Books and Authors
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Introduction
Study MaterialBooks and Authors
Books and Authors form an important part of General Knowledge and Current Affairs for competitive examinations. Questions related to famous books, writers, autobiographies, novels, historical books, award-winning books, and literary personalities are frequently asked in UPSC, SSC, Banking, Railway, Defence, State PSC, CDS, NDA, Insurance, and various government examinations.
Knowledge of famous books and authors improves literary awareness, historical understanding, cultural knowledge, and current affairs preparation.
This chapter covers Indian and international authors, important novels, autobiographies, biographies, award-winning literary works, and famous books frequently asked in previous examinations.
What are Books and Authors?
Books and Authors GK includes information related to famous literary works, novels, autobiographies, biographies, poets, writers, philosophers, and important publications from India and around the world.
The topic mainly covers:
- Famous Books & Novels
- Autobiographies & Biographies
- Indian Authors
- International Authors
- Award-Winning Books
- Historical & Political Books
- Sports Personalities Books
- Literary Awards & Writers
Importance of Books and Authors
Literary Awareness
Books improve knowledge of literature, culture, and famous writers.
Current Affairs Preparation
Many competitive exams ask questions about recent books and authors.
Historical Understanding
Biographies and historical books improve understanding of important events.
Competitive Exams
Books and Authors questions are frequently asked in GK sections.
Famous Indian Books and Authors
| Book | Author |
|---|---|
| The God of Small Things | Arundhati Roy |
| Half Girlfriend | Chetan Bhagat |
| Flood of Fire | Amitav Ghosh |
| Interpreter of Maladies | Jhumpa Lahiri |
| My Country My Life | L. K. Advani |
| Playing It My Way | Sachin Tendulkar |
| Wings of Fire | Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam |
| India at Risk | Jaswant Singh |
Famous International Books and Authors
- I Am Malala → Malala Yousafzai
- A Bend in the River → V. S. Naipaul
- The Narrow Road to the Deep North → Richard Flanagan
- True Colours → Adam Gilchrist
- The Red Sari → Javier Moro
- The Sahara Testaments → Tade Ipadeola
- One Life is Not Enough → Natwar Singh
- The Lives of Others → Neel Mukherjee
Famous Autobiographies & Biographies
| Book | Person |
|---|---|
| Playing It My Way | Sachin Tendulkar |
| Unbreakable | Mary Kom |
| My Music My Life | Pt. Ravi Shankar |
| Joseph Anton | Salman Rushdie |
| And Then One Day | Naseeruddin Shah |
| My Years with Rajiv and Sonia | R. D. Pradhan |
| One Life is Not Enough | Natwar Singh |
| Wings of Fire | A. P. J. Abdul Kalam |
Sports Books and Authors
- Playing It My Way → Sachin Tendulkar
- True Colours → Adam Gilchrist
- Runs in Ruins → Sunil Gavaskar
- Unbreakable → Mary Kom
- Sourav Ganguly: Cricket, Captaincy and Controversy → Saptarshi Sarkar
- Final Test: Exit Sachin Tendulkar → Dilip D’Souza
- Born Again on the Mountain → Arunima Sinha
- My Music My Life → Pt. Ravi Shankar
Political & Historical Books
| Book | Author |
|---|---|
| The Accidental Prime Minister | Sanjaya Baru |
| Indian Parliamentary Diplomacy | Meira Kumar |
| To the Brink and Back | Jairam Ramesh |
| India at Risk | Jaswant Singh |
| Why I Assassinated Gandhi | Nathuram Godse |
| Beyond Doubt | Teesta Setalvad |
| The Wrong Enemy | Carlotta Gall |
| Water, Peace and War | Brahma Chellaney |
Award-Winning Books
- The God of Small Things won → Booker Prize
- The Narrow Road to the Deep North won → Man Booker Prize
- Interpreter of Maladies won → Pulitzer Prize
- Family Life won → Folio Prize
- Arundhati Roy became famous through → The God of Small Things
- Jhumpa Lahiri known for → Literary Fiction
- Richard Flanagan belongs to → Australia
- Neel Mukherjee known for → The Lives of Others
Important Indian Authors
| Author | Famous Work |
|---|---|
| Chetan Bhagat | Half Girlfriend |
| Amitav Ghosh | Flood of Fire |
| Arundhati Roy | The God of Small Things |
| Jhumpa Lahiri | Lowland |
| Twinkle Khanna | Mrs Funnybones |
| Jairam Ramesh | To the Brink and Back |
| Khushwant Singh | Khushwantnama |
| Raghav Bahl | Super Economies |
Most Important Topics Asked in Exams
- Famous Books & Authors
- Autobiographies & Biographies
- Sports Personalities Books
- Political Books
- Award-Winning Novels
- Indian & International Writers
- Recent Publications
- Literary Awards
How to Prepare Books and Authors?
- Remember famous books author-wise.
- Focus on autobiographies and biographies.
- Study award-winning books regularly.
- Revise current affairs related books.
- Practice previous year GK questions.
- Prepare short notes for quick revision.
Quick Learning Framework
Learn Famous Books
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Study Important Authors
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Remember Autobiographies & Biographies
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Revise Award-Winning Books
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Practice MCQs Daily
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Boost GK Preparation
Final Takeaway
Books and Authors is an important General Knowledge topic covering famous books, writers, autobiographies, award-winning novels, and literary personalities frequently asked in competitive examinations.
Regular revision of books and authors improves literary awareness, memory retention, and competitive examination performance significantly.