Since I live in the Middle East,it is extremely rare to find books that take place in region that I reside in. I know there are ample books whose premise is set in Saudi Arabia pertaining women especially but I haven't read any of those nor do I want to anytime soon. ( Tsk Tsk ). Instead I have listed books that mostly and even partly take place in my country of origin i.e. India.
5. The Nidhi Kapoor Story by Saurabh Garg
A bit of cheating here but I know the origins for the character Tilo is from Southern India. Those who know me, know that my native and ancestral home is on the beautiful Konkan coast. For the most part, the book takes place in Oakland, USA. Click here for the in-dept review.
3) Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
I will give the author props for capturing the essence of Mumbai so accurately. A widely loved book, It tells you how connections are made and how it escalates quickly into trouble especially if you a foreigner. Roberts explores the slums of Mumbai, the red light districts, the city life, downtown areas, Bollywood sets, popular cafes that look like harmless drinking spots, places of historical importance, Arthur Road jail. You name it, the book has it.
2. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Rushdie is know for writing complex tales. The reason why I place Arundhati Roy after is for the similarities in the style of storytelling. The Moor's Last Sigh starts from the Malabar Coast where the air smells of pepper, Black Gold as it was called back then. Again, the coastal region is where I originate from and spend most of my days in India with my grandparents.
It's no surprise how dearly I love my South Indian roots. From the red soil to the green foliage right down to the moist humid air. Whenever I share picture of my home with my friends, they assume I reside on a tree-house in a rain forest. Not a bad idea though. Right?
خُدا حافِظ
5. The Nidhi Kapoor Story by Saurabh Garg
I have read and reviewed this book on my blog couple of months ago.( Click here) A crime thriller set in Mumbai, the characters in the book explores the quite a few areas in Mumbai via the local trains, some of the popular hangout spots and also Pune city which I so dearly love. Ever since I was little, I have visited Mumbai annually and will continue to do so in the coming years.
4) The Mistress of Spice by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
3) Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
I will give the author props for capturing the essence of Mumbai so accurately. A widely loved book, It tells you how connections are made and how it escalates quickly into trouble especially if you a foreigner. Roberts explores the slums of Mumbai, the red light districts, the city life, downtown areas, Bollywood sets, popular cafes that look like harmless drinking spots, places of historical importance, Arthur Road jail. You name it, the book has it.
2. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
A hit or miss for most people, there was nothing I didn't like about The God of Small Things. An extremely relatable read in terms of the culture. The story and everything with it is Keralite to the core so much that while reading it I missed the humid air of the coast. Checkout out the review here.
1. The Moor's Last Sigh by Salman Rushdie
It's no surprise how dearly I love my South Indian roots. From the red soil to the green foliage right down to the moist humid air. Whenever I share picture of my home with my friends, they assume I reside on a tree-house in a rain forest. Not a bad idea though. Right?
خُدا حافِظ
