Booker Hit List - Girish and Vimal (feat Syl and Srividya) Showing 551-600 of 1,017

[Pranjali]

@ Em - hmm, maybe it is that.

[Girish, The Good cop]

just saw the thread had moved from cozy reads to a scary 'Life time buddy reads'

[Girish, The Good cop]

Notes on a Scandal - we are starting from 15th. Hope all of you (planning to join in) have arranged for a copy. looks like a quick read.

Vimal, Manju, Sri, Smitha - checkin

[Vimal]

Haha, yes.. These headers often jinx up what they state

[Vimal]

Haven't got the book yet, but I see that it'll get checked out to me anytime between today and the 19th. Will join in once I get it.

[Girish, The Good cop]

haha. guess that makes us all life time buddies who read

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

Gorab will join us on 20th.

[Ahtims]

I will join in on 17th.
the Hon Mods wanted.to.scare you fellas into life time reading imprisonment. .. hence the shuffling between folders. ^.^

[Srividya]

Checking in!! Will join sometime next week or if I find the book really good, might just read it in a day! :P

Just kidding! Will join by 20th for sure! :)

[Ahtims]

What Was She Thinking? Notes on a Scandal
BLURB
Schoolteacher Barbara Covett has led a solitary life until Sheba Hart, the new art teacher at St. George's, befriends her. But even as their relationship develops, so too does another: Sheba has begun an illicit affair with an underage male student. When the scandal turns into a media circus, Barbara decides to write an account in her friend's defense—and ends up revealing not only Sheba's secrets, but also her own.

Am around 10% of Notes.on a scandal. .. very depressing, very sombre.
Somehow I am not yet getting an emotional. connection with the characters.

[Ahtims]

At 20%,
(view spoiler)[
Why am I thinking that Barbara loves women romantically and she is after Sheba.
And as a reader I am not at all attracted to Connolly.. cant see what Sheba finds in him, other than his puppy like devotion and bumbling ways.
(hide spoiler)]

[Girish, The Good cop]

At 60%. Dark but liking the layered narrative. it's much less about the Scandal than about despicable two faced people .
emotions - hate is a emotion and I think I already hate the narrator the most

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

60!! am yet to read 6% mark.:(

[Girish, The Good cop]

Small book. taking a break from work and so.. Don't judge me :)

[Vimal]

Got the book, started today. After some good journalist bashing, into the main narration now

[Vimal]

Girish wrote: "Small book. taking a break from work and so.. Don't judge me :)"

That's cool. I'm waiting for end of November for that magic word :)

[Srividya]

Starting it today.... might not be able to read as fast as usual. Going to in laws place for a few days....

[Ahtims]

Am at 50%... mixed feelings. A powerful tale, but cannot sympathise with any character. They all feel artificial to.me. :/

[Girish, The Good cop]

disclaimer: I think it is a tale for the observer. not so much for pouring yourself into any character(unless you want to end up a cold shell devoid of emotions)

[Ahtims]

I understand what you mean, G. And of course, have no inclination of.living any of their miserable lives. Am just an observer here at 50%

[Ahtims]

Finished.
A powerful book.. so gloomy and headache inducing.
I have so many questions and surmises.
I actually didnot hate Barbara, I could empathize with her view point.

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Late to the party :\
Will be starting it today....

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

Gorab wrote: "Late to the party :\
Will be starting it today...."

don't worry, am here to give you company. am also in second chapter only.

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Yay *high five*

[Ahtims]

Finish. .. you two. Can't discuss without spoilers

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

Yes ma'am.;)

[Ahtims]

Actually I know of a woman who had an affair and ran away with her son's class mate and friend . She is a friend of my friend. It seems she was in tears while saying goodbye to my friend just before committing to the act

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

things like these happens in India too? O.o

[Ahtims]

Perhaps it does... who knows :/

[Ahtims]

Girish, I see that I have read 6 /8 books with you all. Room I had already read. I don't remember why I didn't join in for secret scripture which is there in my TBR.

[Girish, The Good cop]

Gorab and Manju, you'd finish it by the weekend I guess. it's a pretty short read

[Girish, The Good cop]

I know a guy who married his lecturer from college.. just 6 years older - so not all that awkward. of course multilingual hit movie Premam is based on this. So I guess somewhere reality can be quite unsurprising

[Girish, The Good cop]

@smitha for secret scriptures I guess your plate was full then :)

[Vimal]

I'll keep it going until end of next week, due to an extended weekend outdoors. The subject matter doesn't seem alien at all to me since I used to read my regional newspapers regularly(at least the headlines)for several years. Must be true for other regions in India too I'd suppose. Even remember reading in school that ancient Sangam literature had a word called 'Perundhinai' to use while discoursing on such affairs. So I'd assume it wouldn't have been alien in India 2000 years ago as well. Loving the gloomy biting narration.

[Ahtims]

Yes it is too gloomy. Even the romantic part seemed tragic. Couldn't sort of ensemble the concept.of.the teacher and the student ..it was too superfluous.

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Read the first chapter. Can't imagine the teacher's situation. Such coarse remarks on the first day.
Teacher student relationship may be usual... but such vulgar remarks are unusual in India. Or not??

[Ahtims]

I don't think Indian students are that coarse...
I personally haven't seen a teacher being harassed thus... though teachers are mostly nicknamed and made.fun of.

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

am in chapter 2 and please help me with the age of kids that Sheba was teaching poetry to...

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

Gorab wrote: "Read the first chapter. Can't imagine the teacher's situation. Such coarse remarks on the first day.
Teacher student relationship may be usual... but such vulgar remarks are unusual in India. Or not??"

yup. those remarks were very vulgar.

[Girish, The Good cop]

Sheba is teaching pottery to 16 year olds.. Indian equivalent of class XI

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Chapter 2..
don't understand all the negativity for private education.

[Girish, The Good cop]

Private education is considered for rich (class - a recurring theme). It could also be because it is reserved for special children.

[Girish, The Good cop]

Incidentally, the year this book was nominated for Booker, the winner was Vernon God Little which talked about the apathy of the society (and media in particular) to human life. A school shooting in which an uncouth kid is made the villain by the media.

Looks like it must have been the flavor of the year at the Bookers!

[Ahtims]

oh.. an interesting piece of information. I see that you've rated it only 3 stars. Liked it or not ? (3 can go either way :P)

[Girish, The Good cop]

I didn't really like it since it tried to pass off as humor and I didn't see the funny side :)

[Ahtims]

Okay. :)

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Girish wrote: "Private education is considered for rich (class - a recurring theme). It could also be because it is reserved for special children."
Thanks Girish.
Wasn't able to read much last week. Hoping to read further and finish it this week.

[Gorab, TheGunman]

On Chapter 10.
(view spoiler)[ Getting a bit speculative about the possessive nature of Barbara towards Sheba! Why is B so obsessed with S?? (hide spoiler)]

Enjoying it so far :)

[Ahtims]

You will.come to.know by the end. Nothing is said openly, but we are free.to.speculate and I did speculate. ;-)

[Gorab, TheGunman]

On Chapter 14.. and how I'm loving it.
(view spoiler)[More than the affair part, I'm loving Barbara's descriptions of living alone. That argument with Sheba on whether or not children provide meaning to life was so awesome! The way she deals with her loneliness is sad but very apt and to the point.
(hide spoiler)]