RecommendedReads | Rowling Returns, the Swedes Invade and a Book Club is Revived

The Return of Rowling

Are you a fan of Rowling the writer, Rowling the storyteller or THE JK Rowling who created the most fantastically imaginative tale of contemporary times? You'll be happy to know that the title and the synopses of the author's next novel, aimed at adults this time, has been revealed. Slated for release on September 27, the book is called The Casual Vacancy and traces the story of a little non-magic town called Pagford that's reduced to chaos when a member of its parish council dies quite suddenly. This new release is exciting because we didn't think she'd ever get a move on it. But at the same time, The Caterpillars are bit skeptical about Rowling writing a novel only for adults. We read and loved Harry Potter from the time we were in our late-teens and throw eggs at people who dismiss it as a children's novel even now. To have this master storyteller suddenly limit her talent to adults isn't fair to her audience, who though statistically younger, have read and still read the series as part of their timeless favourites.

Read the details and full synopses here

The Swedish Invasion

“Where once was a famine, now is a feast...” says this LATimesMagazine article about Nordic crime fiction that has been on readers' radars since Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy. If you're a fan of the genre and haven't known what to buy and try, the article--written by John-Henri Holmberg, a Swedish critic and co-writer of The Enigma of Stieg Larsson & the Secrets Behind the Most Compelling Thrillers of Our Time—lists some titles you absolutely must try. The Caterpillars are quite keen on Håkan Nesser's Mind's Eye that's centered around what seems to be an open-and-shut case until the chief suspect is found dead, and Unwanted by Kristina Ohlsson which is about a an abducted child found dead with the word 'Unwated' scribbled on her forehead.

Read the full list of recommendations here

Pulitzer 2012 Withheld?

It's almost like Christmas has been canceled for three American fiction authors published in 2011! "The main reason [for the fiction decision] is that no one of the three entries received a majority and thus, after lengthy consideration, no prize was awarded," says Sig Gissler, administrator of the Pulitzers to the Associated Press.

Read all the details on the Guardian website here

On a Happy Note, We're Starting a Book Club

… or rather, reviving The Caterpillar Club and opening it up to readers across Mumbai (This is where we're based so readers from other parts of the world can always write in to us for ideas, information and  support because we luff you so!)
Our first meeting is scheduled for May and though we're still zooming in on the format, location and other nitty-gritties--including the first read of the year--we'd love to invite you to be part of it! So if you're Mumbai based, love books and have no one to read them with, let alone share your opinions with, send us an email at info.caterpillarcafe@gmail.com and we'll keep send you all the things you need to know.