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READING PROGRESS 2017
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Naveen reads, writes, draws and blabbers
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Naveen
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Jun 13, 2017 03:59AM
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Review of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-TimeI was really hyped for this book, having heard rave reviews and myriad recommendations from fellow readers.
The book didn't strictly disappoint but it didn't do anything spectacular for me. I liked the protagonist and the portrayal of how his mind worked but the rest of the plot wasn't exceptionally gripping. You can predict what was going to transpire pretty early into the book and ultimately the book is not a mystery but a family drama.
Maybe it's the hype and unrealistic expectations that came with it, but I found the book just fairly good without much impact on me personally. Also it could be because I started this after finishing Kafka on the shore. Or maybe I would have appreciated this book a lot more if I was a parent.
I liked the narrative choice and the unique and authentic way in which the book is structured. Overall, a short and smart read with some insights into how the mind of a kid with autism/behavioral problems works.
Recommended for anyone who is looking for a short read that would keep them occupied for a while.
Maybe you are right about the not being a parent part. Myself being a mother of a 10 year old was very much affected.
Rebecca wrote: "Maybe you are right about the not being a parent part. Myself being a mother of a 10 year old was very much affected."Yes, I heard many parents voicing similar opinions. I am sure I would appreciate the book a lot more once I enter a similar phase of life.
Review of Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond FearCreative living is strange.
It's uncertain, unclear and ambiguous. It is sometimes both fulfilling and frustrating.
Big Magic attempts to completely eliminate the negative aspects of creative living and if not eliminate, at least perceive and interpret these aspects in healthy and positive ways so that you can live creatively without fear.
This is a short inspiring read for anyone who is creative or wants to be creative. If you are not interested in that, then this book is not for you. Otherwise this has the potential to become your comfort book. There is not a great deal of new things to be learnt from this book. Rather the book re-affirms your belief in yourself and your creativity.
It acts as a source of motivation, inspiration, comfort and solace for those who want to pursue their creativity against all odds. The book is broken down into small, very readable segments with anecdotes and amusing stories from Elizabeth's life and also all over the world.
Recommended for anyone interested in creative way of living.
Review of Democrats and DissentersFor someone like me who hasn't read Ramachandra Guha before or anything specifically on Indian politics, this book is a revelation.
No matter what your political beliefs are and how you view our country and its current state, this book will make you take a hard look at what you believe and how your perceive India and its neighbors. I found Guha's writing to be more or less balanced, irrespective of his own political leanings of an independent liberal. Though the book can sometimes ignore the view point and psychology of the majority of masses that prefer the hard right, it manages to steer clear of propaganda and ideological myopia.
This is a book that ironically is a must read for people who most likely don't read much. It is a collection of Guha's essays and is divided into two parts. The first section called 'Politics and society' deals with India and its neighbors whereas the second section called 'Ideologies and intellectuals' takes some of India's and world's finest intellectuals and explores their work, life and ideologies.
The first section is an absolute delight as it chronicles India's journey through the global political and intellectual landscape. It raises important questions and offers useful insights on how and why we are the way we are. The second section has introduced me to brilliant individuals whom I have never heard about before and also different schools of thought that they subscribe to . All of this is interspersed with historical tidbits that paint a fuller and far more nuanced picture of India. I can certainly say, I came away from this book a lot less ignorant than the self that went in.
Recommended for any one interested in India and (as the two sections are aptly titled) politics, society, ideologies and intellectuals
Naveen wrote: "Review of Democrats and DissentersFor someone like me who hasn't read Ramachandra Guha before or anything specifically on Indian politics, this book is a revelation.
No matter wh..."
Iv had the book on my Tbr for a while now, your review has convinced my to move it up on my priority read list!
Thanks. Great insight
Jaya *The Velocireader* wrote: "Naveen wrote: "Review of Democrats and DissentersFor someone like me who hasn't read Ramachandra Guha before or anything specifically on Indian politics, this book is a revelation..."
:) Let me know how you liked it once you have read it .
Done with Lowland. What a read!Started Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck--Why Some Thrive Despite Them All
Interesting so far. Havent read any of the previous works like Good to Great or Built to Last. Curious about where this will take me.
Great by choice is taking so long to finish. Been busy with my new upcoming novel this last week. Also the Great by choice is a little dry which is not helping at all.
Mod
Manju wrote: "All the best for upcoming book Naveen. :D"Thanks Manju :)
I am putting Great by choice on hold for now to get over this readers block. Resumed reading Sapiens instead. Hopefully this will get me back into the groove.
Mod
Good luck :)
Mod
Sapiens didnt work for me. Had to stop it at 40%.
Syl wrote: "Naveen wrote: "I am putting Great by choice on hold for now to get over this readers block. Resumed reading Sapiens instead. Hopefully this will get me back into the groove."Sapiens didnt work fo..."
So far its going good. Better than how 'Great by choice' went anyway. Gah .. I need some fiction back in my life :D
Yuval Noah Harari trying to discredit nationalism -"The appearance of essentially global problems, such as melting ice caps, nibbles away at whatever legitimacy remains to the independent nation states."
Basically the plot of Game of Thrones right now.
Halfway through Sapiens"how long can we maintain the wall separating the department of biology from the departments of law and political science?"
As long as we can or until the department of biology only enhances the belief that we are all equal despite our diffferences
63% done with Sapiens. I am now officially cured of my readers block :D
Also Sapiens has this interesting chapter on the deep and often toxic bond shared by imperialism and science. A must read.
Mod
will resume sometime later then.
Had stopped at 40% when I thought it to having turned boring.
Syl wrote: "Naveen wrote: "Also Sapiens has this interesting chapter on the deep and often toxic bond shared by imperialism and science. A must read."will resume sometime later then.
Had stopped at 40% when ..."
Yeah I had to pickup some fiction because reading non fiction can get a little boring if I read that book alone and for long periods of time.
Syl wrote: "Naveen wrote: "Reading Sphere.This is some trippy stuff"
Remember liking it."
I liked it a lot. My second fav Crichton book. will pick up 'Prey' next.
Too much stuff happening lately. Bought a kindle.
My new book is now up for pre-order! (Yayy!)
Will start Train to Pakistan soon. Not getting enough time to read.
Started Train to PakistanI love the calm and quiet that Khuswanth Singh describes in the village in the early pages.
It makes me long for that sense of calmness and that uncluttered lifestyle.
50% done with Train to Pakistan.What I love so far is that narration and the characters are so honest and so raw
Two new blog posts are now up. You can check them out on my profile. Designed the map for my upcoming book today so didn't get any time to read. Will resume Train to Pakistan now.
Train to Pakistan has this this amazing section describing the sequence of seasons and their effects on the Indian village households that I loved. Also Hukum Chand is such a great character. The interactions between Jugga and Iqbal are so much fun.
Fiction showed me so many things that life and non fiction couldn't and I would be forever thankful to fiction for it.
Reading Elon Musk: Inventing the FutureIt reads like a long article and pales in comparison to what Walter Isaacson did with Steve Jobs.
But Musk's life is an interesting read even if you simply state one fact after the other without delving much into this personality.
Can't tell who is the bigger jerk.Elon Musk or Steve Jobs
Finished Elon Musk. Rating 3/5 stars
Review will be up soon.
Dark tower 3 was awesome. My only gripe is Jack is a young boy but is written very much like an adult. Eddies sounds more childish than him. Maybe he is.
Started 'Ready player one'The writing is a little on the nose, maybe because I jumped into it right after Dark tower 3.
Got up today half dreaming that I opened my kindle to resume my reading of 'Ready player one' and it greeted me with the message - 'Welcome back. Health and vital stats updated'.I was wondering what cool way it would be to have such custom messages for each book. Something like 'Welcome back to the mid-world' if you are reading Dark tower etc - also coupled with your daily activities like sleeping and working etc.
Looking forward to this dream to soon become reality.
Indian Readers
Books mentioned in this topic
Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future (other topics)Train to Pakistan (other topics)
A Man Called Ove (other topics)
Sphere (other topics)
Sphere (other topics)
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