Top Books of 2014

Now that we have said ‘goodbye’ to 2014, it’s time to analyse all the wonderful things this year gave us. Let’s start with books. Here, we have compiled a list of some of the best books of 2014 –
This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein – This book reminds you that our race needs to slow things down by a few notches. Facts like, the rate at which the climate of our planet is continually changing and its disturbing after-effects, are skilfully revealed in the book. People need to learn about these facts so they can realize the gravity of the situation.
You’ll Enjoy It When You Get There by Elizabeth Taylor – This book is a collection of some of the best short stories by Elizabeth Taylor. While reading this book, you could feel that the novelist is very comfortable with the idea of short stories. The tone of the stories is pretty sub-urban, while the characters display signs of subtle to volatile despair.
Probably Nothing by Matilda Tristram – ‘Probably Nothing’ is probably the best book of 2014! It’s an incredible account of Matilda’s life, narrating how she fought bowel cancer while being pregnant. It’s heart-wrenching, humorous and sarcastic – all at the same time.
Letters to Vera, Edited and Translated by Olga Voronina and Brian Boyd – After reading ‘The Original of Laura’, I was very disappointed with Nabokov’s writing. But Letters to Vera, which is a collection of love letters, Nabokov wrote for his beloved wife, Vera, has reinstated that lost-faith once and for all.
The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer – It is a classic American novel about six friends and their journey from teens to the middle age. It’s pacy and conventional, which is the best part about it. Wolitzer has beautifully woven the interconnected hopes, disappointments and triumphs of these six friends. The narration is extremely detailed and there’s a tinge of wit and sarcasm.
The Establishment by Owen Jones –The idea of an ‘establishment’ was originally popularized during the 50s. The term ‘establishment’ describes how the elite network within the society, in order to protect their interests. Owen, however, has a very different idea of how the establishment works nowadays. According to him, the British society is presently being lead by people who share interest in maintaining a fiction about what is or isn’t politically possible.
The Iceberg by Marion Coutts – The book is a memoir of Marion’s husband, Tom Lubbock’s last days after he was diagnosed with brain tumour. It’s an intense and gripping narrative. What Marion has been through is shattering and devastating.
The Zone of Interest by Martin Amis – It’s undoubtedly the most impressive book Martin Amis has written in his career, so far. It’s a harsh, satire-flecked investigation of the Nazi death camps.
When I Grow Up I Want to be Mary Beard by Megan Beech – Megan has acquired the status of being a ‘student slam-poet sensation’. When I Grow Up I Want to be Mary Beard is a vibrant exploration of gender inequality.