Indian literature is pushing the edge every year and this year there have been some great releases as well. Certainly, there have been some other good releases as well. However, these books on the list caught my attention. This list includes fiction, non-fiction, and historical fiction as well. In this article, we are going to read about the 7 best books by Indian authors in 2022.
7 Best Books by Indian Authors in 2022
In An Ideal World by Kunal Basu
Altaf Hussein has been abducted from his council hotel. The people in power have washed their hands off the situation. And, there are rumours. Some state he has gone to Iraq to battle the jihad. And, some say he has been tortured for opposing the Nationalist scholars. These nationalists are in a frenzy to create a Hindu motherland in India. The fire of Liberals and Chauvinists exploits the Sengupta ménage in Kolkata. Joy is a bank director and Rohini is a teacher. They get shocked when they learn that their son, Bobby has come to a leader of the Nationalist scholars. He is presently involved in Altaf’s exposure. The story will take a massive turn from here. But will the parents be able to exonerate their son from the dreadful crime?
Sin by Wajida Tabassum
The story is set in the aristocratic society of 1950s Hyderabad. Tabassum is known for her depiction of the realities in the society she lived in colliding with the critical reviews from the self-proclaimed custodians of the culture of the period. This book presents some of the boldest short stories featuring unfulfilled marriages, lascivious nawabs, sly retainers, lecherous begums, and more; along with the story of the author’s life.
To Hell and Back by Barkha Dutt
When lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic was first announced in 2020, acclaimed journalist Barkha Dutt began a series of road trips. On this trip, she recorded the stories of people in a pandemic. In this book, she talks about India in pandemic through the stories of workers, politicians, businessmen, doctors, nurses, teachers, students, families, and more.
In the Language of Remembering by Aanchal Malhotra
Aanchal Malhotra beautifully depicts how the partition is not a notion of history, because the generations after that are entwined to the legacy. It depicts the conversations recorded over several years with the generation of Pakistanis, Indians, and Bangladeshis. The book looks largely at how the memory is preserved and the consequences are manifested within the nation and community.
The Living Mountain by Amitav Ghosh
This book is simple and exquisitely written with folktale-like elements. The Living Mountain is an allegorical text which can be interpreted as a simplistic and simultaneously a cautionary tale. There is a broad exhibition of essential themes such as climate change, exploitation of man and nature, colonialism, effects of commercialism, greed, and more.
Hymns in Blood by Nanak Singh
1987, Chakri – A tranquil village on the banks of Soan located near Rawalpindi. It is surrounded by festive songs and stalks of golden wheat. Sikhs, Muslims, and Hindus keenly wait for the winter to end and gather to prepare for the festival of Lohri. In the middle of this cheerful stir, the erudite elder of the village Baba Rhana is worried about his foster daughter, Naseem’s future. Their happy existence comes to a halt with the news of a possible partition of India. Due to the ongoing rage of communal violence, Baba Rhana’s family must leave their village. They soon realize that their lives will never be the same again.
City of Incident by Annie Zaidi
Annie Zaidi in the City of Incident depicts the life of six men and six women. Each of these characters is struggling to keep up with the metropolis life that provides them little hope, power, and opportunity for redemption. The stories of these individuals interlace together and offer the readers an unsettling picture of the lives that continues on the edges of our vision. These are random people that you may have seen from your car, on the metro, or read about in the pages of your daily paper. The kind of people who don’t catch your attention until a moment breaks.
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