I am at present holidaying to eternity and a lot of reading is happening.
Sister of my heart - Chitra Banerjee (less than 3 stars)
I was dying to read Indian. yes, the immigrant's life. Nothing compares to a good Indian read, my list would probably be Salman Rushdie, R.K.Narayan and Jhumpa Lahari. Jhumpa lahari probably gets critiqued quite a bit but I think I am very close to the immigrant Indian in her head. Since I was dying to read about India, and also wanted drama, I picked up Chithra banerjee. I had heard some rave reviews and the title of the book sounded tempting. I finished it through the 9 hour flight to Alaska. I thought her writing was desperately Indian. The references to "puchkas" and mangoes were close to nauseating. I was not tempted. And why is every woman's life in India filled so depressing? Why cant Indian women authors boldly infuse humour and happiness? My need to finish every book I pick up kept me on. A very predictable ending, same ol Calcutta - tram, crowd, dirt and widowhood!Bah! I think the present fiction writers have a lot to learn from R.K, Kalki, Salman and Rabindranath Tagore in terms of creativity and wordplay.
Angela's ashes. (4 stars)
Now this is my type of immigrant book. I think I am a little late to discover Frank Mccourt, but he is a word hilarious. Taking my cousin's word and a few google reviews, I had decided not to embark on it during Alaska. It sounded like a sad book. But I was wrong. The author had done a great job in using humor at difficult circumstances. There were times when the "chamber pot" jokes were getting a little out of hand, but my family raising made it easier digesting these jokes. The book was a laughter riot. And, first book where I was not hungry reading it. I am eternally hungry when food is described in books, and sometimes I re read my favourite food parts eating. Now that explains approximately 15 pounds. But this one was either talking about poverty, slushy rain or yucky toilets. Being catholic and Irish made the jokes even better. The book is an easy 1-3 day read and very entertaining. Its not a philosophical or a literary treat, and I do admit I saw the humor coming at times but the sati-rity in it, if that is a word made it awesome.
PS: I am back to re reading all of R.K. Narayan and struggling through Ponniyin selvan. Now you may say I need to go back to work, but here comes my evil grin.
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Monday, July 25, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
The girl with the dragon tatoo!
Have I waited enough time to read this that the entire world knows what am going to say? That it was a great book? Anyway today I feel like I just ended a relationship and am frantically trying to replace it with another book. It was absolutely absorbing. A mystery novel with a pretty predictable ending and all that but the character placement and the writing style was brilliant. It was like watching a movie. I would not recommend this book for people on a vacation or reading by the pool. Its a book to be finished in one sitting. I was so addicted that three hours after reading the book, I tried to re-establish the relationship with the movie. The movie sucks in comparison.
In between vacation planning, house and job hunting, paper writing, finishing up, getting frustrated, it was so difficult to find time to read. I had neglected social contact in person and online. This book somehow gave me a break from what was occupying my mind. I was reading in the restroom, making coffee, asking husband to drive me to work so that I can read on the way, walking, gymming so on. Thanks to kindle it was actually possible!
Now to reestablish this relationship, suggestions anyone?
In between vacation planning, house and job hunting, paper writing, finishing up, getting frustrated, it was so difficult to find time to read. I had neglected social contact in person and online. This book somehow gave me a break from what was occupying my mind. I was reading in the restroom, making coffee, asking husband to drive me to work so that I can read on the way, walking, gymming so on. Thanks to kindle it was actually possible!
Now to reestablish this relationship, suggestions anyone?
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Kindle - A review
After consistently running for three months and developing a sore on my little toe, we decided I get myself fitted for running shoes and that is my ideal birthday gift. Surprisingly, my feet are stable. They did not need any additional requirements other than the normal cushions. I got some pretty good, pretty expensive shoes. Therefore did not see the kindle coming. When I saw the Amazon cardboard box, I knew what it was
I had some opinions on electronic readers. Therefore I had not expected to be gifted one. I love the look and feel of books, to feel the fresh pages and the smell of paper. Well, that’s what I thought. My love for reading also got me to own copies of books I really like. The result being an over flowing bookshelf. I guess receiving a kindle is an end to my clutter collection as well. But holding it really changed everything. It is really light, easy on your eyes and works with you to whatever comfort you want to get. I love it. I think paper is over rated. Really. I do think this is eco friendly, and the publishers get their money anyway. There have been books I had wanted to read, but waiting on the library for it. It does save a lot of time, quick downloads, free classics, audio friendly and wi-fi assisted. It is not a necessity, especially if you are not a regular reader. But if you are someone who reads to sleep every day, want to catch up on a lost reading habit or someone who reads more than three books a month, I would definitely recommend it. Some of my friends compared and contrasted it to Ipad2. I think the IPAD2 is not an e book reader and therefore does not have some of the reading comforts. And also, it is expensive.
I read Molaka’i, a fiction based on the leprosy scourge in Hawai’I. It was pretty good, and I thought the scientific misunderstanding of the disease and the biblical references were captured well. I have a long list downloaded including Ponniyin selvan and sivagami sabatham. A brave attempt to read tamil fiction. This whole week I have just been waiting to go back home and to my toy. (So there goes my need for running shoes). Happy birthday to me.
I had some opinions on electronic readers. Therefore I had not expected to be gifted one. I love the look and feel of books, to feel the fresh pages and the smell of paper. Well, that’s what I thought. My love for reading also got me to own copies of books I really like. The result being an over flowing bookshelf. I guess receiving a kindle is an end to my clutter collection as well. But holding it really changed everything. It is really light, easy on your eyes and works with you to whatever comfort you want to get. I love it. I think paper is over rated. Really. I do think this is eco friendly, and the publishers get their money anyway. There have been books I had wanted to read, but waiting on the library for it. It does save a lot of time, quick downloads, free classics, audio friendly and wi-fi assisted. It is not a necessity, especially if you are not a regular reader. But if you are someone who reads to sleep every day, want to catch up on a lost reading habit or someone who reads more than three books a month, I would definitely recommend it. Some of my friends compared and contrasted it to Ipad2. I think the IPAD2 is not an e book reader and therefore does not have some of the reading comforts. And also, it is expensive.
I read Molaka’i, a fiction based on the leprosy scourge in Hawai’I. It was pretty good, and I thought the scientific misunderstanding of the disease and the biblical references were captured well. I have a long list downloaded including Ponniyin selvan and sivagami sabatham. A brave attempt to read tamil fiction. This whole week I have just been waiting to go back home and to my toy. (So there goes my need for running shoes). Happy birthday to me.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
In a couple of lines
Very few pieces of a movie or a book leave you with a light feeling in your head. Like all your neurons just found something new to network like it never has before. After every such movie or a book, the deep feeling cannot be shrugged. A part of it follows you. I thought I will put down only a very few books and movies that at some point, in some dialogue or quote gave me that feeling. These are quotes from memory, therefore may not be the exact line.
PS: These are not necessarily my favourite books or movies just a select few that stuck to my head despite the bird brain!
Sleepless in Seattle:
Yes, starting with a cheesy chick flick. Tom Hanks after he lost his wife.
On the radio to “What are you going to do?”
Well, I'm gonna get out of bed every morning... breathe in and out all day long. Then, after a while I won't have to remind myself to get out of bed every morning and breathe in and out... and, then after a while, I won't have to think about how I had it great and perfect for a while.
All the King’s men.
I think I should have read the book. This is just an extra ordinary movie to describe the faultiness of nobility, if that makes any sense. Jack tries to reach out to his childhood buddy, but only for a purpose.
“Everyone has only one friend from their childhood. And this friend represents all their lost ideals, mostly lost. And this friend is probably only a mirage from memory.”
Shawshank redemption:
No explanation needed here I guess.
Red’s narration after Andy helped the guard keep his money,
“You could argue he'd done it to curry favor with the guards. Or, maybe make a few friends among us cons. Me, I think he did it just to feel normal again, if only for a short while”
Apocalypse now:
Well, I did not like the second half of the movie. But there were some brilliant parts about the movie. Something that will always help me connect with Vietnam war veterans and its probably this line by Kurtz.
“I watched a snail crawl along the edge of a straight razor. That's my dream; that's my nightmare. Crawling, slithering, along the edge of a straight razor... and surviving”
Picture of Dorian Gray:
That’s just a great book. Should make it more than a book. It should be a religion or something. Here are some of my favourites:
“ “”You are much better than you pretend to be”
““I represent to you all the sins you have never had the courage to commit.””
“Conscience makes egotists of all of us”
Fountainhead: This book sort of changed my thinking steering away from an underdog socialist, here is one of the lines, probably the most quoted line.
“A man's ego is the fountainhead of human progress”
On a lighter note
From Ice age:
Ice age is my favourite movie. My comfort rainy day movie and I love Sid, so every line is almost my favourite. Here is a sample:
Sid: Whats the problem?
Manny the mammoth: YOU are my problem.
Sid: Well, I guess you are just stressed. That’s why you over eat. Otherwise its hard to get fat on a vegan diet.
Blind side:
“I never thought we will have a Black son before we meet a Democrat”
Madagascar, again a rainy day comfort movie.
On hearing the train announcement
Did he just say "Grand Central Station," or "My aunt's constipation"?
PS: These are not necessarily my favourite books or movies just a select few that stuck to my head despite the bird brain!
Sleepless in Seattle:
Yes, starting with a cheesy chick flick. Tom Hanks after he lost his wife.
On the radio to “What are you going to do?”
Well, I'm gonna get out of bed every morning... breathe in and out all day long. Then, after a while I won't have to remind myself to get out of bed every morning and breathe in and out... and, then after a while, I won't have to think about how I had it great and perfect for a while.
All the King’s men.
I think I should have read the book. This is just an extra ordinary movie to describe the faultiness of nobility, if that makes any sense. Jack tries to reach out to his childhood buddy, but only for a purpose.
“Everyone has only one friend from their childhood. And this friend represents all their lost ideals, mostly lost. And this friend is probably only a mirage from memory.”
Shawshank redemption:
No explanation needed here I guess.
Red’s narration after Andy helped the guard keep his money,
“You could argue he'd done it to curry favor with the guards. Or, maybe make a few friends among us cons. Me, I think he did it just to feel normal again, if only for a short while”
Apocalypse now:
Well, I did not like the second half of the movie. But there were some brilliant parts about the movie. Something that will always help me connect with Vietnam war veterans and its probably this line by Kurtz.
“I watched a snail crawl along the edge of a straight razor. That's my dream; that's my nightmare. Crawling, slithering, along the edge of a straight razor... and surviving”
Picture of Dorian Gray:
That’s just a great book. Should make it more than a book. It should be a religion or something. Here are some of my favourites:
“ “”You are much better than you pretend to be”
““I represent to you all the sins you have never had the courage to commit.””
“Conscience makes egotists of all of us”
Fountainhead: This book sort of changed my thinking steering away from an underdog socialist, here is one of the lines, probably the most quoted line.
“A man's ego is the fountainhead of human progress”
On a lighter note
From Ice age:
Ice age is my favourite movie. My comfort rainy day movie and I love Sid, so every line is almost my favourite. Here is a sample:
Sid: Whats the problem?
Manny the mammoth: YOU are my problem.
Sid: Well, I guess you are just stressed. That’s why you over eat. Otherwise its hard to get fat on a vegan diet.
Blind side:
“I never thought we will have a Black son before we meet a Democrat”
Madagascar, again a rainy day comfort movie.
On hearing the train announcement
Did he just say "Grand Central Station," or "My aunt's constipation"?
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Herman Hesse
Siddhartha] had begun to feel that the love of his father and mother, and also the love of his friend Govinda, would not always make him happy, give him peace, satisfy and suffice him. He had begun to suspect that his worthy father and his other teachers, the wise Brahmins, had already passed on to him the bulk and best of their wisdom [but] his soul was not at peace.
Chapter1, Page3
After a long time, I felt the need to read. To read nonstop. It was a small book, "Siddhartha" by Herman Hesse. I was recommended this book way back in 2005 or 2006. It took a good 5 years to get to it. The book is about the spiritual experience of Siddhartha I think the book is an experience. To start with, the writing is beautiful. It flows, and leaves you with a solace after every page, every line almost. Some of the verses are for keeps. Like,
"Slowly, like moisture entering the dying tree trunk...so did the world and inertia creep into Siddhartha's soul; it slowly filled his soul, made it heavy, made it tired, sent it to sleep. But on the other hand his senses became more awakened, they learned a great deal, experienced a great deal"
There is a lot to this book. Surpasses human emotions or those that I was aware of till now.It helps unwind from a lot that we have accumulated in the name of "growth" and "education". It brings back a wee-bit of the child like enthusiasm that is somewhere down there. And the element of friendship between Govinda and Siddhartha was brought out beautifully I thought. Before I go totally off, I shall sign out and dwell in the after thoughts of the book.
PS: This blog is dedicated to one of my dearest friends.
Chapter1, Page3
After a long time, I felt the need to read. To read nonstop. It was a small book, "Siddhartha" by Herman Hesse. I was recommended this book way back in 2005 or 2006. It took a good 5 years to get to it. The book is about the spiritual experience of Siddhartha I think the book is an experience. To start with, the writing is beautiful. It flows, and leaves you with a solace after every page, every line almost. Some of the verses are for keeps. Like,
"Slowly, like moisture entering the dying tree trunk...so did the world and inertia creep into Siddhartha's soul; it slowly filled his soul, made it heavy, made it tired, sent it to sleep. But on the other hand his senses became more awakened, they learned a great deal, experienced a great deal"
There is a lot to this book. Surpasses human emotions or those that I was aware of till now.It helps unwind from a lot that we have accumulated in the name of "growth" and "education". It brings back a wee-bit of the child like enthusiasm that is somewhere down there. And the element of friendship between Govinda and Siddhartha was brought out beautifully I thought. Before I go totally off, I shall sign out and dwell in the after thoughts of the book.
PS: This blog is dedicated to one of my dearest friends.
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