Booker Hit List - Girish and Vimal (feat Syl and Srividya) Showing 1-50 of 1,017

[Girish, The Good cop]

Placeholder for lofty ambitions of reading Booker shortlists and winners.

Starting off with
2016:
1. Cloud Atlas : Man Booker Shortlist 2004
2. Room Man Booker Shortlist 2010
3. Arthur & George Man Booker Shortlist 2005
4. The Secret Scripture Man Booker Shortlist 2008
5. Never Let Me Go Man Booker Shortlist 2005
6. Possession Man Booker Winner 1990
7. Fingersmith Man Booker Shortlist 2002
8. Notes on a Scandal Man Booker Shortlist 2003
9. Hot Milk Man Booker Shortlist 2016

Binge Reads:
1. Ghachar Ghochar
2. The Believers

2017
1. Disgrace Man Booker Winner 1999
2. The Testament of Mary Man Booker Shortlist 2013
3. Holiday Man Booker Winner 1974
4. Hotel du Lac Man Booker Winner 1984
5. Eileen Man Booker Shortlist 2016
6. The Good Doctor Man Booker Shortlist 2003
7. Child 44 Man Booker Longlist
8. The Narrow Road to the Deep North Man Booker Winner 2014
9. Exit West Man Booker Shortlist 2017
10. The Sisters Brothers Man Booker Shortlist 2011

2018: (Not all books discussed here, but BR done)
1. number9dream - Man Booker Shortlist 2001
2. True History of the Kelly Gang - Man Booker Winner 2001
3. A Spool of Blue Thread - Man Booker Nominee 2015

[Ahtims]

Syl, the friendly neighborhood sneaker is here :-)

[Girish, The Good cop]

Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "Syl, the friendly neighborhood sneaker is here :-)"

Haha.. I am sure you would be pitching in with multiple book reviews yourself! So..

[Vimal]

Awesome. Just in time. Starting right away!

[Vimal]

@Smitha, joining for Cloud Atlas? :P

[Ahtims]

It's been in my TBR. Let me take a look. If I find that it is suiting my current weird mood, I will surely join in. :-)

[Vimal]

Glad that the book has started off in the Chatham Isles of mid-nineteenth century. Reminds me of the setting for Luminaries. David Mitchel is dishing out some truly wicked prose!

[Vimal]

Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "It's been in my TBR. Let me take a look. If I find that it is suiting my current weird mood, I will surely join in. :-)"

There we go!

[Ahtims]

Yesterday night - 2 pages. I gave up. Shall try again with a fresh mind today. Want to be sure before committing. (the shame of Infinite Jest is still smouldering somewhere in my consciousness :-P )

[Vimal]

Haha, this is proving to be a difficult read but I can assure you that it is noway near IJ. Just a matter of wordplay going on here, David Mitchell doesn't want to confuse and confound us like DFW, atleast until now(12%)

[Srividya]

Ah I want to join in as well but currently Anna is not letting go of me. I can't read anything other than her saga! :P

Let's see, maybe once I finish Anna's saga, I might sneak in here and read with you! :D :P

Syl - Don't give up. I am there to cheer you on! YOU CAN DO IT!!! :P

[Vimal]

There are 5-6 different stories, split and told in post-modern fashion.I completed the first one taking place in the Chatham Isles, and currently into the next story that is taking place in Zedelghem Chateau, Belgium. The first story was narrated fantastically, but with gruesome facts drawn from the Maori colonization of Chatham Isles in 1835. Gave me quite a shudder.

[Ahtims]

Lol, thanks Sri and Vimal, for cheering me on. And I see that I have successfully sneaked in to the title too. B-)

[Vimal]

@Srividya, Awesome. You're almost 70 % done with Anna, so you should be in here pretty soon after completion :) Ah, I wish I complete atleast one full length Tolstoy novel. Started W & P and Anna atleast 5-6 times in the past, but somehow had to give up

[Vimal]

@Girish, hows it going for you

[Vimal]

Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "Lol, thanks Sri and Vimal, for cheering me on. And I see that I have successfully sneaked in to the title too. B-)"

Haha, cheering up is most essential for toughies like these.

[Srividya]

Yes Vimal! I should be finished by tomorrow and can start this on Monday. :)

And don't worry, we are reading War & Peace this year, so you shall get your wish of finishing at least one Tolstoy! :D

I also struggled like crazy with these two books, especially W&P, I have been trying to read it since 18 years now! :D

[Ahtims]

Srividya, ditto here reg War and Peace. Have started a few times in past few years, and I give up when the battle descriptions begin as I find it too dull to read on.

[Vimal]

Srividya wrote: "Yes Vimal! I should be finished by tomorrow and can start this on Monday. :)

And don't worry, we are reading War & Peace this year, so you shall get your wish of finishing at least one Tolstoy! :D..."

Sure thing. My efforts started 3 years ago, hope it comes to fruition this time :)

[Vimal]

Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "Srividya, ditto here reg War and Peace. Have started a few times in past few years, and I give up when the battle descriptions begin as I find it too dull to read on."

Actually my case was quite the opposite.I loved Tolstoy's microscopic narration of each and every war scene and the actions of soldiers and generals as if he'd seen them first hand. Where I got diverted/lost was the peace period between the wars. It started boring a bit there.

[Srividya]

I don't think I reached there, I got attracted by other books when I reached some 25% each time. It was crazy, because I quite liked the book and the descriptions of society etc but just couldn't commit to it. It was the same thing with Anna but now I am totally hooked and can see Tolstoy's genius in the writing, which is making it more exciting to read. :)

[Ahtims]

Both of you are good "book salesperson" - now I feel like running off from work and immersing myself in CA and WP. :-P

[Srividya]

If only we could add IJ to that list! :P :P

[Girish, The Good cop]

I am still in the first story with the maori stowaway. a bit surreal and the language is colorful to say the least. vivid details of colonization. Daunting but interesting.

Aside: Read this blurb 'An elegiac, radiant festival of prescience, meditation and entertainment'. eh?

[Girish, The Good cop]

And glad to have you join in Srividya! Maybe this is the thread where finally Syl and you can consume Wolfhall and Bring up the bodies!

[Girish, The Good cop]

Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "Both of you are good "book salesperson" - now I feel like running off from work and immersing myself in CA and WP. :-P"

I was reading through the thread and kept recalling an irrelevant (and morphed saying) on how it was better to have read and lost than not having read at all :P

I haven't come around to Tolstoy yet. Now this thread has piqued by curiosity. Maybe towards the year end, if I am done with the challenges..

[Vimal]

The prose is tiring me out despite the wordplay and the interest sparked by the incidents. Done with the third story, which introduced the title Cloud Atlas.

[Vimal]

Girish wrote: "I am still in the first story with the maori stowaway. a bit surreal and the language is colorful to say the least. vivid details of colonization. Daunting but interesting.

Aside: Read this blurb ..."

That bit, where the stowaway reveals himself had some good dark humour

Aside: That's another sample that pushes one away from reading blurbs:)

[Girish, The Good cop]

I am running a bit behind on the reading thanks to a packed weekend. Just done with the second part and was surprised at the linkages with the first part.

Reminded me a bit of A History of the World in 10½ Chapters and more recently And the Mountains Echoed. Hoping the connection between the parts is more solid than those 2 books!

[Ahtims]

Sorry guys to disappoint you. My brain is lazy and is not assimilating Cloud Atlas. Hence shelving the project.

[Srividya]

Hey guys! Finally finished Anna and have somewhat returned back to earth from that high that the book brought about. Will start this one tonight and let you know what I think! :D

Aww Syl, that's really sad and here I was anticipating another read with you! It's been really long since we chatted on books! :(

[Ahtims]

Srividya, I am a flighty lady when it comes to books. If you three discuss it here often, and say a few positive things, I would be too envious and panicky on being not included that I will start reading.

I think it is because the latest Atwood has had me by hook, line and sinkers. :D

[Vimal]

@Syl, Ah who's that Atwood Johnny, dash it(Bertie style :D)Seems to be a clever Johnny though

@Srividya, your recovery time is remarkable. My recovery time after good tomes is atleast 2-3 days!

@Girish - Had suspicions about Dr. Goose's intentions while reading story 1 but I thought it more towards his medical experimentation, but in story 2 a different motive was suggested which I'm not able to relate to. Due to the arrangement of the parts I have a strong feeling that Dr Goose has a big role in the climax(also because Tom Hanks seems to have played Dr Goose in the movie :D)

[Ahtims]

Vimal wrote: "@Syl, Ah who's that Atwood Johnny, dash it(Bertie style :D)Seems to be a clever Johnny though

@..."

this Johnny (rather Jilly.... )

[Vimal]

Ahha, another authoress added to my tbr. One of her books seems to be a booker nominee(handmaid's tale)

[Ahtims]

Vimal wrote: "Ahha, another authoress added to my tbr. One of her books seems to be a booker nominee(handmaid's tale)"

But it is not one of my favourites. I found it too depressing and dystopian.
The first I read by her was Robber Bride, then Edible woman.
I loved her Maddaddam trilogy, though many didnt.
Alias Grace was good.
But her short stories don't suit me. Stone Mattress was less than my expectations.

[Vimal]

Cool. Ironically I think I'll have to start with her short story collection first, since that's the only one of her books that seems to be available in my library(Moral Disorder).The others that you mentioned seem to be on hold atleast for a year, explains their popular appeal.

[Ahtims]

Don't remember reading that one. I had read many Atwood books in my teens from my local library before joining GR. Don't remember the titles, but. :-(

[Vimal]

You've had quite a teenage with Atwood, Wodehouse, christie and many more. For my part, I curse my teens, coz I don't remember a thing which I read in my teens, though I enjoyed reading what I did back then

[Ahtims]

Yes, I was more discerning in my teens, perhaps because books were limited. Nowadays due to the ease of obtaining, I find that I memento flit from book to book at the earliest. I Am sure that as a teen I would have read Cloud Atlas for sure.

[Ahtims]

I tend to flit is what I meant...
And apologies for diverting your discussion thread away from the intended topic.

[Girish, The Good cop]

Vimal wrote: "Ahha, another authoress added to my tbr. One of her books seems to be a booker nominee(handmaid's tale)"

Atwood's The Blind Assassin was a Booker Winner which I had read last year. I liked it, but quite a taxing read. Have marked Atwood for an author to explore further.

[Girish, The Good cop]

Srividya wrote: "Hey guys! Finally finished Anna and have somewhat returned back to earth from that high that the book brought about. Will start this one tonight and let you know what I think! :D."

That's like an awesome turnaround. For me - between 2 serious books (in ur case -a tome!) I would need a real light read to shake myself off the book :D

[Srividya]

Hahahaha Vimal and Girish! Life's too short and I need to fill it up with as much books as I can manage to read! I am still lingering with the thoughts of Anna at the back of my mind but have started two books, one is Cloud Atlas and the second is Alone in Berlin.

It took me about 2-3 pages to get into the writing style in Cloud Atlas but now I am hooked. It's going to be a tough battle between CA and Alone in Berlin as the latter is equally interesting and more importantly fast paced! :)

[Srividya]

Oh and Girish - I finally got my own copy of the Wolf's Hall and Bring up the bodies on Kindle. I am definitely planning a second try with those two, hopefully sometime this year! :D

[Girish, The Good cop]

Finished part 3 and I must say I am hooked. Caught pages in tea breaks and between work. I found the third piece much more easier on the prose and l loved the way tension is built with the pages. If the execution is good of linking all these stories, it might be an achievement!

@vimal: Caught the Cloud Atlas reference and found it surprising. In a sense, it is no longer subtle connections and I am hoping the book won't disappoint. BTW, I did not know Tom Hanks was the Doctor , so now have to re calibrate my initial theory :P

[Girish, The Good cop]

Srividya wrote: "Oh and Girish - I finally got my own copy of the Wolf's Hall and Bring up the bodies on Kindle. I am definitely planning a second try with those two, hopefully sometime this year! :D"

Congratulations! Hoping to welcome you into the Thomas Chromwell fan club.

Aside: Is it just me or I find better connection with the characters/plot if I am reading a physical book than on kindle?

[Ahtims]

Not only you.
Physival books are more intimate (not getting a beyter word to convey what I mean )

[Srividya]

Not necessarily, Girish. I have been reading quite a lot of ebooks for these past few years and I enjoy them equally. In fact, sometimes I prefer the Kindle to the physical book as it allows me to mark my favourite passages without disfiguring the book and I can go back and read it again easily. Also, I am pretty lazy and like to lie down and read, which is again easier with the Kindle rather than with the fat physical copies, especially when I am reading tomes! :)

[Srividya]

Oh and guys, wait before you start the next book as I am going pretty slow with this one. Am reading 3 books together, so it is quite difficult to finish this one quickly. Also, the writing is pretty obtuse and you need to concentrate initially till you get the hang of it, which again makes it a slow read! :)