Booker Hit List - Girish and Vimal (feat Syl and Srividya) Showing 401-450 of 1,017

[Ahtims]

Manju, Possession by A S Byatt

[Srividya]

Found my book. Hope to start it sometime soon. However, I will be going really slow, maybe a few pages every day! :)

[Ahtims]

Sri,,,, go slow by all means (if you are able to, that is <3)

[Vimal]

@SV, Manju, do join in. We'll be on the road for sometime with this one :P

[Vimal]

It was hard to get into initially with all those Biblical references and meaning hunts, but it has eased out after the first 2 chapters. 4 chapters done.

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

Vimal wrote: "@SV, Manju, do join in. We'll be on the road for sometime with this one :P"

my plate is full for now. may be some other time. :)

[Indrani]

Manju wrote: "Vimal wrote: "@SV, Manju, do join in. We'll be on the road for sometime with this one :P"

my plate is full for now. may be some other time. :)"

I keep visualizing a lot of greedy us standing at a buffet of books and we can't stop loading our plates. I can see my hands stretching with the wright of books and the plate is nearing ground but I am still wondering what else can be picked up. :) :)

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

Indrani, you are so right. we all are so greedy when it comes to books and BRs.;)

[Vimal]

Indrani wrote: "Manju wrote: "Vimal wrote: "@SV, Manju, do join in. We'll be on the road for sometime with this one :P"

my plate is full for now. may be some other time. :)"

I keep visualizing a lot of greedy us..."

Nice analogy :)

[Ahtims]

Indrani wrote: "Manju wrote: "Vimal wrote: "@SV, Manju, do join in. We'll be on the road for sometime with this one :P"

my plate is full for now. may be some other time. :)"

I keep visualizing a lot of greedy us..."

And my one hand will be on the buffet table, the other in my neighbour's plates :P

[Girish, The Good cop]

Indrani wrote: "Manju wrote: "Vimal wrote: "@SV, Manju, do join in. We'll be on the road for sometime with this one :P"

my plate is full for now. may be some other time. :)"

I keep visualizing a lot of greedy us..."

Ain't we all? The unread books on the shelf for ppl in this group is a testimony :)

[Girish, The Good cop]

7 chapters done and the 're-construction' of a poet's life beyond the poems is slowly but surely becoming an absorbing read.

Loving the 'aha' moments of discovery, the veiled feminism and the many interpretations of words from the context. Did manage to do a google search of the main authors in question and realised they exist only in this author's imagination. The unique voices (even in poetry) are astonishing!

[Ahtims]

Sorry, Girish. not yet started.
Perhaps tonight,

[Vimal]

Haha yes I guess she didn't want to limit herself by hunting for the details of real poets. It was difficult to focus on until chapter 4, after which it has surely got very absorbing. In chapter 7. Not fully grasping the import of the chapter opening poems, but the poems within the text and the style of the letters are simply tooo good

[Ahtims]

Started Possession. Just getting to know the premises. Finished the letter from Ash to the unknown woman.
Am not a literature student, so I feel it would be difficult for me to understand most of the finer aspects of this book. Nevertheless, it is sort of interesting as of now, and I have read the poem "solitary thoughts of Alexander Selkirk" a long long ago, during a rare poetry streak.

[Girish, The Good cop]

welcome onboard Col :)
Neither am I a big fan of poetry, but the book shall take care of polishing the ends I suppose. My tryst with poetry is limited to school readings of Frost and Coleridge

[Girish, The Good cop]

Vimal - aside, I loved the alternate fairy tale!

[Ahtims]

Thank you... hope I finish this journey in a week or so, after that I am off to Neverwhere :-P

[Srividya]

Argh! I haven't managed to read beyond what I have read, which is a miserable 2 pages or so. And worse, I have forgotten what I have read, so will have to start it again! :(

Don't speed up too much you guys! Give me some time to catch up... this book is going to be one of those slow reads! I hope I can finish it though!

Syl - One week? I think am going to take the better part of this month and the next to finish! :( :(

[Ahtims]

So says you, and cent percent believe I :-P >_<

[Indrani]

I am getting very tempted. :)

[Srividya]

Coffee Bean wrote: "So says you, and cent percent believe I :-P >_<"

Trust me this time! It's a paperback, so already it has a disadvantage over the other books. Also it is pretty heavy, I think, so again disadvantage... So I will be taking nearly a month or more to finish it!

[Srividya]

Indrani wrote: "I am getting very tempted. :)"

Join!!!! :D

[Ahtims]

Throughout today I was puzzled by the authorship of the poem 'solitude of Alexander Selkirk'. I don't remember someone named Ash writing it.
So googled and found that William Cowper is the author.

also found out that Robinson Crusoe was inspired by Alexander Selkirk, a real life soldier.


http://www.hermitary.com/literature/c...

[Ahtims]

The Solitude of Alexander Selkirk

William Cowper (1731–1800)


I AM monarch of all I survey;
My right there is none to dispute;
From the centre all round to the sea
I am lord of the fowl and the brute.
O Solitude! where are the charms 5
That sages have seen in thy face?
Better dwell in the midst of alarms,
Than reign in this horrible place.

I am out of humanity’s reach,
I must finish my journey alone, 10
Never hear the sweet music of speech;
I start at the sound of my own.
The beasts that roam over the plain
My form with indifference see;
They are so unacquainted with man, 15
Their tameness is shocking to me.

Society, Friendship, and Love
Divinely bestow’d upon man,
O, had I the wings of a dove
How soon would I taste you again! 20
My sorrows I then might assuage
In the ways of religion and truth;
Might learn from the wisdom of age,
And be cheer’d by the sallies of youth.

Ye winds that have made me your sport, 25
Convey to this desolate shore
Some cordial endearing report
Of a land I shall visit no more:
My friends, do they now and then send
A wish or a thought after me? 30
O tell me I yet have a friend,
Though a friend I am never to see.

How fleet is a glance of the mind!
Compared with the speed of its flight,
The tempest itself lags behind, 35
And the swift-wingèd arrows of light.
When I think of my own native land
In a moment I seem to be there;
But alas! recollection at hand
Soon hurries me back to despair. 40

But the sea-fowl is gone to her nest,
The beast is laid down in his lair;
Even here is a season of rest,
And I to my cabin repair.
There’s mercy in every place, 45
And mercy, encouraging thought!
Gives even affliction a grace
And reconciles man to his lot.

[Girish, The Good cop]

Coffee Bean wrote: "Throughout today I was puzzled by the authorship of the poem 'solitude of Alexander Selkirk'. I don't remember someone named Ash writing it.
So googled and found that William Cowper is the author...."

Fascinating trivia..I remember seeing an article on Books Inspired from Poems.. Will search for it!

[Ahtims]

2 chapters over, and loving it.
This book has that sort of pace and descriptions that make me feel cozy and comfortable while reading. Hope this state of affairs continue till the end.

[Harsha]

I want to read Possession too, as it is supposed to be inspired by the lives of Robert Browning and Christina Rossetti... But then I also have Hungry Tide :'( Lemme see if i can finish that one soon.

[Vimal]

Was utterly mesmerized by one of the letters that feature in chapter 8. AS Byatt is a wizard. If only I could get more time. Guess I'd have this running until Aug 3rd/4th week

[Indrani]

Okay. I am joining. This sounds supremely interesting.

[Vimal]

Girish wrote: "Vimal - aside, I loved the alternate fairy tale!"

The black magic one with the tailor right? Was captivating, Yes!

[Vimal]

Coffee Bean wrote: "So says you, and cent percent believe I :-P >_<"

lol

[Vimal]

Coffee Bean wrote: "The Solitude of Alexander Selkirk

William Cowper (1731–1800)


I AM monarch of all I survey;
My right there is none to dispute;
From the centre all round to the sea
I am lord of the fowl and..."

Seeing the first 2 lines I assumed it was colonial :P
Good one

[Vimal]

Indrani wrote: "Okay. I am joining. This sounds supremely interesting."

Awesome!

[Ahtims]

Indrani, welcome. Harsha, do join in. Hungry Tide will understand.. and wait patiently at side lines.

[Girish, The Good cop]

welcome Harsha and Indrani..

[Srividya]

I think I will bow out of this one.... Not getting time to read this with the full concentration it needs. Will try once again this weekend, if a miracle happens, I will join in, if not, I guess it is better that I don't join in now... Still in two minds though! :( :P

[Vimal]

Srividya wrote: "I think I will bow out of this one.... Not getting time to read this with the full concentration it needs. Will try once again this weekend, if a miracle happens, I will join in, if not, I guess it..."

The same happened to me with War and Peace last month. Started thrice, but couldn't concentrate. Shelved it Yet again :(

[Girish, The Good cop]

The way the book is taking our time, we might be around 60℅ this weekend.. You can still join in Sri :)

[Srividya]

Girish wrote: "The way the book is taking our time, we might be around 60℅ this weekend.. You can still join in Sri :)"

Exactly why I don't want to join!! You will end up waiting for me and I don't think I can finish it quickly like you all! So, I will sit this out and hopefully join in the next one! :D

[Ahtims]

I couldn't read much today. Busy with chores. And that will be my state till Monday.

[Srividya]

Vimal wrote: "Srividya wrote: "I think I will bow out of this one.... Not getting time to read this with the full concentration it needs. Will try once again this weekend, if a miracle happens, I will join in, i..."

It's simply lying untouched in my current reads. I think I will also be shelving it.... That book is my nemesis!!! :(

[Girish, The Good cop]

Vimal wrote: "Was utterly mesmerized by one of the letters that feature in chapter 8. AS Byatt is a wizard. If only I could get more time. Guess I'd have this running until Aug 3rd/4th week"

I think I know which one you are referring to. And same on the speed as well. I am able to ration out 40 mins of reading time a day and I am stretching every second to pack Melusine, Ash and Lamotte in it!

[Girish, The Good cop]

Btw I was shocked when I had referred to Coleridge in the thread and end up reading the connection in this book the very same day! Realized the ignorant me that I am - there may be so many literary explosions that I would totally miss :(

[Vimal]

Girish wrote: "Btw I was shocked when I had referred to Coleridge in the thread and end up reading the connection in this book the very same day! Realized the ignorant me that I am - there may be so many literary..."

Ash's cutting satire on Coleridge's seance was brilliant.Same on the literary ignorance, know nothing much about Frost, Coleridge or Wordsworth's works apart from reading a poem or 2 in school. Missing a few darts, and getting further tossed up by a sea of fictional fictions that Byatt is liberally dishing out.

[Girish, The Good cop]

Vimal wrote: "Girish wrote: "Btw I was shocked when I had referred to Coleridge in the thread and end up reading the connection in this book the very same day! Realized the ignorant me that I am - there may be s..."

We visited Conan Doyle's seance when reading Arthur & George.. Seems like a fad then!

[Vimal]

Girish wrote: "Vimal wrote: "Girish wrote: "Btw I was shocked when I had referred to Coleridge in the thread and end up reading the connection in this book the very same day! Realized the ignorant me that I am - ..."

True.. It featured heavily in the Luminaries too

[Girish, The Good cop]

completed swammerdam.. did not get it at all :/ (just the basic gist I got) hope not too significant!

[Girish, The Good cop]

Hi Syl, where art thou,?

[Vimal]

Girish wrote: "completed swammerdam.. did not get it at all :/ (just the basic gist I got) hope not too significant!"

Oh no.. There's a whole lot of expectation n tension building up towards Swammerdam.. Currently savoring RH Ash's 'moment of madness' :D