(Leaving the post in html for the links, and because we are living in the future now)
http://qz.com/412000/an-indian-alternative-to-the-new-york-times-all-white-summer-reading-list/ ALL DESI *An Indian alternative to the New York **Times’* *all-white** summer reading list* Divya Guha and Quartz Staff 11 hours ago The New York Times’ literary critic Janet Maslin recentlypublished <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/23/books/a-critics-survey-of-summer-books.html> her list <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/23/books/a-critics-survey-of-summer-books.html> of must-read summer books, one that might well be her very last before she leaves <http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/media/2015/05/8568332/emtimesem-book-critic-janet-maslin-shifts-contributing-role> her long-held full time role in July. As Gawker points out <http://review.gawker.com/nyt-summer-reading-list-finally-achieves-100-percent-wh-1706658703>, Maslin’s list this year manages to be made up entirely of white authors. And that’s part of a grand tradition—her New York Times’ must-read summer lists are usually pretty monochromatic: In 2012, of the 21 books chosen <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/25/books/granddad-theres-a-head-on-the-beach-and-other-summer-reads.html> that summer, the only non-white author was Mindy Kaling. The following year the non-white world was represented by Kevin <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/07/books/beach-reads-from-stephen-king-kevin-kwan-carl-hiaasen-and-more.html> Kwan <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/07/books/beach-reads-from-stephen-king-kevin-kwan-carl-hiaasen-and-more.html> alone <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/07/books/beach-reads-from-stephen-king-kevin-kwan-carl-hiaasen-and-more.html> with Crazy Rich Asians. The list in 2014 acknowledged two <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/23/books/a-critics-survey-of-summer-books.html> non-white <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/23/books/a-critics-survey-of-summer-books.html> authors <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/23/books/a-critics-survey-of-summer-books.html> among a list of 17 titles. This year it has given up its egalitarian ghost altogether. So here’s a Quartz India alternative—an all-Indian list of titles that are mostly recent releases, or soon-to-be-published, that we’re looking forward to reading this summer. *(Editors note: We confined this list to * *English-language** authors to reflect what **Maslin** could have chosen. Here’s a **list of Hindi books* <http://qz.com/327943/five-hindi-books-you-must-read-this-year/>* you should read this year)*: 1. Amitav Ghosh has never written a bad, or even ordinary book, so his exclusion from Maslin’s list is especially mysterious. The much-awaited launch of* Flood of Fire*, the final instalment of his Ibis trilogy, is already getting excellent reviews <http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/books/book-review-flood-of-fire-1-3781576> . 2. Annie Zaidi’s ambitious anthology *Unbound: 2,000 Years of Indian Women’s Writing*, with the oldest extracts of verses by Buddhist nuns, dates as far back as 300 BC. The anthology seems reassuringly academic, but also comes with potential literary excellence provided bycarefully <http://www.vervemagazine.in/arts-and-culture/unbound-annie-zaidi> curated pieces <http://www.vervemagazine.in/arts-and-culture/unbound-annie-zaidi> by writers known for poetry and prose, including Kamala Das, Sarojini Naidu, Amrita Pritam, Ismat Chughtai, Romila Thapar, Qurratulain Hyder and Nilanjana Roy. 3. Devapriya Roy and Saurav Jha’s *The Heat and Dust Project* isn’t just a “backpacking across India” tale. The Delhi-based couple put their marriage to what they call the “supreme test,” <http://www.theheatanddustproject.com/> traveling on Rs500 a day across the country. 4. We owe our vanguard weirdos, and should honour their extremism and intensity. *First Infinities*, a collection of poems <http://www.hindustantimes.com/books/book-review-of-first-infinitie-poetry-is-the-only-thing-that-matters/article1-1347804.aspx> by the very talented, under-appreciated Coorg-based poet-in-hiding, Vijay Nambisan, is just the ticket. 5. Keeping with the theme of under-appreciated authors, Tamilian Perumal Murugan pledged this year to give up writing entirely <http://www.caravanmagazine.in/vantage/why-perumal-murugans-one-part-woman-significant-debate-freedom-expression-india>, and asked his publishers to withdraw all his titles after the blood-baiting of a bunch of trite, idolatrous, bigoted idiots who wanted his excellent *One Part Woman* banned. You can, however, still buy his titles online <http://www.amazon.com/One-Part-Woman-Perumal-Murugan/dp/0143423541>. Perhaps improved book sales will pull him out of his self-imposed exile and despair, goading him to write again with the anguish and sensitivity of prose he is known for. 6. *Written in Tears*, an account of the violence and conflict in the Northeast of India by leading Assamese author Arupa Patangia Kalita (translated by Ranjita Biswas), is a collection of three novellas <http://www.newkerala.com/news/2015/fullnews-46877.html> that reflect the author’s humanist politics with radical undertones—accurately reflecting the mood of the region decades later. 7. Journalist Raghu Karnad’s just-released non-fiction epic*Farthest** Field: An Indian Story of the Second World War *is already pulling in great reviews <https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/raghu-karnad/farthest-field/>. Karnad traces the story of his grandfather and two granduncles who served in World War II. 8. There may be nothing new about Byomkesh Bakshi, the gentleman detective created by *Sharadindu* *Bandopadhyay*, who first appeared in print in the 1930s. But the hype around Dibakar Banerjee’s film about Bakshi is inspiring new romance <http://scroll.in/article/716673/nine-byomkesh-bakshi-stories-to-read-as-you-watch-dibakar-banerjees-film> for Bengali detective fiction with a pulpy edge, 1940s vintage appeal, and local Kolkata flavour. Maybe start your reading with *Satyanveshi*, where Bakshi made his first appearance? 9. *The House That **BJ** Built,* Anuja Chauhan’s sequel to Those Pricey Thakur Girls, brings back the insecure, voluptuous heroine <http://www.vervemagazine.in/arts-and-culture/exclusive-firstlook-anuja-chauhans-the-house-that-bj-built> Bonu Singh in a novel that promises family intrigue, real-estate wars, pushy aunts, and emotional blackmail. Did we miss anything? Please annotate this piece <http://qz.com/111748/you-can-now-leave-annotations-in-the-margins-of-quartz/> . *Divya **Guha** is a **Shillong-based** journalist. We welcome your comments at **[email protected]* <http://[email protected]/>*.*
