HT Picks; New Reads

This week’s pick of interesting reads includes a heartwarming tale about a young magician, a book that traces the trajectories of trauma in Indian lives, and a novel about the intense yearning for a better life and the cost of that

Casting a spell

On the reading list this week is a tale about a young magician, a book that traces trauma in Indian lives, and a novel about immigration and identity. (Akash Shrivastav)

24pp, ₹95, Pratham Books (A heartwarming tale about a young magician)

A story about a young magician from a family of consummate magicians – his relatives include an aunt who is famous for being marvellous, a great grandfather who continues to draw attention even at the age of 103, and a cousin who keeps winning awards – this is a book for children who are at Level 2 and just beginning to read. Ajji Majji La Tarajji, what kind of magician is Nelson going to be? Unfortunately, the protagonist, who is just setting out as a magician, keeps making blunders leaving all the children wailing at a birthday party. But there’s an unexpected twist in Nelson’s tale that makes it a heartwarming one for the kids who read this book and for their parents too.

Held to ransom by fear, shame, and self-doubt

232pp, ₹799; Aleph (Tracing the origins and trajectories of trauma through events that impact Indian lives)

Do you feel emotionally numb or dangerously on edge, without really knowing why? Do you tend to get stuck in endless loops of damaging memories? Or find yourself unable to leave people or situations that you know, in your bones, aren’t good for you? Sometimes, fear, shame, and self-doubt may hold us ransom and keep us from becoming our full, authentic selves.

Trauma is a silent epidemic in India. It hides in plain sight, embedding itself in our bodies, families, and communities — manifesting as anxiety, depression, physical illnesses, addictions, and various other mental health issues. In Trauma Nation, mental health expert Nishtha Lamba, traces the origins and trajectories of trauma through events that impact our lives — toxic relationships, childhood wounds, accidents, and historical tragedies.

Using deeply personal stories from survivors, science, and personal anecdotes, she analyses how trauma in Indian society is handed down generations like a cursed heirloom. Compassionate yet unflinching, Trauma Nation gives voice to what many feel but are unable to articulate, and shows us how we in India might heal ourselves, deal with mental health issues, and build a psychologically safer society.*

On immigration and identity

232pp, ₹699; HarperCollins (A novel about the intense yearning for a better life and the cost of that)

What does it mean to chase a dream across oceans, only to find its edges fraying on arrival? When Sukhpreet Gill thinks of Canada, he imagines a future of promise and prosperity, a life of sprawling townhouses and easy money. It is a vision that propels him to mortgage family land, leave Jalandhar and the girl he loves, and make his way to a country that isn’t ready to accept him.

On the other side of the world, Maynard Wilson is coming to terms with a nation that has nothing left to offer Canadians like him. Unemployed, with maxed-out credit cards and no savings, he risks being evicted from his rented apartment. When his path intersects with Sukhpreet’s, the collision has terrible consequences.

Tender and heartfelt, award-winning writer Lindsay Pereira’s most ambitious novel yet is an unforgettable exploration of immigration, identity, and the intense yearning for a better life — along with the often-devastating cost that comes with it.*

*All copy from bookflap.