Do you ever run out of books to read? Well, that should not be the case with the number of great books out there. What is more likely to be true is that you are boxing yourself in too much when it comes to which books you choose. Therefore, we would like to use this opportunity to delve into a niche of books that a lot of people skip for no good reason.

Well, these books do not belong to a single genre, but they do share a different common denominator. They were written by Indian authors, and they are awesome. Take a look at our list, pick some of them up and decide for yourself.

Arundhati Roy: “The God of Small Things” (1997)

This book is a masterpiece, and for that, it has won the Booker Prize. The book tells a story about twin brothers that are suffering because of the “Love Laws.” It gives a glimpse of Indian history and politics and delves deeply into human emotions, making the reader experience the full spectrum of them as he reads.

Kiran Desai: “The Inheritance of Loss” (2006)

This book is very critically acclaimed. It has won a number of awards, including the National Book Critics Circle Award. The book’s story revolves around two main characters. One is an illegal immigrant in the United States of America while the other one lives in Kalimpong (India). The book feels humorous while you’re reading it and the author is very witty. However, it does play on your heart’s strings while you are reading it. Desai seems to be capable of finding the perfect word for every feeling to make you feel with the characters. And yet, the book deals with serious political and cultural questions of Anglicised Indians and those trying to change their lives by departing.

Vikram Seth: “A Suitable Boy” (1993)

The story of this novel is set in the early 1950s post-independence India. This is one of the longest novels published in the English language, having an incredible 1,488 pages (1,349). If you choose to read this book, it will take you through the lives of four families. The “main” character—if you can pinpoint one in a book this grand—is Lata, a young woman whose mother is trying to get an arranged marriage, but who still believes that love should predate marriage. It can be scary to pick up a book of this size, but on the other hand, six hundred thousand words will take you to India and you will not be left wanting. An added benefit of picking this book is that this year, it finally gets its sequel.

Upamanyu Chatterjee: “English, August: An Indian Story” (1988)

This is a highly philosophical book that manages to keep a light tone and be funny. This book will show you the life of a young man in an old country. It is a story of self-discovery and culture that was adapted into a film six years after the first publication.

Jhumpa Lahiri: “Interpreter of Maladies” (1999)

This is actually a book collection that consists of nine shorter stories. We will not delve into them as they are easy to spoil, but the book is definitely great to read. As a testament to that, all you need to do is check it’s acclaim.

Not only was it a huge financial success with over 15 million copies being sold but also won the Hemingway Foundation PEN Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The stories that one can find in this book will leave no one indifferent.

Suketu Mehta: “Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found” (2004)

Unlike the previous entries on this list, this book is not a work of fiction. It tells a story about Mumbai (previously Bombay), and it sells it perfectly. Here, you will get the insider’s view of things. You will “see” people come here in search for a better life. The lights of Bollywood and the lives of bar workers and dancers are amazing. You will also learn about the conflicts between Muslims and Hindu in this book. The book was even a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

So, if you still believe there is nothing good to read, we cannot fault you. However, do give these books a  shot — they are wonderful pieces of literature that deserve every word of praise they get. And, of course, we apologize for all the good books over there we did not include in this list.