30 September,2025 10:00 AM IST | Mumbai | Nandini Varma
Kavita Pai
Kavita Pai, chartered accountant, Bandra
Spanning two continents, three generations, and almost 80 decades of a turbulent and pivotal time in history (1900-77), Abraham Verghese's novel reminded me of two other favourites, Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude and Roy's The God of Small Things. It covers medicine, faith, the lush paddy fields of Kerala, and the city of Madras. Most of all, it shows the deep connection between the characters, and the steadfastness and goodness of its protagonist, Big Ammachi.
Shrutika Hari, marketing professional, Malad
I took up Dolly Alderton's novel at a time when I was feeling particularly lost, like every other twenty-something year old. The main character Nina also feels lost and hopeless. On the surface, the novel is about modern day dating, the phenomenon of âghosting', but I saw it more as a picture of adulthood that most of us are bound to experience: friendships changing shape, dating becoming exhausting, and the weight of the limited time you have left with your parents. It's a great reminder that I am not alone in experiencing this, and that female friendships will save you.
Sriti Jha, actor, Malad
I READ Sarah Bakewell's book recently and it has consumed my reading life. The book is a philosophical and historical account of existentialism as a philosophy. It puts existentialism in the socio-cultural context of post and pre-world war Europe and the world. Sartre, Beauvoir, Camus (and many more) walk into cafés and bars causing rebellion, while listening to jazz and dancing to blues, sipping coffee and apricot cocktails.
Mannat Jagia, senior analyst, Kalyan
When I recently read the 2025 Booker Prize shortlisted novel by Katie Kitamura, it made me pause, reflect and question. It is about a woman who is an actress. She meets a young man who claims to be her son. The facts blur, the roles shift, the reader is left inside a space where the truth is not fixed but rehearsed. Atmospheric and tense, it makes one wonder: who are we beneath the roles we have learned to play too well?
Abhinn Shreshtha, communi-cations professional, Dadar
THIS book contains a fantastic take on how data science has transformed football. The author, Ian Graham, headed the analytics department at Liverpool FC between 2012 and 2023. He and his team brought Moneyball tactics to football. The book offers an insightful look at how the club used this relatively nascent science to build a team that won almost every game during this period. It is filled with interesting anecdotes and is a must-read for football fans and those who are interested in the business and management side of sports.
Aparna Iyer, senior intelligence analyst, Andheri
I came across these short stories by Bandi, an anonymous author in North Korea, reportedly smuggled out of the country. Stifling in its honesty, the read provides a never-before-seen insight into North Korean society as experienced by a secret dissident who still lives there. What struck me is how relatable the characters are: a mother comforting her toddler, a woman dealing with sexual harassment, a son breaking away from his father's expectations. Yet, the stories are so alien, coloured by the horrors of life in a deeply suppressed environment.
