2018 is a great year to wade into Indian writing. This list of handpicked books by Indian authors covers poetry, short stories, novels and anthologies. Read about girls who overcome all odds as they leave their past behind in search of each other, or follow the adventures of Bombay’s first woman lawyer. Explore the idea of ‘work’ through the voices of 21 women from Northeast India or understand assimilation and racism through the stories of four immigrants. There is something for everyone here.

Note: There is an updated version of this list featuring the most anticipated books by Indian authors to look forward to in 2019. Take a look at it here.

01

Jonahwhale

Ranjit Hoskote

This work of poetry has several maritime motifs, locations and characters. From the Ganga to Marine Drive and Jonah to Captain Ahab, Hoskote uses these locales and characters to talk about how the ocean is a medium of transformation, whether through trade or at times of war.

Available on January 7, 2018. Buy it here.

02

The Widows of Malabar Hill

Sujata Massey

Set in 1920s India, this book is the first in a proposed series featuring Perveen Mistry, Bombay’s first female lawyer, and passionate about women’s legal rights. What begins as the simple execution of a will escalates into murders while Perveen investigates the strange will.

Available on January 9, 2018. Buy it here.

03

Clouds

Chandrahas Choudhury

Set in Bombay, this novel features two protagonists- the suave Parsi psychotherapist, Farhad Billimoria on a nostalgic jaunt around Bombay before he moves to San Francisco; and Rabi, a young man belonging to the Cloud people of Odisha who finds himself acting as caretaker to two old Odia Brahmins who are dismissive of his people. On the face of it, the book is about the inner lives of the characters in the book but if you dig a little deeper, you’ll discover that it’s really a portrait of India at 70.

Available on January 9, 2018. Buy it here.

04

Centrepiece: New Writing and Art from Northeast India

Parismita Singh (Ed.)

Edited and compiled by Parismita Singh, 21 women authors and artists from Northeast India come together to explore the concept of ‘work’ and tell stories of street hawking, beer brewing, mothering, and dung collection. This anthology explores different ways of telling a story- from textile art to hashtag poetry. Here, traditional tribal art and modern sensibilities intersect to create a new language allowing women to share the stories that need telling.

Available on January 10, 2018. Buy it here.

05

All the Names They Used For God

Anjali Sachdeva

A collection of 9 short stories spanning centuries and continents, but tied together by one common theme- the characters’ struggle with fate. This work of speculative fiction looks at the different forces- censorship, technology and terrorism amongst others- that shape our lives in unexpected and often dangerous ways.

Available on February 20, 2018. Buy it here.

06

The One Who Wrote Destiny

Nikesh Shukla

Based in part on true stories from Shukla’s own family, this book spans more than five decades and three continents. It is a novel of immigration and assimilation, and of destiny and loss. With characters like an unfunny comedian, a girl dying prematurely of lung cancer, and a young man in search of Keith Richards, this book will make you laugh and cry at the same time.

Available on April 5, 2018. Buy it here.

07

Girls Burn Brighter

Shobha Rao

Poornima is a poor village girl waiting for an arranged marriage her father wants to secure for her. When she meets Savitha, she finds herself dreaming of a life beyond marriage and her village. When Savitha is driven away, Poornima leaves everything behind to search for her friend. This search takes her on a journey across India and finally to America. This is the inspiring story of two girls who don’t lose hope as they face harrowing obstacles.

Available on May 3, 2018. Buy it here.

Note: There is an updated version of this list featuring the most anticipated books by Indian authors to look forward to in 2019. Take a look at it here.

Are there any other books you’re looking forward to reading in 2018? Share with us in the comments below.

Devanshi Jain

Devanshi Jain

Devanshi has been reading ever since she can remember. What started off as an obsession with Enid Blyton, slowly morphed into a love for mystery and fantasy. Even her choice of career as a lawyer was heavily influenced by the works of Erle Stanley Gardner and John Grisham. After quitting law, and while backpacking around India, she read books on entrepreneurship, taught herself web design and delved into social media marketing. She doesn’t go anywhere without a book.

She is the founding editor of The Curious Reader. Read her articles here.