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'The Fountainhead is a tome that reveals itself in layers over a period of time': Namrata Karkhanis

Aspiring yogi and independent writer Namrata Karkhanis tells us about her favourite books

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What are you reading now?
I always enjoy a nice, juicy whodunit before bedtime. I'm currently reading the first volume of The Complete Adventures of Feluda by Satyajit Ray. As much as I enjoy the mystery, I also love the writing for its deeply nostalgic quality... reminds me of my childhood.

What are the books that changed your life?
As a teenager, my dad introduced me to Notes to Myself: My Struggle to Become a Person by Hugh Prather. A teenage mind is so conflicted; in retrospect, I'd like to think that the book helped me remain grounded. Then, a few years later, I came across The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. I was so swept away by the romantic philosophy of individualism that I didn't really understand Rand's politics. The book is a tome that reveals itself in layers over a period of time.
Do you read non-fiction?
I enjoy political essays, historical commentaries and travel writings. I like reading South Asian writers. Sometime ago, I came across a compilation of essays by Mohsin Hamid titled Discontent and Its Civilizations. It offers absorbing insights on living and working as a immigrant/expatriate in today's geopolitical scenario.
Which are the books you revisit from time to time?
I love to re-read travel books. Especially those by Paul Theroux and Bill Bryson. I like to go back and re-read a particular section of writing, say about a country or a culture. The Old Patagonian Express and Ghost Train to the Eastern Star are some of my favourite books by Theroux.
Your favourite literary quote.
"Today I don't want to live for, I want to live": Notes to Myself by Hugh Prather