To me, books represent the gateway out of this mundane daily life of academic and mental struggles. That is why I gobble up as much fiction as I can digest. I haven't really carved out a niche for understanding non-fiction, but I'm getting there. Click here, if you wish to go through my goodreads profile (you won't find any reviews, I'm too lazy for that, only an exhaustive list of books I want to read and a much smaller one of ones I've been able to survive).
Some books which have left a lasting impression on me include:
Mother by Maxim Gorky - this is the earliest book I remember reading since my undergraduate days
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - I was captivated by his style of writing and always suggest picking up a GGM book if you want to appreciate quality penmanship
What Maisie Knew by Henry James - James' English is difficult to go through but he drives home his point of view beautifully. The dark and dirty world of adults, as comprehended by a five-year-old was an eye-opener
Chowringhee by Shankar - This book will take you on a journey across lifestyle in Kolkata in the '60s, full of myriad characters and seemingly unimaginable events, all centered around a hotel. The nearly 600-page book never lets you feel overwhelmed and you only end up wanting that it never ends
Saheb Bibi Golam by Bimal Mitra - Another huge novel but an effortless read as the writer takes you on a journey across the city of joy when it was still in its infancy
The Plague by Albert Camus - Hand's down the most beautiful (for lack of a better word) description of an epidemic that I've come across. It left me aghast at how Camus could describe the black death with such objectivity and non-chalance