10 Best Books By Nobel Prize Winners You Need To Read Right Now

Considered the most prestigious prize in the field of letters and literature, the Nobel prize is a true prestige. Here is a list of 10 best books by Nobel prize winners that are not only interesting and enjoyable but have the capacity to change the world.

The Red- Haired Woman by Orhan Pamuk

Drawing on the ancient narratives of Shah Nameh and Oedipus Rex, Pamuk tells the story of a well digger’s apprentice. He gets together with a woman who used to be his biological father’s mistress, and accidentally kills a man he considers his father figure. Thus, he completes the tragedies of both the ancient narratives.

The Progress of Love by Alice Munro

In this collection of stories, a world comes alive in the tangle of relationships. Firstly, in the titular story, divorced woman returns to her childhood home and reminisces about her parents’ relationship. In a second story, the incidental near-drowning of a child unravels the relationship between the child and its parents. And in another one, a young man’s memory triggers a host of emotions for a younger brother.

The Home and the World by Rabindranath Tagore

This is the story of Bimala, whose progressive husband persuades her to give up the purdah and see the beauty of the world. But when she crosses the threshold from the home to the world, she begins to fall for a charismatic but selfish friend of her husband’s. This has disastrous consequences for everyone. Seen as an allegory to the nation oscillating between aggressive nationalism and passive nationalism, this book is a must read.

A House for Mr Biswas by V S Naipaul

This story of a man’s search for independence is an exhilarating read. After the drowning of his father, Mr Biswas has spent his life dependent on others. Even when he marries into a rich family, he is dependent on them. But soon his desire for freedom leads him to take on new occupations and break free of the shackles of family and society.

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

The narrator and protagonist book is an interesting species – she is not human but an advanced AI with special abilities. Basically, she’s an Artificial Friend, waiting for a customer. The book follows her story of interaction and relationship with humans. It is not only an innovative concept, but also an interesting blend of two genres – sci-fi and lit-fic.

Sula by Toni Morrison

This is the narrative of two Black sisters. We follow the trajectory of their lives from a close-knit neighbourhood in Ohio to their diverging paths as adult women. One chooses to stay where her roots are, becoming a pillar for the Black community. The other finds liberation in city life. And both must deal with the consequences of their respective choices.

Blindness by Jose Saramago

In this dystopian fiction, a city suffers an epidemic of ‘white blindness’. Those afflicted are sent to a hospital, but a dangerous presence lurks there. There is only one eyewitness, making the story all the weirder and dystopian.

The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow

With an unmistakable Americanness in his very being, Augie March comes of age – meeting mentors, falling in love and exploring numerous occupations. This is a triumph of twentieth century American literature.

Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth by Wole Soyinka

Soyinka’s latest book, which came out in 2021, unfolds in a fictional Nigeria. Here, a shrewd entrepreneur is looking to make profits by selling off body parts. A doctor informs this to a UN member of high prestige, setting into motion a series of irreversible events.

Kim by Rudyard Kipling

At the fulcrum of this book are two men – a young white boy and an old Indian ascetic. The white boy straddles two cultures, attempting to unite them into one cord of seamless harmony. Meanwhile, the ascetic dreams of escape from the wheel of time and its countless reiterations.

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