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READING PROGRESS 2022
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Makrand's Reading Bench - 2022
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5. Name Place Animal Thing
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- Reading
A little game of mine, tracking the Best Of.. from the books read:Most loved Protagonist - Paul Atreides [Dune]
Most hated Villainous character - Baron Harkonnen [Dune]
Best Location wrt Plot - Arrakis [Dune]
Most scenic location - The Beach [Lord of the Flies]
Most comic character - Trevor Noah [Born a Crime]
Best fighter - Paul Atreides [Dune]
Best Vehicle spotted - Throper [Dune]
Most boring character - Rosie [The Rosie Effect]
Most cunning character - Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen [Dune]
Character you wish didn't die - Leto Atreides [Dune]
Best Father - Leto Atreides [Dune]
Best Mother - Patricia Noah [Born a Crime]
Most loved Son - Trevor Noah [Born a Crime]
Most loved Daughter - St. Alia of the knife [Dune]
Book that killed my nights - Dune
Book I regret picking - The Rosie Effect
Mod
Seems like most of us are abandoning the games/challenges train for at your leisure ride.
Since you asked for recommendations, I am going to be shameless..
Fantasy - Hidden Legacy - ignore those covers and you can thank me later. 😉
Mystery - Dublin Murder Squad
Sci Fi - Remembrance of Earth's Past
Em Lost In Books wrote: "No challenges/planning? I came here to look at some interesting challenges but nevermind. Seems like most of us are abandoning the games/challenges train for at your leisure ride.
Since you ask..."
Challenges, Yes to our July/September challenge. Without that I'd have never read such amazing books but No to Planning :)
Thank you for the much-needed recommendations!!
I'll check these out. I'm yet to read a book you had recommended me last time, please spare me for that :P
Mod
Nah, I don't mind people not reading those as they have their own reasons. I used to be that kind of person who disliked when the recommendations were ignored but not anymore. I myself take eons before I get to read books recommended to me. I understand. :D
Em Lost In Books wrote: "what was the last recommendation? I don't remember. Nah, I don't mind people not reading those as they have their own reasons. I used to be that kind of person who disliked when the recommendatio..."
Added 2 of the three book mentioned above, feels quite interesting both Remembrance of Earth's Past and Dublin murder series :)
You had recommended The extraordinary life of Sam hell to me :P
Mod
Em Lost In Books wrote: "ha! No Hidden Legacy? :("Urban doesn't go down well with me :P
Besides the cover.... Kidding
message 10:
by
Em Lost In Books, EmLo is my Name, PIFM is my Game
(last edited Jan 05, 2022 06:15AM)
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Will surely follow your thread also this year though I don't have always time to write something!Wishing you a good reading year!
dely wrote: "Will surely follow your thread also this year though I don't have always time to write something!Wishing you a good reading year!"
Thanks Dely!
Wish you a Happy New year with lots of reading time!!
Best Wishes for your impulsive reading Mac... Me too came here looking for lists ;-)
Mod
All the best!
Hope I'm able to join for a few BRs.
Em*Greedy* (Iniya) wrote: "Best Wishes for your impulsive reading Mac... Me too came here looking for lists ;-)"Surprise Surprise :P
Something different this year :)
Thanks Pallavi and Smi!Happy reading to you both as well!
Gorab wrote: "Starting high on Dune!!! Awesome beginning.All the best!
Hope I'm able to join for a few BRs."
Oh yes! First book must be a Legend :P
Yes, we have David Mitchell's to finish this year!!
Excellent start to the year I must say. Finished reading Dune and it was such an amazing read.Not a fan of classics. They barely go down well with me but this one was different. I was enchanted by the world that Frank created. Such lovely imaginations and equally pure action. It was a bliss to read Dune.
Good part about the book is, even though it's apart of the Dune series, it can be treated as a standalone too incase reading the whole series is not on the agenda.
The world of Arrakis deserves to be explored!
Checkout my spoiler free review here
I finished reading Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood and what a book it was!!Couldn't have started the year more better. First Dune and then this!!
Born a Crime was THE ultimate inspirational book for me. It had good amount of humour to produce raucous laughter and also shocking truths that made me thank for the roof i had that I was well fed in my childhood days.
Trevor's days were tough but he made gold out of it and that itself is so inspirational - Necessity is the mother of all inventions
He did odd jobs to survive, thrive and revive himself however he was lucky to have a powerhouse such a Patricia Noah behind him as his mother guiding him dedicatedly.
This book is for everyone and should NOT be missed.
Read my spoiler-free review here
Mod
Hope you have a great reading year! Will join in for David Mitchell Autumns book..
Girish wrote: "Great Start Mac! And I understand this trend of everyone chucking challenges altogether :D Overkill from last year.Hope you have a great reading year! Will join in for David Mitchell Autumns book.."
Thanks G!
Yeah, even though unplanned, unable to resist I find myself doing a planning internally of my own.
DM's books are "high" on my agenda. Will finish soon, i think I have to read Cloud Atlas !
Finished reading Lord of the Flies and I wonder what the whole hype was about.I think it's Me Vs Classics again. Another one bites the dust for me.
A lot could have been done with a plot setting like the one William G had in Lord of the Flies. Sadly he decided to go with his monotone - Everyone is Evil at heart ideology.
While, I sort of was convinced by the idea since Evil is easy at most times, people tend to follow that path however there were also a couple things that I didn't agree.
- Biguns or liluns - Does no one miss their parents or friends?
- Only 3 people wanted to get rescued?
- Apart from the bear/boar wasn't there any other creature on the island?
- The whole Beast and the dead paratrooper thing was blown out of proportion.
- Finally, The Lord of the Flies - Severed head on a stick symbolising the path of the Evil destruction etc was introduced too late in the book.
Wanted to like the book more. Here's the Review with spoilers
Great Reviews!To remedy the 'Me vs Classics' issue, may I recommend The Count of Monte Cristo. I know this is a mammoth, but it'll be fun. Please ignore, if you have already read it. :)
Mod
Mod
Bookworm wrote: "Great Reviews!To remedy the 'Me vs Classics' issue, may I recommend The Count of Monte Cristo. I know this is a mammoth, but it'll be fun. Please ignore, if you have already read it. :)"
Hello Bookworm!
Thanks for recommending The Count of Monte Cristo. This is already in my to-be-read list however I never had the strength to pick up this tome.
Hopefully this year I just might do that!
Em Lost In Books wrote: "Or perhaps join us for BOTM? 😜"Haha, and increase my ever-growing pile of book? Sure, that's what we do. LOL
Em Lost In Books wrote: "I too didn't like LotF. 🙌"Nice to hear !!
Btw, how do you add these 🙌 !!
Copied from Whatsapp web? :P
Makrand wrote: "Bookworm wrote: "Great Reviews!To remedy the 'Me vs Classics' issue, may I recommend The Count of Monte Cristo. I know this is a mammoth, but it'll be fun. Please ignore, if you have ..."
Hi Makrand! Sure. For me, it did not feel like a tome, was really good. If you do pick up, looking forward to your review :)
Makrand wrote: "Em Lost In Books wrote: "I too didn't like LotF. 🙌"Nice to hear !!
Btw, how do you add these 🙌 !!
Copied from Whatsapp web? :P"
I have the same doubt.
Or these are enabled in virtual keyboard when one is using the goodreads in phone?
Bookworm wrote: "Makrand wrote: "Bookworm wrote: "Great Reviews!To remedy the 'Me vs Classics' issue, may I recommend The Count of Monte Cristo. I know this is a mammoth, but it'll be fun. Please igno..."
Sure thing!!
The premise looks enticing. Just the right "mood" is what I'm hoping to have :D
Mod
Nice to hear !!
Btw, how do you add these 🙌 !!
Copied from Whatsapp web? :P"
phone keyboard.
Mod
The premise looks enticing. Just the right "mood" is what I'm hoping to have :De..."
mood and courage because its 1200+ pages.
Yeah, it can be daunting. :DHave to imagine reading adventure duology back-back.
The Count of Monte Cristo and Lord of the Flies are both two classics, but they are completely different.The first one is a real pageturner with not a lot of content. It is mostly plot driven so there are no real messages that the author wants to communicate to the reader. It's full of twist and turns and it is a really fast and easy read.
The second one is the opposite: the author wants to show that people aren't born good and become bad because of society, but that there already is evilness in each one of us since birth and that it's society with its rules that teaches us to be good and kind. Or something like that, I've read it a lot of years ago, so I hope to remember correctly.
Therefore, don't be scared to start Monte Cristo because I'm pretty sure you will like it and it is a fast read despite the number of pages.
dely wrote: "The Count of Monte Cristo and Lord of the Flies are both two classics, but they are completely different.The first one is a real pageturner with not a lot of content. It i..."
Hi Dely, your analysis of LOtF is absolutely correct and precise. No plot really just a base thought and mountain load of drama over it.
Frankly, I'm relieved to hear your take on The Count of Monte Cristo and it's quite assuring. Even if it's a tome, if it's a fast page turner, it doesn't really feel like a tome!
Thanks, this helped!
I think I'll enjoy reading this one!
Em Lost In Books wrote: "Makrand wrote: "Em Lost In Books wrote: "I too didn't like LotF. 🙌"Nice to hear !!
Btw, how do you add these 🙌 !!
Copied from Whatsapp web? :P"
phone keyboard."
Huh!! My app never allowed to add emoji's. Maybe there's a new update. Thanks
Mod
Em Lost In Books wrote: "I don't use GR app. I login through browser. I don't like app."Same. I use my laptop though. Easier for me that way. But the site isn't that optimized for mobile, I guess. Feels cluttered.
Will make do for now.
dely wrote: "The Count of Monte Cristo and Lord of the Flies are both two classics, but they are completely different.The first one is a real pageturner with not a lot of content. It i..."
Hi dely, definitely agree with your views of Monte Cristo. Page-turner and doesn't feel huge.
Thank you for the review Makrand, and the recommendation it gives! Too many references of CoMC across all threads, maybe the universe is telling me I need to read it!
Visalakshi wrote: "Thank you for the review Makrand, and the recommendation it gives! Too many references of CoMC across all threads, maybe the universe is telling me I need to read it!"
Do it!!
That's what I d when i get notions like these :)
the book is calling you!
Yes! I will grab CoMC right after I finish my short pile of to-reads for this month. Hopefully by March.. !
Visalakshi wrote: "Yes! I will grab CoMC right after I finish my short pile of to-reads for this month. Hopefully by March.. !"Good luck and best wishes :)
I managed to finished 84, Charing Cross Road which was recommended to me by Vidhi.This book turned out to be such a sweet little cookie.
Letters exchanged between two people over a period of 20 years who NEVER met each other!!
Quite an exciting journey this book was. Helene Hanff's act of kindness was spellbound and she kept repeating it day after day just to help her fellow booksellers in difficult times. Marvellous.
Nice and swift, this book left me wanting for more to read.
Here's my review of this lovely book
84, Charing cross Road is a very good movie too.
Selva wrote: "84, Charing cross Road is a very good movie too."Oh yes!
The book has an introduction by Anne Bancroft who played Helene Hanff, that's how I knew there was a movie too.
Moreover, Frank's role has been played by Antony Hopkins!!
This makes it even more interesting to watch.
It took me an eternity to finish The Rosie Effect There were other things apart form reading that took most of the time but the bad plot and rushed writing contributed to delaying this book even further.
Part 1 - The Rosie Project was a much better book and unfortunately yet another sequel bites the dust.
Please find my review of The Rosie Effect here
Indian Readers
Books mentioned in this topic
Name Place Animal Thing (other topics)Exhalation (other topics)
1232 km: The Long Journey Home (other topics)
Our Man in Havana (other topics)
Anxious People (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Fredrick Backman, A Man Called Ove (other topics)Joe Abercrombie (other topics)
Welcome to the The Reading Bench
I'll be posting reviews of all the books that I read during the year however this year I won't be planning anything to read in advance and read at free will since I read impulsively in 2021 and I enjoyed it!
To Hell with planning
In that too, I'll focus on reading:
- Indian Regional books (Would love recommendations in this area!)
- Popular series
- Buddy reads!
Please feel free to join, comment and stop by this virtual bench :D
I talk at length about books that I've read & other rubbish too :P
This thread will have all such descriptions and logs which might help someone either take that book up or throw it out of the tbr pile :P
I love reading Fantasy, Mysteries, Sci-Fi's and books with pages less than 500 are always a charm to read