On one hand, Corona Virus has disturbed life as we knew it, on the other, it has given us a chance to spend our time constructively. Thanks to the internet, there is a lot one can do while being at home but what about those who don’t have the internet or don’t want to use it. These are the people who hardly went out even when there was no Corona because they already had an alternate way to celebrate life - with books, of course! How can books be an escape from isolation you ask? Well, if you know the right kind of books, then you will not be needing a non-book loving friend, because books transport you to a world where only those who love them, can go! Read on:
The Complete Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes may have made his debut through A Study in Scarlet way back in the late 1880s but even after so many years, he remains the most popular fictional detective in the world. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s character appears in as many as 56 short stories and three more novels (The Sign of Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Valley of Fear) and changed the way detective fiction was written. Be it Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot or Raymond Chandler’s Phillip Marlowe, TV detectives Lt Columbo or Adrian Monk or even TV doctors like Dr. Gregory House, every character is more or less inspired by the greatest of ‘em all. If you have read one Sherlock Holmes’ story, you might have attempted to read them all, and if you aren’t familiar with the character, now is the best time to take a trip into the world of lies, deceit, and crime. Sherlock Holmes uses his own deduction skills and investigative methods to solve crimes, and hardly ever fails. The same goes for the readers who will stop only after reading the entire collection.
The Freakonomics Series
If ever a list was compiled of the most interesting books, the Freakonomics series will appear in the top five, without any doubt. And why wouldn’t it, after all, authors Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner talk about riddles of everyday life like no other writing duo before them. The first book of the series Freakonomics deals with questions such as ‘Which is more dangerous, a gun or a swimming pool’, How much do parents really matter’ or ‘Why do drug dealers still live with their moms’ to name a few. The answers to these questions will not just shock and amaze you but also make you want to buy every book in the series before it’s sold out again. There is SuperFreakonomics that followed the first book, succeeded by Think Like a Freak and When To Rob A Bank which revolve around everything that is related to all of us, without us realizing that. Do remember, it was the first book in the series that explained to the world that Sumo Wrestling is rigged before the Sumo Wrestlers were found guilty of match-fixing.
The Tipping Point and other Malcolm Gladwell Books
Before there was Freakonomics, there was The Tipping Point. It wouldn’t be incorrect to say that had there been no Malcolm Gladwell, the world might not have experienced The Freakonomics Series for sure. Journalist turned author Malcolm Gladwell and his six books can be life-changing if read in the correct order with no distractions. From his best-selling debut book The Tipping Point to his last one Talking to Strangers, he has covered topics that will broaden the reader’s mind. While The Tipping Point was inspired by the sudden drop of crime in New York City, Blink explained interesting theories such as how the human mind interprets events or cues unconsciously leading the person to make informed decisions very rapidly. Then there is Outliers, What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures, David and Goliath and Talking to Strangers that revolve around everyday happenings as well as news that we don’t take seriously. The way Malcolm Gladwell deals with different topics is what makes this series worth your while, especially when you are looking to escape from the boredom of isolation!
Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon Novels
There are two kinds of readers in the world – those who love Dan Brown and those who don’t. The ones who love him have read each and every book he has ever written, mostly in the last 20 years, whereas those who don’t are either fans of another genre or not fans of books at all. I don’t blame them who aren’t familiar with his work but don’t be scared of his book’s thickness, you need to have such a book if you are taking the reader on a trip down the memory lane. His most famous novels revolve around the adventures of one Robert Langdon who is a Professor of Art History and Symbology, with an eye for inconsistency, that leads him into trouble, and also to safety. Start the Robert Langdon series with Angels and Demons and move to Da Vinci Code and if you manage to get through both of them, then there is no stopping for sure. In The Lost Symbol, Inferno and Origin, he continues his treasure hunting into the past, conspiracy theories in the present and an adventure that might lead to a future with a happy ending.
Howzat Book Set
And then there is the Howzat Book Set that features some of the best Cricket Books of all time. There is Boycott – The Autobiography the revolves around the career of the leading English batsmen and commentators Geoffrey Boycott, As It Was that takes the readers into the world of Fred Trueman who was the first bowler to take 300 Test wickets, and The Art of Captaincy which is kind of a guide book from England’s master skipper Mike Brearley for all the Captains out there. That’s just not all, Cricket’s most inspirational writer John Woodcock lists down the name and biographies of 100 Greatest Cricketers, and the names to make that list from Pakistan includes Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Fazal Mahmood, and Hanif Mohammad. Interesting, isn’t it? Last but not the least, if you are interested in reading about Cricket, then The Picador Book Of Cricket will make your day as it features writings from the best Cricket writers and analysts of all times, including John Arlott, Richie Benaud and Sir Neville Cardus.
You can order these books from any website that is still delivering, such as Liberty Books, Reading, Kitabein, Global Books, Paramount Books, Saeed Book Bank, Fabingo etc.
