The royal family of England has always fascinated the world. Since 1952, the throne has been ruled by Queen Elizabeth II. The seven decades of her reign have seen the world change dramatically. Her reign is known as the longest in history. To celebrate the Queen’s birthday this year, BBC Arts organized the major jubilee reading campaign which has compiled a list of 70 books from Commonwealth countries published during Her Majesty’s 70-year reign.
??? Read more about the #BigJubileeRead – the literary celebration of the record-breaking reign of Her Majesty the Queen from the @BBC† @ace_national † @readingbureau – On @BBCFrontRow† Listen more @BBCRadio4 † @BBCSounds tonight from 19:15 pm: https://t.co/FWQaHpuhl1 pic.twitter.com/lMqbXNwcCD
— BBC Arts (@bbcarts) Apr 18, 2022
The list also includes some of the popular books by famous Indian authors, from RK Narayan to Arundhati Roy. Let’s take a look at 7 books by Indian authors selected for the anniversary list.
The Guide – RK Narayan (1958)
RK Narayan is known to write stories that are interesting, fascinating and full of realism. He is one of the country’s most renowned English writers. His book The Guide begins with humor, but as you read on, many different aspects of the main character’s life are explored. The story reflects the simplicity of the author and how he picks things up from the world around him.
Sunlight on a Broken Column – Attia Hosain (1961)
The book is based on the times of division and takes us on a journey with a fictional character, Laila. The fifteen-year-old Muslim girl suffers a lot after the death of her parents and has to explore the world herself after the divorce. The novel has an open ending that allows the reader to imagine it however he wants.
The Nowhere Man – Kamala Markandaya (1972)
Kamala Markandaya has lived most of her life in England, but her eleven novels are mainly set in India. She is an Indian English writer who is renowned for her work that has paved the realities of the Indian subcontinent. Her seventh novel, The Nowhere Man, contains some reflections on India through the story of an elderly Brahmin Srinivas. After watching the way Britain is changing, Srinivas decides to return to India, but has no idea where to go. This plot gave birth to the novel’s title.
Bright Daylight – Anita Desai (1980)
Three-time Booker Prize winner Anita Desai has set the story of the 1980 novel set in the city of Old Delhi. It takes us through the journey of complex relationships between relatives living together in a house in old Delhi. The novel goes back and forth in time as the members lead us through their lives.
Midnight Children – Salman Rushdie (1981)
Midnight’s Children is one of Salman Rushdie’s most popular books. The book portrays India’s transition after British colonial rule. He has used real incidents through fictional characters to get the reader hooked on the reality and the magical story.
The God of Small Things – Arundhati Roy (1997)
The award-winning author has never shied away from including difficult topics like racism and the caste system in her stories. The God of Small Things is another such book that examines the effects of the caste system in India. Not only this, it also gives people a perspective that even the smallest things change people and their behavior.
The Blue Bedspread – Raj Kamal Jha (1999)
The Echo of Loneliness is not just any book, but a way to introspect how one’s life changes in a minute. This story weaves the threads of child abuse and how the family is responsible for a child’s trauma.
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