You're as good as the books you read!

Tell me you read Nicholas Sparks, Sidney Sheldon or Nora Roberts and I may not want to speak to you again. Tell me you worship the likes of Marquez, Chekov and Joyce and I will respect you forever. For sworn bibliophiles around the world, books can be major deal breakers (or makers).

The books we love often reflect all that we believe in; all that we think is beautiful in the world. It may have a character you closely relate to or a plot that reads like your own life. So the kind of books we read say a lot about us.

Accuse me of narrow mindedness but when it comes to knowing people, I judge them by their taste in literature. Going into someone's house and seeing a wall plastered with books excite me, perusing the titles on somebody's shelves is like opening a window on their psyche.

I am aware of the fact that an individual is more than the sum of his bookshelf but I also believe that books are an extension of one's self and so for me a person is as good the books he reads. 

Beg to differ?


P.S. My apologies to the people who love Sparks, Roberts and Sheldon but seriously, you need to give Wilde, Dostoevsky and Marquez a shot.

This is where we live!

''This is where we live'' is a visually pleasing video of a world made out of books. Very creative!
I found this interesting video on StumbleUpon. Enjoy! :)

Stripping the sheen off 'new' India!

''Meet Balram Halwai; servant, philosopher, entrepreneur, murderer...'' reads the blurb on the Man Booker prize winner- The White Tiger.

Since it's 2008 win I had been aching to read it but never got around to buying it. Sometimes, because I thought it was too expensive and other times because there were better picks in competition. Finally, when I saw it at a Book fair back in Decemeber for Rs.75! There was no reason to let it go. (I can be a bit of a cheap sucker when it comes to buying books but hey! Who says reading needs to be an expensive hobby?) 


So, Balram Halwai, is the witty narrator of this journey who goes from being a servant to an entrepreneur. It may seems like a rags to riches story at first but a few pages in, and you know there is a bigger, dirtier game being played out before you. Here is a protagonist who starts out in the poverty-stricken, unjust society of India and learns the hard way that the only way to make it to the top, quick is to imitate the rich, i.e: betray, steal and kill. 

The story unveils a side of India that is conveniently hidden under its 'fastest growing economy' label.Adiga manages to strip the sheen off the 'new' India that we have come to know and exposes the hypocrisy and misery that exists in the working class of this country. As Balram philosophically disdains over the treatment of the poor in his country, he says, humans should be treated like humans.

The book has been written in the form of letters addressed to the President of China who is to visit India soon. The most poignant parts in the book come whenever Balram tries to advice the President. Here's an extract:  

''BECOME AN ENTREPRENEUR IN SEVEN EASY DAYS! 

Don't waste your money on those American books Mr. Jiabo. They're so yesterday.

I am tomorrow!''

 This book paints a vivid picture of the misery and helplessness of India's lower class and what it takes to break away from the shackles of poverty- a will of breaking free of the 'rooster coup' so great, that it triumphs all other emotions.

Adiga's writing style is simple, flowy and witty. Balram starts out by telling Mr. Jiabo (the President):  

''It is an ancient and venerated custom of people in my country to start a story by praying to a Higher Power. I guess, Your Excellency, that I too should start off by kissing some god's arse.Which god's arse, though? There are so many choices.See the Muslims have one god. The Christians have three gods. And we Hindus have 36,000,000 gods.Making a grand total of 36,000,004 divine arses for me to choose from.''

Don't let the humor fool you because the tale gets dark from here! This is not a big eye-opener but an interesting book nonetheless. 

Going back to a 'Witchful' past!

Surfing on the internet I came across an article listing the best children's books. Unsurprisingly, Roald Dahl's titles were a staple feature on the list. I think almost everyone has memories from Dahl's books- and his fascinating world of magic!

I suddenly realized how bored I had become of the thriller, horror and drama genres I had been devouring lately and how desperately I craved to live in a lighter, happier imaginary world. Hence, I began reading Roald Dahl's award winning book 'The Witches'. The first time I had begun reading this book was 7 years ago in my school's library, a grim room in the basement with a poor collection. Well, it had this gem so I shouldn't be complaining.

I remember how  the description of these ghastly witches brightened my eyes with fascination. Their image was still etched in my mind. Bald, huge nostrils, claw-shaped hand and square toes!!

Somewhere while reading, it hit me that I had never finished the book. I had only read the first three chapters and then left it incomplete. And for this tragedy, I blame my school's No-book issuance policy. :)

Anyway, during the course of the book, Dahl's imagination never ceased to amaze me. It takes massive talent to write books for children. Simmering complex ideas and  horrifying stories into amusing, fictionalized anecdotes is no easy feat.

I seldom laugh out loud while reading but this book made me do that with every turn of the page. The never ending Mouse-Witch chase, the disgusting witch rituals and the surprising reality of it all enthralled me to bits. A must-read for those who have been plagued by the intellectual-book-syndrome and those who want to renew their love for simple light reading.

Oh, and the best dialogue in the book comes at the end. ‘It doesn’t matter who you are or what you look like as long as somebody loves you.’ 

And just so you know, these words were said by a mouse. 

Happy reading! 

First experience of McEwan!

There are certain writers who you see everyone reading and you wonder why you haven't read a single book by them. For me, these are the likes of McEwan, DeLillo, and Eggers. Every time, I am in a bookstore scrutinizing titles on the shelves my eyes hover over Ian McEwan, stay there for a moment and move on.

A few weeks back I bought my first book my Ian McEwan, 'The comfort of strangers' mainly because the title amused me immensely. The story is set in Venice and reading through this 100 page thin book I got the feel of walking through the unique city; however, with lackluster characters, devoid of human emotions other than sexual, I wasn't impressed. 

McEwan's writing style is fluid and the plot gripping but somehow the story leaves more to be desired. The horrific ending disgusted me to some extent but left no long term effect. Hence for me, McEwan's book are best left avoided in future.