books

Best books of 2025: From modern love and migration to money, memory and identity, our top picks

December 24, 2025 5:54 am

The top 5 books we picked for 2025 examine ambition, solitude and the fragilities of modern life in exceptional works of fiction, history and memoir

British children's author David Walliams denies inappropriate behaviour after being dropped by HarperCollins

December 20, 2025 8:54 pm

Walliams has published over 40 children's books and sold more than 60 million copies worldwide.

The Unbecoming: Kartikeya Vajpai on letting go of ego and leading without attachment

December 23, 2025 2:44 pm

The panel discussion at the launch of Kartikeya Vajpai’s The Unbecoming explores the philosophy in Vajpai’s debut novel.

Who defines slang now? The slow, ironic decline of Urban Dictionary

December 23, 2025 2:44 pm

From internet slang to institutional seal of approval, the long road from Urban Dictionary to Big Dictionary.

5 books I’m re-reading before their screen adaptations drop in 2026

December 23, 2025 2:44 pm

Reading ahead of the adaptation cycle has long been my way of understanding a story. These five books are on my list before 2026 arrives.

How the timeless 'dohas' of Rahim — the 16th-century Mughal-general-turned-poet — speak to modern India

December 23, 2025 2:44 pm

This anthology resurrects the 16th-century Mughal noble Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan, celebrating his timeless poetry, a syncretic vision that transcends its age to speak directly to the modern soul.

Aftertaste | Radha, rewritten as reckoning

December 23, 2025 2:44 pm

A radical reimagining of Radha—not as myth or muse, but as a woman whose autonomous love defies morality, power, and permission, and in doing so, rewrites what the sacred can mean.

Why Hay Festival Cartagena faces an author boycott over Nobel winner María Corina Machado

December 23, 2025 2:44 pm

Three writers pulled out of the Hay Festival in Colombia after it invited Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, igniting a debate over whether literary platforms can remain neutral.

From Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye to Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale: Why America keeps banning acclaimed books

December 23, 2025 2:44 pm

Award winners, bestsellers, and modern classics dominate the lists of banned books in US schools. Data from PEN America shows that censorship today is less about explicit content, and more about discomfort with identity, history, and truth.

'Thought it was just a viral ...': A father's anguished reckoning after losing 20-year-old to liver failure

December 23, 2025 2:45 pm

A journalist’s account of his daughter’s sudden death speaks to anyone who has believed there would be more time to talk and spend time with a loved one.

Six books to end your reading slump

October 22, 2025 10:55 am

Stuck in a reading slump? These are six books that can take you out of it.

Six fairy tales from unexpected authors

October 21, 2025 3:04 pm

Books that feel like conversations

September 15, 2025 10:51 am

Here are some book recommendations that feel like a warm hug and a good conversation.

6 books you need to read for better focus at workplace

September 08, 2025 10:18 am

These are six books for better focus at workplace.

Books every food lover must read

September 03, 2025 11:39 am

Food isn’t just about taste, it’s about culture, memory, and storytelling.

Lesser-known books by famous authors you should read

August 28, 2025 10:27 am

These are lesser known books by famous authors that transcend the test of time and stay relevant even today.

Unfinished Masterpieces: Books left incomplete by their authors

August 27, 2025 11:18 am

How many have you read?

In pictures: Most anticipated late 2025 book releases

August 26, 2025 11:45 am

The second half of 2025 promises a stellar line up of highly awaited titles, from major franchise entries and memoirs to literary fiction and genre-bending debuts. Let’s dive into six books that readers are eagerly awaiting.

6 books spotted in Bollywood movies and what they mean

August 25, 2025 3:20 pm

Bollywood films often hide clever details in their frames, and books are one of the most symbolic props directors use.

In pictures: Iconic author friendships and duos

August 22, 2025 3:57 pm

Behind some of the world’s greatest literary works lie friendships and collaborations that shaped history. From inspiring each other’s writing styles to standing by one another in turbulent times, these author duos remind us that creativity often flourishes in companionship. Here are six iconic literary friendships and duos that left an everlasting mark on literature.