Another powerful and breathtakingly beautiful book about slavery (and life) is Edward P. Jones’ “The Known World.” The stories and characters overlap and weave in and around each other to create a gorgeous finished work. Amazing writing, and an unforgettable story.

Also two books about Americans in Africa: “The Poisonwood Bible” by Barbara Kingsolver is amazing storytelling. Kingsolver lived in Africa for a time as a child, and that experience gives her remarkable insight into the ambitions, hopes, and flaws of some of those who go to Africa hoping to fix it.

“Mating” by Norman Rush is smart, insightful, and a joy to read. The main character is a PhD student who finds herself adrift in Botswana. She becomes intrigued by a celebrity aid worker passing through, and becomes fixated on meeting him. The book is more about two people than about Africa, but it’s a fabulous read anyway.

Now you just need a couple of weeks with nothing else to do….

I can’t follow directions, so I am going to recommend that learning more about music will make you much more interesting than reading more books. The best money I have ever spent in my academic life was The Teaching Company’s course entitled, How to Listen To and Understand Great Music. It made much much more interesting. Being able to follow and analyze a Bach fugue, a Mozart minuet and trio, or a Beethoven symphony is truly interesting. Plus, the sheer joy watching others cringe at Schonberg while you listen with pleasure makes you feel really interesting.

Of course, if you can do all of this already, disregard my advice.

I will have to look it up but I have read a few entertaining Indian books a while back. Brick Lane (Monica Ali) was good, as was the Corner Shop (Roopa Farooki). They are the only titles I remember right now. Oh yeah, Q&A by Kikas Swarup was the basis of Slumdog Millionaire and pretty enjoyable. If you go to my blog and select only book reviews you can pretty much see what I have read over the last year with links to the authors.

FWIW, I hope you have read the Kite Runner and A 1000 Splendid Suns already. Plus I kind of liked Life of Pi.

He is using a postmodern interpretation of the term “recently.”