Mumbaikars are indulging in these unique books this December

In the latest edition of our monthly section, we bring you interesting titles that readers in the city are poring over. Here’s what they’ve been reading

Intermezzo
Gajendra Yadav, creative and content professional, Goregaon

Having recently finished Sally Rooney’s new book, I can confidently claim to be a part of the zeitgeist as far as BookTok 2024 is concerned. I have been a fan of Rooney’s work and while the book tackled familiar themes — ones that have become synonymous with her body of work — it was still layered with her trademark empathy and rebelliousness. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to read a sweet story about two brothers, a dog, and some chess.

Danny the Champion of the World
Dhyey Shah, student, SVKM JV Parekh International, Vile Parle

I enjoyed reading Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl. He is my favourite author. This book also inspired Dahl’s The BFG, which I have read and loved. My favourite part of the story is the relationship between Danny and his father and their night time storytelling ritual.

Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window
Saachi Joshi, student at CNM School, Vile Parle

We have a chapter from the book by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi in our literature textbook. I was so fascinated by the set-up and design of the classroom described in it that I wished to read other chapters too. My mom got me an English translation of the Japanese book, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I loved the railroad cart classroom and the headmaster’s unique teaching methods with music and calisthenics.

High Water Mark: Prose Poems
Kunjana Parashar, poet, Borivli

I love prose poems, so I’m reading David Shumate’s collection. It’s a strange book where mushrooms have wives, Hitler’s barber imagines killing him, there’s a Buddha of arithmetic, a funeral for the moon, and many other such absurd premises that are made plausible by Shumate’s surprisingly everyday language.

Yellowface
Varun Gwalani, teacher, Peddar Road

RF Kuang’s Yellowface was a novel written for authors. It perfectly lays bare the vagaries of publishing, the difficulty in navigating it, and the angst and anger that it causes. The plot is interesting, and one of the questions it fundamentally poses is: Who gets to tell what kind of stories?

Little Women
Sruthy Pisharady, sales and marketing professional, Chembur

After many years, I reread Louisa May Alcott’s classic this month for a book club. It is a cosy read for the festive season. Even though I am not an avid reader of the classics, I enjoyed the book. It makes you long for the simpler times, and reminds you to be grateful and content with whatever you have. Since I don’t have a sister, I felt envious of the bond that the four sisters shared.

Available: At leading bookstores and e-stores

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