My love for reading has been generously splashed across my blog ever since its conception. Even before I grasped the concept of book reviews, I remember passionately discussing them with my friends and family. Trading must-read titles, giving, taking suggestions, and brainstorming our take on them were great ways to let our creative juices flow. Our lives sparkled with happy endings and gloomed us when a story didn’t go our way. As a teenager, I preferred fiction over non-fiction, which probably stands true for most of us. Bringing over my carefully preserved favourite books from back home brought a wave of nostalgia. I had to share it with my dear readers.

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

A brilliant example of philosophical fiction, Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead was a huge success although it received mixed reviews and severe criticism. With architecture and individualism as the central themes, it uses philosophy to blend these ideas for a broader picture. The story explores elements of human nature like greed, deception, control, and power, and doesn’t hold back while delving into dark, uncomfortable realities.

One of my all-time favourite books, I’ve reread The Fountainhead a few times and to put it mildly, it never fails to drive me into depression. Too involved, that’s me! Howard Roark and Dominique Francon are one of my beloved literary couples of all time. Their togetherness and longing are both achingly beautiful.

The Godfather by Mario Puzo

When Meg Ryan discusses ‘go to the mattresses’ with her boyfriend in You’ve Got Mail I jumped at The Godfather reference! Few girls/women I know have loved the book like I did and I wonder why. Agreed it’s gruesome (the horse’s head in the bed can’t be pretty), glorifies the mafia (Don Vito holds a personal court of sorts), and shows scant regard for the law. Yet, standing up for people in need, protecting your family at any cost, and the unforgettable father-son relationship makes this an amazing read.

Over the years I’ve seen parts of The Godfather used in Hindi movies and it irks me no end. Amitabh Bachchan’s Sarkar was heavily inspired by it too. This isn’t just one of my favourite books, it’s time-travel to the stylish era of double-breasted suits, long overcoats, and fedora hats. Loyalty isn’t a choice and violent crime is a way of life.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

My first brush with Paulo Coelho’s work, this book completely puzzled me when I read it for the first time. Santiago’s journey to find the treasure of his dreams seemed long, unnecessary, and dragged. It made me question its immense popularity since it has been translated into many languages and sold millions of copies worldwide. Interestingly, discussing it with a friend gave me insights into the famous ‘universe conspires to get what you want’ line. The fact that our short-sightedness often blinds us to our blessings and achievements was never clearer.

That was an important lesson to learn as a teenager and motivated me to reread it. Needless to say, it quickly made its way to my favourite books list. We’re not on a journey like Santiago but we could all use an alchemist to guide us, right? The book can come in handy till we do.

The Inscrutable Americans by Anurag Mathur

I read this book way back in school and had quite a turn with its overt sexual references. Gopal, a small-town boy, goes to pursue higher education at an American university. With little to no exposure to real American life and customs, his sparse knowledge comes from movies and Archies comics. His American experience includes racism, discomfort with the opposite sex, accidentally downing meat, and lots more. My conservative young mind couldn’t accept this total disaster of upbringing and I put it away only to go back to it in college.

The book didn’t disappoint the second time as I was mature enough to get past the erotic innuendos and focus on the story. It was hilarious for the most part and I could relate to his naivete on some level. It isn’t high on my favourite books list but something that puts a smile on my face.

The whole list is obviously quite long. Curiously, there’s not a single romantic novel in it. Do I qualify as a normal teenage girl? I’ve leaned towards crime, thrillers, and philosophical reads since I started picking my books and that hasn’t changed. Thrilling murder investigations and ‘will they survive this’ questions are better than ‘will they live happily ever after’. Also, it’s interesting how sharing your thoughts can help dissect complicated plots and characters. No wonder book clubs are all the rage.

Do you share a fondness for any of my favourite books? Do tell me.

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2024

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