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"We read to know that we are not alone"~C. S. Lewis
R. Sun Moon wrote: "Aravind wrote: "Should I be ashamed of not having read a single Dostoyevsky book yet!"If we start feeling ashamed for that, there are thousands of other brilliant writers in almost every language..."
So true.. There are plenty of very good authors and some of them we are yet to know.. Reading all the good authors in a lifetime is something of an achievement.. :)
Anbu wrote: "R. Sun Moon wrote: "Aravind wrote: "Should I be ashamed of not having read a single Dostoyevsky book yet!"If we start feeling ashamed for that, there are thousands of other brilliant writers in..."
Totally agree.
3/5. It is a Dostoyevsky!
‘The Gambler’ gets three stars. The writing does seem hurried and reflects the constraints Dostoyevsky was subject to when he was writing this book. Otherwise the book has a tremendous idea that could have been expanded into a beautiful story. Nonetheless Dostoyevsky does not falter at any point. It has been said that 'The Gambler' has hints of being an autobiographical work.
4.5/5. I am amazed. Allez Agassi!
‘Open’ by Andre Agassi could not have been more open and candid an autobiography. From a punk in the world of tennis, to the bad boy of tennis and re-establishing himself as a legend my admiration for Agassi has increased manifold. And surprisingly he has pondered more over his losses than his victories that make him so humane, so likeable. He does not impose the fact that he is a legend; he grows into you. He is a celebrity sans all the pomp.
5/5. A must read!
There were too many good reviews to refrain me from reading ‘The Help’ and I am smitten by the story and the narration style. Hilarious, sad, happy, satiric-the book has them all. With so many books and a greater number of movies on the subject of racism ‘The Help’ does not stand out as the winner but it does promise a good read; full marks to the narration that kept toggling between the three main protagonists thus allowing a peek into their thoughts.
The book tickles you, pains you, questions you and inspires you. A moving tale in every sense. The last few lines of the book will remain with me for a very long time to come.
“May be I ain’t too old to start over, I think and I laugh and cry at the same time at this. Cause just last night I thought I was finished with everything new.”
4/5. Read this for the subtle description.
‘Jerusalem’ narrates the simple but gargantuan story of changing dogmas and faith in a village tucked away in the lush green highlands of Sweden. It spans over two generations and faith is what Selma Lagerlof has expounded in this book. A new faith emerges in the hamlet wherein the believers decide to leave for Jerusalem to help the downtrodden and comfort the poor. Giving up the want for any material pleasure this group of believers drown relationships and families for a greater cause; to walk in the ways of the Lord and in search for a truer home in Jerusalem. However, Selma Lagerlof ends the novel with so many questions. An underlying tussle between faith and honour subtly remain etched in the entire book.
Mod
Finally an entry after a long hiatus
4/5. Splendid!
I intended to write my ideas on the book immediately after I reached the last period but was kept at bay. Weeks after reading the book I am still swimming in the after-effects of ‘The Beach’. Loneliness, my cup of tea, distant hidden lands, an escapade from everything real, hallucinations-Alex Garland puts it all together in the form of a captivating narration. Spellbound I was from the first page and spellbound I remained till the closure.
Mod
Smitha wrote: "Yes, I have read it atleast 3 times, though I didnot like the ending much. Watched the movie too.."I haven't seen the movie yet. But conincidentally the time was reading the book I was glued to the song 'Pure Shores' by All Saints which, I discovered later, was the soundtrack for the movie.
3.5/5. A good read.
I remember not going beyond a few scenes when I began watching the movie after the remarkable reviews and laurels ‘The Reader’ was subject to. Picked up the book hesitantly with preconceived notions and the knowledge of most claiming to have abandoned it. After completing the book I am happy to have put all the inhibitions to rest.
Mod
3/5 and 4/5 resp. Nostalgia revisited!
5/5! A wonderful book. How I regret that it ended
I am so happy to have discovered Elizabeth Gaskell only made possible through a group read here. I would have genuinely missed out reading and loving the works of this authoress. ‘Wives and Daughters’ is the only one I have read so far and marks the beginning of many more Gaskell authored works.
The story is set in early 19th century in a small English town. The story centres on Molly Gibson, the only daughter of a widowed country doctor, likeable from the very first page with her sweet demeanour and good virtues. When Molly’s father remarries Molly had to put with a shallow and haughty Mrs. Kirkpatrick as her stepmother while she finds a friend in Cynthia, her stepsister. The marriage brings about a sea of changes in the otherwise quiet lives of father and daughter. We watch the sisters, absolute opposites, grow, love, suffer pain in love, be the centre of gossip and emerge happy. Gaskell has dexterously frozen the English society then and the characters are flawless reflection of their human imperfection. The novel is unfinished and that may come as a rude shock; nonetheless Gaskell paves the way for a reader to imagine what would have been a likely ending. One of the major highlights of the novel is the vivid description. Gaskell had me captivated with her rambling narrations. She, probably, is one of those very few writers who can lock their readers into a state of reading stupor even when ‘nothing much is happening’. One is bound to fall in love with the many plesant walks, tea parties, rural beautiful England!
Mod
4/5. Hilarious!!
I am surprised with the book, an absolute thrill, and baffled at why I kept postponing this book! Cheeky, sarcastic, tremendously funny and honest, ‘English, August’ is a riot and Upamanyu Chatterjee marvellously combines wit and humour. There could not have been a more genuine account of the pathos and stagnancy in the Indian bureaucracy. It is, broadly, a humorous tale of minor-urban-anglicised-India coming face to face with the major-rural- anachronistic-India.
2012 has meant working like a donkey to me. I wasn't able to concentrate on reading much. Then again I realised why- I have been reading serious non-fiction. Things which you can't just "read", things which need understanding too. My books on ISKCON made this experience worse for me. The last in the series which made me feel the sting was "Auto-biography of a Yogi". This was such a heavy read. Thankfully, I chose to read Andre Agassi's "Open". This was a welcome change as well as a light read. How far can a man run from fiction though? Isn't it what got us all into reading? I picked up "Solo" and then there was no turning back. While I can never leave non-fiction/serious stuffs, fiction helps me to relax a bit. Currently, RK Narayan and Munshi Premchand have given me back the confidence I had sort of lost from Indian writers.
5/5. Honest, true, beautiful!
I am astounded! ‘Lunatic In My Head’ would easily be my own story. It has to be one of those very books, of the little that are there, that represents Shillong in its true colours. The landscape, the colours, the people, the occurrences, Pink Floyd (the book borrows its name from one of their songs), rain-Anjum Hasan is a judicious observer.
I would disagree that the main protagonists are fictitious; I could see a part of me in each one of them, Sophie Das an eight-year-old girl, Aman Moondy, an IAS aspirant and Firdaus Ansari, a lecturer. It isn't a mind-boggling story but the charming description of the sights and sounds of Shillong and the truthfulness beautifully encompassed in the narration make ‘Lunatic In My Head’ a delightful read. Sophie, Aman and Firdaus are dealing with their lives in their own little ways intoxicated a desperate stagnancy. While Sophie has her vivid imagination, Pink Floyd fuels Aman and Firdaus has a not-so-sure love life and an ever-elusive PhD. Every person in the book is a caricature of people I have known and know from Shillong-be it the friendly and warm Kong Elsa or the villainous Robert or the street vendor selling ‘aloo-mudi’ (a favourite local street food in Shillong). The individual stories have been interweaved cleverly with variegated Shillong forming the dramatic backdrop.
Thank-you Parikhit. You and I need to really read more writers from there. Although I don't care how correct an account can get if it's written by an "outsider" but the charm and beauty that an insider captures is priceless!
Parikhit wrote: "5/5! A wonderful book. How I regret that it ended
I am so happy to have discovered Elizabeth Gaskell only made possible through a group read here. I would have gen..."
19th century in England, here we go again.
Mod
5/5. Honest, true, beautiful!
I am astounded! ‘Lunatic In My Head’ would easily be my own story. It has to be one of those very books, of the little that are there,..."
added it to my to-read list
5/5. Astounded!
I am overwhelmed and the long search and wait that culminated with reading ‘Palace Walk’ was worth an undertaking. I had nurtured high expectations and I found them only soaring. Originally in Arabic I read somewhere that the translation did capture the originality. Putting the battle of translation vs original aside ‘Palace Walk’ has left me dumbfounded. My chief motive was to understand Egypt beyond my limited knowledge of pyramids, mummies, curses and pharaohs. Naguib Mahfouz was the best possible choice as an author whom I accidentally stumbled upon. He has balanced the story of an Egyptian family with an impending mass revolution (due to English occupation of Egypt-I fact I was not aware of until now) with exemplary finesse. The ancient mosques and minarets, alleys, balconies with latticework overlooking the narrow streets, coffee houses, street vendors, musicians and courtesans of Cairo-Mahfouz has breathed life into everything alive and inanimate.
Mod
Smitha wrote: "its in my to read list. I will push it up in the list"It'll not upset you.
5/5. My vocabulary fails me.
When my colleague exclaimed that ‘Beloved’ is one book that should be read before one dies I didn’t quite believe her. And now I find myself in this extraordinary position claiming the same. I am spellbound. A powerful story, a narration that is way beyond my league, ‘Beloved’ is an effect that doesn’t dwindle. Subtly, gently Morrison rocked me. I find it disgraceful to write a review. I need to reread this book for I sternly believe that my understanding is still nascent.
You are reading a lot of good books in this period!
Thats the only thing I am doing apart regular chores. I have brutally murdered my social life :D I keep reading at office too, either e-books or a hard copy carefully concealed in my lap :D
Three five star books. Having wonderful time with books eh, Pari? :)
Parikhit wrote: "Thats the only thing I am doing apart regular chores. I have brutally murdered my social life :D I keep reading at office too, either e-books or a hard copy carefully concealed in my lap :D"so u have developed eh..thats great to hear :P
Parikhit wrote: "5/5. Astounded!
I am overwhelmed and the long search and wait that culminated with reading ‘Palace Walk’ was worth an undertaking. I had nurtured high expectations and I ..."
Sounds grt..is it possible for u to give me this book @ the meet on 24th??
Vinoth wrote: "Parikhit wrote: "5/5. Astounded!
I am overwhelmed and the long search and wait that culminated with reading ‘Palace Walk’ was worth an undertaking. I had nurtured high ex..."
I have already promised someone.
Parikhit wrote: I have already promised someone. "I have already promised someone.
"
any other fab book u have read recently ,which is not promised to anyone yet ?? i can see that u have read many :)
I have 50+ books with me at present. I can give you Dostoyevsky once I am done with that.
Parikhit wrote: "I have 50+ books with me at present. I can give you Dostoyevsky once I am done with that."thats grt..I have not yet read a Dostoyevsky or any Russian for that matter.. so keep that in mind.. a light read would be great for starters :)
Smitha wrote: "Beloved is in my list now"Col, you must.
Smitha wrote: "Beloved is in my list now"Also in mine!
Parikhit wrote: "I have 50+ books with me at present. I can give you Dostoyevsky once I am done with that."Pari , is Beloved promised to someone??
Vinoth wrote: "Parikhit wrote: "I have 50+ books with me at present. I can give you Dostoyevsky once I am done with that."Pari , is Beloved promised to someone??"
I borrowed it from the library.
Parikhit wrote: "Vinoth wrote: "Parikhit wrote: "I have 50+ books with me at present. I can give you Dostoyevsky once I am done with that."Pari , is Beloved promised to someone??"
I borrowed it from the library."
oh..k.. looked interesting.thats y.. will be on the lookout for it :)
5/5. I am on a roll with the best books I have ever read.
Amazing book! A little more than 200 pages, ‘Disgrace’ is filled with shocking incidents and helplessness. There is anarchy but the anarchy is not turbulent; it is more of the air that we breathe, a way of life, an acceptance. It is suffocating, yes.
Parikhit wrote: "5/5. I am on a roll with the best books I have ever read.
Amazing book! A little more than 200 pages, ‘Disgrace’ is filled with shocking incidents and helplessness. There is ..."
Added in my wishlist.
Parikhit wrote: "5/5. I am on a roll with the best books I have ever read.
Amazing book! A little more than 200 pages, ‘Disgrace’ is filled with shocking incidents and helplessness. There is ..."
Also the hard fact that sometimes disgrace shouldn't go away. One just have to bear it till the end. That, it doesn't sit as an isolated scar, rather it is a result of an equally disgraceful act by someone(if not the self). The only redemption from certain mistake is graceful acceptance of the disgrace. The problem with Coetzee book is that it so profound that I don't feel like reading another Coetzee for a while.
The only redemption from certain mistake is graceful acceptance of the disgrace. The problem with Coetzee book is that it so profound that I don't feel like reading another Coetzee for a while. The former lines are amazingly true. Wow!
And yes, I thought I would pick up Summertime by Coetzee but it would have been an overdose.
Parikhit wrote: "5/5. Honest, true, beautiful!
I am astounded! ‘Lunatic In My Head’ would easily be my own story. It has to be one of those very books, of the little that are there,..."
Oh wow great review! I’m ashamed to admit that I have not read this yet. Adding it to my to read list…
Pari.. Looks like you're having a great year with the books.. Keep going.. :)Hope I ll get more time to read these books in the coming months..
3.5/5. Discovered England!
‘A Kestrel for a Knave’ showed me a new facet of England-one that I was never acquainted with and it did take me by surprise. The England I knew was meadows and balls painted so delightful by Austen, simple folk and poverty (but happiness at the end) by Dickens. But this book showed me an ugly side of England. Though depressing it made my perception of England, a country I am fascinated with, human.
3/5. I still need to understand this book
I picked this book accidentally and I couldn’t help marvelling at the simplicity and honesty the introduction has. Captivated I began. There is no story as such (for it can be the story of any random person). It rather felt like dairy entries.
Indian Readers
Books mentioned in this topic
The Sense of an Ending (other topics)The Dark Room (other topics)
The Joke (other topics)
Palace of Desire (other topics)
The Brothers Karamazov (other topics)
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If we start feeling ashamed for that, there are thousands of other brilliant writers in almost every language that we don't even know of, for which we shud be hung until death a million times over. Just be glad that now u r moved enough to read Dostoevsky :)