Jini Reddy

is the author of Wanderland. Reviewed in last month’s Geographical, the book has been longlisted for the Wainwright Prize

The Overstory

by Richard Powers (2018)

I’ve never read a novel about the wisdom of trees that speaks so powerfully from the trees’ perspective. The characters come from diverse backgrounds, racially and culturally, which resonated with me.

Kindred

by Octavia E Butler (1979)

I read this recently and it blew me away. The protagonist is a young black woman who finds herself pulled back in time to a slave plantation in 19th century Maryland. A genre-defying, muchlaurelled masterpiece.

Alone in Antarctica

by Felicity Aston (2013)

I’m a big fan of polar explorer Felicity – a woman familiar to Geographical’s readers! She writes eloquently, and with insight and heart, about the realities of finding yourself alone in a harsh, beautiful environment.

The Horse Boy

by Rupert Isaacson (2009)

A deeply moving story about a family’s desperate desire to help their autistic son find peace and healing. The journey takes them to the wilds of Mongolia and the home of a renowned shaman.

Anne of Green Gables

by Lucy Maud Montgomery (1908)

I grew up in Canada, what can I say? I lapped up these tales of a sparky orphaned girl growing up on Prince Edward Island.

Around India in 80 Trains

by Monisha Rajesh (2012)

Until I came across this book, I’d only read traintravel narratives written by white men who too often seemed to hanker after the days of Empire. As a woman with Indian ancestry, I found Monisha’s book wonderfully relatable.

Where the Crawdads Sing

by Delia Owens (2018)

An ode to the healing power of nature and a bittersweet tale of a girl who has been forced to survive alone in the marshes near a town on the North Carolina coast.

The Romantics

by Pankaj Mishra (1999)

An evocative and beautifully written coming-ofage novel set in Benares. I was fascinated by the East-meets-West encounters.