Book Reviews

4 Best Books to Read this Summer!

Do you find it challenging to select the book you really need to read or feel like reading at the moment? Do you want to discover the writings of different writers but are unsure how to go about it? If yes, then read the following article to find out which books to read this summer.

Introduction

As the sun blazes torridly, come and be drowned in the everlasting deluge of books as we look at some of the notable works that will surely leave you impressed and wanting for more. Wipe out the sense of deepening discouragement and relish the sublime power of printed words as you read these fine books.

Last Stories by William Trevor

This collection of posthumously published 10 short stories by the late Irish writer, William Trevor, underscores his importance as the virtuoso of the short story form. A career spanning half a century saw him write both, short stories and novels, but it was for the briefer art that he is often categorised in the same league as Chekhov, Joyce, and Maupassant.

In Last Stories, he writes in his pitch-perfect prose on themes of odd and unexpected relationships, chronic human conditions, the art of deception, melancholic moods, alienation and loneliness, following a Chekhovian pattern of writing. Even though the stories seem dismal, but they are nicely textured with a witty sense of humour and understated tenderness.

Written in an elegiac tone and exploring the depths of the human spirit, these profound and acute stories illuminate the human conditions by providing insights into the lives of ordinary, unassuming people dealing with extraordinary circumstances.

With this last and final book, old fans of Trevor will find a satisfying closure to a magnificent career and the newer ones will surely find a reason to go back and explore his previous books. These final stories affirm his place as one of the greatest short story writers of all time.   

A Life of Adventure and Delight by Akhil Sharma

This haunting, revelatory collection of eight short stories explores the lives and dreams of expatriates and natives living in the US and India stuck amidst defining crises. Their struggle for truth can be seen spread throughout the panorama of these compellingly odd stories, shedding light on the bitter realities of these hapless, hopeful people in search of their destinations in life.

The stories form a sequence of emotional tensions that suggest continuity, which resonates within us lyrically.  In his deceptively simple rendering, Sharma’s prose appears forthright and probing with psychological acuity and shadow of melancholy passing through each page. The occasional glimmers of tender paradoxes and sardonic humour bring respite from the gathering gloom. 

These stories are gems of contemporary times and a true reflection of the writer’s ingenuity. Using the pen of a minimalist, Sharma pens down these unsparing, intimate and darkly comic stories to give us a glimpse of his glowing work of art coloured with shades of minimalism to give us a collection worth reading and contemplation. 

Gravel Heart by Abdulrazak Gurnah

Set in 1970s Zanzibar, this is a lamentable story of a young boy baffled by his parents’ sudden fallout. Written on themes of political strife, homelessness, inner turmoil, exile, betrayal and migration, the book revolves around the protagonist’s life in London and how he manages to carve an identity for himself, in spite of all the hardships and emotional turmoil of living in the realm of oblivion.

The novel is divided into three parts and not until the last part we come to realise that the power of the untold story makes itself felt. It is Gurnah’s writing and sheer elegance of it that makes reading this book engaging and a deeply rewarding work. In this elegantly crafted novel in a beautiful, quiet, pensive tone the protagonist is suspended between two extremely different cultures.  

In a sensitive portrayal and coming-of-age tale written with complete restraint and lack of sentimentality, Gurnah delivers an echoing work, covering a fascinating tale on family drama in post-colonial Zanzibar. Once complete, you would realise that it’s a retelling of one of Shakespeare’s plays at its core, but to tell which one would be like a spoiler.

Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami

Written in an elegiac tone in the mute melancholic landscape of “loneliness,” Murakami’s long-awaited collection of short stories is the first in more than a decade. These seven stories, five of which were published in the New Yorker and two of them for the first time, centre on the theme of loneliness in the lives of men without women; about men who hate to be on their own, but are somehow destined to live like that.

Murakami’s writing evokes a deep sense of anguish, which is generally buried inside all of us, but is invisible most of the time. In each of these stories, we see characters being led by their curiosities about their obsession to get out of their lonely lives, only to see themselves crawling back to it. That curiosity becomes the fascination for readers and propels the narrative forward.

In this supremely enjoyable, pitch-perfect and thought-provoking collection, Murakami’s words paint the pictures of these dreary souls in the most sympathetic way, generating an unfathomable sense of grief in the minds of his readers.

Conclusion

Do you now fancy taking up your next pick in books? We are sure your answer would be a big “Yes”. Reading these books will broaden your horizon and will introduce you to these writers of fiction. If you found this article interesting and worth the read, you can then let us know in the comments section.

Written by : Abhishek Pathak

Edited by : Rajinder Soni

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