All Posts By Thoughtful Critic
Moving for Moksha by Alok Mishra, a detailed book review
Alok Mishra’s Moving for Moksha is not merely a poetry collection. It is a philosophical journey in verse, an introspective pilgrimage that resonates with an urgent intensity and a purposeful calm, much like the ancient texts it echoes silently. Composed of fourteen interwoven poems, this collection assumes the form of a spiritual discourse—sometimes personal, sometimes…
70 Things You Can Do While Being Hospitalized by Lasse Toft, detailed book review
Lasse Toft’s 70 Things You Can Do While Being Hospitalized is a darkly humorous survival guide for patients enduring the monotony and psychological strain of long-term hospitalization. The book presents seventy unconventional activities, ranging from playful pranks to absurd entrepreneurial ventures, all designed to combat the fear, boredom, and helplessness that often accompany hospital stays. Toft’s central…
Lana Sabarwal’s Maya, Dead and Dreaming: A Masterclass in Suspense and the Unexpected Artistry of an Economist-Turned-Storyteller
Lana Sabarwal’s Maya, Dead and Dreaming is not just a mystery novel; it is a meticulously constructed psychological labyrinth. Did I sound too mystic? Let me simplify. This story lingers in the mind like an unsolved riddle long after the final revelation. What makes the book remarkable is not just its tightly wound plot or its…
The Malabari Who Loved His Ferrari by Dileep Heilbronn – Review
The part where the journey to Dubai begins in Dileep Heilbronn’s memoir opens with a line that could serve as the thesis for his entire life’s journey: “Bound for Dubai—poor in cash, but rich in dreams.” This poignant duality—material lack juxtaposed with boundless aspiration—sets the tone for a narrative that is as much about the alchemy…
Is Reading Poetry Actually Useful or Just Instagram Fluff? Let’s be realistic!
Let’s be honest—when was the last time you read a poem for practical reasons? Not to impress a date, not to sound deep in a caption, but because you genuinely thought, “Yes, this sonnet will solve my problems”? Most of us encounter poetry in one of three ways: Forced upon us in school (Shakespeare’s sonnets, memorised under duress)….
Revisiting The Waste Land: Is the Modern World Still a Barren Wasteland?
T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land (1922) remains one of the most haunting and prophetic poems of the 20th century—a fragmented, disillusioned vision of a civilisation in decay. Written in the aftermath of World War I, the poem depicts a world stripped of meaning, where spiritual desolation, mechanical repetition, and cultural amnesia dominate. A century later, as…
The Ultimate Reading Guide to Robert Greene: Mastering Power, Strategy, and Human Nature
Robert Greene is one of the most provocative and influential thinkers in power, strategy, and human psychology. Born in Los Angeles in 1959, Greene studied classical literature at UC Berkeley and the University of Wisconsin-Madison before working various jobs—including as a Hollywood screenwriter and magazine editor—that exposed him to the ruthless dynamics of power and…
From Fiction to Reality: How Science Fiction Predicted the Future, with a list of 10 most startling predictions in sci-fi novels
Science fiction has long been a visionary force, blending imaginative storytelling with speculative technology and societal trends. Many of today’s groundbreaking advancements—from space travel to artificial intelligence—were conceived in the pages of science fiction novels, sometimes centuries before they became reality. These works did more than entertain; they inspired scientists, engineers, and thinkers to turn fiction…
Under the Net by Iris Murdoch, a detailed review
Iris Murdoch’s Under the Net, her 1954 debut novel, is a work that defies easy categorisation—part philosophical farce, part existential quest, and wholly original in its blending of high-minded intellectual inquiry with the chaotic energy of a picaresque adventure. At its centre is Jake Donaghue, a feckless but endearing translator and would-be writer, whose aimless wanderings…
20 All Times Great Novels by Women Novelists You Must Read – A List for Book Lovers
For centuries, literature has been shaped by the voices of women who dared to write in a world that often dismissed their perspectives. Novels by women novelists offer something irreplaceable—an intimate understanding of female agency, resilience, and the quiet revolutions that unfold in domestic spaces, social constraints, and the inner lives of women. From Jane…