Compiling a list of the top reads of 2020 is tough. Choices can vary widely but if some books make it to the top of every publication’s list then you know you should definitely consider picking them up.
For anyone who loves reading books by Jhumpa Lahiri, the novel A Burning by Megha Majumdar is a must-read. The book, which has made it to several longlists for coveted awards, is the tale of a Muslim girl from the slums, accused of planning a terrorist attack on a train. It’s an extraordinary debut and compelling page-turner.
Another brilliant book, which made it to the international lists and is the toast of the town for 2020, is Deepa Anappara’s Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line. A nine-year-old boy’s efforts to solve the mysterious disappearance of his classmate is the primary theme on which the story evolves.
On the non-fiction front, journalist Samanth Subramanian’s A Dominant Character: The Radical Science and Restless Politics of JBS Haldane is worth reading. It is the biography of British biologist and ardent communist Haldane who spent a large part of his life in India.
Another book which has received some rave reviews in the non-fiction list is Jugalbandi: The BJP Before Modi by political scientist and journalist Vinay Satpati. It looks at India through the eyes of BJP leaders Atal Behari Vajpayee and LK Advani.
Finally, how can we not mention a self help book in this list. Your go-to book this year should be Think Like A Monk’ by Jay Shetty, a former monk who is on a mission to spread “ancient wisdom” around the world. His techniques for positive thinking can sure fire you up for the coming year.