In the world of English literature, many Indian authors have carved a formidable place for themselves. These Indian authors, for their brilliant books, have won awards like the Pulitzer and Booker in the literary world, which are considered the best.
Their stories are deeply rooted in Indian culture and circumstances, giving the books a wonderful, familiar feeling. These authors deserve a huge readership! Here we recommend the 10 best books by Indian Authors that you should not miss.
#1 The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
About the book:
Title: The God of Small Things
Author: Arundhati Roy
Genre: Domestic Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Post-colonial Literature
Publisher: IndiaInk
Type: Standalone
Pages: 321
Goodreads Rating: 3.95/5
What happens when long-lost fraternal twins reunite after eons? They gaze at their family property–teeming with legacy–but a gift of trauma. Years ago, a secret affair between their mother and a lower-caste servant had wreaked destruction in their lives. An accidental death, a murder, and a complete breakdown of the family structure bind the twins together.
Why do we recommend this book?
This is Arundhati Roy’s very first novel. The novel also won the Booker Prize for Fiction in 1997. With themes of generational trauma and rules on love, the story takes place against the backdrop of casteism and rising communism. Give this book a read to experience an emotional roller-coaster ride full of shocking revelations and unfortunate occurrences.
To buy/gift The God of Small Things, click on the below link:
#2 The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
About the book:
Title: The Namesake
Author: Jhumpa Lahiri
Genre: Domestic Fiction
Publisher: Mariner Books
Type: Standalone
Pages: 291
Goodreads rating: 4.00/5
Gogol—named lovingly by his father after the Russian novelist Nikolai Gogol, grows up resenting his eccentric name. He also grows up resenting Indian traditions, utterly enamored with and engrossed by the American lifestyle. But then, a dreadful turn of events makes him reconnect with his roots, perhaps for the first time in forever. What does he find out, and what does grief teach him?
Why do we recommend this book?
Pulitzer Prize-winning Jhumpa Lahiri’s second book, The Namesake, is an emotional insight into living the immigrant life. Deeply rooted in nostalgia for familiar culture and how rebelling against it keeps you incomplete, it is almost a coming-of-age story for Gogol. It is sensitive, hard-hitting, tragic, but ultimately uplifting.
To buy/gift The Namesake, click on the below link:
#3 The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee
About the book:
Title: The Palace of Illusions
Author: Chitra Banerji Divakaruni
Genre: Mythology, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Doubleday
Type: Standalone
Pages: 360
Goodreads rating: 4.19/5
The rival clans of Kauravas and Pandavas unleash the War of Kurukshetra when Draupadi, the five Pandavas’ wife, is humiliated in open court. Brothers by blood, but now out for each other’s blood, this legend is also known as the Mahabharata. Written from Draupadi’s perspective, this gives prime focus to one of the most polarising female characters in Indian mythology.
Why do we recommend this book?
If the story of the Mahabharata wasn’t interesting enough—here, you have another version written from the pen of Draupadi. Bathing the text in a feminist, woman-centric glow reveals how things must have felt for Draupadi—a woman who paid the price for speaking her mind.
To buy/gift The Palace of Illusions, click on the below link:
#4 Battle for Bittora by Anuja Chauhan
About the book:
Title: Battle for Bittora
Author: Anuja Chauhan
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Humour
Publisher: HarperCollins
Type: Standalone
Pages: 426
Goodreads rating: 3.68/5
Two childhood best friends—a little closer than usual, meet decades later in their beloved town of Bittora. Sparks fly—not just when they kiss but also when they campaign to become the Lok Sabha representative from their homeland. They’re both in opposition parties and strong contenders, but the law of attraction says it will find its way anywhere. So who will win this heated battle?
Why do we recommend this book?
Written in Chauhan’s brand of humor and world-building, Zain and Jinni might be the couple with the most chemistry on paper. Their banter is adorable, and the sexual tension is even more so. A light, fun read with a badass female character. It’s like watching a Rom-com that makes your heart smile!
To buy/gift Battle for Bittora, click on the below link:
#5 House of Cards by Sudha Murty
About the book:
Title: House of Cards
Author: Sudha Murty
Genre: Drama, Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Books
Type: Standalone
Pages: 232
Goodreads rating: 3.88/5
What happens when a simple Mridula with a zest for life meets a hardworking doctor? Love brews and they are quick to settle down. Mridula has always been sensitive to the plight of people caused by rampant materialism and capitalism. Unbeknownst to her, her once honest and integral husband does everything he can to climb the social and economic ladder. Soon, corruption enters their life. Will Mridula tolerate a life in which her very principles are violated? If she chooses to leave, where will she go?
Why do we recommend this book?
Written in Sudha Murty’s signature uncomplicated style, profound issues and truths of this world are interwoven in the text. It is a mature take on how you don’t always have a happily ever after once you’re married and what cracks ideological differences can cause. In addition, Murty has created a strong feminist protagonist–this is a must-read.
To buy/gift House of Cards, click on the below link:
#6 Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie
About the book:
Title: Midnight’s Children
Author: Salman Rushdie
Genre: Magical Realism, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Vintage
Type: Standalone
Pages: 647
Goodreads rating: 3.98/5
Saleem Sinai was born precisely when India awoke to freedom—and Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru said this line in his famous speech. However, when Saleem is nearing his thirty-first year, he feels he’s slowly losing control of his body. This sends him into a spiral of deep thought—where he reminisces about his time in post-independent India in the conflict-ridden state of Kashmir.
Why do we recommend this book?
With the infusion of magical realism, Rushdie takes his postcolonial literary work to new heights. Quirky characters, unusual plotlines, and memorable dialogues entertain while displaying a newly independent India’s political and social fabric.
To buy/gift Midnight’s Children, click on the below link:
#7 The Five Dollar Smile and Other Stories by Shashi Tharoor
About the book:
Title: The Five Dollar Smile and Other Stories
Author: Shashi Tharoor
Genre: Short Stories
Publisher: Arcade
Type: Standalone
Pages: 175
Goodreads rating: 3.52/5
An anthology of stories—of forbidden and unusual love, loneliness and its cure, megalomania, and self-importance, is what The Five Dollar Smile promises. Penned by Tharoor in his youth, these stories portray different individuals in different locations worldwide in wildly different situations, but their reactions remain desi. Prejudices and peculiar behaviors of Indian society form the background of this book.
Why do we recommend this book?
These stories deeply resonate, especially with individuals who know and understand India. Tharoor mingles satire and commentary throughout his narrative–making you chuckle yet wait to think for a while.
To buy/gift The Five Dollar Smile and Other Stories, click on the below link:
#8 The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
About the book:
Title: The White Tiger
Author: Aravind Adiga
Genre: Epistolary fiction, Mystery
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Type: Standalone
Pages: 276
Goodreads rating: 3.76/5
Does belonging to a lower caste mean you can’t reach unprecedented heights? Does becoming a chauffeur in a wealthy household trap you in that position forever? Can you dare to dream even when you don’t have anything to eat? If you were about to say no, think again because Balram rises from the slums to become a stinking wealthy entrepreneur. When he reaches, there is a path filled with secrets.
Why do we recommend this book?
Man Booker Prize-winning—The White Tiger is a clever and satirical commentary on India’s division between the rich and poor. This is a fun read, full of meaty characters with questionable morals, even when things get gory. Sharp and observant, this is Adiga at his best.
To buy/gift The White Tiger, click on the below link:
#9 Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh
About the book:
Title: Train to Pakistan
Author: Khuswant Singh
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Grove Press
Type: Standalone
Pages: 181
Goodreads rating: 3.93/5
An idyllic village in Punjab–which saw Muslims and Sikhs cohabiting in peace, would witness unprecedented trauma. When India was partitioned into the countries of India and Pakistan, millions of people were displaced. Death, riots, and destruction became the new normal. Yet, in the same village, a Muslim girl and a Sikh boy fall in love against the odds. Does their love survive, even when one of them has to take a train to Pakistan?
Why do we recommend this book?
Khushwant Singh’s prose is reminiscent of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, albeit set against the horror of partition. Packed with palpable tension about the many lives at stake and the heartbreak of a civil war, love attempts to conquer all. A heavily emotional and sensitive read, this book should not be missed.
To buy/gift Train to Pakistan, click on the below link:
#10 The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh
About the book:
Title: The Glass Palace
Author: Amitav Ghosh
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Random House Trade
Type: Standalone
Pages: 486
Goodreads rating: 3.99/5
When the royal family of Burma is exiled into the wilderness by the British, they must fight for survival. Rajkumar–from the royal family, falls in love with a woman at the British court. Life separates them, and their love is short-lived, but Rajkumar embarks on a journey to find her. What awaits their future?
Why do we recommend this book?
The backdrop of the Anglo-Burmese war gives the plot an edgy feel and is educational about the invasion that happened in Burma. However, the love stories Rajkumar and Dolly share are sweet and compelling.
To buy/gift The Glass Palace, click on the below link:
That’s it. SO to conclude, here is the list of 10 Best Books by Indian Authors You Need to Read :
| 1. | The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy | Buy Now |
| 2. | The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri | Buy Now |
| 3. | The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerji Divakaruni | Buy Now |
| 4. | Battle for Bittora by Anuja Chauhan | Buy Now |
| 5. | House of Cards by Sudha Murty | Buy Now |
| 6. | Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie | Buy Now |
| 7. | The Five Dollar Smile and Other Stories by Shashi Tharoor | Buy Now |
| 8. | The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga | Buy Now |
| 9. | Train to Pakistan by Khuswant Singh | Buy Now |
| 10. | The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh | Buy Now |
Read every book on this list. I am sure it won’t disappoint you.
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Disclosure: All our recommendations are honest; most importantly, some links in this post are affiliate links (i.e.) we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something we recommend.
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