THE SHELF / 6 books that I read at the end of last year… I hated 5 of them

One of the movements which helped accelerate the Liberation War of Bangladesh was the Mass Uprising of 1969.

“There is only one life to live— In this lifetime, why should Rajakars have to be seen again?”

For when you want a book that makes you laugh out loud while also making your stomach go woosh with butterflies

When a book mentions one of my favourite authors, W. Somerset Maugham, and the short description suggests betrayal, intrigue, secret affairs, political uprisings, failed marriages, and a whodunnit, there’s little I can do but take it.

Kaveh Akbar’s Martyr! is unruly and endearing. Akbar’s years as a poet has given his debut novel an honesty that shines through the book’s arduous structure. And for all of Martyr!’s exhilarating tone and emotional trek, the difficulties of writing a novel on addiction, martyrdom, death, and meaning is evident when one reads it.

Callahan’s novel came to her during the pandemic when she found herself waking up with a large ringing noise in her head.

With news of his newfound freedom making headlines, many may struggle to recall the original charges against him and the debates he sparked on free speech and journalistic practices

“My reader, I dip into the water just for you.” Bibhas Roy Chowdhury

“An exceptional novel that makes gender disappear to build unconventional love and friendship”

Backman, in his style of writing and the characters he builds, tends to approach all the complexities of humanity with a touch of distance, while still managing to maintain intimacy

The forum was held at Bangladesh Shishu Academy and was anchored by Professor Azfar Hussain.

This award is meant to be shared with a Writer of Courage, which PEN describes as a ‘writer who is active in defence of freedom of expression, often at great risk to their own safety and liberty’

In Alex Christofi’s newly published fascinating book—Cypria: A Journey to the Heart of the Mediterranean—we get a deep close-range look at one of world civilisation’s interesting hotspots that has long swayed between the cross-currents of the rise and fall of the great monotheisms.

It’s hard not to recall our many conversations about literature as I try to summarise Shah Tazrian Ashrafi’s debut collection of short stories. They were always short discussions, opening and closing off in spurts, as happens over text. Exclamations over a new essay collection by Zadie Smith, or a new novel by Isabel Allende.

Begum’s Blunder is a clever adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan. The play transports the Victorian setting to the imaginary Behrampur, the heyday of the Nawabs in India. With Naila Azad Nupur’s direction, and Sadaf Saaz working her behind-the-scenes magic as the producer, the production by Kaleidoscope projects lights on the prism of Wilde’s 1892 play to find their contemporary refractions and reflections in colonial India.

Whether you’re a fan of classic literature, contemporary fiction, or just simply enjoy immersive audios, these audiobooks and adaptations offer a fantastic way to enjoy some of the best stories ever written

There are few novelists as cruel as Hanya Yanagihara—and in A Little Life (Doubleday, 2015), her pen draws blood. Nine years on, the controversy of the 800-page character study of an irreparably broken protagonist is still ablaze with accusations that it sadistically exploits trauma for profit.

This week, Kyla Zhao, the author of Valley Verified (Penguin Random House, 2024), graced us with an exclusive interview to give us insights into the changing trends in Asian American literature.

The first half of this year has treated us with some truly amazing book-to-screen adaptations like Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, A Gentleman in Moscow, and Ripley. The second half is also unlikely to disappoint. Here are some book-to-screen adaptations to pack the rest of your year with.

Short books you can start and finish in a day