Bookwatch: Greeshma Gireesh shares her favourite reads

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi: Persepolis was my first-ever graphic novels and I was in awe. The book is a funny, yet heartbreaking memoir written in a comic book style about Satrapi’s early years in Iran. She weaves the story of her daily life in Tehran with the devastating effects of the Islamic Revolution. A wonderfully absurd political novel painted from the point of view of a child. 

The Neapolitan Quartet by Elena Ferrante: Elena Ferrante has left an indelible mark on me. If you are a persistent reader and love reading about female friendships, then My Brilliant Friend is the book for you. It’s touching portrait of Elena and Lila as they grow into themselves seen through the eyes of their neighbourhood, and ultimately their city and country, Italy.

A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka: A hilarious book about political incorrectness and family squabbles, Marina Lewycka’s book was a hoot to read. It’s the story of two British Ukrainian sisters whose lives go for a toss when their elderly widowed father falls in love with a very voluptuous Valentina. Hilarity ensues and tensions and Ukraine’s very own history unravels when the sisters realise that Valentina is only marrying to settle permanently in the UK. 

Ghachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanbag: A one-sitting read, Vivek Shanbag’s Ghachar Ghochar is an intimate account of blood ties. There was a constant lingering feeling of unease that prompted me to read it with haste. This nostalgic novella about a Bangalore family that goes from rags to riches and how it undoes them is one of the warmest stories of India I’ve read in a long while.

Snapshots from Hell: The Making of an MBA by Peter Robinson: For someone who’s quite nonplussed about non-fiction, this book was quite the eye-opener. Don’t be fooled by the title; it’s a really charming account of a man who decides to quit his job at the White House and join Stanford University to do an MBA. It’s one funny memoir of what it takes to be an MBA graduate and somehow even in 2019 this book leaves it imprint. A really nice personal primer on what it takes to succeed in a business school.