Books from India
Writing from India is a vast and varied field. It includes novels, short fiction, detective stories, poetry, essays and autobiography. The books here reflect several of those forms and the many languages and regions of India.
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Contemporary Fiction
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The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
A novel about twin children and their family in the state of Kerala.
- The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga. A novel told by Balram Halwai, a servant who recounts his life and his rise in modern India.
Mystery & Thriller
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Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra
A thriller set in Mumbai and centred on a police officer and a crime boss.
- The Adventures of Feluda by Satyajit Ray. A collection of detective stories featuring the Bengali investigator Feluda.
Sci-Fi & Fantasy
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Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
A novel that links the life of its narrator to the history of India after independence.
- The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. A retelling of the Mahabharata from the point of view of Draupadi.
Poetry
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Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore
A collection of poems, translated by the author from Bengali into English.
- The Golden Gate by Vikram Seth. A novel in verse, written in sonnets and set in California.
Memoir & Nonfiction
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The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru
A book of history and reflection, written during the author's imprisonment.
- Wings of Fire by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. An autobiography that covers the author's early life and his work in science and space.
How we choose
These lists start from books Atlas Unread readers can stamp for India. Each title and author is confirmed against Wikidata, Wikipedia or library records before it is listed.