Yesterday, a bookish friend came to me asking for an urgent report, and we got chatting about our respective recent reads. One thing led to another, and we ended up getting late for lunch...that is the magic of books. They can put a smile on your face just when you think you are upset and not in mood, they can bring out tears over things you thought you never cared about, they help you make friends with strangers, and (worst of all!) - they awaken your conscience just when you started smirking and feeling victorious over arguments and silly tiffs....
This post is straight from the heart, and the words are actually spilling over! Speaking of words I am tempted to list some of my favourite books (not exhaustive!), movies and songs. Let me see where this goes??? If you do read this post, and would like to suggest a good book or movie, I shall be very happy to look for it in the library, and then....leave the home and hearth to H:). This is not an exhaustive list...it is an emotional list and I am also doing this just to please my self, and to acquaint myself with what others like! So, my dear few subscribers and visitors - please do leave your kind comments, suggestions etc., and make my day:).
Books! Hard to choose (I know no one's asking!)
1.I am crazy about and am a huge P.G.Wodehouse fan - Psmith(Does anyone remember that Hindi TV serial which grabbed Psmith's story and had Mazhar Khan in the lead - he did complete justice to the role:)), Bertie Wooster and Bill are my favourite characters. I quite love PGW's choice of names (Gussy Finknottle, Roderick Glossop, Honoria Glossop and Chef Anatole and..... of course the Drone's Club), and the myriad engagement experiences his characters go through. Plus I love his use of the English language. If I am in a bad mood all I need to do is read a P.G.Wodehouse to start grooving.
2. Sherlock Holmes drives me crazy with his attitude, knowledge and precise detection. I tried reading another Arthur Conan Doyle novel but never got beyond the first chapter! I outgrew Agatha Christie quite soon, though I loved her while the craze lasted! Hmm... Erle Stanley Gardner's Perry Mason was responsible for that short law stint:), Alistair Maclean for the adrenalin charged action and a love for the name Marie or Maria!, Tintin for giving the world Hic hic Capt. Haddock, and not to forget sweet William who made me guilt free after every naughty act!
3. Erma Bombeck - I first laugh at the title for a good 10 minutes before starting to read...and then I don't stop! Same goes for Bill Cosby:)
4. I am not crazy but like reading Sydney Sheldon, Jeffrey Archer and Ken Follet. Recently discovered David Baldacci and Jeffery Deaver, and I am quite luvin' them. I prefer Erich Segal for the dramatic ends and more mundane happenings, and of course the deep research!
Currently reading:
The Time Traveller's Wife - so far only acted as a great sleep inducer!
Helen Keller's autobiography - so far it is inspiring!
Last read:
David Baldacci's - Absolute Power which made a compelling read and helped me in baking the Julia Child French Bread;
David Baldacci's - The Winner - compelling but the investigation was full of glaring loopholes. I would still call it a good read.
Last kiddy book
Madeleine L'Engle's 'A wrinkle in time' - Great read. Ideal for a 10 year old.
Eragon - Christopher Paolini - Good frnd above is urging me to go beyond the 4th chapter, but somehow I haven't been able to. She says it is better than Harry Potter. Just for the record I love Mary Poppins by P.L.Travers better than Harry Potter.
It's a different thing that I very much belong to the 'Pottermanic' (that's my word!) gang. Great series....consistently good!
Hmmmm.....kitchen pukare aa re aa re aa re:)
Digging in the dirt [Flickr]
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sunshinemomsblog posted a photo:
[image: Digging in the dirt]
Taken while the maali (gardener) was taking a rest after lunch at the
institute.
14 hours ago
11 comments:
One of my favorite topics and I could not help leaving a comment! Am an avid book reader and my husband jokes that my love for books literally cost our lives (we had a near to death accident while coming back from a book fair that my husband wasn’t keen to go). That besides here is a my list of favorite books (not in any specific order)
1)Of course P.G.Wodehouse’s Bertie Wooster series – Was introduced to it by my sisters. Never fails to bring a chuckle when I read one.
2)Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice – ooh...I just love the pair – lovely, arrogant Elizabeth Bennett and hoity-toity Mr. Darcy
3)Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre – the original boy and girl story – quite like an Hindi movie - where the boy keeps misleading the girl (who appears to be shy but is weathering a storm in her heart) and when the lovers unite, it is too late things take their own course. Finally all’s well that ends well despite a tragedy
4)Most Marian Keyes books – They are fun and light-hearted, have saucy one-liners, makes you laugh, makes you cry and generally has good endings. My favorite is Sushi for Beginners
5)Most Maeve Binchy books – Always has an eclectic set of delightful characters – describes small town life in Ireland – a book to curl up with in a rainy afternoon. My favourite is Circle of Friends
6)Butter Chicken in Ludhiana by Pankaj Mishra – A travelogue that any Indian in the 80s and 90s can really identify with, it describes the India that is caught between globalization and tradition through various humorous anecdotes. You don’t have to be interested in travel to read this.
7)No Full Stops in India by Mark Tully – I’ve always been curious and amused by foreigners’ perspective about India. Ofcourse Mark Tully is more of an Indian than any foreigner. He covers various contemporary topics of those days ( 80s and early 90s including the effect of the teleserial Ramayan ). Gives a very good insight
8)Elephant, Tiger and Cellphone by Shashi Tharoor – A collection of essays on contemporary India. I love his tone, language and his very reasonable approach to various issues.
Bhavani - I see there are roads I haven't tread as yet! Good list - will look up Shashi Tharoor first:)
Very nice collection. Will definately try to read when I get some spare time from my work.
Thanks for stopping by my blog
Sailaja - Welcome! Would love to know what you like to read too:)
Wodeouse is one of my all time favourites!
Other books that I have enjoyed, in no particular order:
Down & Out in Paris & London: George Orwell:
Orwell's very funny semi autobiographical tale of surviving penniless in the two most posh cities in the world. Of course, Orwell being Orwell, he has some amazing insights on life and people too..
The suitable boy: Vikram Seth: a long epic type story, a bit like the serial :Buniyaad, set in post independence India. Huge book, moves at a slow and languid pace but lovely
Ken Follett:
To be honest, I used to read him when I was much younger, try his "third twin", a racy fast paced thriller.
Shantaram, by Gregory Roberts: A foreigner tryst with the mumbai underworld.Written with a very humane voice, it is being made into a movie starring Amitabh Bachan and Johnny Depp.
The earlier books by Pico Iyer
I read Animal Farm by Orwell and enjoyed it thoroughly. Will try this one in the Library. I have read all the Ken Follets - Still love them, and Shantaram too - If only Mel Gibson was younger he would have perfectly fit into Gregory's Role. Like Johnny Depp too. Wish the movie would release soon...talks have been on for two years! My tryst with Indian Authors was a sad one:( But I will definitely try V.S.Thanks for Visiting:)
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Harini,
Don't ask me why, but I just didn't you had this blog too.
Looks like we have a lot in common where reading is concerned.
In fact that's what I miss in Goa -the wonderful library we have in Kochi.
Love Wodehouse, of course.
Erma Bombeck is great.
Shashi Tharoor's The Great Indian Novel is a good read.
So is Robert Fulghum's books are good, especially All I Really Need To Know I Learnt In Kindergarten and It Was On Fire When I lay Down On It.
Mary Higgin Clarke's Books are also nice and Jeffrey Archer's short stories.
If you like animal related non fiction (humourous) then Gerald Durell and James Herriot are two good authors.
And the list goes on..........
My daughter loves Engle's books and she is waiting eagerly for the next Paolini book, due in September!
She made me read the Potter series and I tell her she's truly "Potty about Potter"!!
Me again, Harini.
Just remembered one more author I enjoyed reading. Nicholas Sparks. You could try his books.
Hello sunshinemom :-)
Thanks for stopping by blog and taking time off to comment.
Great to see you love books too :-)
Dershana
Aparna - That is a strange coincidence! I left some people out in my list (I knew I could never do justice!), and you named them all! I have the entire collection of James Herriot whom I prefer to Gerald Durrel, and I discovered Nicholas
Sparks this Summer at Bangalore - He is a thorough romantic:) I saw Shashi Thuroor's Great Indian Novel in the lib. - that will be my next read - I see quite a few people recommend him! BTW - I read L'engle's sequel - The tilting earth, and it is good too. In this one the characters are quite grown up:)
Hey! Thanks for visiting, Aparna, and I am so glad to meet a like tasted friend - Will contact you if I visit Goa. Please do the same if you are down here!
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