Book lovers share the one title they'd gift their best friend—and why

Ananya Bhardwaj and Sreekesh Iyer

I think All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley may find a permanent spot on my friend Sreekesh's bookshelf. The beauty in stillness and knowing we aren't alone in our experiences - as long as we remain connected with art and creativity - is inimitable. With this, I'd gift him a written postcard from a trip (which doubles as a handy bookmark)!

If he had to pick a book for me, he says he would choose Many Lives, Many Masters by Dr Brian Weiss - it'll be a welcome change from the fiction I otherwise read. He believes it's an interesting read alongside the constant questioning of belief after every page, and an accompanying gift, a limited-edition pen from the AWS Community, would surely come in handy for the highlights.

Ananya Bhardwaj and Sreekesh Iyer

My friend Girija would gift me The House on the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, the one with the splayed edges coloured blue, and if she could, she would give me an accompanying wyvern statue that represents one of the children taken care of on the island. It's her comfort read and she feels like it is warm, happy, and a reminder that things work out if at least one person has faith.

I would gift her the first book of Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman, along with matching T-shirts that say "Princess Posse". It's one of my favourite series, exploring a genre she hasn't read. I think the themes of it will resonate with her.

Varun Gwalani and Girija Biyani

Some of my most favourite memories with Disha are the times we would (bunk college and) explore the lanes of South Bombay, whilst talking about art, poetry, and life. Aamchi Mumbai by Gulzar saab, translated by Rakhshanda Jalil, feels like the most apt gift for her, a summary of 11 years of friendship. I would also gift her The Poetry Calendar by DaakVaak, so she can wake up to a new poem each day.

She would gift me Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke. She says I'm one of the fiercest women she knows and there are times when I doubt myself. Rilke puts into words exactly how she feels about this. Along with the book, she would also gift me a small reading lamp to remind me that, just like the lamp, she is always here to provide light on my darkest days.

Kajal Advani and Disha Shah

Vidhi's pick for me is Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. She chose this because I once took on the 365-day writing challenge on Instagram and deeply love the feminist point of view. It features Natalie Heller Mills, a tradwife influencer waking up in the 19th century. She is eager for my take on the book.

Our taste in books is completely different, so I would gift Vidhi Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. It's a hilarious title based on his personal life growing up, and would provide a new, fun genre for her to explore. It would add to our love of connecting on funny personal incidents and mishaps in daily life too!

Khushboo Fazulbhoy and Vidhi Talwar