Indian Readers discussion
READING PROGRESS 2018
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dely's books and challenges 2018
23)
The Verger by W. Somerset Maugham 3*24)
The Open Boat by Stephen Crane 2*Two short stories I have read yesterday. They can be found online for free.
The verger: http://www.sinden.org/verger.html
The open boat: http://www.online-literature.com/cran...
The first one is really very very short and talks about a verger that is fired because he can't read and write. He then becomes a rich business man.
The second one talks about 4 men in a boat that fight against the waves in order to don't get drowned. We have the fight of man against nature and the brotherhood they develop.
I forgot to write a log for March! I knew it would happen. Sooner or later I will also forget to update the thread.March
In March I have read some books I hadn't planned to read. Two I downloaded for free because they are classics without copyright (one of which was in my wishlist), 2 about religion (one Catholic and one about a Hindu saint), a book about ayurveda and a fiction that was in my wishlist. So 6 books.
So I continued my challenge to travel around India with books, but I have also two books less in my wishlist and I have read interesting books about religion.
- religion: 2
- IR Challenge: 2
- wishlist: 2 (there are still 578 books, 18 more respect to the beginning of the year :-()
Best book of the month: Saremo giudicati dall'amore. "Il demonio nulla può contro la misericordia di Dio"
April
In April I hadn't a lot of time to read. I have read only 2 books:
- Family Matters for my IR Challenge and it fits also my Novel Cure Challenge
- The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary: From the Visions of Ven. Anne Catherine Emmerich for religion
Oh well, I have read also two short stories.
Best book of the month: The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary: From the Visions of Ven. Anne Catherine Emmerich
For May I already have two books to read, one fiction and one non-fiction. I hope to manage to read them both and then I don't know what I will read next.
Mod
Mod
Gorab wrote: "family matters in my tbr as well. how was it?"It was only a 2* for me, and only because I managed to finish it. You can find a couple of more thoughts about it in this message: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Mod
It was only a 2* for me, and only because I managed to finish it. You can find a couple of more thoughts about it in this message: http..."
Looks like the kind of book I generally like :)
Gorab wrote: "Looks like the kind of book I generally like :) "For me it was a disappointment after have loved A Fine Balance. This one isn't as good as A Fine Balance.
dely wrote: "I agree with you about meditation. I did some in these past years and now it's 14 years I do yoga twice a week and it really helps a lot. I haven't anymore backache, I sleep much better, my mind is..."As usual I didn't live up to my promise of coming here regularly! :(
But this sounds wonderful! I just looked it up and sounds like quite an interesting book and a challenge to look into. Thanks for sharing this dely! :)
dely wrote: "10) 
Zorba il greco 3*English edition: Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis
Following [book:The Novel Cure: From Aba..."
Loved your review of this one. It has been on my radar for quite some time now but haven't really gotten to reading it. This just gave me the boost to push it up in my TBR.
dely wrote: "Parikhit wrote: "Absolutely I have to agree with you there. Some authors make everything so vague and we helplessly try hard to decipher the meaning behind their description and writing. And ther..."
I have Cairo Trilogy with me and was planning to read it this year. Both your glowing reports give me comfort.
dely wrote: "13) 
L'asino d'oro 5*English edition: The Golden Ass by Apuleius
This was such a funny and witty story! A too curiou..."
Adding this! Sounds right up my alley! :)
dely wrote: "22) 
Vita della santa Vergine Maria 5*."Am adding this one. :)
Am on a religion trip as well. Have been reading or have at least started a few books
Confessions of St. Augustine - Am going through this one really slow as I am loving it and savouring it. At least from what I have read, there seems to be a lot of commonality in the philosophies spoken about here and in our practice or at least preaching. Finding it quite interesting.
I finished a book on the history of Templars. Was quite interesting to see how the organisation came to be and how it met its downfall - both at the hands of the Church. It also gave me good insight into the current problem besieging the area.
Started a book on Islam, to widen my religious learning a bit - After the Prophet: The Epic Story of the Shia-Sunni Split in Islam. Basically on the Sunni - Shia divide and its historical premise starting right from the death of the Prophet. Again very interesting.
And finally, just by chance I realised I had a book on Mary Magdalene. Have been curious about her for a long time and this is supposed (?) to be a good book. Let's see how it goes.
Srividya wrote: "dely wrote: "22) Vita della santa Vergine Maria 5*."Am adding this one. :)
Am on a religion trip as well. Have been reading o..."
I hope to read soon more books by Emmerick.
About St. Augustin, I have never read his books. I'm afraid they are too difficult for me.
That book about Islam sounds interesting. I don't know why, but I'm not curious for now to learn more about Islam or Hebraism. Though both are Abrahamic religions, like Christianity, I'm not interested.
Oh, you have to tell me about that book about Magdalena! There isn't a lot about her or if there is, it is part of some apocryphal gospel and I don't want to read those.
Read the confessions - it isn't difficult and it is basically one para/page things which you can ruminate upon slowly. I got it from that group you are a part of. Regarding Islam and Hebraism - I think the fact that it is closely related and that there have been so many feuds on the same thing said differently could be the reason why there is no interest.. not sure.. For me, I like delving into religions and reading what the fuss is all about. Am not a devout practitioner and while I do believe (somewhat), am kind of interested in seeing how people view their own religions.
The Quest for Mary Magdalene - this is the book I am reading at present. It is supposed to be a true history of how she came to be in the gospels and how she was removed by the Church and then reinstated. Have read a few pages, it sounds interesting. Although I have no way of knowing whether it is accurate or not.
Another book I found when reading this was, Mary Magdalene, which is historical fiction.
Srividya wrote: "Read the confessions - it isn't difficult and it is basically one para/page things which you can ruminate upon slowly. I got it from that group you are a part of. Regarding Islam and Hebraism - I..."
There aren't Italian translations of those two books. Some day I have to check which books I can find about her in Italian.
Regarding Islam and Hebraism - I think the fact that it is closely related and that there have been so many feuds on the same thing said differently could be the reason why there is no interest.. not sure.
It could be. Or maybe because we took three different "roads" so it is not always easy to read about the other "roads". At some point there are too many differences (I see it above all with Hebraism and in fact this is the last religion I would like to read about).
But I like books about mysticism in religions. There I can find again what links us, the points in common.
I understand...I hope you find books about Mary Magdalene in Italian.
25)
I quarantuno colpi 3*English edition: POW! by Mo Yan
Started very well, enthralling and full of humour, but towards the end it became dragging and in the last 100 pages or so several weird and confusing things happen. Therefore only 3 stars, but at the end I was so disappointed that I wanted to give even a lower rating.
This has been a compulsory purchase. I had a coupon for a discount in a bookstore that was really very small and hadn't a huge choice.
My English review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
26)
Gli aquiloni 4,5*English edition: The Kites by Romain Gary
I had already read and loved The Life Before Us by the same author. It's because of this that I decided to buy also The Kites when it was on Amazon's daily deals and I don't regret it.
It's not easy to talk about this book: it's set in France, some years before WWII but above all the years during the war. There is Ludo, the main character, a boy we meet when he is 11 years old, and then we follow him when he felt in love with a Polish girl and his years during the war.
But there isn't only him, there are other wonderful characters and it's impossible to don't fall in love with them. The author also helps us to understand the behavior of the "evil" characters. All of them are human, with their good and bad sides.
It isn't only a book about war. It is a book about love, hope, humanity, good and evil. It isn't like other books read till now about WWII. The more I think about it, the more it's a 5 stars.
27)
Le apparizioni di Fatima by Giuseppe Cionchi 5*There isn't an English translation of this edition, but I'm sure there are other books in English that talk about Fatima and the apparitions of the Vergin Mary.
I didn't know a lot about these apparitions and the secrets the Vergin Mary told to the three shepherd children of Fatima (that later were canonized). It was therefore a very interesting read, and it was also flowing. It's very detailed complete.
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
- Religion (9 books read till now)
28)
La guerra non ha un volto di donna: L'epopea delle donne sovietiche nella seconda guerra mondiale 5*English edition: War's Unwomanly Face by Svetlana Alexievich
Do you know that feeling when you finish a book and want everyone to read it? Well, this book is one of those.
The author interviews only Russian women who fought during WWII. It's so hearbreaking. I absolutely recommend this book to everyone, also men.
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
- wishlist
Update MayI'm going back to my usual pace. i.e. less books because busy. Therefore, this month I've read only 4 books, but good books so I don't complain.
All impulsive reads, bought because I had a discount or because of a daily deal on Amazon.
Except POW! which I rated with 3 stars, the others were 4 and 5 stars, so a good month.
Best book of the month again a non-fiction: War's Unwomanly Face.
Only 1 for my challenge to read books about religion and 1 that was on my wishlist.
Books for my challenges till now:
religion: 9 (but one I read already twice)
novel-cure: 6
IR: 4
wishlist: 9
far and wide through India: 1 (this because usually they have never a real setting!)
Mod
And hope next month will be less busy. :)
29)
Nostra Signora di Misericordia di Savona - «Misericordia e non giustizia, Figlio»! 3*No English edition.
A very short book (only 60 pages) about a sanctuary not far away from home. I've been there already several times but didn't know anything about the Marian apparitions who took place there 500 years ago. So I decided to buy this short book to know something more.
It was ok, but I will look for a more detailed book.
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
- religion
30)
The Boundary by Jhumpa Lahiri 2*It's the first time I listen to a story instead of reading it. Well, while listening to it I've also read the story but the sleep-inducing voice of the narrator (the author herself) spoiled the reading experience. Always the same pace and the same tone. Topic of the story: how does it feel living in a foreign country?
The story can be found free online here, there's also the audio: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
My very short English review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
31)
Angeli Custodi. Una presenza amica by Marcello Stanzione 4,5*No English edition. It's a book about angels, above all guardian angels, but respecting the doctrine and dogmatism of the Catholic church. So there is no New Age, esoterism, spiritism or the like.
It was very interesting though not always easy to read because of the theological-philosophical language.
It starts talking about angels in the culture of the Middle East and pre-Christian civilizations. Then it talks about angels in the Old and New Testament and then the longest chapter is dedicated to the Fathers of the Church and angels in their writings. Very very interesting!
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
- religion (10)
Update JuneI hadn't a lot of time to read this month. I've read only two books, both non-fiction about religion, and one short story.
Read 2 books about religion.
Best book of the month: Angeli Custodi. Una presenza amica
Books for my challenges till now:
religion: 11 (but one I read already twice)
novel-cure: 6
IR: 4
wishlist: 9
far and wide through India: 1
32)
L'anello forte. La donna: storie di vita contadina by Nuto Revelli 3*No English editions.
This books contains interviews, done in the eighties, to peasant women that live in Piedmont. There were elderly women but also young ones.
It was an interesting book, to read how they lived and how hard life was for them, but it was also too repetitive and also too long. The interviews were similar to each other so I think that the author should have added less stories.
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
33)
Nussknacker und Mausekönig: Ein Märchen über den Zauber der kindlichen Phantasie 4*English edition: Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffmann
Decided to read this story because I like the author and because this is one of his famous stories I still had to read. But also because I needed something short, easy and that I knew I would like.
My English review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
34)
Il gatto del Dalai Lama 4*English edition: The Dalai Lama's Cat by David Michie
In this period I just needed something easy to read because I'm too busy. So I decided to pick up this book that was in my wishlist since a few years.
I love cats and I like to read about religions, so I thought that this would be a perfect book.
Here's my English review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This year I'm not doing the "cat challenge" but I'm glad I was able to read a book with a cat as the main character.
- wishlist
- religion
- far and wide through India
- IR challenge
Update JulyI had a very busy month working and so I managed only to finish a long and not easy book started in June, then I've read a book that was in my wishlist, a short story by an author I like, and then started a book that I managed to finish in August.
Books for my challenges till now:
religion: 12 (but one I read already twice)
novel-cure: 6
IR: 5
wishlist: 10
far and wide through India: 2 (1Maharashtra and 1 Himachal Pradesh)
35)
Sai Baba di Shirdi. Un messaggio di fratellanza e unità 4*English edition: Sri Sai Satcharitra: The Wonderful Life and Teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba by Hemadpant
It was a very interesting book, but somehow I wasn't emotionally involved.
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
- religion
- IR
- Far and Wide Through India (Maharashtra)
36)
Der goldne Topf 3*English edition: The Golden Flower Pot by E.T.A. Hoffmann
I like really a lot this author and so I decided to read also this novella that has been recommended by a GR friend. She told me that it is her favorite story by Hoffmann.
I picked up the German edition (it's the original language in which the book has been written) and though I'm used to read in German, I have to say that with this one I struggled more than usual because of a couple of parts about magic and witchcraft. I didn't know if I understood correctly and a couple of weird things really happened, or if I misunderstood something.
My English review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
37)
Je vous écris d'un pays lointain by Anna Banti 3*No English edition and despite the French title, the book is in Italian. The author is surely more famous for one of her other books, Artemisia.
A few days ago I had nothing to read so I decided to look among my old books I have at home. I picked up this book, not knowing if I had already read it in the past or not. It has 4 novellas that have common themes: trips to look for a better life, but also loneliness. The desire to stay alone, but also the desire to stay among other people because the human being isn't made to stay alone. So another them is the struggle: both for the external trip, but also for the internal "trip" to know ourselves better, to understand what we are really looking for.
It was a good book and I enjoyed it. Very sad and dark, and at the end of the stories there is no hope.
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
38)
Spegni il fuoco della rabbia: Governare le emozioni, vivere il nirvana 3*English edition: Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames by Thich Nhat Hanh
It deals above all with rage and how to deal with it. It wasn't bad but also nothing extraordinary (at least for me), so 3*
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
39)
Il club degli incorreggibili ottimisti 2*English edition: The Incorrigible Optimists Club by Jean-Michel Guenassia
It starts well but 700 pages were really too much also because there are too many characters and too many topics.
My English review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
- wishlist
Update AugustAnother month is over! I was able to read 5 books all of which were picked up randomly mainly because daily deals on Amazon or discounts in bookstores or because I didn't know what to read and picked up old books I had at home and didn't know if I had already read them.
It was an average reading month because I have several 3 stars ratings.
Best book of this month is a 4*: Sai Baba di Shirdi. Un messaggio di fratellanza e unità
Books for my challenges till now:
religion: 13 (but one I read twice)
novel-cure: 6
IR: 6
wishlist: 11
far and wide through India: 3 (2 Maharashtra and 1 Himachal Pradesh)
40)
La mistica del carismatico by Salvatore DiMauro 4*No English edition. The ebook could be downloaded for free from Amazon. It is by a new Italian author that publicized his ebook on the Italian group.
I thought it had an interesting plot so I downloaded it. I have to say that I liked how it was written and also the topic. It deals with people who are interested in spirituality and are looking in different religions and traditions. It is a funny book because the author jokes about the hypocrisy of people that start behaving like fanatics whatever religion they decide to follow.
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And with this I completed my yearly challange of reading 40 books!
Mod
Gorab wrote: "Congrats Dely for a great spiritual journey this year :)"Thanks! I never thought I would manage to finish the challenge already in September. But I have to say that among those 40 books there are a lot that are very short.
Mod
Girish wrote: "Congrats Dely.. too early to call it a year! Maybe you can diversify from spiritual books for the rest of the year :)"Thank you! I checked right now, and out of 40 books there are only 13 religious books. A lot respect to other years, but not a lot compared to the other books I've read.
I feel good and relaxed reading spiritual/religious books, so I think I will continue with them. It's like a therapy to cool down and be a better person :D
41)
Padre Pio. Un contadino cerca Dio by Antonio Pandiscia 2*No English edition, but it's a biography about Padre Pio, a saint that lived in the 20th century.
I didn't like a lot this biography because it wasn't detailed, there isn't everything about his life. There were also too many letters that Padre Pio received from politicians or important religious people of that time. These didn't add anything to his biography. There were also too many articles the author had already written for several newspapers, that concerned only some events in Padre Pio's life. And I didn't like the author's attitude to boast about his friendship with the saint, but then he went always to bother him with a photographer when he was ill because so he could write a detailed article for his newspaper.
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
- religion
Books for my challenges till now:
religion: 14 (but one I read twice)
novel-cure: 6
IR: 6
wishlist: 11
far and wide through India: 3 (2 Maharashtra and 1 Himachal Pradesh)
42)
La sinfonia pastorale 4*English edition: The Pastoral Symphony by André Gide
I bought this book on a stand of secondhand books without knowing anything about the plot or the author. I liked the title of the book and I thought to remember positive opinions about the author (but I think I confused him with some other French author).
The book is very short so I've read it during a train trip. It was really good and I liked it. Though it's short, it is deep and thought provoking.
My English review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
43)
Il male inutile: Dal Kosovo a Timor Est, dal Chiapas a Bali, le testimonianze di un reporter di guerra by Marco Lupis 3,5*No English edition but there will be one soon.
This book is a collection of reportages witten by the author, a war reporter, that talk about more recent and less known wars like that in Kosovo, the terrorist attacks in Indonesia, the Civil War in East Timor, the religious massacre in Maluku Islands, the Japanese Unit 731 in China (ok, this isn't recent, but nearly no one knows about it), etc.
It was an interesting book.
My review, English at the bottom: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
44)
Il prete giusto by Nuto Revelli 3*No English edition. This book is about Raimondo Viale, a Catholic priest that during WWII has been excommunicated by the Church because in his sermons he went against Fascism and because he helped several Jews and partisans during those years. From the Church he has been excommunicated, from Israel he received the honorific of Righteous Among the Nations.
Sadly it was too short for my tastes, I wanted a more detailed biography.
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
- wishlist
45)
La bell'Alda : Leggenda by Edoardo Calandra 4,5*No English edition. It is a legend about a young and pious girl that in order to avoid to be captured by a ill-intentioned, decides to jump down from a high tower situated on a cliff. She prays the archangel Saint Michael before jumping down. A small cloud appears under her feet and she is saved. Sadly she starts boasting about her piousness and saintlyness, and she wants to show again to the people how she has been saved. Well, the second time no cloud appears and she dies.
I loved to read this legend. It is so well written. I had the feeling that an old relative was telling me an old legend with pious and bad people. I was fully captured by the story. In my edition there are also lovely illustrations.
I visited that place one week ago (in fact I bought the book there) so I loved even more to read about those places.
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
46)
Animal 3,5*English edition: Animal's People by Indra Sinha
Though it's fiction, the connections with the Bhopal disaster are very clear. I had at the beginning some problems with the language, but then I got used to it and was hooked by the story and the characters.
My English review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
- IR challenge
- Far and wide through India
Books for my challenges till now:
religion: 14 (but one I read twice)
novel-cure: 6
IR: 7
wishlist: 12
far and wide through India: 4 (2 Maharashtra / 1 Himachal Pradesh / 1 with a fictional setting)
Update SeptemberNot a bad reading month though I haven't read 5 stars books. I've read books bought randomly on secondhand books stands, new books and a couple by new Italian authors that sent me a free edition in exchange of a honest review.
I've read 7 books and best book of the month is La bell'Alda: Leggenda (no English translation) that deserved 4,5 stars.
I hope to finish my Novel Cure Challenge by the end of the year, but the book is pretty boring (and I always find something better to read), but also because I can't find most of the recommended books because out of print.
Books for my challenges till now:
religion: 14 (but one I read twice)
novel-cure: 6
IR: 7
wishlist: 12
far and wide through India: 4 (2 Maharashtra / 1 Himachal Pradesh / 1 with a fictional setting)
47)
Interviste del Secolo Breve 4*English edition: Interviews from the Short Century: Close encounters with leading 20th century figures from the worlds of politics, culture and the arts by Marco Lupis
It has 50 interviews to famous characters of the 20th century, from politicians to singers. It was more interesting as I thought, and it was also a pageturner.
English/Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Indian Readers
Books mentioned in this topic
Lasciami andare, madre (other topics)Let Me Go (other topics)
Anna Karenina (other topics)
The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary: From the Visions of Ven. Anne Catherine Emmerich (other topics)
Più forti dell'odio (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Helga Schneider (other topics)Leo Tolstoy (other topics)
Jhumpa Lahiri (other topics)
Leo Tolstoy (other topics)
Ryszard Kapuściński (other topics)
More...
English edition: The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary: From the Visions of Ven. Anne Catherine Emmerich by Anne Catherine Emmerich
It was a pure joy to know more about the Virgin Mary and her life. The book has two parts: in the first one we come to know about the ancestors of the Vergin, her life as a child, the wedding with Joseph, the birth of Jesus, till the escape to Egypt because of Herod. In the second part there is the life of the Vergin when she is already old and lives in Ephesus.
The visions of the blessed Anne Catherine also helped some archaeologists to find Mary's house in Ephesus, and Mel Gibson based his movie The Passion on her visions that can be found in The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich. They also received the approval of the Vatican so they are trustful.
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
- Religion