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The different forms of life present in the earth at this moment makes for a small fraction of all those that have inhabited our planet since life started around 3.7bn years ago. All those near infinite life forms are connected with one another by the chain of descent or of common origin. Although this notion itself was not new even in his time, Charles Darwin was the first person to systematically elaborate and justify the idea now popularly known as evolution by natural selection. In the book, ‘The Origin of Species’, published in 1959, he explains in great detail the exact mechanism by which the process takes place. It’s considered among the greatest  and most beautiful scientific achievements of all time.

The first premise to understanding Darwin’s theory is that each living form struggles to survive and leave as many offspring as it can. A parent form produces offspring, not all of which are uniform. They may randomly and minutely vary in aspects like habits, constitution, and organization. If these differences are in some way favorable to the bearer, that form is likely to live longer and reproduce more of its kind. When many of such minute variations accumulate over a long period of time, the living forms can acquire different appearances from the parent form so as to appear unrelated to one another. Over a span of time, many such forms grow in complexity, occupying different places within the economy of nature, giving rise to an immensely vast number of species that we see populating the world.

It’s admirable to be able to state these principles with clarity especially at a time when the creationist dogma of Christianity that each species was separately created by God was what most people accepted unquestionably. However, Darwin goes many steps further and illustrates different aspects related to nature, contrasting between how those facts become unexplainable under the theory of creation and how they are naturally explained by the theory of natural selection. 

One such interesting fact is that embryos of species which vary greatly during adulthood are much more alike. This fact is explained by the principle that major variations specified above occur in the species during the age when they are most active or when they are adults and are accordingly inherited at similar ages. Hence the embryo of various related species with common progenitors being alike is explained on the view of species arising through natural selection. However, if they were created separately the question as to why embryos of differently created species should have been so alike cannot be reasonably answered.

Various body parts of different species with widely different functions like the wings of birds, fins of fish and legs of dogs share common structure in the underlying bone indicating their common origin. Natural selection has taken a single raw material from a common parent and out of that, it has formed different organs that would be beneficial to different species in their respective environments by the mechanism of accumulating small variations over a period of time. Again, under the false belief of godly creation of different species separately, these structures remain unexplained.

Besides giving these and more explanations in great detail evidencing the power of natural selection, Darwin takes on many challenges posed against the theory and answers each of them. One such challenge is the fact of the same species appearing in geographical regions vastly far from each other without it being found in the intermediate regions giving the illusion of being created separately in two regions. This he explains by referring to the possible geological changes over the long course of history whereby it’s possible that different continents weren’t as separate in the past as it is now. That would have allowed species from one region to have migrated to another region after which the two regions separated. Migration has been a powerful force in populating the entire planet with different variations of life forms. There are many interesting ways life forms can migrate from one place to another. Seeds of plants can stick into the feet of birds which fly to faraway islands and drop it there unknowingly. Even more amazingly, when some fish swallows the seed of a plant and later some bird devours the fish then goes on a long flight to another distant island, often enough the seed still retains the capacity for germination after the bird regurgitates the undigested seed. 

Even today, many people strongly oppose evolution by natural selection due to ideological biases or ignorance. Although the theory explains so many of the phenomena found in nature which are otherwise completely inexplicable, scientific evidence for it is overwhelming and so much of its predictions have come true. Few findings in the history of science would have had such a powerful impact paving the way for many further discoveries and progress. The Origin of Species is a great read for anyone who wants to reflect upon the diversity of life and wonders where it all came from.

Though I generally tend to read thrillers when I need to distract myself from what is happening around me, there are some non-thriller titles that I pick up when my heart feels heavy and I need something to cheer me up. Books like ‘Matilda’ and ‘The Twits’ by Roald Dahl and anything by David Sedaris and Nick Hornby have witty writing and funny plots and I would recommend these if you were looking for some fun reads. 

But for me, there are some OG (cue in an eyeroll here for the millennial slang) of funny books the thought of which just instantly cheers me up. I can pick these books up and because I know the plot like the back of my hand I don’t even have to read it cover to cover. I just randomly flip to a page and read a passage or a line here and there. This week, I thought I’d share them with you as we could all do with some joy in our hectic lives.

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome

Published in 1889, ‘Three Men in a Boat’ by Jerome K Jerome is a hilarious book about a two-week boating vacation. It was initially meant to be a serious travel guide but ended up becoming an account of three friends and their dog on a boating trip. The author and his friends are tired of regular life and decide to take a vacation. The book describes the adventures of the friends during their trip along the River Thames from Kingston to Oxford. There are mishaps and comic encounters that will leave you in splits. The writing is also funny and you get glimpses of London that will make you feel like you are actually there.

Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding

I love Helen Fielding for creating Bridget Jones. In my head, she’s not just a fictional character but someone who actually lives somewhere in this world and ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ is actually her diary. The book is well written, funny, and relatable. You are privy to the character’s weaknesses and flaws and that makes her extremely endearing. Her thoughts are laugh out loud funny. You can’t believe she is serious about all the things she stresses about. Reading the book or even parts of it always brings my deepest insecurities to the surface and forces me to look at them in a light manner. It was published in 1998 but it’s as relevant today as it was back then.

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Tina Fey is an American actress, writer, and comedian. She gained popularity for creating and starring as Liz Lemon in the popular show ‘30 Rock’. She created the musical adaptation of the popular movie ‘Mean Girls’. She has appeared in the Time 100 list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Her memoir ‘Bossypants’, which was subject to a bidding war among publishers, came out in 2011. I asked a cousin who was in the US to send me a copy of the book as it wasn’t available in Nepal back then. I’m someone who never asks for such favors so you can imagine how badly I wanted to read the book. Bossypants is funny, inspirational, and makes you want to take life a little less seriously.

Reading books about food is the next best thing to enjoying good food. I have realized that it makes me appreciative of different cultures and cuisines. I’ve also come to know about different kinds of food, despite not having been to certain countries, and as a result become more experimentative with my meal choices. 

Earlier, say till a few years back, it was hard to get many ingredients that I read about in various novels. I could only imagine what a certain dish would taste like. But now we are spoilt for choice as we get everything in the markets here. For local ingredients, bazaars in Ason and Patan are best while Bhatbhateni and Salesberry stock almost everything else. These days when I read about dishes I want to try, I can easily replicate them at home and I love it. It makes my reading experience even more immersive. 

Here, I’m recommending three books that have really made me want to go out of my comfort zone in the kitchen while making me drool excessively while reading them.

The Second-Worst Restaurant in France by Alexander McCall Smith

Paul Stuart is a famous cookbook writer but he can’t, for some reason or other, seem to be able to finish his latest book. Then his cousin suggests that he join her at a house she has rented in the French countryside and he takes up her offer. As the two get used to a calm life there, befriending the locals including the owners of the infamous restaurant that is known to be the second-worst eatery in France, Paul realizes that there is no escaping life no matter where he goes. I like Alexander McCall Smith’s writing. I have read several of his other books and find them to be witty and heartwarming. ‘The Second-Worst Restaurant’ is the second book in the Paul Stuart series by the Scottish author. 

Love & Saffron By Kim Fay

This book reminds you how good food and a good life are two sides of a coin. It’s a heartwarming tale of friendship and how the right food can cure most heartaches. A life-changing friendship begins when Joan Bergstrom sends a fan letter to food writer Imogen Fortier. As the two women communicate, through letters, they build a rapport that helps them appreciate the good things in life as well as get through some difficult times. As the novel follows two women in the 1960s, there’s an old world charm to the plot and I really enjoyed the setting and the pace. ‘Love & Saffron’ is essentially a story about the power of female friendships and food that will leave you feeling happy and hungry. 

Heartburn by Nora Ephron

I haven’t read many novels by Nora Ephron as I’m not really a fan of her brand of stories which is mostly romance. I also heard that she uses ghostwriters and whether that is true or not, it put me off her books even more. So I surprised myself when I picked up ‘Heartburn’ but I was intrigued by the blurb. I’m glad I decided to read it because it was so satisfying. It’s also hilarious. Rachel Samstat discovers her husband is cheating on her when she is seven months pregnant. So the cookbook writer turns to food for comfort. The book alternates between Rachel trying to win him back and wishing him dead with many of her favorite recipes thrown in the mix. 

One of my biggest fears as a reader is that I’ll miss out on some great books because I’m in a rush to read the latest releases by some of my favorite authors or be swayed by online recommendations. Even though I’m a pretty fast reader, I’m not able to read all the books I want and my bedside pile keeps getting bigger. Like every other reader, I seem to buy way too many books than I can read. I always promise myself that I won’t buy more books till I finish the ones I’ve bought but something or the other invariably catches my eye. 

So halfway through 2025, I made a list of 25 books that I want to read or reread (for a better perspective). If I get through these, I’ll have made a sizable dent in my reading goals as well as the TBR shelf that I feel beckons me mockingly every time I’m in the study. In no particular order, I bring to you the 25 books that I’ve sworn to get around to before the year ends, hoping you too find something interesting to pick up when you can’t decide what to read. 

Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Published in 2025, ‘Dream Count’ tops my list of books I have to get to this year because I love Adichie’s writing. The novel apparently features four women and their stories are told in turn. From what I’ve heard and read about this book, there’s not much in the name of plot but it’s a beautiful contemplation on love and its messiness. I’m sure this is going to be brilliant but Adichie never disappoints. 

The New Neighbors by Claire Douglas

Till now, I’ve only read one book by Claire Doughlas but I keep seeing her books at the bookstore and the owner recently told me they are hugely popular. So I’d like to give it another try. ‘The New Neighbors’ is her latest book and the premise sounds promising. A woman thinks her neighbors are plotting a crime but no one believes her and things get really intense. I like psychological suspenses and I believe I’m in for a treat. 

The City and its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami

There was a time when I read Murakami’s works back-to-back and then I stopped reading him altogether because I felt I had overdosed on his writing. I came across his recent work at the bookstore and felt really drawn to the title. Reading the synopsis on the inside flap of the cover made me certain that I was in for a good time. Translated by Philip Gabriel, ‘The City and its Uncertain Walls’ is basically a love story and an ode to books and libraries. When a young man’s girlfriend disappears, he sets about to find her in the imaginary city where her true self lives. 

Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq

Winner of the International Booker Prize 2025, ‘Heart Lamp’ is a collection of stories by lawyer, activist, and champion of Muslim women Banu Mushtaq. Apparently Mushtaq’s father told her he would bring shame to their family and with the Booker win, she hopes she has proved her late father wrong. Originally written in Kannada between 1990 and 2023, and translated into English by Deepa Bhasthi, the anthology explores the lives of Muslim women in India, focusing on patriarchy, inequality, and resilience. 

The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown

I’m picking about fantasy fiction but everything about this book caught my eye—from the beautifully designed cover to the fascinating blurb. I bought this book knowing nothing about it or the author and I can’t wait to read it. ‘The Book of Doors’ is Gareth Brown’s debut novel that is apparently full of magic, adventure, and romance. I’m a big fan of Erin Morgenstern’s ‘The Night Circus’ and this book seems to toe that line between what’s real and what’s imaginary. I have a feeling I’m going to love this one. 

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

I actually gifted this book to my husband and I can’t wait for him to read it so that I can ‘borrow’ it. I have heard so many good things about it. Evelyn Hardcastle will die every day until Aiden Bishop can identify the killer and break the cycle. But Aiden wakes up in a different person’s body every day making things confusing and difficult. I’ve heard that the plot is slow but gripping and that readers really get to know and empathize with Aiden. 

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese 

Set in Kerala, South India, ‘The Covenant of Water’ follows a 12-year-old girl at the turn of the 20th century from the time she weds a 40-year-old to becoming a matriarch of the family known as Big Ammachi. It’s full of tender moments, heartbreak, love, and loss. The book was an Oprah’s Book Club pick and she called it one of the best books she’s read in her entire life. It’s over 700 pages long and I want to reread this to better understand the nuances of the culture and life in a different setting. I think I flew through it the first time around without letting the words and wisdom sink in and that there are a lot of nuggets of wisdom to be found in the book. 

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

This is another thick book I want to read this year. Published in 2023, ‘The Bee Sting’ is about a dysfunctional family in Ireland. Each member of the family gets a separate section in the book and so you get different perspectives on the same matter. The Bee Sting is Murray’s fourth novel that took five years to write. A friend who recently read it says it has family drama and intriguing characters. It was, she says, easily the best book she’s read this year.

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

I’ve read two books—‘Everything I Never Told You’ and ‘Little Fires Everywhere’— by American writer and novelist Celeste Ng and I’ve loved both of them. She has also written many short stories that have been published in various literary journals. Her works are basically social commentary with elements of mystery and drama thrown in the plot. ‘Our Missing Hearts’ was published in 2022 and I’ve been meaning to get to it since then. It’s a story of injustice and resilience and going by the blurb I feel like there will be a lot to learn from it. 

Everyone I know is Dying by Emily Slapper

I was intrigued by the title which is why I picked up the book on a whim during a recent bookstore visit. Also, the first line of the book is intriguing, making you want to get inside the character’s head. It’s narrated by a woman who seems to have it all but isn’t happy. She doesn’t know why she’s unhappy and unable to make the right choices. She’s insecure and afraid. She’s you. She’s me. The book explores mental health, societal pressures, and toxic relationships. It’s bound to be an eye-opener. 

Conversations on Love by Natasha Lunn

A collection of essays on love and relationships, ‘Conversations on Love’ by Natasha Lunn sets out to explore and understand how relationships work and evolve over time. Lunn turned to other writers and experts to understand love and its intricacies. Philippa Gregory writes about falling in love slowly, Roxane Gay writes about redefining romance, Lisa Taddeo on the loneliness of love, and Dolly Alderton discusses vulnerability among others. All in all, it has different perspectives and sounds promising.  

The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante

I’m scared to admit this but I didn’t particularly enjoy Elena Ferrante’s ‘My Brilliant Friend’. I thought it was tedious and the writing was average. But ‘The Days of Abandonment’ on the other hand is a slim volume that packs a punch. I read it about a year ago and remember feeling comforted and wiser. I want to reread it this year. About an Italian woman living in Turin whose husband leaves her abruptly after living together for 15 years, The Days of Abandonment is about a woman trying to find her place in the world when everything that tethers her to it is stripped away.  

A Death in Tokyo by Keigo Higashino

Keigo Higashino is a Japanese author known for his mystery novels. His books have won many awards in Japan and they have been turned into movies and series as well. ‘A Death in Tokyo’ is the ninth novel in Higashino’s detective Kyochiro Kaga series but only the third to be translated into English. I’ve been told that you needn’t have read his other works to read this book as it works wonderfully as a standalone novel. 

Funny Story by Emily Henry

What happens when your fiance dumps you for his best friend? You get together (or at least pretend to be with) his best friend’s ex of course. This is the premise of ‘Funny Story’ by Emily Henry that like all of her previous books is heartwarming and hilarious. I’m a huge fan of Henry’s works and Funny Story which I’m currently reading has my heart. I love the character development and the nuanced writing despite the incredulous plot. 

Fury by Alex Michaelides 

Alex Michaelides is the master of psychological thrillers. ‘The Silent Patient’ is one of my absolute favorite books and I’m always recommending it to people. ‘Fury’, on the other hand, feels a little like watching a movie. It’s almost like Michaelides realized the cinematic appeal of his books and decided to prepare for it by writing the book almost scene by scene. The reason this book is on this list is because it’s a great book to pick up when you can’t concentrate on much else and need something fast-paced. 

Butter by Asako Yuzuki

This is a cult Japanese bestseller about a gourmet cook and a serial killer and a journalist who is determined to crack her case. It’s inspired by a true story of the ‘Konkatsu Killer’. All the reviews I’ve read of this book have been positive, calling it an unsettling yet stunning account of what it’s like to be a woman in a man’s world. The book explores misogyny, obsession, and our relationship with food. 

Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors

I’ve read Coco Mellor’s debut novel ‘Cleopatra and Frankenstein’ and I really enjoyed it. The book has been translated into over 15 languages. I wanted to read ‘Blue Sisters’ because I heard it deals with grief and the bond between siblings—both concepts I want to understand better. Here, three estranged sisters return to their family home after the death of their beloved sister. They have to deal with disappointments of their childhood and come to terms with the loss of the one person who held them together. 

Knife by Salman Rushdie

‘Knife’ is an autobiographical work by the British India writer Salman Rushdie. On August 12, 2022, Rushdie was stabbed multiple times by 24-year-old Hadi Matar as he was all set to give a lecture  at the Chautauqua Institution in New York, United States. Matar was arrested and charged with attempted murder (and later convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison) but Rushdie was wounded and hospitalized. Knife is Rushdie’s memoir about the attack and made it to the bestseller list upon publication. 

Either/Or by Elif Batuman

This is the sequel to Elif Batuman’s highly acclaimed novel ‘The Idiot’. But again, you really needn’t have read it to read ‘Either/Or’. The story picks up where The Idiot left off but it’s a whole new plot and knowing the backstory isn’t really important. Essentially a campus novel, Either/Or deals with a woman’s quest to find herself and figure out her place in the world. 

Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee

Min Jin Lee is the author of the bestselling novel ‘Pachinko’ which is one of my best books of all time. ‘Free Food for Millionaires’ is actually her first novel and it started as a short story about the ironic habit of rich people to be the first in line to get free stuff. Lee writes about the American immigrant experience and Free Food for Millionaires is no exception but I have heard to call it just that would also be extremely reductive so I’m curious to see what’s in store. 

Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

Eugene Parson has Angelman syndrome. It’s a rare disorder that makes him incapable of speaking. One day, his dad and Eugene go to the park and Eugene comes back home alone, bloody, disheveled, and upset. Dad’s backpack is found floating downstream but Eugene can’t tell anyone what happened. This book has mystery woven with family drama. It’s the book I’m going to pick up next. 

Slow Productivity by Cal Newport

This is the book my husband is currently reading. He’s more than halfway through it and he’s been recommending it to be right from the start. It’s not a big book and from what he’s read aloud to me, I’m intrigued. ‘Slow Productivity’ by Cal Newport is a groundbreaking philosophy for pursuing meaningful accomplishment while avoiding overload. Newport offers hacks for working efficiently and producing quality work and not letting work consume you. 

Prophet Song by Paul Lynch

‘Prophet Song’ won the Booker Prize in 2023. I had gotten the book when it had been longlisted for the prize and I’m ashamed to admit that I haven’t read it yet. That’s perhaps because it’s a dystopian novel and I tend to be a little skeptical about the genre. But I want to read the book this year and I’ve roped in a colleague to read it with it for a two person book club. The plot sounds promising: It’s about a country sliding into authoritarianism and a mother’s fight to hold her family together during such times. 

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

Highly recommended by Lisa Jewell, the mistress of crime fiction in my opinion, ‘Bright Young Women’ is also based on a true event  and tells the story of two women brought together by horror and tragedy. The bright pink and yellow cover caught my eye as well as Jewell’s raving review. I have read Knoll’s ‘Luckiest Girl Alive’ and watched the movie as well and enjoyed them both so I’m looking forward to Bright Young Women. 

The Song of Lunch by Christopher Reid

A colleague gave me his beautifully battered copy of ‘The Song of Lunch’ by Christopher Reid and said he had first watched the movie, found out it had been adapted from a poem and then gone in search of the book. I love to hear people talk about the works they have enjoyed. It’s a slim volume that won’t take more than a couple of hours to read but I’ve been carrying it in my bag and reading just a page or two between work to make it last. So far, the words that I have read keep dancing in my head. I’m sure this is going to be a story that will stay with me for a long, long time.