"India," to quote actress and human rights activist Shabana Azmi, "is a country that lives in several centuries simultaneously." Just as those different time periods seem to coexist in one place, so do the voices of brilliant literary talents. Each of these writers and their works have contributed to help the world better understand this expansive country and its beautiful, multifaceted culture, whether it be from within India’s own borders or through the memory of its customs and traditions from distant continents.
The following list begins with highlights of the works of outstanding Indian authors of the past few decades, followed by must-listen debuts from gifted authors of Indian heritage.
Authors
Arundhati Roy
Known for her bold political commentary in works of fiction as well as essays, Arundhati Roy is not afraid to tell it like it is. With a Booker Prize in her corner for her novel The God of Small Things, Roy has effectively merged literary craft with political awareness. Although it’s one of her later works, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness is where you should start. Part commentary on lives in crises and part about the land itself, this listen, narrated by Roy herself, will tug at your heartstrings. Then you should make your way through her essays and the acclaimed The God of Small Things.
The God of Small Things
India
Every author can only communicate her own interpretation of a country, a region, a tiny village. Since each perspective is so personal and rooted in a specific time, it’s impossible for a listener to know if one interpretation encompasses all the nuances of a sprawling, changing landscape. And then comes a book that somehow seems to capture it all. Published 20 years ago, it’s no surprise that Roy’s debut novel won a clutch of prizes: Its portrayal of India (specifically Kerala, in 1969 and 23 years later) through the eyes of a crumbling family and pair of separated twins, is as rich in detail as the country itself.And happy news for fans: Roy has a new novel, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness.
Chetan Bhagat
The incorporation of satire into fiction was made more mainstream in India with the works of Chetan Bhagat. With many of his novels being adapted into Bollywood films, Bhagat’s rise to fame has been swift, and his audio catalog is impressive. Start with Five Point Someone, narrated by Sartaj Garewal, which pokes holes at the elitist and rigid ideologies of one of the leading engineering schools in India.
Five Point Someone
Set in IIT, in the early 90s, this book portrays the lives of protagonist Hari and his two friends Ryan and Alok....
Jhumpa Lahiri
If there is any one author who captures the eternal quest to belong to a physical place, it is Jhumpa Lahiri. With prose that truly casts a spell, Lahiri writes stories of immigrants in a foreign land clinging to parts of their home and elements of their identity. While there is no one right place to start with the Pulitzer Prize-winning author’s body of work, The Namesake, narrated by Sarita Choudhry, is a great first listen. You’ll have some time to enjoy Lahiri's previous works before her newest release comes out in mid-2021—trust me, once you start, you won’t be able to stop until you’ve listened to everything she’s ever written.
The Namesake
I can’t remember exactly when I read this book. I think I was 18, right before I went to college in New York. This was during a time in my life where I was obsessed with the writing of Indian authors. The Namesake is everything everyone says it is — beautiful, moving, humorous — but it’s also about navigation, and specifically, navigating different and new cultures while holding on to past ones in new places.
Sandhya Menon
When soon-to-be-Netflix-adapted YA romantic comedy When Dimple Met Rishi first hit listeners’ earbuds, it had them floored. Audiences were head-over-heels in love with the duo of Dimple and Rishi. Sandhya Menon created something adorable, honest, and vulnerable in a way that allowed listeners to see a little of themselves in the characters. Her audience wanted more, and Menon delivered, with three other audiobooks following to round out the "Dimpleverse." The entire series is narrated by a recurring cast, creating a cohesive audio experience perfectly suited to this sweet story.
When Dimple Met Rishi
In addition to Romance, I’m also the YA subject matter expert at Audible. When Dimple Met Rishi marries my two favorite genres. This is a sweeter Romance, but it made my list because of Rishi Patel — the leading (young) man. He is the very definition of marriage material. He's so selfless in his love and mature beyond his years, I can’t help but sigh during his inner monologues. Rishi is performed by Vikas Adam — and man, is he awesome. He brings such emotional range to the character and doesn’t butcher the female voices. I’ve already gone hunting for my next listen from Vikas and added it to my queue.
Indu Sundaresan
Combining in-depth historical research with riveting storytelling, Indu Sundaresan does for India’s Mughal Court what Philippa Gregory did for England’s Tudor Court in The Taj Mahal trilogy. If you’re eager to travel deep into India’s past and fascinated by royal dramas, this epic is sure to satisfy and where you should undoubtedly start with Sundaresan’s work. It tells the captivating story of one of India’s most controversial empresses—a woman whose brilliance and determination triumphed over myriad obstacles and whose love shaped the course of the Mughal Empire. Each volume is eloquently narrated by Sneha Mathan.
The Twentieth Wife
An enchanting historical epic of grand passion and adventure, this debut novel tells the captivating story of one of India's most controversial empresses....
Alisha Rai
With stereotypes pervading the romance genre, Alisha Rai breaks convention by presenting characters who are flawed yet fierce. Start with her popular Forbidden Hearts trilogy, and be sure to make time to fully enjoy the sizzle. After those steamy listens, move on to her Modern Love series, featuring strong women falling in love and getting things done.
The Right Swipe
Alisha Rai returns with the first book in her sizzling new Modern Love series, in which two rival dating-app creators find themselves at odds in the boardroom but in sync in the bedroom....
Salman Rushdie
An expert in blending the historic with the mythic, Salman Rushdie is a writer as brilliant as he is prolific. His seemingly limitless catalog can sometimes overwhelm those trying to decide where to start with his work. A great place to begin is by diving into one of his most approachable works, Midnight's Children, brilliantly narrated by Lyndam Gregory. It tells the story of Saleem and India, two of the children born in the first hour of India's independence from British rule. Though not identical twins, they are nevertheless bound to mirror each other's ambiguous trysts with destiny. Then make your way to Rushdie’s most controversial work, The Satanic Verses, before checking out his Booker Prize-shortlisted Quichotte.
Midnight's Children
Winner of the prestigious Booker of Bookers, Midnight's Children tells the story of Saleem Sinai, born on the stroke of India's independence....
Debuts
This is the audiobook that millions of subscribers to Lilly Singh’s YouTube channel, Superwoman, have been waiting for. Part memoir and part self-development guide, it recounts the story of Singh’s rise to fame as an actress and comedian and what kept her going despite failures and setbacks. The only way to encounter and fully experience this success story and its lessons is in audio, as narrated with confidence and humor by none other than Lilly Singh herself.
In her groundbreaking debut, Deepa Anappara tells a story that vividly evokes the realities of the Indian basti (slum). The novel follows nine-year-old Jai and his friends as they play detective to try to get to the bottom of the disappearance of one of their schoolmates. Woven into the twists and turns of this gritty mystery is social commentary about the pervasive poverty and divisiveness in the community. But within this bleak story, Anappara also delivers humor and hope. As the tale unfolds through the eyes of different characters, it is especially fitting that this audiobook is performed by a full cast of talented narrators, including the fantastic Indira Varma.
At the start of Megha Majumdar’s standout debut novel, Jivan, a young Muslim woman, makes a political comment on social media, which spirals into a chain of events and lands her in prison before the night is over. Featuring a multicast performance including Hall of Fame favorite Vikas Adam, Jivan’s story takes on a life of its own. Fueled by corruption, ambition, and prejudice, the threads of the plot converge with devastating inevitability.
This title by Balli Kaur Jaswal features murder, jealousy, scandal, and, oh, a bit of erotic fiction too, very tastefully thrown into the mix. Failing to meet her family's expectations, Nikki is content living her life and working in a pub till she figures it all out. Then she gets pulled into the lives of a couple of Punjabi widows and finds herself solving a murder. A Reese’s Book Club pick, this is a story you will want to experience only through Meera Syal's expert narration.
Nusrah Javed can be found writing at Book Riot, or doing her job of recommending books to those who ask (and those who don’t).
