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READING PROGRESS 2017
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Gorab's 2017 Explorations
message 251:
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Gorab, TheGunman
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May 10, 2017 11:22PM
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Hey! When do we read Ready Player One? June? Do let me know?
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58. Menagerie & other Byomkesh Bakshi Mysteries - ★★★★☆
59. Patience - ★★☆☆☆
Could only read like a 100-150 pages this week. Gearing up to make up for it in the coming week.
Wife finished The Sari Shop in a couple of days, and has recommended it. Honoring High Court's decision, started it... and just like judicial system, taking it slow!
Ongoing and upcoming BR's:
Difficulty of Being Good - 25% - (with Sri, Aparna, Inny, dely) Mixing philosophy into Mahabharata. Thought provoking. Will be a long term read.
Hangwoman - 50% - (with Smi, Resh) Grim. Addictive. The kind of book that could turn your nights sleepless. The next 50% in around a week.
Sapiens - 5% - (with Phani, Arpit and others) Also a long term read. So far informative and entertaining.
Horror Stories Edited by Ruskin Bond - (with Arpit, Sundara) A big disappointment after 3 stories in. But will pursue because it gives a good mix of stories by different authors, so expecting a lot of flavours. Long/Short term unpredictable. Depends on how good the stories make me feel.
Tiger for Malgudi - 80% - (with Arpit) Boring. Needs another half an hour. Very lame story.
The Sari Shop - 10% - Reading alone. Discussing with wife as and when I read.
Upcoming:
100 Shades of White (with Inny) - Starting today (18th May)
Joy Luck Club (with Kru, Resh, Manju) - Starting this Sunday
Song of the Cuckoo Bird (recod by Smi) - Mid next week.
Shesher Kobita (reco by Aka, reading with Aka and crew aka Kru) - Starting 31st May
Read Player One (with J) - Starting 1st June.
Norwegian Wood (tentative)
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Good luck with all the reads.
Buck up with saree shop , or your personal life will be made miserable...@@
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Gorab wrote: "From last week : 58. Menagerie & other Byomkesh Bakshi Mysteries - ★★★★☆
59. Patience - ★★☆☆☆
Could only read like a 100-150 pages this week. Gearing up to mak..."
Talk about a full plate!!!
Happy to see my many BRs with you.
Gorab wrote: "We are rubbing our characteristics on to each other :)She used to read books (only academic and finance related :P), but no movies.
Yes 2nd ratings were mine... how did you guess Sherlock?
Movies..."
Then I'll hit it off with both you guys because I love watching movies and reading books. I'd love watching both Romedy Now and Nolan.
Mod
60. A Tiger for Malgudi - ★★☆☆☆ (with Arpit)
61. The Sari Shop - ★★★½☆ (Wife's reco)
62. One Hundred Shades of White - ★★★☆☆ (with Inny)
63. Ghost Stories From The Raj - ★★☆☆☆ (with Arpit, Sundara)
This week:
64. Ashad Ka Ek Din - ★★★★☆
65. The Library of Unrequited Love - ★★★½☆ (weekly group)
66. The Joy Luck Club - ★★★★☆ (with Resh, Aparna)
67. Hangwoman - ★★★½☆ (with Smi, Resh)
Overall very happy with these couple of weeks. Only flip side is 2 stars to RKN and RB! Two of my all time favorites.
If you avoid the star ratings, leader of the pack was no doubt Hangwoman. Read it along for almost a month, sipping its poison in minute doses.
Wouldn't have loved JLClub as much, if not for that small detail by Aparna on Mahjong game structure. Loved it more because of joyful reading times with an awesome weather during breakfast and snacks :) [Adding Ashad Ka Ek Din also in the same category]
Library was one hell of a light paced fun read very much needed among this pack.
100 shades of white wasn't as good as anticipated. Still wondering whether the book title had any significance whatsoever?
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-Difficulty of Being Good - Going very very slow with it. No plans of picking speed either.
- Sapiens - On radar for this week. At Chapter 3, and will be enjoying company of some more buddies :)
- A Fine Balance - Promising start. At the first chapter and would read at a leisurely pace.
- Masooma - My first book by Ismat Chughtai. At 30% and liking it. I had been craving for Hyderabadi accent Hindi book for so long.... and accidentally found small traces of it here :) :)
- Song of Cuckoo bird - Recod by Smitha, picked this yesterday. This is going to be the leader of current pack. Gripping narration.
Upcoming:
Shesher Kobita (from 31st) - Tried hard to get my hands on the Hindi translation which is running out of stock everywhere :(
Will have to do with the English one.
No upcoming reads as the current shelf is pretty thick. Might go for a graphic novel at max.
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@Meenakshi: Romedy and Nolan are like two extremes of the spectrum. Good to know your taste :)
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60. A Tiger for Malgudi - ★★☆☆☆ (with Arpit)
61. The Sari Shop - ★★★½☆ (Wife's reco)
62. One Hundred Shades of White - ★★★☆☆ (with Inny)
..."
Wow!!
you have read 67 books so far! And someone was complaining about not getting enough time to read.;)
Hi five! I have also read 67 books so far.:)
Mod
Manju wrote: "Gorab wrote: "Last week:60. A Tiger for Malgudi - ★★☆☆☆ (with Arpit)
61. The Sari Shop - ★★★½☆ (Wife's reco)
62. One Hundred Shades of White - ★★★☆☆ (wit..."
low five for trailing behind both of you. :) :)
Gorab wrote: "Current reads:-Difficulty of Being Good - Going very very slow with it. No plans of picking speed either.
- Sapiens - On radar for this week. At Chapter 3, and will be enjoying company of some mo..."
I am dragging my feet over the Ishmat Chugtai short story collection I have. For one I find reading Hindi slightly difficult and then the first story was so real, so hard-hitting, I am afraid of going back into that world
Gorab wrote: "Last week:60. A Tiger for Malgudi - ★★☆☆☆ (with Arpit)
61. The Sari Shop - ★★★½☆ (Wife's reco)
62. One Hundred Shades of White - ★★★☆☆ (with Inny)
..."
About 100 shades of white - I am also confused about the name. Is it about the lies/omissions between mother and daughter? Not sure at all.
Jaya wrote: "Reminder: Ready Player One"I am also thinking of reading this. Not sure if I can keep pace with the other reads there, but want to start and then finish when I can.
Mod
Gorab wrote: "Sorry, forgot which story collection of Chughtai you have? Does it also contain lot of Urdu words? In Masooma, every page has footnotes with average 6-7 difficult Urdu words. Life savers!"Even I have forgot the name.. Will look up and come back
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Gorab wrote: "Sorry, forgot which story collection of Chughtai you have? Does it also contain lot of Urdu words? In Masooma, every page has footnotes with average 6-7 difficult Urdu words. Life savers!"
Brother, you are reading Ismat Chughtai, of course it will have Urdu words! In fact, all her books would have Urdu words, b'coz she was an Urdu writer!!
Brother, you are reading Ismat Chughtai, of course it will have Urdu words! In fact, all her books would have Urdu words, b'coz she was an Urdu writer!!
Mod
Gorab wrote: "100 shades - yes that could be the case. Not very convincing. But don't find any other logic. Thought I'm reading a book with an accidental different title and cover :P (Skates and Sari? No signifi..."yes.. agree totally.. the skates and sari misled me more towards expecting a similarity to bend like beckham.. there was zero sports of any kind in this book..
Gorab wrote: "Yes I know. But what I'm reading are Hindi translations and not original Urdu works. Not complaining though as long as the footnotes are ample :)"
Hindi translation!! @_@
Hindi seems too Urdu-ish to serve as a translation base!!
But Manto's stories were in Urdu only, and you understood then fully. Ismat is in the same league. Are you sure it's a translation, buddy?
Hindi translation!! @_@
Hindi seems too Urdu-ish to serve as a translation base!!
But Manto's stories were in Urdu only, and you understood then fully. Ismat is in the same league. Are you sure it's a translation, buddy?
Mod
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Captured from one of my all time favorite book/movie combo (2001 A Space Odyssey), this perfectly portrays the state of my current readings.
A couple of weeks into June, and haven't completed more than a book. But I'm on cloud nine already with each of the CRs so immensely enjoyable that I don't want them to end.
Sapiens - At 25%. Reading first of its kind and may be that's the advantage. 4+ till now. Will take another month.
A Fine Balance - At 60%. 5 stars so far. Don't want this to end. Brilliant narration. Connecting with people very easily.
Ready Player One - At 50%. Perfect blend of gaming + movies + TV shows + Easter eggs + Treasure Hunt. All the stuff I'm crazy about. Read 50% in a single sitting. Couldn't pick up for a week. Will be a single sitting to gulp down rest of it. Another 5 star!
Shesher Kabita - At 40%. Enjoyable for its lovely prose. And path breaking dialogues ;) This Tagore book is like a Bollywood movie with exceptional lyrics. 4+
Song of Cuckoo Bird - 65%. Leading the read time this week. Nothing great in plot. No exceptional writing. But still makes an exceptional read, for the kind of experience it gives, dwelling along with people in the Ashram, absorbing their lives. Sharing their happiness and miseries. A lovely read. Thanks for the reco Smi!
To The Elephant Graveyard - 65%. Can't believe this is non-fiction. Found another writer which I think I'll read all works. This one is high on elephant lives and Assam culture. Made me curious to try out more wildlife books. 4 stars and going strong.
The Difficulty of Being Good - No more progress. Stalled at 15%. No plans of resuming this for now.
Upcoming:
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest - Another "Cuckoo" reco... this time from HP.
Monster Volume 1 by Naoki Urasawa - My first dive into manga.
Oh best of luck with the Manga, I somehow could never acquire a taste for them...
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Gorab wrote: "The Difficulty of Being Good - No more progress. Stalled at 15%. No plans of resuming this for now."
What a pity!
And what a pity there isn't an Italian translation of To the Elephant Graveyard because I still have to read a book set in Assam for my challenge.
Mod
@Dely : you don't read it in English?
Girish wrote: "@Dely : you don't read it in English?"Yes, sometimes, but I always prefer to read in my mothertongue.
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@dely, I know it will be an interesting read. Don't want to waste it away in the current mood. Will pick it up fresh with some lighter reads.
I see Elephant Graveyard is not translated to any other language so far. Pick it in English if you can, its worth it.
Gorab wrote: "Pick it in English if you can, its worth it. "Is it a difficult English? For example, I've read The Difficulty of Being Good in English and it wasn't that difficult. Once I've tried The Kingdom of God Is Within You and I had to give up because it was too difficult for me.
Mod
Like "Streeeng" for string.
eleyee-phant for elephant
Gorab wrote: "Not at all. Its easy English. Tones are added to a few dialogues to make fun of how some people pronounce those words.Like "Streeeng" for string.
eleyee-phant for elephant"
Ok, thanks, will add it to my whishlist.
Mod
This is the book which got me interested in elephants. Have bought one more non-fiction on elephants and would go visit an elephant camp with a different vision this time!
Mod
71. Naoki Urasawa's Monster, Volume 1: Herr Dr. Tenma - ★★★★☆ (theme: twin)
Couple of graphic novels. X-Men is a contemporary take on the past life of Magneto.
Monster is my first step into manga. Was scared of Manga and considered them some weird hi-fi Japanese stuff. Quite surprised to find a simple moving story. More mangas in coming weeks!
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Smi knows the kind of books I like to read. And hence came this wonderful reco. Fun part is my graduation was done from a college cum Ashram, headed by a lady. And thankfully I did not find any more similarities between my college and this book :P
Mod
Didn't like this one much. Felt monotonous. Girl falling in love with a guy going extra marital... those dialogues of love and betrayal. Adopting the kid from a surrogate mother who happens to be the mistress of the guy. Lame lame lame!
Bought this along with a few more of Ismat Chughtai books. Fingers crossed!
74. Farewell My Friend - ★★★★☆ (with Aka, Kru)
Why is the Hindi edition out of stock everywhere :(
Want to re-read a better translation!
Mod
Smi knows the kind of books I like to read. And hence came this wonderful reco. Fun part is my graduation was done from a college c..."
B-)
That info I didnt have (your ashram education wala)
Mod
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