2017 was a good year for book lovers. The bestsellers ranged from popular authors making a comeback (Dan Brown’s Origins) to famous autobiographies of celebrities that we’ve been dying to read (Madan Krishna Shrestha’s MaHa ko Ma). 2017 saw a number of good reads for all ages. Here, we’ve listed the bestsellers of 2017 in both English and Nepali. Which of these books are on your reading list?
Everyone’s favorite symbologist, Robert Langdon is back. Dan Brown’s fifth installment of the mystery-thriller books including the bestselling novel, the Da Vinci Code sees the protagonist, Langdon back in action when Edmond Kirsch, who was one of Langdon’s students is about to reveal an astonishing breakthrough that questions human existence as we know it. But Kirsch is killed in the midst of a presentation that drives Langdon on a quest to save Kirsch’s discovery from being lost forever. Packed with symbols and history, Dan Brown’s Origin is certain to inspire anyone to take a trip to Spain, Barcelona and all the places mentioned in the book.
Lilly Singh, aka IISuperwomanII, is not just a YouTube celebrity. She is a rapper, a motivational speaker, and an advocate of #girllove. That is why her book, “How to Be a Bawse” is more than a self-help book. It is a guide to making the best of one’s life. Lilly Singh does not give shortcuts in her book; it is about working hard and working smart. An interactive explosion of fifty rules including pictures and personal stories of Lilly, this book is certain to become anyone’s favorite, whether they have been following the YouTube star through her journey or have just recently come across the book.
The bestselling author of emotional and heart wrenching young-adult novels, John Green reveals his fifth solo novel about a sixteen-year-old girl named Aza who suffers from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Aza and her best friend Daisy, go in search of a missing fugitive billionaire to receive the reward of $100,000. The book talks about how the disease affects Aza’s relationships with those close to her while in search of the billionaire. Green, who himself suffered from OCD has been praised for his attention to detail regarding the disease in this book.
Written by the same author who wrote autobiographies of Steve Jobs, Einstein and Benjamin Franklin, comes another compelling autobiography of the Renaissance man, Leonardo da Vinci. Walter Isaacson narrates the story of the artist and describes his traits, habits and skills that turned him into one of the most iconic men in history. Discover new facts of Leonardo da Vinci’s life that were previously unknown until very recently. Walter Isaacson connects Leonardo’s art to his science. Read about a passionate man who inspires the readers to think differently and strive in one’s passion.
After the success of Wonder, a story about a boy, August Pullman who was born with a facial deformity, Auggie & Me captures the story from three different points of view. The stories are told from the perspective of Julian, the bully; Christopher, Auggie’s oldest friend, and Charlotte, Auggie’s new friend at school. Giving a fresh look at the story, Auggie & Me compels readers to look at the story from three different angles and understand that things aren’t always as they seem.
Artemis follows the success of The Martian. A sci-fi novel by Weir that revolves around the story of Jazz, a young woman living on her own, surviving on odd jobs and minimum wage as a porter. Everything seems ordinary, except for the fact that she lives on Artemis, the first and only city on the moon. With a great division between the rich residents and the poor populous, the novel follows the story of Jazz as she ends up in a sabotaging plan that might destroy the city. Will Jazz be able to save the city and its people from possible doom?
The 22nd book in the Jack Reacher series, the plot finds Reacher once again in the Midwest, in an investigation involving the trade of opioid. While taking a stroll around a small Midwestern town, Reacher spots a ring displayed in a pawn shop, a ring that a woman had gifted to herself as a graduation present. As Reacher tracks the ring back to its owner, he ends up in Wyoming. But as expected, things aren’t what they seem to be.
The debut novel of Yoon, this young adult novel is about love, taking risks and family. Maddy Whittier is an 18-year-old girl who has never stepped outside her house. She suffers from severe combined immunodeficiency that limits her from interacting with anything that is not sanitized. The only people in her life are her mother and her nurse, Carla. But everything changes when Olly and his family move in next door. The two begin secretly texting each other and fall in love, thus changing how Maddy sees the world.
Winner of the Madan Puraskar for the year 2074, Dhritarashtra is a book about Mahabharat told from the viewpoint of Dhritrashtra, the blind king. The book focuses on how the king perceived the Mahabharat war and introduces the readers to a new take on the epic story. Written by author Ghanashyam Kandel, this book is bound to give readers a fresh look on the characters and their roles in the Great War between the Pandav and the Kaurav.
The much-awaited biography of one half of the famous duo; MaHa Jodi, Madan Krishna Shrestha has finally come out with his autobiography, MaHa ko Ma. After the success of Hari Bansha Acharya’s Cheeno Harayeko Manchey, Shrestha was encouraged to write his own biography and thus, the book narrates the chronicles of Shrestha’s life, from his childhood to performing as part of the MaHa duo. For anyone who has fond memories of watching his performances on stage and on television, MaHa ko Ma is bound to be a great collection.
Rajgaj by Hari Bahadur Thapa, is a book dealing with the issue of corruption within political parties, the palace, court and even inside the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority. It talks about the country’s tendency to overlook corruption-related issues among the political parties and the role of increasing investment in sectors like education, health, banking and infrastructure development in fostering corruption.
After having dozens of poems and short stories published by Hari Maya Bhetwal, Kalli is her first novel. The book talks about the still ongoing gender discrimination in Nepali society. Kalli is the story of women living in poverty, middle class and the rich society, and it is about the gender discrimination that these women face in the said levels of society. It talks about issues such as discrimination against the sons and daughters in a family, the societal pressure to give birth to a son and other real-life problems that have inspired the penning of this book.
Kathputala is a spin on the actual word, “Kathputali”, which although means a puppet, is usually signified as a word that denotes the female gender. Archana Thapa comes with her new book, Kathputala to speak out about the gender imbalance. It not only talks about empowering women but it also talks about breaking social stereotypes that revolve around both sexes, such as the notion that it is not considered masculine for men to cry. Kathputala sheds a light on the issues of gender while considering both sides of the coin.
Saurabh’s latest work, a 300 pages book, Asangati covers a diverse range of topics from Nepal’s failed shipping company, air service, bread (loaf), tea, catering service, floriculture, plants, insects, trade, culinary practices, opium, technological invention to everything in between. The book consists of 31 articles categorized in eight sections and includes collections from those published in various newspapers as well as fresh pieces of writing.
Mangena, meaning holding one’s head high in Limbuwan, is a book that raises questions about the nationality and civilization of Nepal. In the second book of the author, Yug Pathak after Urgenko Ghoda, the book is divided into 14 chapters and also focuses on development and nationality. Mangena is the author’s take on core contemporary issues in the likes of Nepal’s political history and the intellectualism that dominate Nepal’s political and intellectual discourse.
Bhuiyan is a story about 12 ordinary Nepali people who struggle for the rights of their ancestral lands. The book highlights the issue of land disparity and despite the fact that there are 28 government ministries of Nepal; none have been working to protect the ancestral land rights of the people.
The fiction designer, Kumar Nagarkoti has come up with his latest book, Docha. It is a memorial with a collection of Nagarkoti’s relationship with people and even his relationship with objects. A master of narration and storytelling, the author has created a niche for himself with unconventional storytelling through the eyes of others, people, animals, and non-living objects. Docha promises to be a good read that will bring back the pure delight of enjoying a good book.