Pedal your mind

It is every reader's dream to hurl a few books inside their backpack and go enjoy a vacation to the mountains or the beach. While, this may not always be feasible, the modern world has introduced this new concept of stay.cation – a vacation where you stay indoors to relax and enjoy the comfort of your home. If it also includes a steaming cup of coffee, or tea and your favourite book in your hands, what else can a bookworm possibly yearn for?

By now, a cute little image of dissolving into your books on your balcony may have already curled up in your mine. But, what books? Here's five to aid you on building that perfect stay.cation!

THE MINISTRY OF UTMOST HAPPINESS – 

A NOVEL BY ARUNDHATI ROY

After nearly two decades of anticipation, Arundhati Roy has brought upon us, her new book. This can be categorized as contemporary literary fiction consisting of Roy's prose in many forms including poetry, letters, and composition, and of course her expert story telling skills. 

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness portrays the story of a contemporary world, of India and Pakistan delivered via the microcosm of individuals living through the neverending conflicts in Kashmir, and the fringe communities of outsiders in Delhi. Roy explores the impoverished society of transgender and political debacle at Kashmir. In a world where the minorities are at the brink of extinction, this book is a small token of peace and gratitude. 

IN THE LIGHT OF WHAT WE KNOW – BY ZIA HAIDER RAHMAN 

Zia Haider's debut novel has stolen the hearts of readers throughout the world. In his novel, he took his readers on a journey of exhilarating opportunity ranging over Kabul, London, New York, Islamabad, and Oxford while dealing with love, finance, science and war. 

This book is an entire package of friendship and betrayal, and how the characters eventually rose to success fighting economic recession.

The chronicle concerns the story of an investment banker approaching the age of forty and with every turn of the page, you will discover the panoramic tales of surviving in this young century filled with ambition and loss.

WE SHOULD HANG OUT SOMETIME — AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY BY JOSH SUNDQUIST

As Josh Sundquist claims, this is an embarrassingly true story which mean this is an autobiography of the writer narrated in deeply funny short accounts. This autobiography is an epitome of humour that is to say, it is a light read for readers but it also shows how Sundquist became a cancer survivor to a Paralympics ski racer, YouTube star and motivational speaker within three decades only! 

He had his only girlfriend in eight grades and ever since then since he's twenty-eight and still single. Sounds relatable? 

To find out what went wrong with all the girls in the years that went by, he tracked town the entire bunch of women and asked them: What went wrong? I am sure you would love to know it too!

HOW TO FALL IN LOVE WITH ANYONE – 

A MEMOIR BY MANDY LEN CATRON

This book will be relatable to anyone from their teens to late adults as it explores the romantic myths we create and explains how they limit our ability to achieve and sustain intimacy.

Catron deconstructs her own personal canon of love stories. She delves all the way back to 1944, when her grandparents first met in a coal mining town in Appalachia, to her own dating life as a professor in Vancouver, drawing insights from her fascinating research into the query, “What really makes love last?” This million dollar question is answered by Catron in a series of candid and wise essays. 

TANYA TANYA- AN EPISTOLARY NOVEL BY ANTARA GANGULI

This is my personal favourite and I've taken six month in savouring this book because I really didn't want it to end. 

Tanya Tanya is a narration of two young women coming of age in two different countries. Tanya Talati in Karachi, and Tania Ghosh in Bombay — daughters of college best friends, write to each other of what cannot be said to anyone else. 

The entire novel is written in letters exchanged between the two girls in a span of six years unravelling love, conflicts in families, war in Karachi and so much more!

While there are no book cafes currently available in our city, where you can simply sit back and enjoy the aroma from freshly brewed coffee, enjoy the jazz music being played in the background and dissolve in your book, the same experience can be created inside your bedroom with little adjustments, ofcourse with the books mentioned above. 

Read and enjoy your stay.cation!

By Mayesha Raidah

Photo: Collected