In retrospect, he has only himself to blame.
It all began on writer Nikesh Shukla’s Twitter timeline on Saturday, as he tweeted an offer to recommend books by writers of colour in response to "likes" of his tweet. One like = one recommendation. Shukla is a British writer of Indian origin – someone who writes across forms, and has in the process built a portfolio of novels, novellas, short stories, essays, films, and more.
Go on then. For every Twitter like, I'll recommend a book I like by a writer of colour. pic.twitter.com/vWEVUaPDnJ
— Nikesh Shukla (@nikeshshukla) March 26, 2016
Perhaps Shukla hadn’t thought his offer would be taken seriously. But as the “likes” began to mount, he got going to keep his word. The outcome, still a work in progress as he matches recommendations to likes, is perhaps the most noteworthy curated list of contemporary works by non-white writers.
Pausing to catch his breath in between, Shukla made a mock appeal for the likes to stop.
God. Please stop faving that tweet. I'm getting worried.
— Nikesh Shukla (@nikeshshukla) March 26, 2016
But he did promise to get to 100 at least.
Here’s our pick of 26 from the huge list that Shukla has created.
4. THE VEGETARIAN by Han Kang. Just the strangest book I've read about vegetarianism and metamorphosis.
— Nikesh Shukla (@nikeshshukla) March 26, 2016
10. THE SELLOUT by Paul Beatty. The funniest book I've read in years, about trying to devolve a new 'black' state in US.
— Nikesh Shukla (@nikeshshukla) March 26, 2016
13. AEROGRAMMES by Tania James. Short stories including one about Indian strongarm wrestlers in Edwardian London.
— Nikesh Shukla (@nikeshshukla) March 26, 2016
17. DROWN by Junot Diaz. The first time we meet Yunior, the loveable idiot cypher for Junot, in this amazing short story collection.
— Nikesh Shukla (@nikeshshukla) March 26, 2016
24. THE PRIVATE LIVES OF MRS SHARMA by Ratika Kapur. Hilarious look at the changing status of women in India as society evolves.
— Nikesh Shukla (@nikeshshukla) March 26, 2016
33. THE LONELY LONDONERS by Sam Selvon. Dreamy stream of conscious about immigrants making a go of it in the big city.
— Nikesh Shukla (@nikeshshukla) March 26, 2016
36. EATING ROSES FOR DINNER by Musa Okwonga. A decade of poems about cities, wondering and war.
— Nikesh Shukla (@nikeshshukla) March 26, 2016
50. BOMBAY TALKIE by Ameena Meer. This book made me want to be a writer.
— Nikesh Shukla (@nikeshshukla) March 26, 2016
60. THIRD CLASS SUPERHERO by Charles Yu. The nerdiest scifi short stories I've read.
— Nikesh Shukla (@nikeshshukla) March 26, 2016
66. MR LOVERMAN by Bernardine Evaristo. Really poetic tale of sexuality and taboo.
— Nikesh Shukla (@nikeshshukla) March 26, 2016
67. HOTEL ARCADIA by Sunny Singh. Explosive political thriller satire everything book by one of the smartest people I know.
— Nikesh Shukla (@nikeshshukla) March 26, 2016
67. HOTEL ARCADIA by Sunny Singh. Explosive political thriller satire everything book by one of the smartest people I know.
— Nikesh Shukla (@nikeshshukla) March 26, 2016
81. TRUE BRITS by Vinay Patel. Script for his electrifying play.
— Nikesh Shukla (@nikeshshukla) March 26, 2016