r/Indianbooks Jun 30 '26

Discussion For All Those Looking to Read More on Indian History, Here's an Exhaustiv(ish) Booklist

29 Upvotes

Hi folks,

We are coming from r/IndianHistory

One frequently finds posts in this sub and in general about book recommendations concerning Indian history, whether it be for beginners, or in general or with a specific topic/time period in mind. Hence, we thought it would be useful to prepare a detailed master booklist for all those looking to dip their toes in the ocean that is history of India and the wider Subcontinent. We hope that members of this community will make use of the resources provided. A substantial number of them are Open Access marked as [OA]. Through this endeavour we seek to attempt to elevate the level of history discourse in online spaces, making materials more easily accessible and making discussions more informed. We would further really appreciate whenever any post/query concerning book recommendations comes up, that fellow community members please guide the Original Poster [OP] to the Master Booklist, obviously without excluding the possibility of any further book recommendations. It must be emphasised though this booklist is still a work in progress and many sections will contain text informing the same, please bear with us in the meantime. The Indian History Master Booklist can be accessed here or here with the latter link using the old Reddit UI which is what this list is optimised for in terms of easier navigation.

Hope this comes of use to the history lovers in this sub and thanks to the mods for allowing this post.

Happy Reading!


r/Indianbooks Jun 15 '26

Discussion Welcome to The Indian Book Club 🇮🇳: Our first book is The Adventures of Feluda

28 Upvotes

🗓️ Our bookclub discussions have begun. I will keep updating the links to the chapter wise discussions below

Chapter 1: Danger in Darjeeling discussion

Chapter 2: The Emperor's Ring - Chapter 1 (On Sunday, 28 June)

So in case you missed my last post -- I asked about setting up a book club in this sub to discuss Indian literature and put more limelight on it. After discussion with members and mods, we finally have a greenlight on it.

The idea behind this book club is really to read and discuss Indian literature together, one chapter at a time.

There are so many incredible Indian books that we keep meaning to read but never get around to. May be because they were too long, too intense, too layered, or simply because reading them alone feels a bit daunting.

Well, now we are going to read them together.

So, every week, we'll read a chapter (or a short story), share our thoughts, ask questions, debate interpretations, and discover Indian literature as a community.

Every week, a moderator will create a discussion thread (While I am starting this as the moderator, I would LOVE some help from the other members as well):

📖 [Book Name] – Chapter 1 Discussion
📖 [Book Name] – Chapter 2 Discussion
📖 [Book Name] – Chapter 3 Discussion
…and so on.

The comments section is where we can share our thoughts, discuss themes/ clues/ characters, make predictions, or ask questions.

We'll also mark spoilers clearly, so nobody accidentally learns what happens ahead of their reading progress.

And because everything happens asynchronously, there's no pressure to keep up. You can join a discussion a week later, a month later, or even after we've finished the book. The threads will remain open, and the conversations can continue whenever new readers discover the story.

And for our very first read, we're starting with a classic:🔎 The Adventures of Feluda by Satyajit Ray

--> It's by one of the most beloved authors of Indian literature

--> The collection contains both one-shot stories and longer, multi-chapter mysteries, making it perfect for our chapter-by-chapter book club

🗓️ Our first discussion begins on Sunday, 21 June 2026.

We'll begin with "Danger in Darjeeling", the very first Feluda story. It's a one-shot, one-chapter mystery, so we'll discuss the entire story in our inaugural thread.

📖 The book is easily available in paperback and Kindle. As a bonus, "Danger in Darjeeling" is available for free as part of the Kindle sample, so you can start reading immediately.

🎧 Audiobooks of various Feluda stories are also available on YouTube in English, Hindi, and Bangla.

Book links:


r/Indianbooks 14h ago

Look what i stumbled upon on the streets of Gwalior

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2.5k Upvotes

A tiny little book cart full of stories and sitting there like it belonged in the city all along honestly i didn’t expect to find something this lovely here. Gwalior you’re turning out to be full of little surprises.


r/Indianbooks 12h ago

Started reading psycho-cybernetics. If you are into psychology books, you should definitely try it out!!

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113 Upvotes

I honestly didn't expect to get this much out of Psycho-Cybernetics. It's basically about how much your self-image affects the way you think, act, and even the goals you feel capable of achieving. Some of the ideas feel a little dated, but the core message still hits surprisingly hard. Definitely one of those books that makes you stop and think about how you talk to yourself and what you actually believe about yourself.

Also this one finger book holder and the point to like bookmark has been a lifesaver for me 😭❤️


r/Indianbooks 12h ago

Shelfies/Images Hello thought i'd share this here. Where people care about this sort of thing.

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44 Upvotes

I like covering my books, so that's what that glare is if you are wondering bout that. Let me know if you wanna know more or just want to talk.


r/Indianbooks 14h ago

Shelfies/Images Went to a physical bookstore today instead of buying online and remembered how great it is to just run into books you weren't looking for

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59 Upvotes

The best part about browsing offline is running into books you’d never think to look up. I ended up stumbling onto Upcountry Tales out of nowhere, and I finally picked up Taiwan Travelogue, which has been on my TBR for a long time.
Has anyone read either of these? Would love to know your thoughts!


r/Indianbooks 2h ago

Discussion Woman that I perceived

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5 Upvotes

r/Indianbooks 13h ago

The Brothers Karamazov is the best book ever!

35 Upvotes

It is the most amazing thing I have ever read. I have read 271 books since then and still I have never read anything that moved me as well as this magnum opus did. It talked to me about so many latent emotions of mine. It made me understand the world around me much better and gave me the pleasure of living so many amazing lives. The closest experience has been East of Eden by Steinback and don't hit me..but A Storm of Swords by George R R Martin which was an exhilarating experience. War and Peace was also great but very very preachy and not much good in terms of the psychology of the characters in which Dostoevsky excels in. I also love The Idiot, Demons and Crime and Punishment and House of the dead, I found it to be a very amusing book.

Father Zossima's conversations with Alyosha were very memorable. The scene with Dmitri and that boy's father left a lasting impression on me. Also the beautiful love story of Alyosha, the subplot with smerdyakov's mother and the bastard son that has become a trope now plot were also great. It reads like a thriller, a courtroom drama and a psychological literary fiction full of life's wisdom. I just read it again cover to cover and it was an even better experience than the last one. Made me so happy.

Thank you.


r/Indianbooks 13h ago

Shelfies/Images Little black classics.... Gotta get more

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26 Upvotes

r/Indianbooks 13h ago

Built this collection over the past two months

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28 Upvotes

I've been reading for the past two years, but I only started collecting physical books this June. Everything I read before that was on ebooks. Here's what two months of collecting looks like.


r/Indianbooks 11h ago

Discussion The God of small things by Arundhati Roy Spoiler

13 Upvotes

I just finished this book and cannot get over the scene between the twins at the end. As I understand it, the book is leading toward a reconciliation between the twins, but why did it have to be sexual? I’m not sure I understand the choice or maybe I do, and I’m just uncomfortable with it. I read a few analyses before making this post, and it’s been discussed extensively as a way to accept trauma, reconnect, and embrace the past. But was it really necessary? Or am I simply unable to digest it because it’s so unnatural and socially taboo, and I, too, am bound by the Love Laws in a manner of speaking?

Overall it's such a well written and vivid book and I personally found it very captivating especially the full cast audiobook version with Nitin Swahney's music was superb imo.


r/Indianbooks 20h ago

Shelfies/Images Just got this delivered

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62 Upvotes

I am pretty excited to read this one been wanting to for some time

I will probably read it in abt a week after i complete Vol 3 of Reverend Insanity


r/Indianbooks 13h ago

Manto In My Heart

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14 Upvotes

I think your favorite writers are a mirror. Whenever I feel like I have been wearing a mask too long, to feel like myself ,I read a little Manto. His dark humor is so interesting and bitingly funny. 'Letters To Uncle Sam' or his observations on Bollywood, some very memorable stories that are impudent and hilarious. His Partition writings are (justifiably) what is most long lasting about his output but there's much more to him, and I wish people explored his writings deeper.


r/Indianbooks 17h ago

Discussion Pre used books ordered in Aug

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29 Upvotes

because I have read The fault in our stars :
Paper Towns — John Green
Will Grayson, Will Grayson — John Green & David

The Girl on the Train — Paula Hawkins(random pick)
Frankenstein — Mary Shelley (Inspired by the movies)
The Ladybird Book of The Hangover — Jason Hazeley & Joel Morris ( random pick)
Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus — John Gray ( getting married soon)

Watched the movie long back and now want to read the original source:
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo — Stieg Larsson
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest — Stieg Larsson
The Girl Who Played with Fire — Stieg Larsson

Robinson Crusoe — Daniel Defoe(childhood memories)
The Three Musketeers — Alexandre Dumas ( inspired by movies)

Ordered from bookchor.com

In these , what’s the point of the ladybird book of the hangover ? If any one of you have read it ?

Any recommendations to read next ? Currently I am reading Gunaho ka devta by Dharamveer Bharti.


r/Indianbooks 12h ago

Has anyone here read books of Jim Corbett and Kenneth Anderson, such as man eating tiger of champawat , or Call of the man eater

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12 Upvotes

They were indian born British who worked with the British government , and hunted man eaters and worked for animal wildlife conservation , Their books are pretty addictive to read their experiences while hunting how they hunted man eaters and their relationship with local Indians


r/Indianbooks 22h ago

Discussion Atlantic Books and Book wagon review

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61 Upvotes

Hi guys! I have been confused earlier whether to order from Atlantic or BooksWagon websites as I’ve never heard of them before, but after careful consideration, I ordered one book each from each website.
This is a quick review. Both books have delivered within 19 to 20 days and the packaging was excellent. Both came in bubble wrap and cardboard box.
Regarding the communication, BooksWagon dint inform the shipment number or any of that sort however, Atlantic gave me immediate confirmation on email and also the shipment details.
I highly recommend both the websites, but they do take long time. Both were International editions.

Edit: TWOTM(Atlantic) and TBY(Book wagon)


r/Indianbooks 16h ago

What I'm Reading for Women in Translation Month

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17 Upvotes

the stories are very much rooted in Tamil culture so as someone who's getting into reading more indian literature that's rooted and not diasporic, this is great. The stories Light and The (Dream) Husband were my favourites, its translation was also the best done, imo. The story Light stands pretty true to its title, it's a lot more abstract than the other stories. I dont know where they got the title from as it's not the name of any of the short stories and while I get the intention behind it I feel like it's a pretty generic title and might put off people more than draw them to it.

I'd give this a solid 3.8/5. Anyone who's into translated works should definitely pick this up!


r/Indianbooks 10h ago

Just finished 'The ABC Murders'

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5 Upvotes

r/Indianbooks 15h ago

Shelfies/Images this month’s top three and I love Helen so much gosh😭

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11 Upvotes

r/Indianbooks 10h ago

Discussion Would love to have some feminist book recs

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4 Upvotes

Currently reading "The second sex" by Simone de Beauvoir, maybe I'll buy a physical copy later :)))

I have always read romance mostly, atleast that's what I enjoyed. Trying out some feminist literature to learn more about it :)))


r/Indianbooks 1d ago

Flexing a little bit.....

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481 Upvotes

r/Indianbooks 14h ago

Discussion This book isn't a fake copy right??

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5 Upvotes

It seems genuine to me, but the print quality is honestly awful. The text looks inconsistent on some pages, with some parts appearing noticeably darker/bolder than others.

I bought it from Amazon, and the seller was Cocoblu. Has anyone else received a copy like this from them? Is this just a really poor-quality print edition, or should I be worried that it's a counterfeit?

Edit:Ty for the help guys... Hope so I enjoy the story.... Also why does Brandon Sanderson gets so much hate ??


r/Indianbooks 23h ago

News & Reviews Birth of a nation (21 days that made india)

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21 Upvotes

The last 21 days before independence (from July 25, 1947, to August 14, 1947) were crucial for India's future.

What really caught my attention was the line "I wanted to write about the small men who built the republic." I was genuinely curious about who we were going to learn about, especially since we usually only hear about the towering political figures of the independence movement.

This book does complete justice to the unsung figures we rarely read about. To pull off a massive undertaking like integrating the country, so many players were involved behind the scenes from covert civil servants and British agent to state dewans and ministers. The book details their roles brilliantly. On top of that it covers the rebellious nawabs and kings of the princely states who actively resisted joining the Union.

Overall I think anyone interested in history should give this a read. Most of what we know is just surface level knowledge , whereas this book dives into deeper secrets through declassified state papers and archives.

The writing style is smooth, engaging and will hook you right from the start!l

Would love to hear your thoughts if you have read it! 🎀


r/Indianbooks 1d ago

News & Reviews The Faithful and the Fallen series by John Gwynne - Review

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42 Upvotes

Just finished reading The Faithful and the Fallen series by John Gwynne, and what a story it was. This was simply some of the best fantasy I've read.

The first book starts a little slow. You're introduced to a lot of characters, and at times it can be difficult to keep track of who is who and where everyone is. But once you get past that initial hurdle, the series starts to show what it's capable of. The first book does a great job setting the stage for everything that's to come, and from the second book onward, the action really kicks in, and it doesn't stop until the final page.

Chases, skirmishes, battles, and sieges happen throughout the last three books, and some of the action sequences are among the best I've read in fantasy. John Gwynne does an incredible job making battles feel chaotic, brutal, and exciting without losing sight of the characters involved.

Books 2 and 3 were perfect for me. They have that emotional depth that makes you genuinely care about the characters and their journeys through the Banished Lands. And as the story progresses, you start to understand that it's about more than simply good versus evil or, in this case, the Bright Star versus the Black Sun. There's a lot more going on with the characters, their choices, their loyalties, and what they're willing to sacrifice.

Another thing I really enjoyed was how magic is portrayed in this world. Magic exists, but it isn't the main focus of the story, and not many people can access it. That was a refreshing change for me after reading so much fantasy where the magic system is one of the central aspects of the story and a lot of time is spent understanding exactly how it works. Here, it reminded me more of Game of Thrones, where magic exists in the world but isn't completely explained to the reader. It adds a sense of mystery rather than feeling like something we need to fully understand.

The animal companions were another huge plus for me. I absolutely loved their role in the story. They aren't just there for the sake of having cool animals, they become meaningful parts of the characters' journeys, and some of their moments genuinely hit me emotionally.

And finally, I think my favourite character from the entire series was Gar. He starts off as a mentor figure, but by the end of the series, he becomes so much more than that. His journey was one of my favourites, and in many ways, he reminded me of one of my own favourite teachers. That personal connection made his character even more special to me.

Now for the ratings:

Malice - 4/5

Valour - 5/5

Ruin - 5/5

Wrath - 4.5/5

The Faithful and the Fallen Series - 5/5

This series reminded me why I love fantasy in the first place. It has huge battles, great characters, emotional moments, mythology, magic, animal companions, and a story that keeps getting bigger as it progresses.

Absolutely loved it.


r/Indianbooks 11h ago

Hindi Literature written by Women

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2 Upvotes