The Indian reading community has several fan favorites, Dostoevsky, Camus, Roy and the like. That's great and these authors have written some incredible books.
But I've seen a lot of posts here asking for recommendations on 'unconventional' or rather less commonly read books. Just today, there was a post asking for 'niche' books.
I want to make it clear that these books are not necessarily uncommon on a global basis. Lonesome Dove for instance seems to have made a resurgence and Ficciones is a Latin American classic.
Nevertheless, here are some books that I think are not particularly commonly read in the Indian context that I think are brilliant.
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The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson
This is one of the best-selling books in the Nordics, particularly Sweden. It's an epic adventure set in the Viking Age and it's about Orm Tostesson, who's kidnapped as a kid from Denmark then is setup as an oarsmen on a dragon boat for the Vikings. His adventure spans the Mediterranean, Moorish Spain, and Eastern Europe. It's a fun, adventurous and great.
Bengtsson was awarded Sweden’s prestigious De Nio Grand Prize for his literary career and this is a great read.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
Chabon is a rare author who has won the Pulitzer Prize, Hugo, and the Nebula, amongst others.
This book won the Pulizer and it's about Jewish cousins in New York City who create a popular comic book superhero during the Golden Age of comics and set in the backdrop of World War II.
It's warm, nostalgic, and just so wonderfully written.
The Revenant by Michael Punke
This is a bit different from the other books. It's a gritty frontier survival story based on the real life of frontiersman Hugh Glass, who is mauled by a bear and his two companions leave him for dead after robbing him. He is furious and driven by sheer willpower and revenge, he treks across hundreds of miles of wilderness. Pretty awesome in my opinion.
There was a movie made on this book and the movie won several academy awards.
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
This has seen a recent resurgence. McMurtry is an incredibly underrated author and several of his books have been made into movies and shows. In fact, he also wrote the screenplay for Brokeback Mountain which won several awards. This one was made into a show back in the day, and Netflix is looking at doing another one.
This is an anti-Western that's about two aging Texas Rangers as they drive a herd of cattle from Texas to Montana. Incredible characters, great humor and very immersive. It's a cozy read in that the book is immersive and feels cozy, but the story itself isn't a bed of roses.
The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
Isabel Allende is an incredible author. This is a multi-generational story with magical realism set in Chile (although it remains unnamed). It's in the backdrop of post-colonial political upheaval and seen through the eyes of the various generations. I love how she weaves in magical realism in the everyday lives (ghosts, telekinesis etc.) and it's simply brilliant.
The book won the Best Novel of the Year in Chile and Allende was awarded Chile’s National Literature Prize and the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor
Flannery O'Connor was an incredible talent. In fact, so much of her writing influenced early McCarthy and I would argue had she been alive, she'd have left him behind in dust (and I say this as a huge McCarthy fan).
This is a collection of her Southern Gothic short stories with dark humor and moral complexity. It won National Book Award for Fiction. It doesn't include her longer works (e.g., Wise Blood).
One of the things I like about her work is how you have grace shining upon the less fortunate. It's a constant theme in her books.
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Barbara Kingsolver won the Pulitzer for a different book (Demon Copperhead) but I'd say this is the better book. The story is about an evangelical missionary family that moves to the Belgian Congo in the 1950s, when it's getting from under the yoke of colonialism.
The entire story is told from the perspective of the 4 or 5 women and it's a fascinating story. The backdrop is political turmoil but the story is about personal tragedy spanning decades and in some ways, western cultural arrogance. Brilliant.
Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges
This is one of my most favorite books of all time. Borges was nominated for Nobel a few times and never won, which I think is a shame.
These are incredible short stories exploring labyrinths, infinite libraries, time, and metafiction -- there's a reason he's considered one of the founding authors of postmodernism. His books will bend your brain. In my view, this is one of the defining works of 20th century world literature.
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Another talent who was not appreciated when he was alive. The book won the Pulitzer after Toole died, and this is one of the funniest books you'll ever read.
Our MC is Ignatius, who's an eccentric, arrogant scholar living with his mother in 1960s New Orleans. He thinks of society as evil and generally incompetent and sees himself as a modern day philosopher. And of course, our fearless hero is out there waging a noble war against the vices and poor tastes of this society. Brilliant.
Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez
Enriquez is another incredible Latin American author. Magical realism with horror woven in. She won Spain’s prestigious Premio Herralde de Novela and several other awards for this book.
It's set in Argentina's military dictatorship and the story is about a father with terrifying abilities attempting to protect his son from an elite cult.
It's a dark fantasy with elements of cosmic horror but the setup is what makes it terrifying.
