Indian Readers discussion
READING PROGRESS 2016
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Reading and Reminescing. Reading Log of Syl and her Alteregos AND her Offspring
Is Shadow of the wind ok with his age? Remember having some explicit sex scenes. Just asking so that I am ready when my 9 year old reaches that age.
Mod
He has read Real World, which is quite perverted, and am not worried about Shadow of the winds.
Regarding your son, Rebecca, you have to see how he is .. i,e, whether mentally precocious or not. If he is growing up in a protected environment, I would not advice you to start him off with such books at least till 16 or so.
But Gautham is quite bold and discusses things openly. He is not ashamed of 'sex' as I think, in his school they discuss it a lot.
Syl. A.k.a Topo di biblioteca wrote: "Completed 42 books so far. Not bad ^.^Am more happy that Gautham has started reading my recommendations.
My latest ones to him are
The Book Thief
[book:The Curious Incident of the Dog..."
Did he like the Kite Runner?
Good choices, above all the first two. I don't know the other two books though.
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And boy! Message 239 just won my heart over. I got the same freedom from my dad and would love to continue the legacy if my daughter ever decides to read :) Too early to say that but its a heart warming thread Col.
Kudos to you!
Gorab wrote: "I just noticed the welcome addition of "AND her Offspring" to this thread! And so thought of trespassing it.And boy! Message 239 just won my heart over. I got the same freedom from my dad and woul..."
I didn't see it! Really nice change of name :D
Gorab, how old is your daughter?
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Gorab wrote: "he he he she's just a couple of months old now :P"How cute! I miss it so much to hold my son in my arms as when he was a puppy. Enjoy these moments, they grow up so fast.
You can start reading her some bedtime stories in a few months.
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And Gorab, congratulations on the parenthood. I thought you were 19 or 20, like Aditya... :-P
I read somewhere that you can start reading out loud even to marinated. They love the cadence of parental voice , proximity etc. Even otherwise, I am sure she will grow up to be a bibliophile.:-)
Thanks Syl yes mine is growing up in protected environment and may be shocked out of his wits if he read those even at that age. And yes there are scenes in the shadow of Clara with her piano teacher and Daniel with his sweetheart. But if a teenager is mature enough I think it is ok. I remember reading Harold Robins when I was a teenager so I can't complain. I only wish I will be able to give that level of freedom to my son which my mother gave me.
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My childhood escapades
Exorcist - age 12 - hidden from parents
Dracula - age 13 - in front of my parents
Lady Chatterley - 18 - wasn't exactly a child, but was too immature to intake all the societal, psychological and physical issues.
Exorcist at age 12!!! I can't bring myself to read it at this age!
Mod
Lost a friend because of that. She saw me reading in school at lunch break, begged me to lend it to her, and I acquiesced. Two days later my mother received an angry phone call from her mother saying that I am corrupting her daughter by providing filth. Parents interrogated me, I told what happened. Mother was upset. Father said -"if you want to spoil your mind by reading books like this - go ahead and do so."
My son is one step ahead. He has watched the movie at the age of 8 or so, at his friend's place. Culprit there being friend's elder brother. On further questioning he agreed to having watched Shutter, Poltergeist and the like.
I have cautioned him about the other type of movies, which I have promised, will surely play havoc with his brain development, but he sturdily maintains that he hasn't watched those, and that always someone or the other is present at his friend's house. I have to trust him.
Mod
How cute! I miss it so much to hold my son in my arms as when he was a puppy. Enjoy these moments, they grow up so fast.
You can st..."
Syl. A.k.a Topo di biblioteca wrote: "thanks, dely and Gorab.
And Gorab, congratulations on the parenthood. I thought you were 19 or 20, like Aditya... :-P
I read somewhere that you can start reading out loud even to marinated. They lo..."
Thank you :)
My wife used to read Amar Chitra Kathas during her pregnancy. And yes we secretly wish her to be a book lover... Lets see. So thanks again for the bibliophile wish.
Mod
But glad that your parents didn't stop you from reading or macro monitoring.
Started reading Sydney Sheldons in 9th standard. And the librarian refused to issue further books by the author stating its only for 12th standard students. Told my father about it and he took me to his office library to pick from there :) He never read any books himself and had no idea what content I was reading... but kept insisting "Its good you like reading. Read all that you want. I trust you to decide by yourslef and leave what shouldn't be read in your age.... you would judge it better than I could."
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Though Sheldons got me hooked to reading... But I agree there are much better choices to start :)
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I personally feel any books that start us reading should be encouraged. I have gone through Enid Blyton phase, Carolyn Keene phase, Sheldon phase, PG Woodhouse and Christie phase,,,only when in my 20s I broadened my horizons further.
But I am yet to grow much as a reader, as still now, I don't get writers like Marquez, Coehlo, Ayn Randand and books like Infinite Jest, If on a winters night, Name of the Rose, Catch-22., to name a few.
Mod
I too was reading Sheldon in my 9th and 10th but after my mum read each one. Back then the libraries had only Sheldon, Christie and PG Wodehouse.
Mod
I personally feel any books that start us reading should be encouraged. I have gone through Enid Blyton phase, Carolyn Keene phase, Sheldon phase, PG Wo..."
When you say "yet to grow much as a reader"... that means nobody can grow enough as a reader :P
I lost the habit of reading after initial college days. Only picked it up again a couple of years back in 2014.
Among all the stupid FB challenges, there was this one where you post 10 books that changed your life... and tag your friends to do the same. Those posts plus the newly acquired Kindle is what got me back. And I'm very very glad for it :)
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Ya the school library didn't had much to offer. Mostly students read Enid Blytons and Christies. I'm not sure what the school libraries offer nowadays... but am positive that with changing times they would also have broadened their horizons.
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Am reading at a moderate pace, and loving the books I read
Arthur & George - at 60%, going slow, but not steady, as I am reading this in spurts. A good read, but not great. The prose is soothing, also a bit lulling.
Started 2 chunksters yesterday.
Fall of Giants- recommended by Anirudh, as part of a rouleaux of book suggestions. Interesting. All about coal mining, aristocracy and splendor of the early 20th century. Follet does tell a splendid tale
A Feast for Crows- Book 4 of the "A song of ice and fire" saga was planned well in advance, to be read together by Manju and me. We started in time,i.e., April 15th. Going slow as I am also reading a few other books. Waiting for the moment when the book drags me into its vortex and doesn't let go. As of now have finished only prologue and chapter 1.
Mod
After a busy 10 days, today I have got some time to read. And laryngitis like manna-from-heaven, which induces me to forego my evening jogging, and stay at home lazing around without guilt. About to start a micro readathon of a couple of hours.
3 books in the running - perhaps one, perhaps all
A Feast for Crows
Fall of Giants
A Midsummer's Equation
Mod
Pickwick papers took me to a different era, a couple of decades ago:
This was one of my fondest reads decades back when I was 12 or so. I had visited my maternal grandmother. The house was big, with a second outhouse in the yard a little far off, which had 3 or 4 rooms, all containing cupboards crammed with old books and magazines. (my uncle is a huge book lover) I used to have the time of my life sorting through the cupboards, breathing in the old book smell, finally finding out something to read, lying on an old cot and reading myself away to glory... till evening. (that house did not have electricity). Then I would take whatever book I had with me to the main house. The only stipulation of my grandma was not to clutter the main house with books, and to keep everything back.
And I kept on imagining the outhouse, the main house, the huge rooms, the ground enclosed by four walls of the house (traditionally a Nalukettu Kerala model house) with huge grounds, plants, cow sheds, mango trees, toilets situated in the grounds outside, how we were scared to answer nature's call at night... etc/ etc..
I also remember the sweetness of the mangoes stolen and eaten in the afternoons, the chitchat of the various cousins who met up during vacations, our make play schoolroom, hopscotch, the rare movie theatre trips, and the rare beach outings.
Where have those days gone..? I so sorely miss those.
Another book I read in the outhouse was The Count of Monte Cristo malayalam translation which amounted to 1000 plus pages, perhaps the first chunkster in my life.
I was totally transported to those worlds, and now I am transported to those days.
Tonight I am going to close my eyes and just imagine that I am in my maternal grandparent's house - and see where my memory takes me.
Mod
I have decided upon a rough time table, though I abhor reading time tables
1. A chapter a day of Pickwick papers
2. At least 5% of these 2 books -
fall of giants
Midsummer's equation
3. A chapter a day of Feast for Crows
These are the minimum. If I find somethng interesting I will carry forth reading more.
Syl. A.k.a Topo di biblioteca wrote: "I went to Gehna's thread in Read Runners and she invited me to BR The Pickwick Papers which we had agreed upon a couple of months ago.Pickwick papers took me to a different era, a co..."
What wonderful memories!
Mod
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And you are dealing with 4 giant books simultaneously. Salute!
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Guess some books read bring back memories more intense than the book itself..
Mod
it's a bittersweet memory, because that house was pulled apart a few years ago in favor of the new mushrooming flats. I hear that it has been converted to a crowded apartment complex with no grounds at all.
Can't complain, one has to change with changing times.
Mod
Woh kasam, woh irada
kaha tha tab, padhoongi naheen
do-teen se zyada pustak eksaath
Kya huaaa.....
yaad hai mujhko, Maine kaha thah
aisa sitam na karoongi ab kabhi
lekin ab kya karoon
laalach bhara dil
dimag ka kehna manta nahin
nasha pustak ka aisa bhi kya
ke mujhe kuch bhi yaad nahin
Kya huaaaaa.....
Mod
I remember promising myself that I will never keep more than 3 active books in my current reading shelf barely a month ago. Hence this deluge :P
Mod
Don't the stories make a khichdi in your head? I tend to mix things up grossly even with 3 at a time!
Whats your secret huh? :P
Mod
Lovely memories. I have the same of my own maternal grandmother's home which is now transformed into an apartment. In lieu of a library at home, I had a library close by where I used to love spending my time. I was perhaps the only patron of the library who was allowed 7 books at a time, the norm being 1 or 2. Recently, while travelling to another relative's place, I tried to show Subodh my old haunts and was really sad to find that everything has changed, so much so that I just couldn't find the old library! :(Hahaha on the song. Ain't it the very foundation of our life as readers? Some promises are never meant to be kept, I guess! :P
Am currently at 7, which is very good by my standards, in terms of keeping that same promise. Very soon I shall reach the magical two figure, I am sure of that, and that promise shall be broken! So don't you worry, I am always there with you! ;) :D
Mod
Once I had 49 halfread books in my current reading shelf and was the butt of many a joke.
Oh I would have had that many as well but I am very conscious of not adding all the books that I am 'actually' currently reading to that tab unless I am sure that I will go ahead with it. Sometimes even when I am sure, I tend to get bored in the middle and then change the status back to 'to read'! :P
Iv named shelves as on-hold, will-finish-later etc for ones i left half way through or in most cases, something more interedting came on my reading radar... I hope i do justice to the abandoned ones, one day ;DAnd the max i went, was to read 10 books in parallel...
Mod
Oh I too have a shelf named 'temporarily shelved' which I use very often but mostly I switch it back to 'to-read'.
Mod
I was halfway through book 3 a couple of years ago, and somehow didnot take it up again. Seeing my son read, I feel like resuming from book 3, but it is an impossible task considering the number of books I am parallel reading.
My favourites from the current shelves are
River of Smoke
A Feast for Crows
Fall of Giants
The Forty Rules of Love- too early to tell, but the prologue knocked me out.
Syl, plz plz plz plz read the third book (atleast) my personal humble request :D you wont regret it. Swear!
Syl. A.k.a Topo di biblioteca wrote: "My wonderkid has read the whole Harr[bo[book:River of Smoke|9783627]ok:River of Smoke|9783627]y Potter series, cover to cover in 3 days time. I was halfway through book 3 a couple of years ago, an..."
Good son!
Mod
I had put aside today for house cleaning, and perhaps that induced me to read and read and read and.....
Woke up at 5.50 am, went for a long walk with husband who gave up after 40 min, continued the walk for nearly an hour and a half, had a hefty breakfast and 2 cups of black coffee.... and sat to my "work"
Got up in between only to check the net and to cater to Gautham's frequent demands for snacks, head massage, back scratch etc.
(if he ever sees me closeby, he wants his head or back scratched. I wonder at his itch reflex which activates only when he sees me, and sometimes if I refuse, he will barter - he will scratch my head if I scratch his head, and this perplexes my husband who gets astonished at seeing 2 people scratching each others' heads rather than scratching their own - but getting head scratched by someone else is more soothing.. Oh, I digressed)
I managed to sleep for half an hour, and now after evening snack, which was actually a hefty meal (Cheese alfredo pasta with veggies), am about to make myself a cup of black coffee and pursue my latest - Slaves of solitude.
If my eyes ache further, shall stop, put on my headphones, start Pickwick papers audio and do some ironing/house cleaning.
Syl. A.k.a Topo di biblioteca wrote: "if he ever sees me closeby, he wants his head or back scratched. I wonder at his itch reflex which activates only when he sees me, and sometimes if I refuse, he will barter - he will scratch my head if I scratch his head, and this perplexes my husband who gets astonished at seeing 2 people scratching each others' heads rather than scratching their own -."Lol :D
I have to know what cheese alfredo pasta is but I'm also afraid to know.
Mod
Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long. Toss with hot pasta to serve.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/19402/qu...
Syl. A.k.a Topo di biblioteca wrote: "These are the ingredients and prep. (I got the sauce readymade)Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smoo..."
It sounds yummy! I thought it was a ready for use meal.
It's always funny to see in Italian recipes around the world that a typical Italian name (Alfredo) is added in order to make it seem more "Italian" :D
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I came to know something about how Sherlock Holmes was created and why he was killed, though only in passing.
Am also reading The Nest - a family drama involving dysfunctional siblings, which I am reading as a part of a challenge, which asks me to read a book published this year. Enjoying it too.