Here are 100 books that Lessons In Forgetting fans have personally recommended if you like Lessons In Forgetting. Book DNA is a community of 13,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of A Daughter's Courage: An Utterly Heartbreaking Novel of Family Secrets, Tragedy and Love

Pankaj Giri Author Of The Fragile Thread of Hope

From my list on contemporary fiction that bring tears to your eyes.

Why am I passionate about this?

As an Indian writer of contemporary fiction revolving around family, relationships, emotions, and hope, I am constantly on the lookout for similar novels to take inspiration from them and learn how to build beautiful, well-etched characters and portray heart-wrenching emotions. I love books that make me cry as they give me a fulfillment like nothing else. I love characters that are likable and make me feel a strong connection with them. And I like to write similar characters in my books as well. The readers of my novel The Fragile Thread of Hope have corroborated the same. I live in Gangtok, a hill station in northeast India.

Pankaj's book list on contemporary fiction that bring tears to your eyes

Pankaj Giri Why Pankaj loves this book

This novel oscillates between pre-independent times in India and the present. It is about Gowri, Lucy, and James, the terrible sacrifices they make, and how they affect their families in the present. I love Renita D’Silva’s descriptions of Indian culture and food, and the powerful emotions her stories trigger in me. A Daughter’s Courage is my favorite book of hers. The sacrifices and dialogues wrenched my heart, the revelation of family secrets astonished me, and the skilled narrative bound me from start to finish. A masterpiece.

By Renita D'Silva ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Daughter's Courage as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

How much would you sacrifice to save your family?

1929. When a passionate love affair threatens to leave Lucy in disgrace, she chooses a respectable marriage over a life of shame. With her husband, coffee-plantation-owner James, she travels to her new home in India, leaving her troubled past behind her.

Everything in India is new to Lucy, from the jewel-coloured fabrics to the exotic spices. When her path crosses that of Gowri, a young woman who tends the temple on the plantation’s edge, Lucy is curious to find out more about her, and the events that lead her to live…


If you love Lessons In Forgetting...

Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Book cover of A River on the Wall

Pankaj Giri Author Of The Fragile Thread of Hope

From my list on contemporary fiction that bring tears to your eyes.

Why am I passionate about this?

As an Indian writer of contemporary fiction revolving around family, relationships, emotions, and hope, I am constantly on the lookout for similar novels to take inspiration from them and learn how to build beautiful, well-etched characters and portray heart-wrenching emotions. I love books that make me cry as they give me a fulfillment like nothing else. I love characters that are likable and make me feel a strong connection with them. And I like to write similar characters in my books as well. The readers of my novel The Fragile Thread of Hope have corroborated the same. I live in Gangtok, a hill station in northeast India.

Pankaj's book list on contemporary fiction that bring tears to your eyes

Pankaj Giri Why Pankaj loves this book

Employing delectable metaphors and classy language, Stormy Hazika scripts a moving novel about love that defies the barriers of age and time. The unorthodox relationship between Ryeed, a professor and Nikita, his young student, is penned with such skill and depth that I couldn’t believe it’s her debut novel. I loved reading about the trials and tribulations they face from their respective families, their sacrifices, and how destiny gives them second chances. Several lines filled me with inspiration and tugged at my heartstrings. A wondrous novel indeed.

By Stormy Hazarika ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A River on the Wall as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Devastated by the death of his wife, university Professor Ryeed Lahan initially ignores the attentions of the very young and attractive Nikita Adhikari, a young, college student who refuses to leave him alone. Gradually, Lahan begins to believe that he is being given a second chance at happiness. But Destiny has more challenging choices in store for him and Lahan is eventually compelled to make decisions that will forever alter the course of his life. A narrative of love, hate, betrayal and trust, A RIVER ON THE WALL explores the extraordinary range of human emotion that the ordinary individual experiences.…


Book cover of Prisoners of Secrets

Pankaj Giri Author Of The Fragile Thread of Hope

From my list on contemporary fiction that bring tears to your eyes.

Why am I passionate about this?

As an Indian writer of contemporary fiction revolving around family, relationships, emotions, and hope, I am constantly on the lookout for similar novels to take inspiration from them and learn how to build beautiful, well-etched characters and portray heart-wrenching emotions. I love books that make me cry as they give me a fulfillment like nothing else. I love characters that are likable and make me feel a strong connection with them. And I like to write similar characters in my books as well. The readers of my novel The Fragile Thread of Hope have corroborated the same. I live in Gangtok, a hill station in northeast India.

Pankaj's book list on contemporary fiction that bring tears to your eyes

Pankaj Giri Why Pankaj loves this book

Set in South India in the 1950s, this is a story of Meera, Manuel, and Shankar—three conflicted souls, each with secrets that can destroy the other. It is a beautiful novel showing how one can become a prisoner of one's secrets and live compromised lives. The descriptions are so hauntingly vivid that they will remain etched in my mind forever. I loved the narration and the poetic language, and the bittersweet ending was like icing on the cake.

By Lata Gwalani ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Prisoners of Secrets as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A most unusual story of love.Do relationships built upon the one foundation that relationships must never be built on – secrets – really crumble?Set in South India in the 1950s, this is the story of Meera, Manuel, and Shankar – three conflicted souls each with secrets that can destroy the other.A story told in a way where you, the reader, are privy to the secrets, and made part of the conflict as you watch the story unfurl into consequences that arise when one becomes a prisoner of their secret.


If you love Anita Nair...

Book cover of Crossing: A Chinese Family Railroad Novel

Crossing by Lisa Redfern,

Crossing is a vividly human re-imagining of the love, sacrifices, and accomplishments that two Chinese brothers - American Immigrants - experience as they travel to California to build the Transcontinental Railroad. 

Book cover of Perfect

Pankaj Giri Author Of The Fragile Thread of Hope

From my list on contemporary fiction that bring tears to your eyes.

Why am I passionate about this?

As an Indian writer of contemporary fiction revolving around family, relationships, emotions, and hope, I am constantly on the lookout for similar novels to take inspiration from them and learn how to build beautiful, well-etched characters and portray heart-wrenching emotions. I love books that make me cry as they give me a fulfillment like nothing else. I love characters that are likable and make me feel a strong connection with them. And I like to write similar characters in my books as well. The readers of my novel The Fragile Thread of Hope have corroborated the same. I live in Gangtok, a hill station in northeast India.

Pankaj's book list on contemporary fiction that bring tears to your eyes

Pankaj Giri Why Pankaj loves this book

Based in Darjeeling, my maternal home, Perfect is the story of a fatherless young man Gideon as he wrestles with self-doubt and a dark past as he makes his way into adulthood. It is a beautiful coming-of-age story narrating his special bond with an enigmatic girl Lakisha and his complicated relationship with his father. Highly underrated, extremely moving, and filled with doses of inspiration, this story from the gorgeous hills of Darjeeling will remain with me for a long time.

By Eunice Nirja ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Perfect as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

There are people who strike the right chords in our lives and make our hearts sing.' Living has been all about hiding away and pretentions for Gideon who has always preferred being alone. However when he joins college he comes across people of all sorts and he begins to realise that life may be a sum total of little miracles after all. As he matures and begins to open up he discovers that he is not far from the healing he has always been in search of.


Book cover of The Doctor with an Eye for Eyes

Deshan Tennekoon Author Of Mary Anning's Grewsome Beasts

From my list on kids’ reads about women in science.

Why am I passionate about this?

Writing for children is the most gloriously tricky thing in the world, and I love doing it. With fiction, am I telling a story worth telling to someone who’s new to the planet and new to our way of life? With non-fiction, am I distilling complexity into a shape they can grasp quickly? Am I showing them how wonderful and strange our world is, and can I make ‘em laugh while learning? I’ve written 18 books for kids, many commissioned by Think Equal for their global SEL program and used in the national curricula of 20 countries.

Deshan's book list on kids’ reads about women in science

Deshan Tennekoon Why Deshan loves this book

A tale of perseverance and cleverness, told in gentle rhyme with a soft colour palette, this is a lovely book for younger readers.

Dr. Bath’s inventions and contributions to ophthalmology were driven by curiosity and compassion and cannot be overstated. Mosca’s text addresses racism and misogyny head-on, while Rieley’s easy-to-parse illustrations leave plenty of room for questions and discussion.

As part of a series about women scientists, the book ends with a word from Dr. Bath, a visual timeline, and notes on further reading.

By Julia Finley Mosca , Daniel Rieley (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Doctor with an Eye for Eyes as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 5, 6, 7, and 8.

What is this book about?

Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Selection
NSTA Best STEM Books for K-12 Selection
A Mighty Girl Book of the Year

If you like to think big, but some say you're too small, or they say you're too young or too slow or too tall... Meet Dr. Bath―the scientist who never lost sight of her dreams!

As a girl coming of age during the Civil Rights Movement, Patricia Bath made it her mission to become a doctor. When obstacles like racism, poverty, and sexism threatened this goal, she persevered―brightening the world with a game-changing treatment for blindness!

The Doctor…


Book cover of Patricia's Vision: The Doctor Who Saved Sight

Vivian Kirkfield Author Of From Here to There: Inventions That Changed the Way the World Moves

From my list on budding inventors.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child, I loved stories about people who accomplished extraordinary things – I read our set of encyclopedias from cover to cover. Those first forays into research stood me in good stead when I started writing nonfiction picture books about people who believed that nothing is impossible if you can imagine it – people like Robert Goddard who climbed a cherry tree when he was 13 and looked at the moon and decided he was going to build a vehicle that could take people there. As a teacher and as a parent, I read picture books on a daily basis, and as a writer for children, I love sparking the curiosity of young readers.

Vivian's book list on budding inventors

Vivian Kirkfield Why Vivian loves this book

Having experienced several eye operations, I really connected with this story about a female African American ophthalmologist who pioneered laser surgery and received a patent for the ingenious device used to perform the delicate procedure of removing cataracts. An important book on so many layers, Patricia's Vision is a mirror for children in marginalized groups to see themselves as successful professionals, a window for other children to observe a diverse person in the role of an inventor and a doctor, and a sliding glass door for all to envision their own endless possibilities. The story also shows how young Patricia Bath grew up with hopes and dreams, and plans of what might be – and it will empower young readers today to build their dreams into reality.

By Michelle Lord , Alleanna Harris (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Patricia's Vision as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The inspiring story of Dr Patricia Bath, a groundbreaking ophthalmologist who pioneered laser surgery - and gave her patients the gift of sight. Born in the 1940s, Patricia Bath dreamed of being an ophthalmologist at a time when becoming a doctor wasn't a career option for most women, especially African-American women. This empowering biography follows Dr Bath in her quest to save and restore sight to the blind, and her decision to "choose miracles" when everyone else had given up hope. Along the way, she co-founded the American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness, invented a specialised laser for removing…


If you love Lessons In Forgetting...

Book cover of Almost Home

Almost Home by Howard Means,

Almost Home is a fictional retelling of the last great tragedy of the Civil War.

In late April 1865, almost 2,000 newly freed Union prisoners of war are packed onto the steamer Sultana, in poor repair and with a listed capacity of 376 passengers. Among them are four Indiana soldiers…

Book cover of Wink

Terri Libenson Author Of Remarkably Ruby

From my list on that deal with things outside of middle school.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been drawn to comics. I started out as a humorous card writer, and later I became a syndicated cartoonist and author. I collect graphic novels of all kinds and I appreciate the unique talent that goes into the collaborative marriage of writing and art. I especially love stories told with humor, and these types of books lend themselves so well to that. And, boy, do kids appreciate it, too (guess I’m still a kid at heart). As someone who’s read many, many middle grade graphic and illustrated novels—for blurbs, reference, as well as for pleasure—I feel like an expert by now. I hope you enjoy these books as much as I have!

Terri's book list on that deal with things outside of middle school

Terri Libenson Why Terri loves this book

One of my favorites, Wink is so funny, moving, and deeply personal. The main character, Ross, is diagnosed with a rare eye cancer (based on the author’s own experiences) and deals with that as well as a myriad of other issues (bullying, a crush, a best friend that’s moving away). What I love most is the character development. I swear I’ve met the same quirky people you’ll find in this book. There’s so much feeling poured into the story. There are also funny comics and rock music. What could be better?

By Rob Harrell ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Wink as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

Ross Molloy just wants to be normal. He doesn't want to lose his hair, or wear a weird hat, or deal with the disappearing friends who don't know what to say to 'the cancer kid'. But with his recent diagnosis of a rare eye cancer, simply blending in is no longer an option. Ross - and his friends and his family - all need to work out how to deal with this devastating challenge that Life has thrown down. Maybe Batpig can come to the rescue?

Based on Rob Harrell's own real life experience of eye cancer, and including amazing…


Book cover of Ghost World

Priya Huq Author Of Piece by Piece: The Story of Nisrin's Hijab

From my list on graphic novels that use environment as storyteller.

Why am I passionate about this?

Environmental storytelling in comics is something that I’ve always admired and want to be better at. As a cartoonist I’m always thinking of better ways to tell visual stories, because it’s fun.

Priya's book list on graphic novels that use environment as storyteller

Priya Huq Why Priya loves this book

I don’t think I like Ghost World, but it belongs on this list. When I think of Clowes’ work I think of caricature, but the environments in Ghost World pull most of the storytelling weight. You can hear the hum of the fluorescents in the grocery store and the wind between buildings on an empty street.

By Daniel Clowes ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Ghost World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

1998 Ignatz Award Winner, Outstanding Graphic Novel: The inspiration for the feature film and one of the most acclaimed graphic novels ever.

Ghost World has become a cultural and generational touchstone, and continues to enthrall and inspire readers over a decade after its original release as a graphic novel. Originally serialized in the pages of the seminal comic book Eightball throughout the mid-1990s, this quasi-autobiographical story (the name of one of the protagonists is famously an anagram of the author's name) follows the adventures of two teenage girls, Enid and Becky, two best friends facing the prospect of growing up,…


Book cover of How to Read a Film: Movies, Media, and Beyond

Larry A. Brown Author Of How Films Tell Stories: The Narratology of Cinema

From my list on the art of filmmaking.

Why am I passionate about this?

One reason I became a professor of humanities, teaching subjects like film, theater, and literature, was to share my enthusiasm for the great works of imagination which have inspired people for centuries. Stories shape our lives and pass on our most important values and beliefs to future generations. In my academic career, I have directed plays and have written two novels, but teaching film has been my major passion for the last several years. 

Larry's book list on the art of filmmaking

Larry A. Brown Why Larry loves this book

This is another seminal text which introduced me to the critical theory of film viewers as “readers.”

Watching a movie is not a passive activity. The mind is very active, constantly shifting through the multiple channels of information, organizing the details into a coherent picture of the fictional world presented in the film.

Monaco examines several ways in which this creative-receptive process works in the viewer’s mind.

By James Monaco ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How to Read a Film as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Richard Gilman referred to How to Read a Film as simply "the best single work of its kind." And Janet Maslin in The New York Times Book Review marveled at James Monaco's ability to collect "an enormous amount of useful information and assemble it in an exhilaratingly simple and systematic way." Indeed, since its original publication in 1977, this hugely popular book has become the definitive source on film and media.
Now, James Monaco offers a special anniversary edition of his classic work, featuring a new preface and several new sections, including an "Essential Library: One Hundred Books About Film…


If you love Anita Nair...

Book cover of Creativity, Teaching, and Natural Inspiration

Creativity, Teaching, and Natural Inspiration by Mark Doherty,

I have woven numerous delightful and descriptive true life stories, many from my adventures as an outdoorsman and singer songwriter, into my life as a high school English teacher. I think you'll find this work both entertaining as well as informative, and I hope you enjoy the often lighthearted repartee…

Book cover of Australian Cinema After Mabo

Josephine May Author Of Reel Schools: Schooling and the Nation in Australian Cinema

From my list on the history of Australian cinema.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am passionate about education, cinema, and Australian History. I have been lucky enough to teach university courses on History and Film and I have researched and written on the history of Australian education on film. The books I have chosen are five out of many important books in Australian film history. They were important for my own work, and because in historical research, old books can still be good books, I hope that you will enjoy reading them too!

Josephine's book list on the history of Australian cinema

Josephine May Why Josephine loves this book

This rewarding little book asks and answers the question: what happened to Australian cinema after the landmark Mabo decision on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land rights overturned the colonial doctrine of terra nullius?

Theoretically informed and sensitively written, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in the intertwined relationship between history and cinema following a pivotal event in the nation’s journey toward reconciliation.

By Felicity Collins , Therese Davis ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Australian Cinema After Mabo as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Australian Cinema after Mabo is a comprehensive 2005 study of Australian national cinema in the 1990s. Using the 1992 Mabo decision as a starting point, it looks at how the Mabo decision, where the founding doctrine of terra nullius was overruled, has destabilised the way Australians relate to the land. It asks how we think about Australian cinema in the post Mabo era, and what part it plays in the national process of reviewing our colonial past and the ways in which settlers and indigenous cultures can co-exist. Including The Tracker, Kiss or Kill, The Castle, Love Serenade and Yolngu…


Book cover of A Daughter's Courage: An Utterly Heartbreaking Novel of Family Secrets, Tragedy and Love
Book cover of A River on the Wall
Book cover of Prisoners of Secrets

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