Category: Cultural

East Of The West – Miroslav Penkov

READ FOR BOOKCLUB Chosen by Becks ◉ “I was initially put off reading this book as I don’t particularly like short stories – they usually seem to be too short and I am often left wanting more. However this collection has me converted –… Continue Reading “East Of The West – Miroslav Penkov”

Invisible Cities – Italo Calvino

READ FOR BOOKCLUB Chosen by Becks Marco Polo describes the cities he visited on his expeditions to Kublai Khan, emperor of the Tartars. ◉ “A small strange little book that needs to be read slowly as if you have all the time in the world. Calvino packs… Continue Reading “Invisible Cities – Italo Calvino”

The Lives Of Others – Neel Mukherjee

READ FOR BOOKERTHON Set in 1966 Calcutta, the Ghosh family represents the nation as it battles an imploding business and family battles ✎ The Lives of Others is a big book in every sense of the word. It has many pages, many characters and… Continue Reading “The Lives Of Others – Neel Mukherjee”

A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hossieni

READ FOR BOOKCLUB Chosen by Jo Written from the perspective of two Afghan women trapped within their country’s strict regime, this book focuses on the friendship between Mariam and Laila who are wives of the same man. Mariam is an illegitimate child to a wealthy… Continue Reading “A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hossieni”

The Lowland – Jhumpa Lahiri

READ FOR BOOKERTHON The story of two brothers living in 1960s Calcutta. One becomes an oceanographer, the other a political activist  ❖  The Lowland features two Bengali brothers Subhash and Udayan who follow different paths as they grow up in Calcutta during the 50s… Continue Reading “The Lowland – Jhumpa Lahiri”

We Need New Names – NoViolet Bulawayo

READ FOR BOOKERTHON This is a coming-of-age story about Darling, a ten year old living in Zimbabwe. She is orphaned after her mother leaves to work at the border and her father abandons the family for a life in South Africa, and later contracts… Continue Reading “We Need New Names – NoViolet Bulawayo”

Nacropolis – Jeet Thayil

READ FOR BOOKERTHON A story set over three decades about a Bombay opium den and the diverse cast of characters who frequent it. © “The main character in Narcopolis is Rashid who owns an opium house in Bombay. We meet him first in the 1970s, entertaining a variety… Continue Reading “Nacropolis – Jeet Thayil”

Where We Once Belonged – Sia Figel

READ FOR BOOKCLUB Chosen by Suzy Where We Once Belonged is written in the traditional Su’ifefiloi style. Literally this means a woven garland of flowers. As a narrative technique, it refers to the stringing together of individual stories or fragments, told in different styles… Continue Reading “Where We Once Belonged – Sia Figel”

The Long Song – Andrea Levy

READ FOR BOOKERTHON The story of July, a Jamaican slave who witnesses both the atrocities and abolition of slavery  You do not know me yet. My son Thomas, who is publishing this book, tells me, it is customary at this place in a novel… Continue Reading “The Long Song – Andrea Levy”

The God Of Small Things – Arundhati Roy

READ FOR BOOKCLUB Chosen by Nadine This novel discusses who should be loved, and how. And how much. It describes how small things affect people’s behaviour and lives ♥ “The God of Small Things details the lives of fraternal twins Rahel and her brother… Continue Reading “The God Of Small Things – Arundhati Roy”