Kavitha Ashokkumar discusses six authors who captured her heart with their books!

On National Author's Day, bookstagrammer Kavitha Ashokkumar (@shri_reads_books)shares her top six favorite authors who continue to make her reading journey interesting.

I have always found solace in reading good books. Books have always filled the void in my desolate days. In 2020, when the whole world was facing a pandemic threat, I started posting about books on Instagram, and that is when I met this incredible Bookstagram community.

Bookstagram is one of the reasons I started reading diverse authors. You are introduced to a whole new world through diverse authors and the stories they have to share. They manage to inspire us with stories that are nothing but a look into how the world truly works. Having had the chance to read many incredible authors throughout my bookstagram journey, I make sure to share my recommendations when my fellow readers ask for them. And what better day to share my top six favorite authors who made me fall in love with reading than National Authors Day? 

Also Read: Bookstagrammer Chaitanya Srivastava recommended some queer memoirs that are filled with honesty and raw feelings!

Here are six authors I absolutely love reading!

Haruki Murakami

Magic realism has always been my go-to genre. I have read many books in this genre, but reading Haruki Murakami is like delving into another world, a world that confounds you. Murakami’s writing style transports you to an eccentric place where you explore the subconscious. Kafka on the Shore is one of the books I will remember forever. 

The existential inquiry, complex emotions and fragmented world in Kafka on the Shore made me a huge fan of his writing style. 

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

I have a thing for complex books, ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ tops the list of my favourite complex novels. Every page of this book gave me a unique experience, the blend of real life and fantasy in the non-linear narrative makes this book a timeless classic.

Also, Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s novellas ‘No One Writes to the Colonel’ and ‘The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor’ intertwine both personal and political histories in a splendid narrative structure.  

Frederick Backman

Fredrick Backman’s central characters are the unnoticed, beautifully flawed humans. Who would write about the emotional vulnerability of a rude and grumpy old man? Fredrick Backman does! All of his writings are my favorites, solely because of the central characters. Britt Marie, Ove, and the bank robber have an indelible place in my memory.

Perumal Murugan

Growing up in Tamilnadu, reading Perumal Murugan’s ‘One Part Woman’, ‘Poonachi’ and ‘Rising Heat’ resonated with me. His narrative style revolves around the social dynamics of Tamilnadu. The author’s political correctness and accuracy in portraying rural settings in Tamilnadu astounded my wits. He is truly a great contributor to Indian Literature.

Amitav Ghosh

Nobody can weave environmental concerns in a poignant storyline like Amitav Ghosh does. ‘Glass Palace’ and ‘Hungry Tide’ are two different genres, however, the intricate relationships between characters in both books are profound. I especially love reading his description of the Sundarban's landscape. Amitav Ghosh will always be on my list when someone asks my favourite South Asian Writers.

Dean Koontz

Ever since reading the gripping thrillers by Dean Koontz, no other author has captivated me as much as Koontz’s spine-chilling storylines. The strangeness in his books is mindblowing. The psychological elements in his thrillers are mild-blowing. ‘Eyes of Darkness’ is both a Sci-fi and supernatural thriller and one of my recommendations to psychological thriller book buffs. 

Which book has intrigued you the most? Tell us in the comments below

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