Anand Neelakantan’s novels reinterpret the Indian epics for a new generation of readers. Rise of Sivagami , was a prequel to the blockbuster Baahubali . He chooses his favourite reads from a wide genre of books.
‘Beloved’
Beloved by Toni Morrison
A haunting and beautiful novel that won the Pulitzer Prize. This classic is a hard-hitting story on racism and the inhuman conditions of the slaves that make a woman want to kill her own children, so she can prevent them from becoming slaves themselves.
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
‘The Things They Carried’
The delicate prose of this book makes it one of the best pieces of storytelling I have ever read. It is partly based on the experiences of the author, a veteran of the Vietnam War and captures the physical and emotional trauma of war.
Blindnessby Jose Saramago
‘Blindness’
It goes to the core of human behaviour when social norms break down during a pandemic of blindness in an unnamed city. The illness strikes without any warning. The only symptom is blindness.
Room by Emma Donoghue
‘Room’
It makes us look at the world afresh from the perspective of a five-year-old boy who is held captive in a room with his mother. For him, the room is his world. It is about the spirit of resilience and the bond between parent and child.
The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
‘The Hobbit’
What a world of imagination. A lesson on how to write a great story. The fantasy is one of the most loved books in the world. There is adventure, music, laughter and valour.
We would love to know how you are keeping busy at home. Tell us what you are reading, at metro@thehindu.co.in
