THREAD: Some gifts that Daryaganj has given me down the years (don't judge me, ok? My first job paid 18k). Also proof of the fact that while second-hand book markets tend to be dominated by academic books, there's hidden gold out there too.

First up, the incomparable Bhimayana

Daljit Nagra's poetry collection "Tippoo Sultan's Incredible White-Man-Eating Tiger Toy-Machine!!!"

Nell Freudenberger's THE NEWLYWEDS is somehow both a throwback novel of sorts (a kind of Woolfian deep-dive into a couple's psyches) and a thoroughly 21st century story, you know --- modern love. Absolutely brilliant.

One of the best-known Palestinian novels, Liana Badr's THE EYE OF THE MIRROR was published in the 90s but it feels like it could have been written yesterday ---- a testament to how little has changed for the Palestinian people.

One of my all-time favorites. I'd say it's a once-in-a-lifetime novel, but Carey is so good he has written even better books (and may yet write some more)

Moving on to some Atwoods now! THE ROBBER BRIDE is one of the most plot-heavy Atwoods out there, a real page-turner.

CAT'S EYE was published in the year of my birth, 1988, and it may well have won the Booker next year, but for the fact that it was on an unusually strong shortlist (including Kazuo Ishiguro, John Banville and James Kelman, all future winners; Ishiguro won for Remains of the Day)

How good are Virago covers? This cover matches the tone and tenor of SURFACING perfectly

Charlotte Roche's WETLANDS is one of the most outrageous ---- and outrageously funny --- erotic novels of the 21st century.

If y'ask me,a lot of us could do with some Marcus Aurelius right about now

Young 'uns: Before Breaking Bad, there was another Heisenberg. And he was pretty dope, yes, I hereby certify his dopeness.

Is this fiction? Non-fiction? A history-of-comics-by-proxy? A sly meta-text about Lewis Carroll and his influences? Who knows?

It's pretty dope, though. ALICE IN SUNDERLAND by Bryan Talbot

Okay, ending the thread with a couple of extra-gorgeous editions that are NOT from Daryaganj: first up, this mammoth book of British crime comics, a generous gift from @TheVivaanShah (you don't wanna be in the room when we talk noir, takes a while to shut us up)