During Monsoon, the temperatures drop, the days get shorter, and the pace of life goes down a little. 

And to a bookworm, all of this makes the right atmosphere to crawl up in our beds,  take a soft blanket and cuddle with our favourite companion — a book. 

For us book nerds, Monsoons are the perfect time to catch up on some quality reads. And what better than reading short stories — the one we can finish reading in one sitting. 

But one thing we all struggle with is ‘finding the perfect monsoon read’ — one that complements the pitter-patter of the rains, the ever-dark clouds, the sulking skies, and the nip in the air.

Well, we decided to prep you with the top ten books to read in the coming months. 

These short stories, each unforgettable in its own way are literally the ‘monsoon essentials’ for all the bookworms out there:

1. Chasing The Monsoon, Alexander Frater

Chasing The Monsoon is a revealing and mesmerising story of a Father’s journey of pursuing the Indian monsoon that covers the country in two great wet arms. This fascinating narrative leads us to a startling discovery of an ambitious adventure that starts from the southernmost tip of India and ends at the Bangladeshi border.

 

2. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman 

Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper is about a woman’s descent into nervous depression while she is staying in an attic room. She is particularly disturbed by the yellow wallpaper — it’s formless, strange pattern that she finds revolting. 

 

3. The Hungry Tide, Amitav Ghosh

Amitav Ghosh’s The Hungry Tide explores a cetologist’s journey. The main protagonist, Piyali Roy, embarks on a journey of conducting research on a new species of Dolphins that have inhabited the Sundarbans.

 

4. The Cask of Amontillado, Edgar Allan Poe

 

Edgar’s The Cask of Amontillado is a story of a man called Montresor who seeks revenge against Fortunato, who has insulted him in the past. Montresor meets Fortunato at a carnival, invites him to his home and burns him alive. 

 

5. Red Earth And Pouring Rain, Vikram Chandra

Vikram Chandra’s remarkable story, Red Earth And Pouring Rain is about Gods of poetry who descend on a house to contend for a wounded monkey’s soul. 

 

6. In the Spring by Guy de Maupassant

Through “In the Spring,” Guy de Maupassant paints a through-provoking image of women’s status in a patriarchal society and the troubling disadvantages of being a woman.

 

7. Walden by Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau’s Walden is a personal account of the two years he spent living in a self-constructed and isolated cabin located deep in Massachusetts woods.

 

8. Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe by Bill Bryson 

 

Bill Bryson’s Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe is a humorous travelogue that documents his Europe trip. Apart from narrating amusing tales of the people he met, Bill shares many captivating flashbacks to his summer tours.

 

9. A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner

 

William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” is a short fiction that exemplifies the Southern gothic genre. The author tells the story of Emily Grierson’s death at the age of 74 and reflects on her scandalous relationships with multiple men.

 

 

10. Heartburn by Nora Ephron

Nora Ephron’s Heartburn is the author’s fictionalised account of her husband’s infidelity, the painful separation, and the end of her second marriage.

 

That’s all folks. 

 

Now, I’d like to know what you think of these stories. 

 

Have you read any of the titles mentioned in this list? If so, feel free to share your review in the comments section below?