

Rosun, I feel for you. I dont read inspirational books much, but I do felicitate those who do.
So keep going and don't mind what "fictionalists" say :D

But for me, fictional characters helped more than 'the experts' who teach how to live my life.. :)

And of course some biographies helped as well.. I prefer reading Bios than self-help books. At least you'll get the inspiration that a person lead a life like this, instead of some theoritical knowledge.. :)

@Smitha, sob... You understand me! :(
@Anbu, I prefer auto-biographies. Biographies have an unfathomable boredom to them. If you see 'the experts' are actually so- qualification wise.
Here I go again. Instead of reading Stephanie Meyer, I would prefer reading Rhonda bryne. You learn something constructive; read something positive. If you dare, you can even 'incorporate' it in your life. Robin Sharma's The Monk... propelled me to take up yoga and meditation. Twas life changing; physically, spiritually. I was going thru so much but I fought it using his 'teachings'. And It really helped. If you need more explanation, let me know

At the end it's just a book which is full of positivity and tips and tricks. People share their experiences and you learn from them; discovering that others are also going thru the same as you.

Rosun wrote: "At the end it's just a book which is full of positivity and tips and tricks. People share their experiences and you learn from them; discovering that others are also going thru the same as you."

I think its time I intervene (read evil laughter ;))

Fiction and non-fiction are alike as well as dissimilar, I opine. A fiction writer creates a rich tapestry of events - a take on reality reflected by the mirror of a fictional story. The characters speak out the author's mind and are a portrayal of an undercurrent of emotional turmoil. While a non-fiction writer puts his story in simple words, an excerpt from the real world.

I am not resented towards non-fiction. All the solace I look for I find in fiction. Soaring in a Nimbus 2001, racing through the woods with a vampirish speed, dancing at a ball or even whitewashing a fence help me as opposed to self-help books.

(Nikhil sure will wonder what went wrong with the thread he posted. :D)

@Parikhit, they HELP you? Did I hear it right? I'm sorry to break your bubble mate but that's fiction!

Rosun, I am with you though I don't write too much (if you want give a look in my bookshelf under "spiritualità" or "yoga").

Have you already read books by Anthony de Mello? I have heard differing opinions about him.

I think there are two different kind of books about spirituality or self-helf or positive thinking: the one who are commercial and a little bit superficial and everything seems easy; and others who are really deep and perhaps for somebody a little bit boring. I stay away from the first kind of books but like to read the second kind.

DelSheree Gladden's all series are different and they are all great. When you will read her books, you will blindly read any of her books.
Then Amanda Strong's stories will take you on a roller coaster and throw curve balls at you.