5 mysterious Books I read recently in December 2023

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The last month of the year 2023 and the year has flown away.

In 2023, I embarked on an incredible reading journey, immersing myself in a total of 65 captivating books. These literary adventures spanned across various genres and authors, exposing me to a plethora of unique perspectives and stories. With a staggering total of 16,000 pages devoured, my mind was constantly stimulated and enriched by the power of words. 

I love to read stories from different genres and immerse myself in the vivid worlds created by talented authors. Whether it's a thrilling mystery, a heart-warming romance, or a thought-provoking science fiction novel, I find immense joy in getting lost in the pages of a captivating story. Reading not only entertains me but also broadens my perspective, enhances my imagination, and allows me to connect with characters on a deep emotional level. It's truly a magical experience that transports me to new realms and leaves a lasting impression.

I endeavor to continue this journey in 2024.

Many of these books are also available on Kindle Unlimited. Try Kindle Unlimited Free for 30 days!

Recent Reads December 2023

Yellowface by R.F.Kuang

Writers June Hayward and Athena Liu, who both started at Yale in the same year and made their publication debuts, were expected to be similarly successful. But June didn't even have a paperback edition, whereas Athena is a cross-genre literary sensation. June feels no one is interested in stories about average white girls.

As a result, June acts impulsively after seeing Athena die in a strange accident and steals her recently completed experimental novel, which is about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers during World War I.

Anyone who writes or works in the publishing sector will find particular resonance in this narrative. Kuang makes fun of everyone, including book bloggers, critics, and publishers, in addition to writers. A darker, more grave assessment of racism in publishing is included, along with a delicately funny commentary on the book industry. 

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann

David Grann's book Killers of the Flower Moon is a meticulously researched account of an appalling conspiracy against the Osage Indian nation in Oklahoma.

The book centers on an Osage family that died in various ways, from a peculiar wasting illness to violence. The Osage family was the victim of racism but also the wealthiest people per capita in the world.

In the 1870s, the Osage were driven from ancestral lands to a reservation in Oklahoma, which later became the site of some of the largest oil deposits in the US. To excavate this oil, prospectors had to rent leases from the Osage, and journalists reported on "plutocratic Osage" and "red millionaires".

The US government facilitated more insidious thefts by claiming that many Osage were incapable of handling their own money. These tribe members were forced to have "guardians" supervise and authorize their spending, often grossly swindling their wards by purchasing items at inflated prices, directing business to associates for kickbacks, and outright stealing.

Headright inheritance, as a fledgling FBI eventually proved, helped explain the deaths of Minnie, Anna, Lizzie, Rita, and Bill. In time, three of the white men behind the Kyle family murders were apprehended, found guilty, and put in prison. However, Grann shows that the FBI's victory declaration obscured the scope of headright-related killings. Most of the murders weren't solved, and the victims' descendants carried out their own private investigations with no end.

The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferris – Escape 9-5, live anywhere, and join the new rich

This book serves as a revolutionary compass for everybody, be it an entrepreneur stuck in your own firm or an overworked employee.
Tim Ferriss teaches us -
- Is it possible to hire $5 per hour virtual assistants from abroad to handle your life?
- How do successful escape artists tour the globe without giving up their jobs?
- How about applying the ideas of a little-known Italian economist to cut out 50% of your job in 48 hours?
- What is the primary distinction between relative and absolute income?
- What are the CEOs of Remote Control's managerial secrets?
- How can I get 50–80% savings on airfare and free lodging anywhere in the world?
- How to make a meaningful life and fill the hole left by leaving the workplace and work behind?

Boo: 13 stories that will send a chill down your spine edited by Shinie Antony

BOO is a collection of 13 horror stories meant to send a chill down your spine. With a charismatic line-up of Indian authors like Durjoy Datta, Jerry Pinto, Janhavi Barua, Shashi Deshpande, and so on, I was expecting a chill down my spine. Unfortunately, none of the stories impressed me enough. After finishing the book, I remember just one of these stories titled Claws.

Maybe the problem was with my expectations. I went in hoping for paranormal stories and haunted houses, but these stories were more about the horror prevalent in our societies and culture. Horror that is situated in our minds and is not actually an outside presence.

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann

The Wager was a ship in His Majesty's service during the 1700s that was commissioned on a secret mission of stealing Spain's grand treasure aboard another vessel. But as fate had another plan, it wrecked on a deserted island far south on the shore of Patagonia.

I recently read another book by David Grann - The Killers of the Flower Moon, and I felt that The Wager's narrative style has changed from his previous book. The earlier style was very matter-of-fact, like a documentary, while, this book, The Wager, is more narrative and like an ongoing movie. I enjoyed this style more.

The book highlights human nature in a very shadowy light. What happens to strong, noble gentlemen when they are stranded on an island, far away from home, and facing nature in its most violent form without food, shelter, or other meager necessities? Grann's narrative is riveting. he manages to add twists at the right junctures without diverting from the original story. He unearths the underlying meaning of the actions and thought processes of the people involved and very plainly shows the failure of the British Empire to showcase the truth and accept the consequences of their recklessness.