It is coming up on Thanksgiving week in the US. And that means it is time for Silklist's annual tradition of sharing book recommendations.
Please share your top reads of the year in this thread. Here are mine: *Other Rivers: A Chinese Education by Peter Hessler* Hessler weaves many threads (His students from when he taught at a Teachers college as a Peace Corp volunteer in the 90s, teaching at Sichuan University in 2019-2021, his experience sending his twin daughters to Chinese Public School, Hessler and his wife's family history of China-US encounters) into a beautiful tapestry that describes the China of today, and how it has changed over the 30+ years that the author has been going to China. *Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu* A novel in the style of a script for your average TV/Hollywood cop drama that explores the Asian-American experience. The novel wields Hollywood tropes about Asians brilliantly to great effect while getting to the truth about the complexities of Roles we think we're playing. *The Sun Walks Down by Fiona McFarlane* Using the canvas of a 6-year-old boy being lost in The Bush of Southern Australia, and the community that is looking for him, McFarlane paints a beautiful picture of the multi-faceted life of a small, Outback town in Colonial Australia. There is a cacophony of characters through whose eyes we witness the world. *Mina's Matchbox by Yōko Ogawa* I loved reading this book about the years young Middle Schooler Tomoko from Okayama spends with her Aunt's family in Ashiya. Tomoko develops a binding friendship with her Asthmatic cousin Mina (of the book's title). It is a coming of age story of sorts. I loved the evocative descriptions, and the painting of the life of a rich, eccentric, and loveable household in Ashiya. *James by Percival Everett* A brilliant alternate narrative of Huckleberry Finn. *Fourteen Years with Boss by Ashokamitthiran* A brisk read. Popular modernist Tamil writer's memoir about his years working in PR for Chennai's Gemini Studios in the 50's and 60's. *Congo: The Epic History of a People by David Van Reybrouck* Ever since I read King Leopold's Ghost in the early 2000s I've been fascinated by the history of Congo. I've consumed a couple of dozen books about the region, and dream of visiting some day. I thought I was pretty steeped in Congolese history. This book was refreshing. The author covers the usual stations of the cross of Congolese history (Stanley, King Leopold, Belgium, Independence, Lumumba, Mobutu, corruption, mining, Kabila, Hutu-Tutsi conflict, Complex wars,...), but brings fresh perspective (and the voices of many Congolese). I really liked the last chapter about how Congo-China trade is a ray of hope for a much abused nation. *The Liberation of Sita by Volga* A look at some incidents/characters in the Ramayana looked at through a Feminist lens. Highlights the patriarchy that pervades the popular narrative of the Ramayana. *Sakina’s Kiss by Vivek Shanbhag* I loved Perur's masterful translation of Shanbhag's previous book. This one didn't disappoint either. I like the ambiguity in the book. If I were to only pick two books for the entire year, I would book-end the year with Sakina’s Kiss and The Liberation of Sita. *The Upstairs Delicatessen: On Eating, Reading, Reading About Eating, and Eating While Reading by Dwight Garner* A memoir and a meditation on a life of Eating and Reading. I loved the author's erudition about both his chosen subjects. *Chasing Venus: The Race to Measure the Heavens by Andrea Wulf* I watched the transit of Venus in California in 2012. It was beautiful seeing this tiny dot (Venus) move across the face of the sun. Back then I had not known about the importance of measuring the transit of Venus in the 1700s. Some years later I read about Cook and Bank's voyage on the endeavor. One of my favorite pieces of art is Lisa Reihana's In Pursuit of Venus (Infected). This wonderful book is the story of (some of) the scientists from around the world to measure the transit of Venus so that the distance between the earth and the sun could be more precisely calculated. The book covers both expeditions in the 1760s (Transits of Venus occur in pairs separated by a few years). -- Homer: Hey, what does this job pay? Carl: Nuthin'. Homer: D'oh! Carl: Unless you're crooked. Homer: Woo-hoo!
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