The 12 most amazing Indian non-fiction reads of 2018

A true bibliophile doesn't differentiate between fiction and non-fiction. If you love reading, chances are, you will pick up anything that interests you -- it could be a work of fiction about magical monsters or it may be a thrilling and inspiring autobiography of a person you admire. But every good book will leave an indelible mark in a reader's mind, and a profound wisdom that makes one contemplate about new truths in serenity. Such is the power of a fantastic non-fiction. From juvenile communal aggression to unfettered drug crusades, personal accounts to historical narratives -- these following non-fiction books of 2018 made headlines with their brilliant, original content as the authors established themselves as leading names in the Indian literary scene -- some for the first time, some once again.

Nazia Erum's debut book 'Mothering a Muslim: The Dark Secret in Our Schools and Playgrounds' is an important work that discusses systematic communal othering and bullying carried out in classrooms, playgrounds and friend circles. Nazia's book is a meticulous study of the growing tension among young, impressionable students that is going unchecked, ignored. The book is also a detailed and accurate study of juvenile aggression. One of the most successful non-fiction books of 2018, Erum's account is eye-opening and a crucial read.

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Dr Yusuf's Merchant's 'Happyness: Life Lessons from a Creative Addict' is an impassioned account of a psychiatrist's tryst with darkness and a handbook to attain fulfilment and peace. One of India's leading drug crusader, Dr Merchant, lovingly called "Doc", illustrates an unfeigned tale of his own trials and tribulations, while at the same time detailing 42 different ways to live a content life where one can take control of their own mind. A wonderful book that teaches one that happiness is a choice, Merchant's account is one that will move the readers immensely.

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This is an important book that came out just some months before the historic Supreme Court verdict that de-criminalised same-sex love in India. ‘Eleven Ways to Love’, a unique collection of essays on love, tells a triumphant yet heart-breaking story of romance in India. The eleven essays, carefully and delicately chosen, do not seek to force any agenda or to whine about how our country failed to recognize and legitimise this one emotion called "love" freely. Writers Dhrubo Jyoti, Anushree Majumdar, Sreshtha Sen, Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan, Preeti Vangani, and others have collectively contributed to an assortment so moving that as a reader one cannot help but bask in the sour pleasures of pain.

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Madhavi Menon's 'Infinite Variety: A History of Desire in India' looks at multiple narratives exploring a history of passion "across genders and geographies, subject and objects, mathematics and literature and religious texts." Menon brilliantly brings to fore the fluidity of genders from history and the complicated relationship with sexuality that our land cultivated over decades.

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Shashi Tharoor's much-talked-about book of 2018, 'Why I Am a Hindu' offers a profound exploration into the author's mind about his fascination towards what he calls as "one of the world’s oldest and greatest religions". In a country where liberal beings and fresh ideas are constantly targeted as "anti-Hindu" and "un-Indian", Dr Tharoor gives a testimony to the love for his faith that has, in fact, taught him to be forgiving, tolerant and introduced him to an all-inclusive community. 'Why I Am a Hindu’is a reflection of Tharoor's ideas about Hinduism as an all-encompassing dharma, as opposed to how it has been distorted by extremist tenets of Hindutva of the modern era.

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The unauthorized biography traces Dutt's personal life, his journey through Bollywood and mostly, some unflattering facts about the actor that agitated the actor to openly threaten Usman and his publisher. The book is a meticulously researched testament to a Bollywood star's life and times and exhibits some unknown and shocking anecdotes. From his involvement in a shooting spree in Pali Hill to heroin smuggling in the US to illegal possession of arms during the Mumbai blasts -- the unauthorised biography seems to expose a lot many facets of Sanjay Dutt than what a first-person memoir would do.

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Veteran journalist and TV anchor Karan Thapar's memoir is as unapologetic as the man himself. The book talks about Thapar's journey as a TV interviewer and backstories to his legendary interviews. From Sanjay Gandhi teaching him how to fly an aircraft to Amitabh Bachchan losing his cool after a one-on-one, the memoir is filled with juicy details of Thapar's eventful life and his sometimes funny, sometimes serious anecdotes.

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Gurcharan Das' fascinating account of love and desire in India is a riveting narrative filled with historical and philosophical ideas. The third volume of his India Unbound trilogy, 'Kama: The Riddle of Desire' comes after the book 'The Difficulty of Being Good'. The book talks about love, marriage, family, adultery, jealousy and explores the erotic aesthetics of human nature.

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One of the finest young historians of India, Manu S. Pillai presents a racy narrative of the Deccan that traces the lives of forgotten kings and warriors. A charming and contemporary history book, 'Rebel Sultans' is anything but boring. It is a thrilling account that effectively brings “the Deccan to the centre of our attention", and through engaging prose and extensive footnotes, Pillai takes us through peculiar and interesting kings and warriors from the age of Alauddin Khilji to Shivaji. Packed with dramatic characters from history, Pillai unravels a forgotten chapter in our medieval past, in the process establishing Deccan as an important place in history that needs our focus.

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Ira Mukhoty's 'Daughters of the Sun' offers a compelling account of wives, daughters and sisters of Mughal emperors. As a parallel history of Mughal women and their contemporary society, Mukhoty's narrative is informative and reflects her meticulous research about a subject that does not have a lot of literature. Beginning from Babur's reign in 1500 to the final days of Mughal glory in 1857, the book produces a vivid picture of the Mughal harem -- the mystique and romance from a world obliterated from history almost purposefully. 'Daughters of the Sun' is a stunning work of non-fiction that chronicles women who played a vital role in building the Mughal Empire.

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Marathi writer Baburao Bagul was a pioneer of modern Indian literature and an important figure in the Indian short story scene during the late 20th century. His debut collection of short stories, 'Jevha Mi Jaat Chorli Hoti' ('When I Hid My Caste'), revolutionized Marathi literature by bringing in issues related to caste to the literary forefront. Bagul's radical idealism and his raw sensibilities opened up the Dalit identity to readers in its most genuine and brutal shape. Jerry Pinto's translation of the book into English does perfect justice to Bagul's corporeal tales, with the essence of the Dalit emancipation still intact.

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Considered as Guha's magnum opus, the second part of the two-volume biography tells the story of Mahatma Gandhi's life starting from his departure from South Africa to his assassination in 1948. 'Gandhi: The Years that Changed the World' illustrates the many events of Gandhi's life, his political and ideological ideas, his struggles, dreams and dilemmas. Ram Guha, in minute details and impeccable research, has chalked out the many relations Gandhi shared with his contemporaries, his friends, family and acquaintances.

Image: Penguin Random House India