Books

Top 20 Novels & Books for Beginners

Reading books has been a timeless source of entertainment and education – one that has persisted despite massive technological developments in the past few decades that have introduced more ways of entertaining than one can count. However, books have still managed to retain the magical ability to teleport you across timezones, across eras! They’re also still the most fool-proof way of acquiring a flair for any language, from vocabulary to colloquial expressions.

Whether you’re a novice reader or a non-native English speaker, we’ve put together an intriguing list of books in English – easy-to-read and engaging, our Top 20 Novels & Books for Beginners will have you itching to turn to the next page.

 

Cuckold by Kiran Nagarkar

At the centre of Cuckold is the narrator, heir apparent of Mewar, who questions the codes, conventions and underlying assumptions of the feudal world of which he is a part. A quintessentially Indian story, Cuckold has an immediacy and appeal that are truly universal.

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White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

The White Tiger is a tale of two Indias. Balram’s journey from the darkness of village life to the light of entrepreneurial success is utterly amoral, brilliantly irreverent, deeply endearing and altogether unforgettable.

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Last Man in Tower by Aravind Adiga

A suspense-filled story of money and power, luxury and deprivation; a rich tapestry peopled by unforgettable characters, not least of which is Bombay itself, Last Man in Tower opens up the hearts and minds of the inhabitants of a great city – ordinary people pushed to their limits in a place that knows none.

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The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

‘Eleven minutes’ is the masterpiece of Brazilian bestselling author Paulo Coelho. A global phenomenon, the magical fable has been read and loved by over 62 million readers, topping bestseller lists in 74 countries worldwide.

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Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho deals with the complex and taboo issues of sexual awakening, love and a combination of both. How well can one keep the physical desire and platonic love boxed together in one relationship forms the crux of this book.

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The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

The story of one man’s determination to survive and live a full life with the woman he loved that reveals the very best of humanity in the very worst of circumstances. Heather Morris’ powerful book is based on one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust – the blue numbers tattooed on prisoners’ arms.

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Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

One simple act of kindness is about to shatter the walls Eleanor has built around herself. Now she must learn how to navigate the world that everyone else seems to take for granted – while searching for the courage to face the dark corners she’s avoided all her life.

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Paper Moon by Rehana Munir

Written by Rehana Munir, a gifted writer and columnist, Paper Moon is contemporary fiction done right. The story will draw you in with its unique, effortless narrative style and Rehana’s ability in crafting convincing and relatable characters.

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Serious Men by Manu Joseph

Alternately funny and poignant, Serious Men is a savage satire on class, love, relationships, and our veneration of science. The story of a man who embarks upon a secret game, weaving an outrageous fiction around his ten-year-old son, setting in motion a chain of events that soon threatens to overtake him. Now a Netflix film!

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Those Pricey Thakur Girls by Anuja Chauhan

Spot-on funny and toe-curlingly sexy, Those Pricey Thakur Girls is rom-com specialist and bestselling author of The Zoya Factor and Battle for Bittora, Anuja Chauhan, writing at her sparkling best.

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Baaz by Anuja Chauhan

The story of IAF officer Ishaan Faujdaar who falls in love with Tehmina, making him question the very concept of nationalism. Pulsating with love, laughter and courage, Baaz is Anuja Chauhan’s tribute to our men in uniform.

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Ravan and Eddie by Kiran Nagarkar

This is the hilarious story of Ravan, a Maratha Hindu, and Eddie, a Roman Catholic, growing up to adolescence on the different floors of the CWD chawl No 17 in Bombay in the decade immediately after independence. First published in 1994, this cult classic is now being reissued for a new generation of readers.

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The Far Field by Madhuri Vijay

With rare acumen and evocative prose, in The Far Field, Madhuri Vijay gives a potent critique of Indian politics and class prejudice through the lens of a guileless outsider, while also offering up a profound meditation on grief, guilt and the limits of compassion.

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Johnny Gone Down by Karan Bajaj

Nikhil Arya has fallen. Once, he was an Ivy League scholar with a promising future at NASA; now, at forty, he is broke, homeless, and minutes away from blowing his brains out in a diabolical modern-day joust. He prepares for his final act, aware that he will have lost even if he wins. Or will he?

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Mad in Heaven by P. G. Bhaskar

Can mad twenty-somethings be relied upon to sort out their lives? Or will their conservative parents have to untangle their mess with some modern remedies? Is there such a thing, after all, as a match made in heaven?

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Keep Off the Grass by Karan Bajaj

Samrat’s rollercoaster journey begins at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Bangalore, where he spends his time getting high on marijuana while his grades – and self-confidence – plummet. Does Samrat – Yale valedictorian, investment banker, convict, pothead – survive his fall from grace?

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Belated Bachelor Party by Ravinder Singh

It’s been twelve years since Happy, MP, Raamji and Ravin graduated. Well into their married lives, they realize that none of them had a bachelor party before their weddings. But it’s never too late to set things right…bestselling author Ravinder Singh returns with his friends in a hilarious, moving story of friendship and adventure.

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Bombay Rains Bombay Girls by Anirban Bose

When Adi – a small-town eighteen-year-old with a giant inferiority complex – lands a chance to study medicine in big, bad Bombay, he is overjoyed. But just when life is beginning to look good, tragedy strikes, and Adi gets caught in an emotional vortex he must struggle to make sense of.

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Almost Singly by Advaita Kala

Wickedly irreverent and laugh-aloud funny, Almost Single is a delightful romp through the five-star world of champagne brunches, gay soirees, and the dilemmas of hip, young girls on the lookout for love and matrimony.

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I Didn’t Expect to Be Expecting by Ravinder Singh

Tara is living a blessed life in the maximum city with her loving husband Abhimanyu, at the pinnacle of her career, and the apple of her parents’ eyes – so far, the 30s are looking great! Till she discovers that she’s pregnant, and suddenly, that well-honed composure crumbles. An irreverent, honest and funny journey  to (accidental) parenthood!

Get your copy today!

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