AVANTIKA MEHTA

PPower

is an independent journalist. She lives in New Delhi

Leila

rayaag Akbar’s was my favourite read from all the Indian books published this year. It chronicled the story of an upper caste Hindu woman’s journey to find her daughter from a mixed-religion marriage. Deftly written, Leila called out Hindu fundamentalists who appear to have taken over our country, but it didn’t let liberals off the hook either.

This year, when atrocities against minorities have risen to the point of becoming everyday news, Leila is never far from my mind.

The other book I cannot leave out is a collection of essays

by Ta-nehisi Coates, which was published two months ago. The book does not contain new work. But when placed together and bound by a red and white cover, the context, and your awareness of the writer’s powers of observation is heightened. Coates always came across as a cool journalist — he quotes Jay-z, he trolls back on Twitter using video game references. We Were Eight Years In Power made me see him as a ruthless realist.

The essays are about America and its first black President, but it is also about the backlash to Obama’s years in the Oval Office. It’s also about Trump, whom Coates calls America’s first white President. But it wasn’t the hip-hop references or the clearcut writing in those essays that moved me. His words about America are relatable to our situation in India. We were 60 years in power, and by ‘we’, I mean the elite, the well-heeled, the ‘Lutyen residents’ of India. And that time was squandered. Our liberal politicians played on the hopes of minorities and delivered nothing. In the process, they alienated a majority of Indians. What we are witnessing is the backlash. These books hold up mirrors to our society. We would be wise to take a good look at ourselves before it is too late.

We Were Eight Years in