It is a bit late to compile this list so late in the year, but this one has slipped my mind for some reason and since I want to do this every year, I chose to go ahead. It also helps my other resolution of posting at least thrice in a month.

I started 2013 with an intention to finish reading 50 books and with regret I say that I fell woefully short of achieving my target. Towards the end of the year, probably in October I took a decision not to read any more for the year. Looking back, I know it is a really silly decision and I was unable to get back on track with reading for long. Fortunately, I started reading again since yesterday and hopefully I will complete my target this year, which is again of 50 books. So without any further ado, let me present my year 2013 in books.

I wrote detailed reviews about some of the books I read in 2013 and for the others, I'm just going to give my views. 

6.      Smoke and Mirrors by Pallavi Aiyar: This book is a memoir of Pallavi Aiyar on her times spent in China. Any book which introduces us to our neighboring nations would involuntarily be rated with how well it relates the nation to ours without halting the narrative just for the sake of it. Pallavi Aiyar does a pretty decent job in it and her memoir is a delightful read on the nation that we know so little and have several misconceptions about. It is a must read for anyone who wants to have a start in understanding the Great Chinese Growth Story.

7.      Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri: Jhumpa Lahiri’s debut collection of short stories has left me rather with mixed feelings about it, as did her novel Lowland. I can’t say I liked all the stories and frankly was unable to relate myself to a couple of them. The stories carry themes ranging from dysfunctional families to effects of Globalization and Indian’s struggle to relate to their past and their future in a foreign land. If not for anything, these stories are to be read for the beauty in the language and Lahiri’s attention to minute detail in portraying daily life.

8.      Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoyesvsky: I relocated to Hyderabad in February after quitting my job in Pune and had a lot of free time to while away without access to Facebook or Youtube and that was when I downloaded this book. The novel is narrated in two parts and though it was sometimes above my head, I enjoyed reading the book all the same. I could relate myself immensely to the protagonist in the first part and there are a lot of quotes hidden in each page of the book. This one warrants a re-read and I think I will pick this one up only after I feel I’m wise enough for it.

9.      The Immortals of Meluha by Amish Tripathi: I still remember the day when this book first came out in February 2010, I rushed to the nearby crossword, bought it and read the first chapter sitting in the CCD next to it. I was so excited by the idea of a mythological fiction on Shiva, but as the book progressed, I lost interest in it. The narration was rather vapid and the language never impressed me. I struggled to finish the book and left it midway. I started reading the book again from the start and finished successfully this time and still didn’t like it despite a good twist in the last chapter. This series is not for me, I suppose.

10.  The Last Burden by Upamanyu Chatterjee: Upamanyu Chatterjee has been one of my most favorite writers ever since I first read him in Way to Go, despite him being the writer who requires me to visit the dictionary at least once for every page. The Last Burden is a prequel to Way to Go and it presents the gloomiest satire on dysfunctional families that I have read. Chatterjee’s prose is impeccable and his wit almost makes the narrative a farcical comedy, yet it is relatable to anyone who is patient enough to go through the lengthy ruminations that the book is indulgently peppered with. This is not an easy read, like all other works of Chatterjee, but this is something that will be appreciated more as it is understood.

11.  Life of Pi by Yann Martel: This is one of the other books I read in office, I don’t quite recall much of the actual story in it and I didn’t enjoy reading it much either. It was a tale of survival and hope and since it has got the immense critical acclaim, including an endorsement by none other than Barack Obama, I guess I missed something here. I didn’t see the movie, so cannot comment on that one either.

12.  Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts: This is the second time I read this part memoir, part biography part fiction and a totally huge book by the escaped convict who spent much of his time in Bombay. I really enjoyed reading it, though it was unusually long for a book of this kind, which made it feel a bit repetitive now and then. This book is also noted for the number of quotable quotes it has and at times it feels as a eulogy to the spirit of humans in general and to the city of Bombay in particular, both of which I have not seen much of. Not a great one, but is certainly a page turner.

13.  Swami and his Friends by R.K Narayan: Yet another anecdotal tale I read in office about the innocent and ever likeable Swami and his friends. Nothing has to be said about R K Narayan, Malgudi or Swami. Go and indulge yourself.

14.  Weight Loss by Upamanyi Chatterjee: A farcically absurd tale of sexual encounters of Bhola, an unusual protagonist, written as it can only be, by Upamanyu. Some of the sequences in the book were probably written to make the readers cringe, but Upamanyu never lets his eye off his protagonist even for a single second and takes us on a ride into the darkest human desires. This one is a guilty pleasure, though overly long and as indulgent as any other UC book.
15.  The Folded Earth by Anuradha Roy: Books set in hill stations are always a pleasure to read and I’m always fascinated by the languid life style the people over there have the liberty to enjoy. Anuradha Roy’s Folded Earth is one such book which takes us into the village Ranikhet, near the foothills of the Himalayas where her daily conversations with Diwan Sahib and her relationship with his enigmatic and charming nephew Veer, make for a relaxed reading on a weekend.

16.  Past Continuous by Neel Mukherjee: Neel Mukherjee’s debut novel, was about Ritwik Ghosh, who loses his parents at twenty two and goes to England for higher studies. His story is juxtaposed with that of Miss Gilby, an English Teacher in India at a Zamindar’s palace during the tumultuous times of the partition of Bengal. Neel’s portrayal of Ritwik was immaculately detailed right from his nightly gay encounters in the bathrooms of his hostel to his feelings of loneliness in a foreign land. His wit is great and takes us through its 400 odd pages rather comfortably, but the book probably tries to bite more than it can chew in trying to tell the two stories. In contrast to Ritwik, Gilby’s character was chalked out in rather broad strokes. Still this one is a great read, just for Neel’s language and the way it takes us through the grim realities of education abroad.

17.  Animal’s People by Indra Sinha: Indra Sinha’s fictional take on the circumstances prevailed after the Bhopal Gas Tragedy is seen through the eyes of the eponymous Animal, a man who has to walk like an animal on four legs due to the repercussions of the tragedy. An unflinching tale of greed, corruption interspersed with a doomed romance, Animal’s People makes for a compelling read.

18.  The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger: Probably the most enjoyable book I read by a Non-Indian author. I enjoyed the conversations Holden Claufield has with his sister Phoebe. A must read for every young man.

19.  The Story of My Assassins by Tarun Tejpal: Tarun Tejpal is another one of my favorite writers along with Upamanyu Chatterjee and in this semi-autobiographical tale Tejpal is in top form as he narrates the story of each of the six assassins who were allegedly involved in plotting his murder. The book is crisper than his indulgent debut, and Tejpal’s command over the language is envious to say the least. His narrative is edgy, honest and most importantly relevant to the times we live in, as he exposes the dark underbellies and ridiculous rituals our country is steeped in. A must read.

21.  The Disappearance of Tejas Sharma by Manish Mahajan: A poorly written anthology of ghost stories which left me disappointed and angry.

23.  Paisachikam by Anand Veturi: This Telugu thriller is written by my brother with a modest bit of help by yours truly. This genre fiction ticks every box effectively and evocatively and is written with a genuine passion for pulp literature (Though my brother would vehemently deny my accusation, I still consider this a Pulp Fiction).

24.  Beyond Coffee by Mohammad Kadeer Babu: Another Telugu anthology in modern times and written with a curious eye for the darkness in modern men and women. The stories are set in no particular place and neither the characters are named anywhere making it difficult to place them in any milieu, but it also helps in creating an alternative dystopian reality.

25.  Nikasham by Kasibhatla Venugopal: A Telugu Novel written in a stream of consciousness form was unheard of and Venugopal’s searing book written in a brilliantly staccato prose is probably the best Telugu book I have read in a very long time. 

So there, I have read 25 books this year out of a determined target of 50. Apart from the above, there has also been another failed attempt at reading Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children. I’m happy that I read a few books and short stories in Telugu also, and started to appreciate the writing in my mother tongue. Better late than never. 

PS: My target for this year again is to finish reading 50 books, and I hope I achieve it this time. I'm already a month behind schedule for starters.