That one book
Nepali writers talk about the book they read in 2016 that has become one of their favorites.
When you lay a book in your hand and sink to the pages of magic unfolding in each turn, visualize a world being painted out of the perspective of the writer and feel the whole universe falling silent to the rhythm of the voices of the characters, you begin to realize that book is your call for conscious escape. A writer writes without creating or deciding the meaning of his/her work. This interpretation is the readers alone.
Overcoming the grief of the catastrophic earthquake and the economic human crisis of the Indian Blockade, 2016 has been a year of transition for all of us. Someone once said, ‘When things get hard, you can always retreat into a good book.’ Well, when things get better, you can still retreat into a good book. The Week talked to a few Nepali writers about the book they read in 2016 that they will carry with them onto 2017.
Hari Bansha Acharya
Khabuj, Benyamin
The book was given to me by Dr Rabindra Sumir who had inspired me to write my first book, Cheena Harayeko Manchhe. The book revolves around the theme of living conditions of laborers in Arab who face daily struggles of existence.
There were times when I cried between pages as I could empathize with the living conditions of the laborers. There are people in our country in such dire financial crises that the men choose to migrate to foreign countries just so they can fulfill their families basic needs. I believe that this book is an essential read as it is linked to our economy and helps us better empathize with the grievances of our fellow citizens.
Amar Neupane
Chhaughar, Raj Saragam
Time and again we get to hear news of girls dying in menstrual huts during the harsh winter months. The relevance practices like Chhaupadi makes you feel helpless.
Gyanu Pandey
Aaina, Ram Lal Joshi
The book was given to me by the writer himself. I loved the aspect of the social organizational structure, social functioning and cultural reality of the far western Nepal presented in the book as the place setting of the plot.
Buddhi Sagar
Famished Road, Ben Okri
A few years ago, I attended a literary festival in Jaipur where a huge crowd was excitedly surrounding a writer who looked liked a hip-hop singer. I was really curious about the writer and his works and did some research.
This book featured small issues and not ground turning tragedies but the things Okri talks about are relatable to us Nepalis. The poetic lines in the story also caught my attention. It was my first experience of meeting the writer before reading a book. The novel is a trilogy and I have yet to find the second and third parts. It expresses magical realism and unlike other stories that begin with the birth of the character, it begins with the spirit deciding what would be its fate in being born as that character. The story has interesting characters and many of the dialogues become inspirational pieces. I have recommended this book to so many people and will continue recommending it because it deserves to be read.
Kumar Nagarkoti
The Forty Rules of Love, Elif Shafak
This is a beautiful book with the worst title ever because I believe there shouldn’t be any rules in love. I would have never bought this book if I hadn’t come across The Bastard of Istanbul.
Leave A Comment