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Hope is a precious thing. It can make the impossible seem like child’s play. But our daily life tends to get to us and as lethargy sets in, it’s often difficult to look at the brighter side of things. I feel this is where books can come in, to show us a different side to life and remind us that even though things might look bleak sometimes, we can always turn things around. What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey Oprah Winfrey has always been able to have honest and empathetic conversations with people. In Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey’s ‘What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing’ she puts the trauma therapist on the spot, and together they discuss what trauma does to the brain, focusing mostly on what a traumatic upbringing does to your overall development. They also explore the importance of community and connection for healing. You might not be inclined to pick up a book on trauma when you want to feel better and hopeful but this has some valuable lessons about life. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert I know many voracious readers who love this book. I read it on the recommendation of a relative and I loved it. It’s essentially a self-help book with lots of practical advice on life and love and everything in between. With instructions on how to live a creative life, Gilbert has written a book that you will find yourself going back to time and again. The author discusses how fear plays a key role in all our decisions and shows us how by acknowledging fear and not trying to run away from it, we can strip it of its power. ‘Big Magic’ is an enjoyable read that will give you a lot of food for thought. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch Randy Pausch was a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University. He was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in August 2007. The university has a tradition of inviting professors to give a lecture as if it were their last. What would you share? What life lessons have you learned? What advice would you give? Randy’s ‘Last Lecture’ was titled ‘Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams’ and it actually was his last lecture. He passed away in July 2008, shortly after the publication of the book early that year. The book or the lecture is full of stories from Randy’s childhood, his life as a husband and a father, and the lessons learned along the way. It’s wildly optimistic and funny as well. Under the Whispering Door by T J Klune T J Klune is a fabulous writer. His book ‘The House on the Cerulean Sea’ is one of my absolute favorites. His stories are empathetic and leave a lasting impact. ‘Under the Whispering Door’ is a whimsical fantasy novel about a man named Wallace Price who dies and becomes a ghost. It’s a story about what it means to be a ‘good’ person and how you can live a life that you won’t regret when the end eventually comes. The book is about death and grief and it would have been a depressing read had Klune not gotten the balance between the serious stuff and the lighter moments right. And thanks to an engaging plot, the book leaves you feeling hopeful. The Humans by Matt Haig ‘The Humans’ is a humorous look at the human condition as seen by an alien. The narrator comes from the planet Vonnadoria, where life is based on math, logic, and rationality. There are no emotions to deal with. The narrator comes to Earth to kill a Cambridge University professor named Andrew Martin who has discovered the Riemann hypothesis, a real mathematical conundrum involving prime numbers, that the Vonnadorians believe holds the key to space travel. At the beginning of the book, Martin has been killed and an alien inhabits his body. He quickly absorbs all the knowledge but doesn’t understand the ‘human customs’ and that leads to some hilarious incidents. Through the eyes of an alien, we are forced to see humans (aka ourselves) as we truly are. It makes for some eye-opening moments.  

A little while ago I read ‘Finlay Donovan is Killing It’ by Elle Cosimano and I absolutely fell in love with Finlay and Cosimano’s sharp writing. In it, Finlay is overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel over lunch with her agent and she’s mistaken for a contract killer and hired to kill someone. Finlay isn’t a murderer and has no intentions of actually killing anyone. But somehow, the man ends up dead, in Finlay’s garage. The plot is a laugh riot and it just consumes you. I was disappointed when I didn’t get the second part of the series, ‘Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead’ at bookstores around town as soon as I finished the first book. When I saw a slightly bruised copy of the book at a bookstore in Civil Mall in Kathmandu, I didn’t hesitate a second before buying it even though I like my copies to be pristine when I get them. I was so excited. ‘Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead’ takes off where the first book ended. I would recommend you read the first book before picking it up otherwise you won’t be able to keep up with the storyline and it might get a bit confusing. In the second book of the series, Finlay has to figure out who wants her ex-husband dead to try and save him. But he’s not ready to believe her and actually thinks that she is the one behind all the ‘accidents’ he keeps getting into, and that complicates things even more. Also, Finlay is on a deadline. Her editor wants a certain number of words in an impossibly short time. Again, she finds her fiction work bordering on the truth. Finlay can only hope it doesn’t eventually get her sent to jail. But Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead lacks the charm and the wit of the first book. The sense of urgency that was there in the first one is missing in this one. It also lacks a clearly defined plot. There is a lot happening but it takes the story nowhere. There are random little incidents that don’t tie up. Instead, it feels like vignettes of Finlay’s life. That wouldn’t have been a problem had Finlay been as interesting as she was in the first book. But here she seems like a pawn in a game controlled by someone else rather than her smart self. Call me crazy, I’m still going to read the third book in the series ‘Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun’. I loved the first book in the series and I’m hoping Finlay gets her mojo back. Two and a half stars Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead Elle Cosimano Published: 2022 Publisher: Headline Review Pages: 357, Paperback

There is something immensely satisfying about picking up a book and finishing it in a single day. I haven’t had those days in a really long time which is why I have been perusing my bookshelves, looking for short reads that I have enjoyed in the past. Perhaps picking up a book I’ve enjoyed in the past and reading it in a single sitting will give my currently sluggish reading life the boost it needs. Here are my top three picks. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros This modern classic, about a Latina girl growing up in Chicago, has been translated and has been a part of many syllabi all over the world. Written in 1984, it has been banned time and again. Written in short bursts, with small chapters, some of which are barely a page long, this little book has sold millions of copies. Loosely based on the author’s own experience, The House on Mango Street is the story of Esperanza Cordero, a 12-year-old Chicana girl growing up in the Hispanic quarter of Chicago. The story explores what it’s like belonging to a low economic class family and living in a patriarchal community besides also dealing with elements of class, race, identity, gender, and sexuality. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry If you haven’t read The Little Prince, you’re in for a treat. And if you have, then I suggest you pick up the slim volume again because it hits a little differently every time you read it. It’s considered one of the best children’s books ever written but I believe adults could do with the wisdom as well. The book also has watercolor illustrations, done by the author, that make the story charming and tender. The Little Prince is essentially a philosophical tale about a little boy who decides to leave home to see what the world has to offer. Traveling through neighboring asteroids (before finally landing on Earth), he comes across strange people all of whom teach him valuable lessons. It’s a poignant story about the importance of having a child-like enthusiasm for life. The Awakening by Kate Chopin Kate Chopin wrote two books in her life. The first is forgotten and the second is a classic. When The Awakening was first published in the late 1800s, it was condemned as it was a story about a woman who was trapped in a loveless marriage and went on to have an affair. But this feminist novel of identity has a social relevance that is difficult to overlook. What does it mean to be a woman and how far are we willing to go for others, especially in a society where our very existence seems to be in relation to men? You might breeze through this short book but the message and emotions it stirs up will consume you. The protagonist, Edna Pontellier, is a formidable heroine who knows what she wants and doesn’t settle for anything less. She is perhaps the woman we should all learn to be.

The front cover has a picture of a raccoon, a taxidermized raccoon to be exact, with outstretched arms and a huge grin. The blurb has raving reviews from Neil Gaiman and Brene Brown. It’s a book that instantly grabs your attention. And I’m glad it did as I was having quite the reader’s slump when I came across it. This book got me out of it and how. It was funny, insightful, and educational. In ‘Furiously Happy’ Jenny Lawson explores her lifelong battle with mental illness. The title is based on her #furiouslyhappy movement which trended on Twitter. The theme of the movement was that people take their lives back from the ‘monster of depression’. She wanted to be furiously happy to make good moments amazing. It’s not a sequel to her first book, ‘Let’s Pretend This Didn’t Happen’ but rather a collection of bizarre essays and random thoughts. Lawson talks about her depression and anxiety and makes you laugh. You feel guilty for laughing but Lawson is witty and you just can’t help it. But that doesn’t mean she isn’t empathetic. She gives mental health its due. She makes you mull over just how important talking about depression and anxiety is so that people don’t shy away from getting the help they need. At times you forget you are reading a book on an important issue. It feels like you are witnessing an argument between the author and her husband, Victor, or watching her make a fool of herself in the cutest way possible. But Lawson’s stories are inspiring. She is also very real and honest about some personal things. And, whenever she can, she lives her life, furiously happy. Reading the book makes you realize that you too should go out there and be furiously happy. The least you can do is try to fill your memory bank with good stuff so that you can deal with the hard times. I’ve watched my family and friends struggle with mental illness. While I’d like to believe that I’ve always extended the support they needed, reading Furiously Happy has given me a much deeper understanding of just what they might be dealing with. Her book is an important read to normalize and destigmatize mental illness. It gives readers an insider’s perspective. There were a few chapters that I didn’t enjoy because Lawson has no filter and her language can come off as offensive. But that doesn’t mean someone else won’t be able to see themselves or their loved ones in those moments. I wish I had read this book sooner. Now, I wish for everyone to read it. Four stars Non-fiction Furiously Happy Jenny Lawson Published: 2015 Publisher: Picador Pages: 329, Paperback

In 2007, the Supreme Court of Nepal ordered the government to recognize same-sex marriages. But there still are no laws for it. Despite introducing a ‘third gender’ or ‘other’ category in our citizenship and passport, the truth remains that Nepal’s LGBTIQA+ community faces discrimination on a daily basis. Our society is limited by its narrow mindset. I believe stories can change that. It can tweak people’s thinking and how they see things. Here I’m recommending three books that will give you the nudge you need to try and be more open about gender and understand that it’s just a man-made construct. The Heartstopper Series by Alice Oseman There are four volumes in this graphic novel series and each book is so short that you can breeze through one in a day. The story, which is cute and heartwarming, tackles crucial issues like abuse and homophobia. The artwork gets considerably better from the second book onwards but the story grips you right from the start. We are introduced to Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring. The two first meet at a British all-boys grammar school. They fall in love. Charlie is high-strung and an overthinker. Nick is cheerful and soft-hearted. Though they are polar opposites, they come together quite beautifully, balancing out each other’s flaws. It’s such a great representation of a queer relationship and of people coming to terms with their gender identities. Much of the series is available online and you won’t have to buy the books if you don’t feel like it. But you will definitely enjoy this lovely tale of friendship and love. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T J Klune This is the book I want to reread this year because I remember feeling really happy while reading it. A queer himself, the author has weaved a nuanced queer love story into the main plot which is mostly fantasy. Klune is a great writer and an empathetic one at that. He doesn’t force his ideas on you but still manages to jostle you a bit into changing your mind about things. That’s the power of his writing. ‘The House in the Cerulean Sea’ is about a world with magical creatures. Linus Baker is a caseworker at the Department in Charge of Magical Youths, a ministry much like any other ministry in our world. He lives alone in a tiny house with a cat for company. He is assigned to go to an orphanage on a remote island where there are six magical children to determine whether these children are as dangerous as the ministry thinks they are. But as Linus gets to know these mysterious children and the person who runs the orphanage, Arthur Parnassus, he might have finally found a place to call home. A Very, Very Bad Thing by Jeffery Self Seventeen-year-old Marley is a “snarky gay kid from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, watching life through the disconnected Instagram filter of my generation and judging every minute of it.” His parents support him and his best friend is amazing. He meets Christopher and falls in love. But Christopher’s father is the famed televangelist Reverend Jim Anderson who is involved in the movement called “pray-the-gay-away”. He and his wife will never accept Christopher for who he is. The story is about two gay boys trying to be themselves and enjoy life in a hostile environment. It also depicts how societal expectations and limitations can lead to mistakes and horrors that can’t be undone.

There are some books that you want to like but, no matter how hard you try, you just don’t get them. ‘Fever Dream’ by Samanta Schweblin was one of those books for me. I’d heard about the book a long time back. Translated from Spanish, it was supposed to be a good one. But every time I picked up the book, I’d lose interest in it after a few pages. I thought it was me and not the book. This time, I’m boldly going to declare it’s the book and not me. I’ve given it enough chances. There is something about the narrative that’s very confusing. Let me tell you that there are rave reviews of the book on the internet. But don’t be fooled. I think much of the publishing world is about praising authors when they least deserve it. If you can’t understand it or if it seems bizarre, then it must definitely be good right? The problem with the narrative of Fever Dream is that everything is haphazard and you have to piece together what might have happened based on the vague information. Sometimes, you don’t even know who’s talking unless they take names or you find yourself going back a few pages to make sense of things. The premise is interesting. It’s just poorly executed. A woman named Amanda and her daughter, Nina, are at their holiday home in the countryside. Here, Amanda becomes friendly with a woman named Carla who tells her that her eight-year-old son, David, isn’t wholly him. His soul has ‘transmigrated’ into another body. This boy, Carla says, is a monster. Amanda thinks Carla is delusional. What else could it be? But as Amanda lies dying at a hospital and David interrogates her about the events leading up to her sickness, she begins to relive the day by the end of which both she and Nina had been poisoned. She wonders whether Carla was indeed telling the truth but David dismisses them as ‘stories his mother tells’. As all this goes on, you, the reader, are left wondering what’s real and what’s not. It could have been a fascinating read had it not been so weirdly creepy and all over the place. Fever Dream is a short book. There isn’t much space to beat around the bush. But that’s exactly what the story does and that’s why it feels so tedious. Two stars Fiction Fever Dream Samanta Schweblin Translated by Megan McDowell Published: 2017 Publisher: Oneworld Publications Pages: 151, Paperback https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30763882-fever-dream

Some stories will change how you look at the world. They will force you to think in ways you never thought possible. This week, I recommend three such books. They are all beautifully and unconventionally written making reading them an absolute joy. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz The story revolves around two Latino boys, Aristotle or Ari and Dante, who first strike a friendship at the pool where Dante teaches Ari how to swim. The two main characters lead different lives. Dante is the son of professors and he is a confident person. Ari, on the other hand, is shy and comes from a modest background with a brother in prison. Dante has an unusual way of looking at things. Ari is an angry teen. The two have nothing in common but get along like a house on fire. The book explores how their relationship evolves from a friendship to something much more. This is a YA novel that I believe will resonate with readers of all generations. It’s the book I wish I had read while growing up. The beautiful coming-of-age story is a thought-provoking exploration of sexuality and identity. It also disavows toxic masculinity and shows you that being strong doesn’t mean you have to be unemotional or resort to violence. It doesn’t have plot twists or drama to keep you on your toes. But the beautiful moments between the two keep you hooked till the end. Best, there’s a sequel too. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo This is a story of a 15-year-old girl named Xiomara and how she feels disconnected from her family. Her mother is a devout Catholic who wants Xiomara to follow in her footsteps. But Xiomara is having none of that. She wants to do her own thing. To release her pent-up frustrations, she writes poems, which keeps hidden in a notebook under her bed. Then, a slam poetry club forces her into sharing her poems and revealing her secrets. ‘The Poet X’ is written in the form of a collection of poems. Each poem tells a little story that gives you a deeper understanding of Xiomara and her life. You meet a young girl who is trying to find her voice and is unable to conform. Perhaps you might even see yourself or someone you love in Xiomara. It’s a beautiful story about love, change, and the beauty of believing and holding onto your dreams. 20 Fragments of a Ravenous Youth by Xiaolu Guo Originally written in Chinese in 2000 and translated into English in 2008, ‘20 Fragments of a Ravenous Youth’ tells the story of Fenfang Wang, a 21-year-old girl who leaves the monotony of her village to start a new life in one of the most fast-paced cities in the world, Beijing. Not prepared for city life, Fenfang struggles to make her dream come true. The novel is a series of unconnected chapters, without a clear beginning or an end. It feels like someone is talking to you, telling you their life story. The main plot revolves around Fenfang’s failed relationships and how she is determined to live a life that’s not dictated by the men in her life. The book isn’t a happy one and the author has left many loose ends. But that’s precisely what makes it so relatable. It’s a great book to read when you are feeling down and low as it will make you realize life has its ups and downs and that’s okay.  

Men and women have always been governed by different ‘rules’, in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. Women exist in relation to men, as mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters. An unspoken code of conduct determines how we can behave and be. In our society, patriarchy weighs heavily on women who still find themselves to be the second sex in almost every sphere of life. ‘The Mad Women’s Ball’ by Victoria Mas explores how women are oppressed and deemed ‘mad’ if and when they don’t fit into societal ideals. I think we should all read this book to understand what our society has done and still does to strong-willed women, and how women are considered misfits if they aren’t subservient. The book is based on events in 19th-century Paris—the atrocities women endured in the Salpêtrière 200 years ago where voyeurism was often masked as medical treatment. The critically acclaimed French historical fiction novel narrates the mistreatment and dehumanization of women considered ‘mad’ and confined within a women’s asylum. The Salpêtrière is a dumping ground of sorts for women ‘who disturb the peace’, for those who have an opinion, or those who don’t fit into the molds crafted by men. Eugénie Cléry is a young woman with a mind of her own. She’s courageous, witty, and outspoken. This doesn’t sit well with her father who believes it’s not appropriate for women to be vocal and extroverted. Then the 17-year-old tells her grandmother, whom she loves dearly and believes is loved equally in return, that she can talk to ghosts. She even helps her grandmother find a necklace that the old lady had presumed was lost with the help of her grandfather. But Eugénie is tricked and then dragged to the Salpêtrière by her father. Her brother Théophile accompanies his father but doesn’t want his sister to be confined at the asylum. However, he’s unable to speak up and save her. At the Salpêtrière, Geneviéve, a matron, soon realizes Eugénie shouldn’t be there. Though initially skeptical of her gifts, the matron believes in Eugénie after she delivers a message from Geneviéve’s dead sister, Blandine, that ends up being true.  From there on, the matron wonders if Professor Charcot, the doctor who claims to only lock the ‘genuine hysterics’ at the asylum, is in fact as noble as he appears to be. She also comes up with a plan to free Eugénie. The Mad Women’s Ball reads like a thriller though the message it conveys is profound. Your heart aches for the characters, many of whom have been betrayed and exploited by men they have trusted. Despite the supernatural aspect of the story, it’s a book that will urge people to stand up for what’s right and try to give others the benefit of doubt, rather than judging and mocking what we can’t understand. Three and a half stars Fiction The Mad Women’s Ball Victoria Mas Translated from the French by Frank Wynne Published: 2019 Publisher: Transworld Publishers Pages: 210, Paperback