“How will we ever get out of this labyrinth of suffering called life? A Gabriel García Márquez line quoted by Alaska often. She is the protagonist of a John Green novel. May not for the entire life, but for 2024 I found my way out of the worldly hustle bustle labyrinth in books. A few instances shared here.
Window-side Winter Vacation
I’ve just returned from Tokyo and now find myself in St. Petersburg, thanks to Murakami and Dostoevsky. At times it feels like I’m in a quantum superposition, sitting by my window with a cup of tea on the table and the sound of monsoon outside while reading through the pages transports me to the hot streets of Kabul. This cozy winter vacation is sure to be one of my most memorable.
Exploring new authors
If you think I’m a big-time reader just because I mentioned those well-known authors at the start, I’m not. I read, but 2024 was more about exploring the unknown, venturing into new literary woods. It is scary to spend time & money on a book you may or may not like. Thus I started with novellas—shorter works by great authors that offer a way to grasp their larger, more famous works without getting overwhelmed.
People I met
At the beginning of this year, I met a stranger who recommended a science fiction novel. Eventually, my shelves and conversations with this cherished friend were loaded with books and ideas. One day, I was hanging out with a college friend on a random weekend, and the bookstore I thought I knew so well became a whole new place, thanks to the suggestions on Russian literature, a genre I’d never considered reading before. Once during an 8-hour delayed train journey to Chennai, I met a reader with tastes completely opposite to mine. Our preferences didn’t overlap, but the conversation was a great save from extra hours on rails. If not for books, I wouldn’t have had such memories.
Moreover, don’t confine yourself to a single genre, as books, much like people, leave a lasting imprint and shape you into a well-rounded thinker. They also make you realize that you might be one of those morally grey characters you find yourself drawn to.
A Few Suggestions
- Dark Matter by Blake Crouch: A science fiction story that will take you on a ride through parallel universes. The ending is undeniably gripping.
- White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky: This novella, which inspired the Tamil film Iyarkai, is filled with deep emotions. Though Dostoevsky’s writing can feel overwhelming, you’ll gradually get used to its intensity.
- The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell: Ever wondered how Hush Puppies became a global brand after almost fading away? This book explores fascinating case studies on business booms and market phenomena.
- Looking for Alaska by John Green: A teen story for the strong-hearted, perfect for those looking to find a way out of life’s labyrinth of suffering.
- Confessions by Leo Tolstoy: This world-famous author who inspired Mahatma Gandhi once fell into an existential crisis and reflects upon his beliefs and a dimension of ‘hope’
- Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari: No need for an introduction—many of you have likely received this book as a suggestion. Anthropology and the history of humankind are made understandable to a layman in an engaging manner (this book is still in progress to complete, but I’ve enjoyed the journey so far)
I wish I had read more of The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami to include it in this list. But even with the little I’ve read, I’d still recommend them without doubt.
2025 – A bookmark
Slowly, reality begins to feel like a novel. Every platform square, every raindrop on the leaves, becomes noticeable and fulfilling. Colleagues and neighbors transformed into characters, each of their own kind. Along with all these, I step into 2025 looking for my fictional companions who provide comfort to my stormy mind, ferrying me to different worlds time and again.
I’d love to hear your reading stories in the comments!
