A holiday season is never complete for readers without having read at least 5-10 books in the warm and cozy comfort of their house or during their travels from place to place. There’s no set list of books that one should read during the holiday season, but if you can pick books that move you to tears, make you laugh, drive you crazy, and make you wonder, it’s a success. Here’s a reading list that we propose to you for the holiday season. Give them all a try.
1. Eat, Pray, Love
Elizabeth Gilbert
Image Source: Goodreads
Follow one woman’s incredible journey across India, Italy, and Indonesia in search of her true self, and find yourself examining your own life and thinking about where you wish to take it in the future.
2. I am Malala
Malala Yousafzai
Image Source: Amazon
Read about the story of this young woman from Pakistan who’s been fighting for the right to education for children in her country by risking her life. She was shot at point-blank range once by the Taliban, but that didn’t stop her from her pursuit.
3. Mrs Funnybones
Twinkle Khanna
Image Source: Amazon
Former film actor Twinkle Khanna, who is also the wife of actor Akshay Kumar and daughter of actor Dimple Kapadia, bares her life experiences on paper with a generous sprinkling of humor, which makes the book highly entertaining and insightful.
4. A House for Mr Biswas
V.S. Naipaul
Image Source: Live Auctioneers
Find yourself immersed in this magnificent tale of an Indo-Trinidadian man who tries desperately to succeed but fails repeatedly. He finally settles on owning a house as his ultimate goal and fights to achieve it.
5. A Fine Balance
Rohinton Mistry
Image Source: DU Beat
Read about how four characters hailing from diverse backgrounds come together with the aid of the changing political and economic landscape of India between the years of independence to the years of the national emergency.
6. East, West
Salman Rushdie
Image Source: Random House Books
This is a collection of short stories based in the east and the west, and drawing upon the life experiences of Salman Rushdie as an immigrant in England during the time of the fatwas issued against him. Plenty of pop culture references in here.
7. The Kite Runner
Khaled Hosseini
Image Source: PluggedIn
The Kite Runner tells the story of a young boy Amir, who consumed by feelings of regret seeks redemption as a grown-up. The book is set in a tumultuous time in Afghanistan, the place and time itself influencing the characters’ lives greatly.
8. In Other Words
Jhumpa Lahiri
Image Source: Book Dragon
Follow Jhumpa Lahiri’s journey from being fascinated by the Italian language to mastering it over a period of years. Jhumpa’s passion for the Italian language shows through on every page as she grapples to master the language and find her voice in it.
9. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Douglas Adams
Image Source: Goodreads
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is an amazing, albeit unusual, journey through space, and a thoroughly entertaining and insightful read. It’s an adaptation of the first four parts of author Douglas Adams’ radio series of the same name.
10. Sons and Lovers
D. H. Lawrence
Image Source: Goodreads
This title might surprise you since it goes back in time to early twentieth century, but this masterpiece is a lovely read for any holiday season. It takes us through the life of a Paul Morel, a wonderful young man and budding artist.