I’m currently reading Mindy Kaling’s Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) which is a mix of her memoir and a compilation of essays about her life. I’m not really into non-fiction books, but Kaling is one of the few South Asian women on television these days, and she’s hilariously brilliant so I had to support.

However, in recent years my favorite genre has been historical fiction (with a particular focus on South Asian history). I love history and I love stories, so it’s the best mix of both worlds. Two of my favorite books are Beneath the Marble Sky and Veil of Roses. 

Beneath the Marble Sky, by John Shors, takes place during the Mughal Empire and the building of the Taj Mahal. I enjoyed reading about the richness of the Indian culture at that time. The fiction aspect deals with Emperor Shah Jahan’s daughter, who falls in love with the architect of the Taj Mahal.

Veil of Roses, by Laura Fitzgerald, tells the story of a young Iranian woman who comes to America with the hope of starting a new life. It was so interesting to read about life in Iran is so restricted and what the Ayatollah is like.

Another good read is The Twentieth Wife, by Indu Sundaresan.

Next I plan to read Partitions, a novel written by my friend’s husband about the India-Pakistan partition.

Do you have a favorite historical fiction book? What genre do you enjoy reading?