Reading and Reminescing. Reading Log of Syl and her Alteregos AND her Offspring

[Ahtims]

I was away for more than a week.. not by design, but due to lack of time.
My current reads
Possession - about to finish - liking it
Azincourt - at 25% - liking it
Just started "Crocodile Bird" audio - Loving it

In near future
Fingersmith
Black Eyed Susans

Shall update if I have forgotten any.

[Ahtims]

Past one month was an existential crisis for me (dont know what that long word means, but it is good to use it).
I was at an ever low reading dump, and was struggling to take one day at a time.. mostly due to my own fault.
But have collected myself, reconciled with events and disturbances, and here I am... all fit and raging to go on with books and life.

My son read a couple of books including Diary of a Young girl, as he is in "Hitler Phase" now, and wants to know more and more about Nazi Germany, Germans, Jews and all that happened. He liked the book, but had a few remarks to make about Anne - saying she was more concerned of her hair and face. I had to admonish him and tell him how much she suffered, though she seemed cozy in her underground cellar.
We discussed the book, including what could have happened,, would have happened..
Sometimes there is only a slight slip between the cup and the lip, but it does its damage.

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Reading slump for you?
unbelievable!
Hope it was triggered by the likes of War and Peace :P

Your son is a brave reader to read young girls diary at such a young age. Must be induction effect from you :) [or is it vice versa :P]

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Discussing books with kids/siblings face to face is priceless!!! Happy for you and him.

[Ahtims]

Yes, Gorab, discussing books face to face is quite priceless, but sometimes can induce one to physical violence if the person whom you are discussing with thinks he knows everything, and whatever he knows and says is the dictum... as my young un' seems to think and do.
:P :P

[dely]

Em wrote: "Yes, Gorab, discussing books face to face is quite priceless, but sometimes can induce one to physical violence if the person whom you are discussing with thinks he knows everything, and whatever h..."

Lol

If he likes that topic, there is also The Book Thief or Between Shades of Gray though the latter has to do with Stalin's gulags. Both books are considered YA though I liked both of them and I'm not anymore a young adult.

I'm glad your reading slump is over. As Gorab said, unbelievable! If you will have again an existential crisis, go with Jean-Paul Sartre :P

[Ahtims]

I have read both... Shades of Gray has a few mature adult contents as far as I remember, not that he (or I ) minds

Thank you,,,, Jean Paul may worsen my crisis :P

[Ahtims]

Have already suggested Book Thief to him... but he doesn;t read as soon as I suggest. :/

[dely]

Em wrote: "Have already suggested Book Thief to him... but he doesn;t read as soon as I suggest. :/"

Stubborn!

You can try the opposite: "I didn't like this. Gautham, don't read it".

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Em wrote: "Yes, Gorab, discussing books face to face is quite priceless, but sometimes can induce one to physical violence if the person whom you are discussing with thinks he knows everything, and whatever h..."

Physical violence! LOL!!! :D

[Ahtims]

Nice tactics, dely. BUt muy son is smarter.

[Ahtims]

Upcoming
1Q84
What Was She Thinking? Notes on a Scandal

About to finish

The Hating Game
Dark Corners

Duds

Hate List
The Night Circus

[Em Lost In Books, EmLo is my Name, PIFM is my Game]

You DNF hate list?

[Ahtims]

No, will read some day.

[Ahtims]

Completed a century in books. Some good, some very good, some average, some not so good... was a spectacular journey this year - learnt a lot from books as well as from GR friends.. most of them good, some bad.
Seeing what the last quarter of the year brings forth in the way of literary gems.

[Harsha]

Em wrote: "Completed a century in books. Some good, some very good, some average, some not so good... was a spectacular journey this year - learnt a lot from books as well as from GR friends.. most of them go..."

Congratulations, Col!

[Ahtims]

Thank you <3

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Century already?
Congrats congrats congrats!

[Gorab, TheGunman]

And that too a well loaded shelf! Kudos!

[Ahtims]

Gorab wrote: "And that too a well loaded shelf! Kudos!"

Thank you B-)

[Em Lost In Books, EmLo is my Name, PIFM is my Game]

Congratulations!!

[dely]

Em wrote: "Completed a century in books. Some good, some very good, some average, some not so good... was a spectacular journey this year - learnt a lot from books as well as from GR friends.. most of them go..."

Is it a challenge? A book printed in every year? Congratulations!

[Ahtims]

No, dely. I just meant that I finished reading a hundred books this year. :-)

[Ahtims]

Past 2 months were abysmal in terms of reading and relaxing. Was sort of down in dumps and perturbed. Planning to make a massive comeback. B-)

I am going to spice up my reading life with weird challenges...
But first let me finish my birthday tome, 1Q84, which am thoroughly enjoying at 35%.

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Wish you a great comeback... and looking forward to spicy weird challenges :D

[Ahtims]

he he.. thanks, Gorab.

[Ahtims]

"It's Only A Paper Moon"

It is only a paper moon
Sailing over a cardboard sea
But it wouldn't be make believe
If you believed in me

Yes, it's only a canvas sky
Hangin' over a muslin tree
But it wouldn't be make believe
If you believed in me

Without your love
It's a honky tonk parade
Without your love
It's a melody played in a penny arcade

It's a Barnum and Bailey world
Just as phony as it can be
But it wouldn't be make believe
If you believed in me

Without your love
It's a honky tonk parade
Without your love
It's a melody played in a penny arcade

It's a Barnum and Bailey world
Just as phony as it can be
But it wouldn't be make believe
If you believed in me


This ditty is revolving, rotating and somersaulting in my head. I have started feeling that I am living in 2Q16... THIS BOOK HAS AFFECTED ME THAT MUCH..
And am not happy about it. -______________________-

[Gorab, TheGunman]

2Q16!
Are all Murakami books that much intrusive to the psyche?
I know I'll read 1Q84 too... but after tasting and digesting some more Murakamis.
Wish you could have been happy about it. Hope you are enjoying it nevertheless...

[Ahtims]

Gorab wrote: "2Q16!
Are all Murakami books that much intrusive to the psyche?
I know I'll read 1Q84 too... but after tasting and digesting some more Murakamis.
Wish you could have been happy about it. Hope you a..."

Murakami characters somehow enter the air I breathe, then invade the pulmonary arteries and then are dispersed via my blood stream to the brain after successfully penetrating the blood brain barrier. :P

[Ahtims]

Almost the end of the year.
My Accomplishments
1. Read more than 100 books and upped my challenge to 125 which I am fairly certain of completing if I am alive and not gone blind (touch wood)
2. Didnot complete a single challenge... trying to see things positively and making it an accomplishment rather than failure, by thinking that I am an Impulsive Reader...
So my next years Reading Progress already got a title: The Impulsive Reader. :P
3. Read a diversity of books, including a couple of tomes adn a couple of uncomfortable genres.
4. .............................cant think of any................................

[dely]

Em wrote: "Almost the end of the year.
My Accomplishments
1. Read more than 100 books and upped my challenge to 125 which I am fairly certain of completing if I am alive and not gone blind (touch wood)
2. Did..."

Well done, as every year!

I like your positivity about the challenges. I'm such a failure too with my yearly challenges and I was thinking to stop doing them next year because I'm not able to be as positive as you. Though I try to don't be too serious with them, at the end of the year I feel bad for not having completed them. I hope at least to complete my GR challenge, to read 52 books in one year, but I think it will be difficult (if I don't start reading very very short books).

[Ahtims]

I never feel bad, dely. In fact, we read to enjoy, not to burden our already worrying minds, ... :D
One Year I didnot even complete my challenge. I think in 2014. Still, I didnt feel that bad.
And I also give up (and take up abandoned books ) easily :) :)
The (im)perfect reader, that I am.

[dely]

You are right, we should enjoy our reads and don't focus too much on challenges, but when I set them up, I would be however happy to complete them. So maybe it's better I don't set them up (and I already know that next year I will have again my challenges and will complain about not completing them! :D )

[Ahtims]

he he... Good luck in advance. :)

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Em wrote: "Almost the end of the year.
My Accomplishments
1. Read more than 100 books and upped my challenge to 125 which I am fairly certain of completing if I am alive and not gone blind (touch wood)
2. Did..."

Is this the first time you hit a century here?
Congrats for another great year. I'll steal this idea of summarising the year with accomplishments :)

[Ahtims]

he he.... no.
Consecutive centuries since 2010 except.for 2014 where I couldn't complete 100.

[Gorab, TheGunman]

:O
Seriously!

[Ahtims]

[Ahtims]

Em Reminisces on the fact that "Each book has a time and place to be read"
And The Name of the Rose sort of consolidates this for the nth time.
I caught hold of an ebook version immediately after watching the impressive movie, way back in 2010 or so. I was stumped.
Then I tried to read again when it was chosen as BOTM for our group. I failed miserably.
Then occured a cozy read somewhere in Feb of this year. I refrained from joining as I was not in the mood to tackle it for a third time. But somehow this book nagged my soul and brain and I had this urge to start it. Kept it under control, and started ogling online at the various coverarts and editions.
Finally there came a day when I visited the famous Blossoms in Bangalore, and while rummaging past its endless shelves, Name of the Rose dragged me by my hair, and caught hold of me in a stronghold. I literally couldnot move a step without putting it in my shopping bag. I thought Rs. 480 was slightly steep as compared to online prices, but my heart refused to budge without claiming for my own this beautiful copy
Then passed a couple or more of months, just proudly surveying it in its place in my shelf.. and finally one day I couldnot resist opening it.
And here I am, totally in love with this 14th century tale of Christianity, its sects, the medieval murder/suicide and the forefather of Sherlock Holmes in the thick of it, along with his faithful disciple, Aldo, who narrates the tale beautifully by loquaciously.
At page 155, I can with some amount of certainty say that there is more than a fair chance of completing it, as I am totally in awe of the story and the way it is told.

[Rebecca]

Wow! Your description makes me want to read it too..... maybe next year

[Ahtims]

May be a hit or miss with you, Rebecca. This one is unpredictable. :)

[Rebecca]

Oh



Oh....like that?

[Girish, The Good cop]

Wow! You are liking Name of the Rose!!! *yaayyy*

And so true about the time when you decide to read a book

[Vimal]

'The way it is told'.. Love this book for the exact same reason. Left a permanent mark on me.

[Ahtims]

Am glad to belong to the elite group of Name of the Rose admirers. :)

[Ahtims]

I am in my big dark Green House outside my bungalow. Got a huge brown paper parcel in my hand, which I cut open with scissors, and take out mint fresh books 4 in number. Three novels and one a book of maps of the Wales coast or something. I wonder when I ordered this map, and I open the map book. Suddenly there is a great whoosh of wind,and I am sucked into the book and am deposited on a huge knoll in a huge garden with flowering plants on one side, rows and rows of trees forming a forest on the other, gleaming silvery mountains towards the north, and a huge castle towards the south.. I stand facing the mountains, and then turn to the left to explore, and find that I wont be able to cover the whole in a day. But I dont mind as scattered here and there are small huts with food,drink, comfy chairs and huge bookshelves full of books.
And the garden too is studded with comfortable benches and sofas and swings, where one can read at ease.
I am overwhelmed, and I sigh with delight, and I hear someone call me... when I turn back, I see my bookloving friend, with whom I used to discuss books in my student days. We are too glad to see each other and are about to venture forth to discover what else lies in store for us, then again I am called.. this time the shout is from my son, who is waking me up from my afternoon nap saying the courier has come with a COD parcel. I pay, we take the parcel, open it... and find a lone book... not for me , but for my son.
Anticlimactic incident to a lovely dream.
I go back to bed, and try to recreate the book filled garden, but in vain. I am wide awake, and a bit cranky.... and a bit sad mourning the loss of luxuries I never had. :P

[Akanksha]

what a dream <3

[Gorab, TheGunman]

ROFL! :D
The good dreams you see are bringing happiness in real world to your son ;)

[Ahtims]

This year I slacked much on updating my progress here.
Hope 2017 finds me more disciplined.
Had a good reading year in all...
And I could meet my goal

2017 ... here I come...
And thank you .... all friends who were here with me in this thread, forever encouraging me...

Without you people, the megalomaniac reader in my would have died a silent and miserable death. :D :P

[Gorab, TheGunman]

This is the thread which inspired me to create a reading log. Your next year's thread will be the motivation for continuing this logging and making a habit out if it :)