Shobhaa De is an Indian columnist and novelist with multiple titles to her credit

What are you reading these days? Fifty Shades of Grey. Isn’t every other woman in the world? Are we sick?

Which books are on your bedside table? Several. I swear to myself I’ll tackle them one by one and improve my mind. But what happens is that I pounce on a pile of trashy glossies and devour every little bit of salacious, down and dirty tidbit on celebs I don’t know nor care about.

Which titles are on your bucket list of books? Mainly books I know I MUST read in order to appear intellectual and well-informed. But hell, if it’s a toss up between a book on Bosnia and a Bollywood DVD, I guess you know what wins.

What is the one book/author you feel everyone must read? Tolstoy. On this one, I’m serious. War and Peace changed my life... I still want to be Natasha. Or Audrey Hepburn playing Natasha.

What are you planning to reread? All of F. Scott Fitzgerald. Starting with Tender is the Night. Also, John Irving’s The World According to Garp, Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day and An Equal Music by Vikram Seth.

What is the one book you read because you thought it would make you appear smarter? Mein Kampf — see, I’m struggling with the spelling even now.

What is the one book you started reading but could not finish? Hundreds of them. Satanic Verses for sure.

What is your favourite childhood book or story? The Little Prince — still love it!