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Journalism of Courage
Booker prize-winning writer Arundhati Roy’s memoir Mother Mary Comes to Me will hit the stands on September 2, publisher Penguin Random House India (PRHI) announced on Monday.
The book, currently available for pre-orders online, unravels Roy’s deeply personal experiences of becoming the person and writer she is, “shaped most profoundly by her complex bond with her extraordinary, singular mother, women’s rights activist Mary Roy, whom she ran from at age 18”.
While we wait for Roy’s highly anticipated memoir to hit shelves, here are five of her books to dive into now. From her Booker Prize-winning debut to her political essays, Roy’s work is sure to keep you engrossed in the meantime.
Arundhati Roy’s Booker Prize-winning debut novel, The God of Small Things, is considered a cornerstone of postcolonial literature. Set in 1960s Kerala, it follows fraternal twins Rahel and Estha, whose lives unravel amid caste oppression and familial hypocrisy. Roy’s lyrical prose and non-linear narrative expose the brutality of societal norms, interwoven with themes of love, loss, and forbidden boundaries. The novel’s critique of India’s caste system and moral rigidity earned global acclaim, translated into 40+ languages. Its vivid imagery—from pickle factories to riverbanks—immerses readers in a world where “small things” shape destinies. A tragic yet poetic exploration of childhood innocence and adult complicity, the book remains a defining work of contemporary fiction, cementing Roy’s place as a literary icon.
Two decades after her debut, Roy returned with The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, a sprawling saga of India’s marginalised. Longlisted for the Booker, the novel interlaces stories of transgender activist Anjum, Kashmiri rebel Musa, and abandoned baby Tilo, blending magical realism with sharp political commentary. From Delhi’s graveyards to restive Kashmir, Roy exposes systemic violence while celebrating resilience. The narrative’s fragmented structure mirrors India’s fractured identity. Critics praised its audacity, though some found its scope overwhelming. A love letter to the dispossessed, the book reaffirms Roy’s mastery of storytelling as both art and activism.
This fiery essay collection confronts India’s 1998 nuclear tests, globalisation, and authoritarianism. Roy lambasts “nuclear nationalism” and dam projects displacing millions. Her critique of corporate greed and state violence sparked controversy, branding her a dissident. The book compiles five works, including The Cost of Living and War Talk, with a new introduction.
Roy revisits the Gandhi-Ambedkar debate, exposing how caste oppression was sidelined in India’s freedom struggle. Contrasting Gandhi’s paternalism with Ambedkar’s radical egalitarianism, she argues that his Annihilation of Caste remains urgent. The book, originally a preface to Ambedkar’s text, dissects Gandhi’s views on race and caste, urging a reckoning with his legacy. Scholarly yet accessible, it challenges mainstream narratives, advocating for Ambedkar’s vision of social justice.
Written during India’s anti-CAA protests and Covid-19 lockdowns, Azadi (Urdu for “freedom”) interrogates the alleged rise of fascism. Through nine essays she makes a case for “dissidence.” The title essay warns against conflating majoritarianism with democracy, while “The Pandemic is a Portal” imagines post-crisis futures.
(With PTI inputs)
