6 Monsoon Themed Books You Need to Read by the Window this Rainy Season!

Picture this: it's pouring heavily outside as you sit by the window pane, admiring the soothing sound of the raindrops and soaking in the nostalgic fragrance of petrichor. You're drinking a cup of chai with a cosy blanket, yet something feels incomplete. What could it be? Well, it's a book in your other hand! Nothing beats the joyful feeling of flipping through paper pages and reading voraciously while it rains cats and dogs. "Rainy days should be spent at home with a cup of tea and a good book," said someone righteous. If you're a bookworm looking for a book to read this Monsoon or to romanticise the rainy season, then these monsoon-themed books will definitely make you feel like the main character. So, what are you waiting for? Grab a book and a cup, and let your readathon begin! 

Raindrops by Navniit Gandhi 

Navniit Gandhi is an Indian author who has penned more than two hundred feature articles and columns in newspapers, magazines, and on web portals. With 11 books under her belt, Navniit Gandhi’s ‘Raindrops’ is absolutely perfect for a cosy read in bed, especially during the monsoons. This book is a collection of amusing and romantic stories that celebrate love in all forms. As the tagline of the book rightly suggests, ‘Unusual and Usual Stories of Love’, each story takes readers on an emotional journey and transcends the experience of love. If you're still searching for the perfect Monsoon read, your search ends here. This is your sign to get your hands on Raindrops and immerse yourself in the author's various ideas and versions of love! 

Unruly Waters by Sunil Amrith 

Sunil Amrith is a renowned historian and a Professor of History at the University of Yale. As a history buff, his books revolve around highlighting the various historical events and but mainly, his research interests include transnational migration in South and Southeast Asia. Published in 2018, the book ‘Unruly Waters’ by Sunil Amrith takes a different look at history as it reimagines the stories of Asia's history through its rains, rivers, coasts and seas, and of the weather-watchers and engineers, mapmakers and farmers who have sought to control them. So, what are you waiting for? Grab a coffee and dive deep into the world of Sunil Amrith's writings.

Rain in the Mountains by Ruskin Bond

Every Indian child, while growing up, was handed a Ruskin Bond book, and that’s how the love for books begins! Ruskin Bond has shaped the childhood of every Indian child. May it be the classic read, the Blue Umbrella or the poem The Cherry Tree, Bond takes the reader on a journey through the words penned. ‘Rain in the Mountains: Notes from the Himalayas’ is, similar story about the beautiful works from the authors' years spent in the foothills of the Himalayas in the town of Mussoorie. This collection of semi-autobiographical writings takes the reader on a journey through the childhood days of Bond and his life at home in Mussorie. ‘Rain in the Mountains: Notes from the Himalayas’  is for those who wish to get lost and found, and see the author's life firsthand through Ruskin Bond’s lens. 

The Monsoons by P.K. Das

Dr. P.K. Das was the Director General of the National Meteorological Service of the Government of India. So far, he has written several books concerning the Indian monsoons. He is the recipient of the third IJMG Award, a prize given biennially to the author of the best paper published in the Indian Journal of Meteorology and Geophysics. P.K. Das was the first Indian to be invited to deliver the prestigious IMO Lecture on monsoons by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). The book, ‘The Monsoons’, is a detailed research on how the genesis of monsoons was traced with the constant level balloons during the experiment of 1979. It also addresses topics like how weather satellites are used to locate cyclonic storms over the Indian Ocean, and, finally, how the climate of the Rajasthan desert may be made more friendly.

Chasing the Monsoons by Alexander Frater 

Alexander Russel Frater was a British travel writer and journalist. He was best known for his documentaries and various books with the BBC and ABC. Frater’s ‘Chasing the Monsoons’ is one of the perfect Monsoon-themed books to read as it tracks down the cycle of Indian monsoons through extensive research and first-hand accounts. This travelogue follows the author's journey through the Indian monsoon, specifically India’s summer monsoon. Frater's goal was to understand and experience the monsoon's impact on Indian life, from its arrival in Trivandrum to its eventual arrival in Cherrapunji, also known as the wettest place on Earth. The book also has an emotional touch to it as it talks about Frater’s father’s fondness for science, weather and his growing appreciation for the monsoon's power and influence. 

PS: Hey! Yes, you, if you're a bookworm, then this article on 9 Indian Climate Non-Fiction Books That Make Us Rethink Our Relationship with Nature will leave you mesmerised. Read right away!