‘The Mars Room’ by Rachel Kushner

★★★★★ I have so much to say about this Man Booker Prize shortlisted book. To be honest, I attempted to read it a number of times, never managing to get past a few chapters and having to start all over again. I don't really know why I kept at it - I have not completed…

‘Northanger Abbey’ by Jane Austen

★★★ I'm a huge fan of Austen and 'Northanger Abbey' was the only one of her works I had yet to read. My favorite Austen novel is 'Persuasion' and though it is not as widely read as Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility, I do feel that Austen's lyrical prose and understanding of human…

‘Year of the Weeds’ by Siddhartha Sharma

Let me admit outright that I read very few novels by Indian authors. This book, 'Year of the Weeds' is a required reading for one of my academic courses and that was the only reason I ever picked it up. Let's just say that I'm going to be on the scout for more books by…

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

'Catch-22' is a book that has penetrated the consciousness of an entire generation. Bursting onto the scene as it did in 1961, it gave vent to Heller's anti-war and anti-government feelings, a by-product, he said, 'of the Korean War and the 1950's.' Considered one of the best satirical works ever, (a distinction thoroughly deserved), 'Catch-22'…