The Courage Of Hopelessness by Slavoj Zizek is a necessary read. Tackling our troubled times from the point of view of hopelessness.The author forcefully suggests that once we can all admit to this state, rather than ignore minimize or live in false hope that it will all right itself or go away, only then can we start to “initiate radical range”. Richly philosophical and thickly layered with complex ideas. Don’t let the stop and go nature of the read deprive you of the overall experience.

Better late than never…I am finally reading Salman Rushdie’s Midnight Children and again as with all his books, I am blown away by his writing (magical realism), which takes the most serious of subjects and turns them into fantastical stories imbued with history, magic and ancient lore. He is truly a spinner of tales. You will meet the protagonist (Saleem Sinai who possesses telepathic powers) born at the stroke of midnight at the exact moment of India’s independence and accompany him on his many adventures.