Book-Tagged
Okay, it's been a long time since I wrote about books and ever since Amiya tagged herself, I cannot wait any longer to scribble something. So I tag myself from my own blog to write about my biggest passion. Books, what else.Number of books I own
About 30, I guess.
Number of books lent out to others that never came back
I'm too smart about that (well, actually that's the only thing I'm smart at). I never lend books to people when there's a chance that I might not get them back. The person has to be within my reach at all times during the period he/she has my book(s).
Number of e-books I have
Over 200
Last book I bought
I've been on a book buying spree recently. Last time I went into Om Book Shop at MGF Gurgaon, I came back with:
Ulysses - James Joyce
Dubliners - James Joyce
The Iliad - Homer (translated by Chapman)
Odyssey - Homer (translated by Chapman)
(Had to leave out Divine Comedy by Dante since those people did not have all the three books)
The World Book Fair gave me:
Anna Karenina and Other Short Stories - Leo Tolstoy
Lectures on Psychoanalysis - Sigmund Freud
Last book I was gifted
God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy on my birthday by a friend. He's gifted it to me but is yet to courier it since he's been out of money at college for over 5 months. I'm still hoping to get it before my next birthday so that I get another gift on the next one :D
Last book I read
East, West - Salman Rushdie
Chronicle of A Death Foretold - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
I'm currently reading...
Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
Ben Hur - Lew Wallace
Glass Palace - Amitav Ghosh
Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
(I can read a lot more, simultaneously)
Five books that mean a lot to me
- 'Of Mice and Men' - John Steinbeck
Wonderful, wonderful picturisation of the plight of workers in a capitalist society and the portrayal of emotions of two friends who stick to each other. One of those rare books that talk of male bonding. The end was simply superb. Amazing book.
- 'The Fountainhead' and 'Atlas Shrugged' - Ayn Rand
One only wishes that she had written a bit less. Still, she managed to hold me till the end (not a very big achievement since I generally do finish all books), but at times she comes up with this brilliant philosophy of hers that entirely reverses your notions of this world. I still distinctly remember her definition of 'selfish' in The Fountainhead and 'the kind of woman a man desires' in Atlas Shrugged. Her characterisation of Ellsworth Toohey, Peter Keating, Dominique and Guy Francon and Henry Rearden is awesome.
- 'Great Expectations' and 'David Copperfield' - Charles Dickens
A classic storyteller who so beautifully brings out the characters and their innermost conflicts that you don't want to drop the book. The identification with the weaknesses of the characters are too intense. Its nostalgic. My respects to that great, great author.
- 'The Diary of A Young Girl' - Anne Frank
True story of a family that hides in a secret attic during the Nazi attack on Netherland at the time of the Second World War. The girl, Anne Frank, who kept a diary from the age of 13 to 15, when she was taken to a prisoner camp and killed, speaks of the plight of people in the time of war, the hardships they faced as a result of being locke dup in a small place with her childhood going waste. She talks of adolescence and the sexual revelations she goes through, the emotional turmoils, the family fights and a whole lot of other issues. A really touching collection of notes from her diary.
- 'The Third World War' - Humphrey Hawksley
Not many have heard of this book and still less have read it. Huge book. Left me feeling insecure. A gripping sequence of events that lead to the third world war when every country nukes every other country, including our dear own India. The guy made me feel that it could happen the next day.
I CANNOT pass on to the next question without mentioning 'The Lord of The Rings'. A book, a journey, an experience, I fall short of words. The only thing I can say is that it seriously leaves you craving for more. I want to read it over and over again. I'm trying to get my hands on 'The Silmarillion' for some respite but till then, this book will be special. Too special.
Three books I started reading, but never completed
- 'Ignited Minds' - A P J Abdul Kalam
Too instructive/philosophical/ambitious. What the heck. Too boring. Couldn't get beyond the first 10 pages.
- 'Barry Trotter and The Shameless Parody' - Michael Gerber
One word. Gross.
- 'Toxin' - Robin Cook
Not my kind of book.
- 'The monk Who Sold His Ferrari' - Robin S Sharma
Again, books that teach me something, desperately fail to do so.
- 'You Can Win' - Shiv Khera
Simply cannot tolerate these books.
Books that made zero sense to me
- 'Memories Of My Melancholy Whores' - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The intention was good. The desires of an old man of ninety, but could not execute it properly. Ended up with an insipid book.
- 'Veronica Decides To Die' - Paulo Coelho
This book is supposed to be encouraging and is to give you hope to live life. It didn't. Not to me. Coelho doesn't strike chord with me. Reading 'The Alchemist' was a pain. 'Eleven Minutes' was better in that sense.
- 'Who Moved My Cheese' - Spencer Johnson
Good but not so good. Too preachy. I've got an ideological problem with books that preach directly, or tell you how to act.
My most treasured books
Every book I own, though 'Great Expectations' would have to be mentioned separately. I am in love with that book.
People I Tag
Akanksha, are you listening? I think you'll love it.
posted by Swetank Gupta @ 1:42 pm
8 Comments:
well, coupling ur and amiya's blog...now i hav quite a bit of catching to do, as so many items i hav added to my hitlist of reading...and then, at my pace it would take quite a lifetime :)
man! i am really happy to see u writing, esp love ur poetry...
do intimate me, whenever u put up a new poem or something...
chalo, keep it up...
gupak
Ohh, didn't notice this updated Book-Tagged post. In fact, I just left a comment on the old one... just about 5 mins back. Gupak gave me this link, that's how I found it.
Whoa, great update! I can imagine with what speed you devour books!
Homer & Dante - cool. Haven't read Homer myself. I'll work on that these summer hols :)
And Joyce is good. Have you read his Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man? Nice.
And hmm... I've recommended 'Veronika Decides to Die' to you on that comment of mine. Seems like you didn't like it much. But we do agree about 'The Alchemist' - the most famous book of Coelho's wasn't much of a good read for me. Actually... can't even say that, because I did like the book, but with all the hype that surrounded it, I was expecting something phenomenal which it sure wasn't. Not for me, at least. Too bad what hype can do to nice-enough books.
Where do you get books from, vaise? I'm asking because there are a lot of new books out in stores that I'd like to read, but ever since the job of adding to my book collection has passed on to me (most of the books I have... told my mom to get 'em for me, so money was no consideration then :P) I'm not too keen on buying each & every book. But nobody seems to lend them out or anything... Crap.
And yes, I can't tolerate those add-to-your-self-worth books either!
this was a nice read. enjoyed going through the post even though i'm not that much of a reader.
i think u never leave a book, do u?
i totally understand how u feel about these preachy books. they're soo boring.
and the alchemist...i have to agree. there was nothing great in the book. it was ok, not bad. but just that!!
great expectations is a nice book. but i had a little tragical experience. it was my course book in school so u know, no matter what...a book that u have to read for an exam is always looked at in a different way. so i could never really 'enjoy' readin it. but i still liked it.
nice blog!! :)
@ google-struck
You know, I'm not reading with even half the speed I'd like to. I've to glean time out, literally, to turn a few pages without feeling guilty about neglecting studies/other stuff. And yeah, thank you for your last comment as well. Gave me a lot of creative satisfaction :D
Nope, I haven't read 'Portrait of...', as of now, that is. I agree with you about 'The Alchemist'. It was a pain reading it because I could leave it and I could read it either.
Where do I get books from? Actually, there's this book club in my college which has got some 6000 books of all genres and authors. So I hardly need to go around buying or begging for books. And the really good ones, which I'd like to have in my collection, those I buy. By the way, now I run that book club with another friend, so we get to decide which books to buy and we have an annual budget of some Rs. 60,000-70,000.
Ah! I forgot to mention Eragon and Eldest by Christopher Paolini in my list of favourite books. And before I end, was that word you wrote 'crap' or 'crape' :P
@ becoming a stranger to myself
(nice name but a little too big :D)
Thank you for dropping by. Yes, I generally do not leave a book. I cannot, rather. Preachy books, well, everybody seems to agree about that.
Great Expectations, your course book. So you must've been in ISC. Which school were you in? Delhi doesn't have that many ICSE/ISC affiliated schools. I understand what you mean about books becoming text books. Happened with me with 'The Merchant Of Venice' and some more books/stories, but still, it cannot take way the substance. I loved 'Great Expectations' for the simplicity with which it protrayed every emotion that Pip went through, and that probably, I will go through. So, it strikes a chord, somewhere.
Swetank
yep, ISC. i was in Frank Anthony. and yeah, Merchant of Venice in 9th-10th. that was one of the simpler texts though.
heard the word, rather name Pip after a long time today. God, reminds of those ultra boring classes. my teacher had made it sound so uninteresting.
so u were in an ISC school too? here in Delhi itself? and where r u right now, btw? as in, what hostel are u talking about? budding engineer???????
Hey there!
Saw your comments on Amiya's.
Nice tag, I must say! I'll do it too. :D
Even I hate lending my books :D If I start lending from my anyways small collection, I'll die thinking if I'm going to get them again :D
But I am now working on building my collection. Wish my pocket-money was double the existing tiny amount :(
I remember enjoying The God Of Small Things. Most of my friends didn't. Losers :P
Amitav Ghosh! I still haven't tried his works. Soon, I will. *God, give me money, money, to buy more books*
And, there you go. Another similarity. I HATE these preachy and motivational books. HATE THEM! I remember seeing 'I'm OK, You're OK' last time I went to the bookstore. Bleh.
Books Books Books Books Books Books Books Books Books Books...
Lord, I pray to thee...shower me with books, and I'll be indebted for LIFE!!! I swear.... for life..
(Oh and no self-help, preachy kinds though...Thanks)
Oh and I had GE as a course book too, but I loved it!! :D
And I didn't quite like The Alchemist as much as I'd thought I would.
@Silver Mist
I could copy every word of your comment and claim that those are my words, my feelings. How I love books, how I adore them!! And the best thing about them is that you never never fall short of good books to read.
Thanks for visiting. Should I expect an update now? You wouldn't believe how often visit your blog!
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