Asian Booklist: September 2024
Discover new books by British-Asian authors
Update from Kia
Hello,
August has been a lovely, fallow month for me. In late July, I had four work projects playing on my mind – finishing Book 5, my panel at Harrogate Crime Festival, my paper for St Hilda’s College and an article for The Author magazine – and I kept telling myself I just need to get to the second week of August.
Well, I managed it and this month has been simply gorgeous. I’ve been practising what I preached in my July update by finding ways to enjoy each small day. I saw three of my closest friends: dinner and margaritas with Serena, tea with Ariane, and a book launch followed by drinks with Priya. I had lunch with my editor, dinner with my little sis for our regular #whineanddine nights, and went to two family get-togethers. I’ve been boxing three times a week and I even tried a pole dancing class (sadly, I didn’t take to it, but I’m glad I tried it).
I’ve made small adjustments as well, like swapping from Tesco back to Waitrose for my weekly grocery shop. I went the other way as a cost-cutting measure after my mortgage payments went up by £600 a month, but honestly, what’s the point of saving money if the tomatoes I’m eating don’t taste like tomatoes?
So, yes, I’ve set aside my grand plans for now in favour of each small day. It won’t last forever. My edits will come back. There will be new work projects. There’ll likely be fresh money worries, but for now I have friends, family, boxing – and decent tomatoes.
Until next time.
Kia x
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New books by British-Asian authors
5 September 2024
The Shoulders We Stand On: How Black and Brown people fought for change in the United Kingdom
Have you heard of the Indian Workers’ Association? The Grunwick Strike? The Brixton Black Women’s Group? The Battle of Brick Lane? If the answer is no, you’re not alone. The Shoulders We Stand On tells the stories of 10 remarkable movements, campaigns and organisations led by Black and Brown people across Britain that fought against racism and capitalism and impacted the way we live now. […]
5 September 2024
Here to Slay
Kali has a lot to deal with. Her crush doesn’t notice her, her parents love her cousin more, and a big family wedding is overshadowing her 16th birthday. So, she really did NOT need a demon appearing in her bedroom and for the fate of the world to rest in her hands. It turns out that all girls named after the Indian demon-fighting goddess Kali are imbued with special powers, and are destined to fight demons. […]
5 September 2024
A Bollywood State of Mind: A journey into the world’s biggest cinema
Sunny Singh was born and brought up in a country of film fanatics. She and her friends waited impatiently for the latest releases, listened to the songs on radio and wore clothes inspired by those seen on screen. They learned about India and the world and chose their moralities thanks to films. A Bollywood State of Mind is a personal, intellectual and emotional journey which crosses five continents and 50 years of modern Indian history and cinema […]
10 September 2024
Sona Sharma, Looking After Planet Earth
Sona is determined to get her whole suburban Indian neighborhood to help fight climate change in this second heartwarming story. When Sona learns about the climate crisis at school, she worries that nobody is doing enough to combat it. So she takes up the challenge herself! But her family isn't amused when Sona suddenly gets rid of her sister's diapers and turns off Thatha and Paatti's fan during their nap. […]
26 September 2024
Sanjana Feasts: Modern vegetarian and vegan Indian recipes to feed your soul
Sanjana Modha’s flavourful recipes are rooted in her Indian heritage, East African family background, and Yorkshire childhood. This book showcases the unique combinations that are authentic to Sanjana’s upbringing, and includes signature dishes such as Ruffled Biryani, Madras Mac and Cheese, Desi-inspired French Bread Pizza and Sticky Toffee Gulab Jamun, as well as delicious Indian classics. […]
Books out last month
1 August 2024
What’s in a Name?: Friendship, Identity and History in Modern Multicultural Britain
Our names are so mundane, we hardly notice them. Yet behind each one lie countless stories: of belonging and persecution, colonialism and resistance, cultural inheritance and conflicted identity. In this intimate exploration of British multiculturalism, Sheela Banerjee traces the personal histories of friends and family through their names. Spanning centuries and continents – from west London to India, 1960s Jamaica to pre-Revolutionary Russia […]
1 August 2024
The Twirly Wiggly Dance
Based on debut author Farrah Riaz's own childhood experiences comes The Twirly Wiggly Dance, a relatable story about dancing to your own beat set against the celebratory backdrop of a South-Asian Muslim wedding, bursting with colourful illustrations by Navya Raju. Little Intisar has a BIG job at her Auntie Mahira's wedding: she's going to dance in the group performance. […]
1 August 2024
Dream Hunters
Set in a fantasy, reimagined India where dreams can be captured and bottled, young Mimi Malou must go on a quest to save the king and rescue her parents. A gorgeous adventure dripping in magic from debut author Nazima Pathan, perfect for fans of Starfell, The Hatmakers and The Kingdom Over the Sea. […]
1 August 2024
South Asian Beauty: The Ultimate Guide
A masterclass in skincare, haircare, makeup and wellness, South Asian Beauty is the beauty bible you’ve been waiting for. This indispensable guide will show you how to boost your confidence, elevate your self-care and feel radiant both inside and out. Revitalise your complexion and conquer common issues like dullness, dark circles and pigmentation with targeted solutions that breathe life into your skin. […]
1 August 2024
Dinner: 120 vegan and vegetarian recipes for the most important meal of the day
‘The ability to put a good dinner on the table has become my superpower and I want it to be yours too.' Dinner is a fresh and joyful celebration of the power of a good meal all created to answer the question ‘what's for dinner?’ in an exciting and delicious way. Discover 120 vibrant, easy-to-make vegetarian and vegan main dishes bursting with flavour, including baked butter paneer, kimchi and tomato spaghetti […]
3 August 2024
The Inclusion Journey: Creating a strategy that improves employee engagement and company results
Building a diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation is not only the right thing to do for society, it's the right thing to do for the business. Productivity, engagement and profitability all improve with a more inclusive workplace. Written for all HR professionals, talent managers and leaders, The Inclusion Journey explains how to identify the actions that will make real impact […]
12 August 2024
The Naming of Names
Over 100,000 Tamil civilians were killed during the Sri Lankan civil war, their deaths often dismissed as collateral damage. What happens to names once the person who wore them dies? When there is no one left alive who remembers the laughter they once carried. The violence of war doesn’t merely decimate the physical body; it shocks into silence names, lineages and history. […]
22 August 2024
The Exiled: The incredible story of the South Asian exodus from Uganda to the UK in 1972
Uganda, August 1972. President Idi Amin makes a shocking pronouncement: the country's South-Asian population is being expelled. They have ninety days to leave. After packing scant possessions and countless memories, 50,000 people stepped into the unknown, with more than 28,000 of them arriving in the UK in airlifts to begin new lives here. But their incredible stories have, until now, remained hidden. […]
Editor’s choice
The book I’m most excited about…
In my paper for St Hilda’s (online until 12th Sept), I talk about how I grew up in East London largely unaware of the racism my parents faced when they first came to the UK. The stoicism of that first generation means that we seldom hear about the pain, fear and trauma of their experience as immigrants.
This is why I’m interested in The Shoulders We Stand On: How Black and Brown people fought for change in the United Kingdom by researcher and historian Preeti Dhillon.
Have you heard of the Indian Workers' Association? The Grunwick Strike? The Brixton Black Women's Group? The Battle of Brick Lane? If the answer is no, you're not alone, says Preeti. In The Shoulders We Stand On, she tells the stories of 10 remarkable movements, campaigns and organisations led by Black and Brown people across Britain from the sixties to the eighties that fought against racism and capitalism and impacted the way we live now.
Like this unexpected video, it may even tell me a bit of my own story that I’ve never heard before.
Order it from Amazon, Waterstones or your local independent bookshop.
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