Indian Readers discussion
READING PROGRESS 2017
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dely in 2017: books and challenges
12)
Frammenti di un insegnamento sconosciuto ★★☆☆☆English edition: In Search of the Miraculous: Fragments of an Unknown Teaching by P.D. Ouspensky
I'm glad I've read it because I was very curious to know the teachings of Gurdjieff, but I also found out that it's not for me.
It is a good book to know Gurdjieff's teaching, but the problem is his teaching: it was very difficult to understand but also to believe in many things. I'm not able to explain it in English because there are many terms I wouldn't be able to translate (like how the enneagram of personality works, or the "law of three", the "law of seven" that is the music scale but this law has to be applied to everything in the universe, from the Absolut to an atom, in order to understand how everything works).
He talks about awakening the coscience and it is a self-development teaching, but it's nearly impossible to understand. He also says more than once that a person can't "awake" himself without the help of a school or a teacher. There are also several things that are kept hidden because in these esoteric schools there are segrets that can't be told.
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
13)
Die unendliche Geschichte ★★★★★English edition: The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
What a great book! It was a long time I didn't feel so good reading a book. Though it was a long time I wanted to read it, I was a bit scared to pick it up because Fantasy is not a genre I usually read but I really loved it.
My English review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
14)
La fonte meravigliosa ★★★☆☆English edition: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
My English review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
It is also part of my challenge to read books I already own. It was in my to-read list since 2011 and finally I've read it!
Mod
Gorab wrote: "That is an achievement! I have it on my shelf since 2014 and still not going to pick it for a couple of years at least."Lol, I was afraid to pick it up but now I'm glad I've read it. I don't think I would recommend it to someone that still has to buy it, but seen that you already own the book, you have to give it a try. It isn't an easy and flowing read, but at the end I was glad I've read it.
Mod
Gorab wrote: "Tried it in latter half of 2016, but had to drop after a couple of chapters. Guess I'm not yet ready for it. And don't want to strike it off forever from my list as well."Good luck whenever you will start it again!
Mod
Shalini wrote: "dely, I have physical copies of both Fountainhead and Atlas shrugged. Somehow I get an aversion reaction when I see those. :/"Lol
I'm sure you won't like them.
Mod
15)
Dissipatio H.G. by Guido Morselli ★☆☆☆☆No English edition.
The book talks about a man that wants to commit suicide, but then he gives up. The day after he finds out that human beings disappeared, he is the only man on the earth. Seen that he wanted to commit suicide to avoid people, he was a solipsist, he should have been happy. His mood goes from happiness to desperation. I didn't like this book. I thought it would have a deep insight of the psychology of a suicide, but it hadn't. It's full of philosophical musings, hard to follow, also because there are a lot of quotes of other philosophers, or quotes in Latin (without translation in my edition!). I also didn't like the writing style and the language that should have followed the confused state of mind of the character.
I have written only an Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Also part of my challenge books I already own. It was in my to-read list since 2016.
16)
Danubio ★☆☆☆☆English edition: Danube: A Sentimental Journey from the Source to the Black Sea by Claudio Magris
What a pain to finish this book! I wonder why I didn't give up after the first chapters.
My English review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Also part of my challenge books I already own. It was in my to-read list since 2016. Already read 8 books of my list, only 18 to go.
Mod
wah,,, dely,,,, wah
I have literally hundreds. :/
Shalini wrote: "Only 18 more owned books to read?wah,,, dely,,,, wah
I have literally hundreds. :/"
I will never again pile up books without completing the ones I already bought. I think I will buy only a book at a time.
17) Rosso Malpelo by Giovanni Verga ★★★☆☆This short story hasn't an English translation on GR, but I'm sure that it can be found in an edition with the short stories by Verga.
To tell the truth this is a re-read but I had read it more than 20 years ago at school. Now also my son is studying this author at school and they had to read this short story. He liked it a lot so he obliged me to re-read it. It's many years I tell him to read Verga because I like him and his realism a lot, but as usual he never listens to me.
This short story talks about a guy who works in a mine. No one loves him, not even his mother, because his fault is to be born with red hair and this is not a good omen for the people. The only person that loved him was his father, but he died in the same mine. The story is very short but it's enough to understand why this guy has a pessimistic view of life, why he is an atheist and why he thinks that not to be born is better than a life enduring suggering.
Mod
And dely, I bow to your self control _/\_
Shalini wrote: "seems like a profound story.And dely, I bow to your self control _/\_"
Be aware, I said "I think I will buy only a book at a time.".... this doesn't mean I will be able to do it :D
But at least this year, every book I bought I read immediately so it didn't pile up with the others.
Rags wrote: "Happy reading Dely ☺️"Thanks!
Mod
Shalini wrote: "ha ha. .I am doing this massive cleaning of my bookshelves, one a day and am finding amylase 20 to 30 unread books in each shelf."Lol
I was getting anxious to see all those unread books. I suffer less with those on my kindle because I don't see them :D
18)
Questo bacio vada al mondo intero ★★☆☆☆English edition: Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
Despite high ratings of GR's friends, this book didn't work for me. I managed to finish it, but I didn't like it. There were several things I didn't like, above all the characters and the events that don't seem real and realistic at all.
My short English review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
Gorab wrote: "Curious about the number in the shelf name "0-ireland""I added it because I want my shelves in alphabetical order but also divided by country. For example, I added to my challenges the "z" so they are all at the bottom of my shelves. With the 0 all the countries are at the same place and in order. Otherwise I would have: Canada, cats, China... or Denmark, ebook, France....
Yes, I am a maniac of order.
Mod
Mod
I added it because I want my shelves in alphabetical order but also divided by country. For example, I added to my challenges ..."
That's a nice strategy
Shalini wrote: "Have heard of the book. Guess in my TBR."I think you may like it.
Gorab wrote: "That's a nice strategy "Lol, thanks :D
19)
Tutti i racconti ★★☆☆☆English edition: The Complete Stories by Franz Kafka
Not for me. I'm sorry that Kafka had a sad life and a lot of problems due to his father, but I am not able to like his books. I feel too anguished and anxious while reading them. Yes, this is what he wanted, to let the reader feel like him, but I really don't need it.
I also think that it wasn't a good idea to choose this book as my beach read.
I have skipped some short stories I had already read in another edition.
Books I own challenge: In my to-read list since December 2013, read 18/06/2017.
Mod
Want to try Kafka stories as many of my friends keep talking about his books and I want to get an idea of what kind of stuff he writes about.
Gorab wrote: "This looks like a tome! Were there 100s of stories? Or they weren't very short?Want to try Kafka stories as many of my friends keep talking about his books and I want to get an idea of what kind ..."
It had around 400 pages. Some stories are very short, only one paragraph, others had also 20 pages.
Yes, I think Kafka is to try though he isn't that easy to read.
Mod
Tutti i racconti ★★☆☆☆English edition: The Complete Stories by Franz Kafka
Not for me. I'm sorry that Kafka h..."
It's in my current cold storage reads.. Could not make head or tail of most of the short stories.
Will pick it up and crawl with it by end of year..
Mod
Tutti i racconti ★★☆☆☆English edition: The Complete Stories by Franz Kafka
Not for me. I'm sorry that Kafka h..."
Thought you'd like Kafka
Shalini wrote: "Thought you'd like Kafka"No, though I often say that he needs a chance from readers because someone just loves him. I don't have problems to say he is a genius, but I don't like how I feel while reading his books.
20)
Vivere per raccontarla ★★★★☆English edition: Living to Tell the Tale by Gabriel García Márquez
It was a very interesting, flowing and enthralling book. I like Marquez's writing style and I already liked One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera. Reading his autobiography I could see from where he took inspiration (his family and his many relatives and events of his life). Trust me, some events of his life are as magical and surrealistic as those in his books.
Of course there is also a lot of political events of his country, Colombia.
My Italian/English review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Also part of my challenge books I already own. It was in my to-read list since 2015. Only 16 to go!
Mod
dely wrote: "14) La fonte meravigliosa ★★★☆☆English edition: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
My English review: https://www.go..."
Wow! This is an inspiration :)
I own a copy of The Fountainhead - was a birthday gift in 2012. Tried reading several times, but always gave up. I'll try again this year.. It's become an annual ritual for me.. start reading and then abandon.
Shalini wrote: "Congrats on the steady emptying of your bookshelf. :)"Thanks!
Janhavi wrote: "Wow! This is an inspiration :) I own a copy of The Fountainhead - was a birthday gift in 2012. Tried reading several times, but always gave up. I'll try again this year.. It's become an annual ritual for me.. start reading and then abandon. "
It isn't an easy book. It is ok to read only if you are curious to know more about Rand's philosophy, otherwise you can just skip it without regrets. In a way it is a book that hooks you and some parts are also flowing, you want to know how it will end, but it is not a satisfying read, at least it wasn't for me. It was a weird reading experience: from one side I wasn't able to put it down, but on the other side it has several elements that don't make me like a book. I don't know why I had to finish it, but it hooked me.
21)
Istigazione a delinquere by Danila Comastri Montanari ★★★☆☆No English edition. It is a collection of short stories in which common people turn to be killers of people they can't stand anymore: a noisy neighbour, a mother in law that is a pain in the ass, a rude stepson, etc.
These stories are funny and for once we are on the side of the killer. With these stories it's as if we take revenge of all the people we would like to kill but, of course, can't kill.
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
22)
Un nuovo mondo: Riconosci il vero senso della tua vita ★★★★★English edition: A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle
This books talks about the awakening of our consciousness. I already knew several things about it from Yoga, but this book explained the most important things in an easy and comprehensible way. It isn't a book about Yoga, but about the awakening of consciousness that we can find in every spiritual path. It helps to see the traps of Ego and to have a more present, conscious, fullfilled and happy life.
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
Istigazione a delinquere by Danila Comastri Montanari ★★★☆☆No English edition. It is a collection of short stori..."
Alas! no English edition. Seems like my kind of book :P
Mod
Un nuovo mondo: Riconosci il vero senso della tua vita ★★★★★English edition: [book:A New Earth: Awa..."
Wont touch with a barge pole. :D
Mod
Istigazione a delinquere by Danila Comastri Montanari ★★★☆☆No English edition. It is a collection of short stori..."
Ha ha ha. This looks fun :D
Resembles the plot of a funny hollywood flick called "God bless America".
Mod
Or not many Italian readers prefer GR...
Mab wrote: "dely wrote: "22) Un nuovo mondo: Riconosci il vero senso della tua vita ★★★★★English edition: [book:A N..."
Lol
It isn't a boring or difficult book, and it's very helpful.
Mab wrote: "dely wrote: "21) Istigazione a delinquere by Danila Comastri Montanari ★★★☆☆No English edition. It is a collection o..."
Yes, you would like it!
Gorab wrote: "Is it not a readable book? I see you are the only one who's marked it read on GR... In spite of 2003 publication.Or not many Italian readers prefer GR..."
I think the author isn't that famous and there also aren't a lot of Italians on GR.
Yes, some stories were funny and I have to look for that movie.
I'm still without internet connection so I couldn't update this discussion :/
I think I have read other three books in these days.
23)
I funerali della Mamá Grande ★★★☆☆English edition: Big Mama's Funeral by Gabriel García Márquez
A collection with short stories. It was one of my beach-reads and I borrowed it at the beach's library. I often had the feeling that the characters were only sketched and not well depicted. There also wasn't a deep plot. Though I usually like short stories and there are severals that are well written, with a real plot and well depicted characters, I had the feeling that in these ones something was missing. If I don't go wrong Marquez wrote these stories before his more known masterpieces.
Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Indian Readers
Books mentioned in this topic
The Complete Fairy Tales (other topics)A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose (other topics)
The story of a humble Christian (other topics)
The Neverending Story (other topics)
The story of a humble Christian (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Hans Christian Andersen (other topics)Ignazio Silone (other topics)
Eckhart Tolle (other topics)
Michael Ende (other topics)
Ignazio Silone (other topics)
More...
Sadly there isn't also because this book has been written and published by an association that helps immigrants. It's a small political association that created 15 years ago a school to teach Italian to immigrants (of course for free). Also because the first and most important thing, if you want to look for a job in a new country, is the language.
But I could find two books that are in English. In the book I've read there were also several quotes from other and more famous books, and I could find two that have been translated into English:
Fortress Europe: Dispatches from a Gated Continent
Don't Tell Me You're Afraid
I haven't read them so I don't know if they are good but seen that there were quotes of them in my book, I think they are at least trustworthy. A friend of mine has read the second one and says it was very good.