Happy birthday, Vikram Seth! Acknowledging his top 5 books
One of the most celebrated Indian novelists and poets who have won several accolades including the coveted Padma Shri, Vikram Seth has mesmerized the world of literature with his finest prints. Born on June 20, 1952, this wordsmith has also bagged multiple international honors that make his books among the most-read. As he turns 71 today, let's acknowledge his top five musings.
'A Suitable Boy'
This novel by Seth is a blend of love, struggles, ambition, humor, prejudice, sadness, reconciliation, and violence, which makes it worth reading. It is about a girl named Lata, who with her mother Rupa, is looking for a suitable groom. The book centers around four large families and various societal and political backgrounds of the newly-independent India during the 1950s.
'The Golden Gate'
Published in 1986, The Golden Gate made Seth popular in the United States of America. The plot revolves around John Brown, a young and well-to-do man, who stays in San Francisco and meets a romantic flame named Liz after he published an ad in a newspaper. However, more characters are introduced, and Liz falls in love with Brown's best friend.
'Two Lives'
This book showcases two sides - one that captures the gruesome violence and the other which exhibits love and marriage. A mix of biography and a memoir, it is a story about Shanti Behari Seth, who was born in India during the British Raj but was sent to Berlin to study dentistry. Before further moving to Britain, he meets the love of his life.
'All You Who Sleep Tonight'
Published in 1990, this book is a collection of poems by Seth. It has five sections namely Romantic Residues (showcasing feelings of love and its aftermath), In Other Voices (capturing viewpoints of people across cultures and tragedies), In Other Places (poems about people he met during his travel), Quatrains (poems on insomnia and table manners), and Meditations of the Heart (admiring poet Irina Ratushinskaya).
'An Equal Music'
This one is a deeply romantic tale of two musicians Michael Holme who is a violinist and Julia McNicholl, a pianist. The two confront their feelings for each other, which both unites and divides them when Julia finally decides to reveal a dark secret. It is easily one of the best works by Seth. Check out more such book recommendations.
