Next book I'd like to read

[Suyash]

300 pages into War and Peace....liking it but it's going to take a while to get through.
Planning to start reading 'Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years of Lockheed' in the meantime.

[Pritam]

Currently Reading: Good Omens ~ Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman

Hilarious!!

Next I'll read: Seeker - Jack McDevitt

[Manasi]

I'd like to read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society next, the title itself has me most intrigued!

[Ahtims]

have heard good things about it

[Akshay]

Guys I got The Secret of Nagas in just Rs 148 with a coffee mug free from infibeam !!

[Ahtims]

I got for 177 sans coffee mug from Indiaplaza :(
and Infibeam is selling Immortals of Meluha for Rs. 98 or so (massive 50% discount - I feel so envious as I had bought that for just 20% discount)

[Akshay]

Smitha wrote: "I got for 177 sans coffee mug from Indiaplaza :(
and Infibeam is selling Immortals of Meluha for Rs. 98 or so (massive 50% discount - I feel so envious as I had bought that for just 20% discount)"

Till now I thought Crossword/Landmark are best sites to order book !!! Not anymore.. We may now have to google for best offers.

[Teja]

Has anybody read Satyajit Ray? I got a copy of a book-- 'The best of Satyajit Ray' from my univ's lib. Will have to see how it goes.

[Parikhit]

I have the book "Billy Bud, Sailor" with me. Though it is supposed to be high school literature, I picked it up recently. There are too many bad reviews. Has anyone read it?

[Hriday]

Ravi wrote: "I am currently reading "The hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy" for the 3 rd time, and will start Catch 22 by Joseph Heller after that :)"

Both are absolutely brilliant books ravi!

[Hriday]

Smitha wrote: "I am fed up of reading only fiction and I am surprised as I never thought it would happen. Recently I read one or two good non-fiction books which have whetted my appetite for the same. Can anyone ..."

If you havent read "A brief History of nearly everything, you should drop everything and start it now mod!" The most brilliant history of science I have read

[Hriday]

I am right now reading or trying to read" The theory of scientific Discovery" by Karl Popper. Pretty condensed and a bit abstruse though I like to think I am getting most of it.

Occupied with a lot of bull on the side so not really able to get into it. It is a heavy book needing peace of mind to pursue it

[Ahtims]

I have 'a brief history....' in my collection. Will read it asap

[Harsha]

Smitha wrote: "I have 'a brief history....' in my collection. Will read it asap"

i think my brother has read it (more like devoured it) and always tries to explain to me abt the big bang and supernovas and stuff like that.... lol
it has been on my to read list for a long time but i dont know if i have enough patience for that....

[Priya]

Hriday wrote: "Smitha wrote: "I am fed up of reading only fiction and I am surprised as I never thought it would happen. Recently I read one or two good non-fiction books which have whetted my appetite for the sa..."
Yes, riveting. Right up there on my list with 'Brief history of Time', 'Argumentative Indian,'Idea of justice'. Truly interesting without being pedagogical.

[Roomani]

elventh commandment by jeffrey archer

[Muddle head]

Roomani wrote: "elventh commandment by jeffrey archer"

I read it about 4 months ago and i hardly remember any of the plot, even my review didn't help me remember the story. Good luck!

[Roomani]

i hv read it.............................bit complicated bt intrstin too...................................yup u cant remembr it.....................................

[Roomani]

in custody by anita desai

[Teja]

How is More Malicious Gossip ?

[Siddharth]

The Nympho And Other Maniacs

[Ashish]

I've "the windup girl" lined up as my next to read book, once I finish "Tokyo Cancelled". Have read good things about it.

[Ahtims]

I could not complete Tokyo Cancelled. I read the first few pages and wasn't interested... how did you find it? if its good, I'd like to try it again

[Ashish]

I would say it's kind of a mixed bag. Some stories are really intersting and imaginative, while some tend to drag along. I've been reading this one story at a time. May be you should give it another shot.

[Ahtims]

okay, I'll surely do it as I bought the book and want to get some value for money

[dely]

I have started reading The Tale Of Hodja Nasreddin in english because there is no italian edition.
It is difficult! I have to translate a lot of words I don't know like "fences", "jugs", "clover", "dewy"...etc
However I will not give up!

[Kunal]

I have always had a hard time getting around the acclaim that Vikram Seth's works get. His poetry is too simplistic for one. His best work is still 'A Suitable Boy' and yet that book, for all its voluptuousness is hardly life-affirming or even remotely poignant. While I know that he spent close to a decade on the book, I really can't fathom what really he was trying because as I see it, it is neither an achievement in form, nor in content.

[Hriday]

Kunal wrote: "I have always had a hard time getting around the acclaim that Vikram Seth's works get. His poetry is too simplistic for one. His best work is still 'A Suitable Boy' and yet that book, for all its ..."
Kunal considering that the Golden Gate is written enitirely in iambic pentameter it definitely is not simplistic in style! Content wise i agree his themes are mudane. Even I could not really appreciate "A Suitable Boy"

You could try "Travels through Sinkiang:..." Beautiful Travelogue!

[Parikhit]

Kunal wrote: "I have always had a hard time getting around the acclaim that Vikram Seth's works get. His poetry is too simplistic for one. His best work is still 'A Suitable Boy' and yet that book, for all its ..."

I have never read Seth and recently I got 'The Suitable Boy', a decision brought about by all the hullaballo of excellent reviews to an extent of heralding the book as an epic. I am partially done with my quota for reading this year and the 'The Suitable Boy' is hibernating in my shelf only waiting to be disturbed from so sweet a respose once I am done with my studies. Should I be confounded by the decision?

[Neha]

Heavy discussion under way :)
I am looking forwrad to the Robot Series by Asimov
Started it yesterday

[Kunal]

Hriday, any example of restrictive writing is ultimately (and perhaps paradoxically) the simplest too; arduous, but simplistic. There, you have a form, you stick to it and write accordingly. If 'effort' alone were to make a book meritorious, 'Gadsby' would've been hands down the best novel ever written. When I crave for complexity, it is not so much for form but rather, for content: how layered is the write? Is it open to multiple interpretations? Is there a knowing, an understanding that is subliminal, beyond the text? etc. To each his own though.

I will most definitely try 'Travels through Sinkiang..', I'm starting to enjoy travel writing a lot of late....will pick it up. Thanks.

Parikhit: don't let my judgment preclude your reading of the book. In fact, it might be best to pick up 'A Suitable Boy' during a long holiday, like I had done (otherwise I wouldn't have gone beyond the morning of Holi). It would take a minimum three weeks to finish.

[Mohit]

Stalin's biography by Robert Service and then maybe From Eternity to Here by Sean Carroll.

[Parikhit]

Kunal wrote: "Hriday, any example of restrictive writing is ultimately (and perhaps paradoxically) the simplest too; arduous, but simplistic. There, you have a form, you stick to it and write accordingly. If 'e..."

Thanks Kunal!
And I would agree on simplicity vs complexity with you. Layered writing is what I unarguably look for.

[Avisek]

Folks, please choose me my next read. It can belong to paranormal, sci fi, mystery, true crime !!

Though on second thoughts, a paranormal thriller would be most welcome. And please let it be an aggressively moving plot.

[Ahtims]

19 minutes - Jodi Piccoult - reg. a school massacre - its medium paced though

[Aravind]

I am right now in a mood to read non-fiction. I may hit on one of the three India after Gandhi, Fellowship(about scientific revolution since renaissance) or Carlo levi's memoir.

[dely]

Aravind wrote: "I am right now in a mood to read non-fiction. I may hit on one of the three India after Gandhi, Fellowship(about scientific revolution since renaissance) or Carlo levi's memoir."

Which book of Carlo Levi do you want to read?

[Aravind]

dely wrote: "Aravind wrote: "I am right now in a mood to read non-fiction. I may hit on one of the three India after Gandhi, Fellowship(about scientific revolution since renaissance) or Carlo levi's memoir."

..."

Christ Stopped at Eboli: The Story of a Year. I bought it last year after reading about a movie of same name, but haven't started reading the book yet.

[dely]

Aravind wrote: "Christ Stopped at Eboli: The Story of a Year. I bought it last year after reading about a movie of same name, but haven't started reading the book yet. "

Good luck!
It is not a bad book but for me it was really boring because there were long and detailed descriptions of the landscape and it is something I don't like though I know that Levi, with the description of the desolated landscape wanted to describe also the desolated lifes of the people who live there. I hope you have a good translation because Carlo Levi is very poetic when he writes; it is a beautiful language though I don't have liked a lot the book.
If you will read this book and if you need some detail on Italian history or geography I am here for you!

[Avisek]

ohkk..If you recommend it, must be worth a try !! Smitha, your taste in gory lit will be tested now :)

[Ahtims]

is this gory lit? From what dely had written, I think this is an uber boring book

[Aravind]

dely wrote: "Aravind wrote: "Christ Stopped at Eboli: The Story of a Year. I bought it last year after reading about a movie of same name, but haven't started reading the book yet. "

Good luck!
It is not a ..."

Thanks, didn't realize you were from Italy. :) I saw some review which said it was very depressing and slow. But I thought I will give it a go.

[dely]

Smitha wrote: "is this gory lit? From what dely had written, I think this is an uber boring book"

I suppose Avisek was talking about 19 minutes by Piccoult :)


Aravind wrote: "Thanks, didn't realize you were from Italy. :) I saw some review which said it was very depressing and slow. But I thought I will give it a go."

It is not depressing but slow and boring; but nevertheless Carlo Levi is an important Italian writer and his book is important in Italian literature. Levi, in my opinion, wanted the book to be slow because he describes people and life in Lucania; he wanted to show as if there time never passes, as if the region and people were not affected by what was happening elsewhere, as if time had stopped.

[dely]

I am so happy that somebody reads an Italian author that I want to add some informations about this book (also because since now I have talked only about the boredom of the book).

If you will read the book you will find often the city Matera. I am sure nobody has never heard of this city but I can be proud to say that it is part (the old city, not the new one) of UNESCO, World Heritage Site. Search on google the images, they are amazing.
Another information is that the film "The passion of the Christ" by Mel Gibson has been made in Matera.

[Parikhit]

dely wrote: "I am so happy that somebody reads an Italian author that I want to add some informations about this book (also because since now I have talked only about the boredom of the book).

If you will re..."

Dely you seriously should suggest some Italian authors. Don't know if I ever mentioned but France and Italy remain my DREAM destinations. I wouldn't mind even if I were to be killed as soon as I land there :) I did find one collection of Italian short stories but that was way too expensive!

I keep reading the Lonely Planet travelguides about Italy and France in the office library (however they highlight the prominent place only)

And thanks for the information on Matera. Just googled the pictures. It looks ancient and beautiful.

[Aravind]

dely wrote: "I am so happy that somebody reads an Italian author that I want to add some informations about this book (also because since now I have talked only about the boredom of the book).

If you will re..."

Am a big fan of Umberto Eco! and have read one Italo Calvino book too,"If on a winter's night a traveller", that was one heck of a creativity. Carlo Levi is the third Italian author I am reading. I am waiting for William Weaver's translation of Eco's new book 'Prague Cemetery', have you read that? any view?

[Anbu]

Parikhit wrote: "Dely you seriously should suggest some Italian authors. Don't know if I ever mentioned but France and Italy remain my DREAM destinations. I wouldn't mind even if I were to be killed as soon as I land there :) ..."

They are my favourite destinations too.. But if I were to be killed, it should happen only after I visit all the places there.. :D

[dely]

@ Parikhit: why should we kill you? :D
I don't know what to suggest because I am not a big Italian writers fan but if you need some informations you can ask me, I am glad if I can answer you.

@ Aravind: shame on me but I have never read an Umberto Eco book; he doesn't inspire me. I must still read the book of Italo Calvino, I have heard good things about it, but every time I say to myself that I must read some Italian book my hands go and pick up a Russian author!

@ Anbu: LOL We have a way to say: "see Naples and then die". I think because Naples must be such a wonderful city that after you visit it you can also die because you have seen the most beautiful thing in the world and so there is no more a reason to live.

[Parikhit]

What I meant was that land into Italy or France and a car runs over me and kills me. I'll die with this happiness that I died in Italy or France :D

And Dely, I envy you so so so much for you stay at Italy! What a beautiful nation!
Can you please suggest to me some Italian authors who write about the daily affairs in Italy with a flair for long descriptions.

I read in the book Eat, Pray, Love that the pizza originated from Naples.

[dely]

Parikhit wrote: "What I meant was that land into Italy or France and a car runs over me and kills me. I'll die with this happiness that I died in Italy or France :D

And Dely, I envy you so so so much for you sta..."

We have beautiful places but Italy is ruled very bad.

I don't know what to suggest you :/
I have never read Eat, Pray and Love but if you want a book that talks about what happens in Italy this is a good book: Gomorrah: Italy's Other Mafia.

Yes, pizza was born in Naples and the first real pizza was pizza Margherita (only tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil: the colors of the Italian flag, green, white, red) in honour of the queen of Italy Margherita di Savoia (of Savoy in English).