What city’s literati read in 2023

Translations and books on history were among their top picks.

Anirudh Kanisetti, author and historian

‘Emperor of Rome’ by Mary Beard was a great read. She is a historian of ancient Rome. What makes this book stand out is that it delves into how history came to be written and how Roman emperors came to be remembered by their subjects. In an age when autocracy seems to be taking over democracies, her take on how this ancient autocracy came to legitimise itself is interesting. It opens up investigation into our thinking about ancient Indian autocracies and kingdoms as well. 

‘We Measure the Earth With Our Bodies’ by Tsering Yangzom Lama also resonated with me. It is essentially a Tibetan diaspora story that leans heavily on magical realism and explores questions of faith and belief. Its imagery is incredibly vivid and haunting and raises questions about the global antiquities market, how global academia works, the right of a community to own the objects that it once revered versus the objects being studied in Western museums. It is an important story told by a new generation of Tibetans reflecting on what was done to them in the 1950s.

Next year, I am looking forward to reading William Dalrymple’s ‘The Golden Road’. It looks at the profound place that the Indian subcontinent has held and should continue to hold in the history of human civilisation. Particularly interesting is how Indian mathematics came to reach the rest of the world as well as how Indian religious ideas spread to China and other parts of Southeast Asia. 

Vivek Shanbhag, author

One of the best books I read this year was ‘Raw Umber’ by Sara Rai, granddaughter of Hindi writer Premchand. It is her memoir and details her years growing up in a home filled with writers. ‘Sarigannadam Gelge’ by Apara is a Kannada book that I thoroughly enjoyed. The author explains the history and evolution of 600 Kannada words. Pikasi for instance was taken from the English ‘pickaxe’, as was ‘uyilu’ from the word ‘will’. I also enjoyed the Kannada book, ‘Antarashtreeya Kumbalakayi’ by Abdul Rasheed, and ‘Digesting India’ by Zac O’Yeah.

Suresh Moona, historian

I was keen on reading the autobiography of Sir Mirza Ismail, along with two other books given to me by his grandson recently. ‘Selections From The Speeches of Amin-Ul-Mulk Sir Mirza M Ismail’ includes speeches on the progress of princely Mysore in administration, rural welfare and education. ‘My Public Life — Recollections and Reflections of Sir Mirza Ismail’ and ‘Sir Mirza M Ismail — View and Opinions on his Retirement’ are significant because they give you deep insights into a personality who shaped Bengaluru. 

Harini Nagendra, author and ecologist

This year I loved reading ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ series by Richard Osman. Nowadays, a lot of books are gritty and dark. Though this is a series of murder mysteries it is humane at its core. Set in a retirement village, it is a reminder that though we discount older people, they can be relevant and an integral part of our society. 

‘A Walk Up the Hill: Living With People and Nature’ is by my PhD advisor Madhav Gadgil. It is a peek into an India that no longer exists. You read about the country’s ecology, environment and rivers. It is a nostalgic and powerful depiction of the way we once were. 

Anita Nair, author

I have read everything Barbara Kingsolver has written and didn’t think she could outdo herself. But this year I read ‘Demon Copperhead’ and realised she has. It is inspired by ‘David Copperfield’ by Charles Dickens and is set in the Appalachian mountains of America. The writing is so seamless. I have read a lot this year but nothing has stayed with me like this book.  I still have a pile of books and hopefully I will be able to read them next year: ‘Captains of the Sands’ by Jorge Amado, ‘The Hollow Hills’ by Mary Stewart, ‘Uttara Kaanda’ by S L Bhyrappa, and ‘Funeral Nights’ by Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih. 

Jahnavi Phalkey, science historian

I recently started reading Tove Jansson’s books for adults, such as ‘The True Deceiver’, ‘The Summer Book’ and ‘Fair Play’. They are translated to English from Norwegian. The author tackles complicated topics but the writing is simple. I was introduced to her writing when I lived in Norway, where I read her children’s books to learn Norwegian. 

Next year I hope to read more non-fiction, and books on the history of statistics. Some titles on my agenda are ‘The Art of Statistics’ by David Spiegelhalter, ‘Whole Numbers and Half Truths’ by Rukmini S and ‘The Rise of Statistical Thinking’ by Theodore M Porter. 

Vasudhendra, writer and activist

The English translation of Kumaravyasa Bharata was one of the best titles I have read this year. It is his Kannada retelling of the ‘Mahabharata’. The translation is significant because the poet’s works were written 150 years before Shakespeare, yet few know of him. I am hoping this translation will result in more people learning about his work. Another book that really spoke to me was ‘The Last Courtesan: Writing My Mother’s Memoir’ by Manish Gaekwad. It is a heartbreaking story and describes the author’s mother’s struggles as a naachwali. The English translation of ‘Stories of the True’ by Tamil author Jeyamohan is a rich depiction of Tamil Dravidian life. I also enjoyed ‘An Educated Woman in Prostitution’ by Manada Devi, translated from Bengali into English. I think it is the first feminist book of India, even though she had no knowledge of the ideology. Other books I enjoyed were ‘Sakina’s Kiss’ by Vivek Shanbhag (translated from Kannada) and ‘Qabar’ by K R Meera (translated from Malayalam). 

All of these books are translations from Indian languages. So what we need more of is English translators. I am looking forward to reading the English translation of ‘Malegalalli Madumagalu’ by Kuvempu in 2024.