I wanted to continue my reading about Asia, but decided the true stories were becoming too real, and hence somewhat depressing. So my recent reading has been fiction. I’ve deliberately pulled out books that tackle serious subjects and most of these are ones that I’ve been meaning to read for a while now. All of them are international bestsellers.

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Afghanistan: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

I’ve owned two copies of this book, that’s how long I’ve had it on my “To Read” list. For people who’ve read and enjoyed The Kite Runner, expect an even more compelling read. I’m partial to women’s stories and this one was simply breathtaking in not only the subjects it tackles, but in the characters Hosseini creates. While it is clearly the better read and the better story, I wonder if it’ll ever be made into a movie. Unlike his first novel, this one is set completely in Afghanistan and focuses on the lives and loves of two Afghani women in the backdrop of the violent history of the country.

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China, Burma: Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan

Tan is known for her Chinese mother-daughter relationships, and I devour her books. This one was a detour from her regular subjects and style and is the story of eleven American tourists who go missing in Burma. I was a little disappointed by the read because the Americans are portrayed as gullible, almost stupid, foreigners, which doesn’t make them very sympathetic. There were also too many characters to keep up with, and I wasn’t able to zip through this story the way I do with her other work. The observations on the tribes of Burma and the military junta are very interesting though.

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India: The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

What can I say about this book that hasn’t already been said? I’d read a lot about it after the controversy it generated but didn’t pick it up for precisely that reason. Last week though, I met a friend who insisted I must read this book and handed me her copy. I understand why so many people loved it; even more, I understand why so many Indians hated it. The book isn’t an easy read– the language is simple but the content is hard-hitting. It’s a negative book, but it’s an honest book, even if there are a few embellishments for the sake of story. It is so honest, in fact, that at times, I reeled in the knowledge that what I was reading was not fiction, not really. I can’t say I “enjoyed” the book, but it was a gripping read, and I would recommend it highly. It’s definitely a welcome change from the world of Indian call centers and middle-class consumerism and portrays life from the viewpoint of a village man who makes it in the city.