All the books that I could finish reading in 2020 were wonderful in their own way.
But some stuck more and will definitely stay longer. Here is a compilation of a peek in to ten of my favorite reads this year.
10. Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
With chapters of data and questions challenging conventional wisdom, this book is sure to leave you questioning some of your inherent biases and beliefs; and will motivate you to ask some questions of your own. The inherent theme in the book is to bring forward the balance between economy and morality in the real world, it continually repeats and depicts the idea, ‘If morality represents an ideal world, then economics represents the real world’.
From forcing you to ask if one could resist the temptation of evil if they knew their acts could not be witnessed, to the importance of parenting in making of a child, to the harms of obsessive parenting, this book covers wide spheres with each chapter. The common thread in each is a novel way, of looking at the available data, the results and contrast it with conventional wisdom. It brings to forefront the effect of ‘what the parents are’ rather than ‘what the parents do’, on how a kid ends up being in his/her life. It highlights several cases where what one would consider an exception by conventional wisdom actually happens to be the generic scenario rather than just an exception.
From people’s response to incentives to experts benefiting themselves from information asymmetry; or the idea that, 87 percent of the times people are generally good for no selfish reason (this number has stuck with me for some reason) or the idea that, everyone irrespective of their color, creed, gender and so on responds to benefits; the book is full of fact shells and data bombs.
If correlations and similarities between two of the most unrelated topics or things in the world interest you then this book is a must read for you; If logical outcomes from illogical contours interest you, then this is the book for you. Filled with strange questions and stranger answers at times, but all derived using common sense and circumstantial evidence, it will leave you in lack of data and logic to deny the claim. This surprising side of economics is sure to take you by surprise.
9. Chronicles of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
With a niche for story telling, GG Marquez throws one in to a world of shallow order; In a society, with its residents, its beliefs, its culture brought to life, vividly, with elaborate characters, one is introduced to the flaws of its existence. One is forced to believe in the notion of destiny when Santiago Nasar becomes the target, in the name of honor; one stares in surprise at the recklessness of a dubiously functional society which is unable to save him even when the news of his doom has spread much before the hateful event itself. As the society fails in its delivery of justice, in a complicated web of rules and beliefs, one is confronted with the price paid for keeping alive a flailing idea. As lives become victim, of a fit of misdirected and misunderstood rage, the lack of consideration for human life, as long it satiates one’s ego, reminds one of a familiar and common idea in societies; How honor is easily misread and misinterpreted, draped in the existence of a girl, how violence is always the solution, without even trying to find the right facts.
The book is a masterpiece, with a knack for story telling, it will surely leave one bewildered at how the events unfold. It will keep one hooked to the end and the helplessness of being a human will leave a mark on the reader.
8. Mossad: The Greatest Missions of the Israeli Secret Service by Michael Bar-Zohar and Nissim Mishal
This book is sure to send a chill down your spine, as it bares open the secrets, of the secret world of power, governments, regimes, military, and intelligence agencies. It’s filled with griping series of events, describing several events from the establishment and independence of Israel, to the role Mossad has played in the formation of Israel as we know today, to the several missions carried out by the agency with and without the other western world intelligence agencies.
It does talk about the age old atrocities Jews have been subjected to. The subject might seem to over board a little at times, but isn’t that kind of suspicion bound to become a part of your conscience, when you have had a first hand experience of unimaginable atrocities during the holocaust.
The world operates in a very complicated way, a complex invisible web of alliances and understanding is at the helm, puppeteer-ing and controlling everything. Sadly, the price of these is mostly paid by regular citizens; who happen to make majority of the world but lack power to matter enough on the world stage. It is an interesting read; makes one realize how much of what happens behind the scenes has such a vast impact on the world stage, and hardly gets known to the people it affects most. Power has a side effect of reducing people to only number and names, the benefits of which are enjoyed most by those closest to it; it leaves one wondering if power and conscience can go hand in hand at all?
7. Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
Find an elaborate review at https://maniishark.com/2020/09/06/mrs-dalloway-by-virginia-woolf/
6. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The book is about four sisters, namely Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. It talks about their life, about the hardships they have to face and how these hardships and the guidance from their parents shape them into responsible little women; about how these little pilgrims learn to carry their burdens with uttermost dedication and sincerity. The story starts from highlighting their lack of wealthy alms but moves on to show the richness in character; slowly leading one to show how any monetary richness is never the means to living a fruitful and satiating life.
One is introduced to their strong character, which unravels in bits and pieces as the story moves forward, and which plays the major role in how the life of these four little birdies turns around as they grow up. The practical approach of the parents, especially the mother, in imparting valuable life lessons, the methods and teachings on how to rear a kid successfully, letting their birds fight their own fights, but staying in the shadows whenever they need support, guidance, love and care; believing experience to be a better tutor over outright sermons and lectures is a major highlight and the background message of the story.
How the four little women carry their burden as four young pilgrims, learning and building strong characters, as they go through the journey called life, fighting their fights courageously and learning life lessons in the most profound manner is another highlight. The author very intricately and extravagantly presents the daily life struggles of the characters, touching the right chords of expression and emotion, with such close observations and understanding of human behavior that the book will take one on a ride of what could be called the perfect psychological insight. With moral and life lessons very intricately woven in the fiber of the story, one can easily go about learning and relating to the feminist agenda lurking in the story. The book is a classic in so many ways!
5. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
“The thousand times he had proved it meant nothing. Now he was proving it again. Each time was a new time and he never thought about the past when he was doing it.”
It the story of Santiago, a fisherman, who has not caught a fish since the last eighty-four days, but still is hopeful. He understands that life is not about one day of hard work, but persistence in what ever you chose to do. He is in it for the long haul. It is about the voyage of a simple man, who doesn’t give up even after days of returning empty handed; a strong character who is respected and loved by many, an honest man who isn’t afraid of living his life vigorously. He is left alone with his thoughts in his pursuit of catching the biggest fish ever and we see the bare character with his knack of surviving the harsh sea, his stubbornness, and his struggle for survival.
He teaches us that life is all about being knocked out, only to stand up again, being knocked out again, by the most unprecedented cause or circumstance, but our win lies in the fact that we stand up again, however hard the knock is. If you are having a bad day, just sleep over it. Every day is a new day, start again the next day with a renewed vigor and strive harder to bring the change that you have wanted to. When life happens, be that persistent leaf on the sidewalk that never gives up!
4. A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf
The author has been asked to speak about ‘women and fiction’ and the essay is a summary of whatever thoughts that she caught on the topic in a span of a day. Unable to come to a certain conclusion as to what the topic really wants her to do, Virginia Woolf concludes that a woman must have a room of her own and money to write fiction. Then she goes on to trace the thought process and the events of the day that led her to this conclusion. With intricate and blatantly true observations, vivid imagery, and an apparently honest account of the thoughts, she brings home a candid account of the what’s and how’s of women writers dealing with unequal treatment of the two sexes and their struggle for basic amenities . It’s indeed one of the greatest pieces ever written.
3. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Find an elaborate review at https://maniishark.com/2020/12/02/anna-karenina-by-leo-tolstoy/
2. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Find an elaborate review at https://maniishark.com/2020/07/17/things-fall-apart-by-chinua-achebe/
1. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
(I wanted to complete all seven volumes in her autobiography and then write about it, but this book has to be my favorite from last year’s reads. So here are just some words, rest later!)
This is the first book in the seven volumes of Maya Angelou’s autobiography. It is an introduction of how the seeds of this legendary figure were sown; and the journey is as tumultuous in the beginning itself. This book is not words, but feelings and innocence put in to words. It’s the most real a book can ever get, and the most bare a person can get, when sharing their life story. To accept, to understand, to be aware and to move on is power, and we see power in every single word. To accept the most random thought, the most innocent deed; to accept oneself, without any regrets has to be the greatest achievement of one’s life. One feels every word and it clutches their heart and stays there, like a weight, creating a lump in the throat. Some pages just pause time for a moment and one sits there, staring in the blank, trying to grasp the harsh truth of a life.
(On a personal note – I cried several times when I was reading it and I laughed equally. I haven’t read a more moving book. The book needs no review or praise. It’s legendary to say the least, as is the writer. I can’t wait to finish rest of the six. )
Maniishark 