Indian Readers discussion

I warmed up my fingers to turn pages better, I did exercises for the eyes to avoid that they become quickly tired, or crosseyed, the sofa is ready, the first book of 2012 is yet to come. I kill them if Solo doesn't arrive in time for the group read!

dely wrote: "I warmed up my fingers to turn pages better, I did exercises for the eyes to avoid that they become quickly tired, or crosseyed, the sofa is ready, the first book of 2012 is yet to come. I kill the..."

ROFL... all the best for 2012 Dely. And before I forget, a very Happy New Year too. :)

Let the celebrations begin!

Thank you! :D

Happy New Year to everybody!

dely wrote: I kill them if Solo doesn't arrive in time for the group read"

LOL..Happy New year dely. i hope and pray that you don't have to start new year with a kill!!

I will train more my selfcontrol :D

good luck, dely. Hope you get to read lots and lots of interesting books

Happy New year Dely.. :)

Wish you read all the good books this year.. :D

Thanks Smitha and Anbu!

Solo arrived this morning!

My first book of 2012! Received it as a Christmas gift and started at the end of dicember.

3.5/5

There is no english edition of this book; literaly translated it is "The Blood of the South".

It talks about the Italian history, the years around the unification (1861). But the history of which nobody talks, the one which we can't find in the school books. It shows how many differences there were between North (who wanted the unification) and the South to which have been made a lot of unfulfilled promises so they begin to rebel for the rage and the poverty giving birth to brigandage. It shows how Italy already then was unable to rule a nation and was not able to deal with the differences between North and South; still now there is some hate and a lot of prejudices between people of the North and people of the South. It shows also the strong influence that the Church and the Pope have always had in Italy. It was an interesting read though it is not my usual genre.

congrats, dely. You started on your journey

Smitha wrote: "congrats, dely. You started on your journey"

Yes :D

dely wrote: "I warmed up my fingers to turn pages better, I did exercises for the eyes to avoid that they become quickly tired, or crosseyed, the sofa is ready, the first book of 2012 is yet to come. I kill the..."

Nice Introduction Dely!!

Meenakshi wrote: "Nice Introduction Dely!!"

Thanks :)

Welcome :D

5/5

Don't read if you must still finish the book!

What a great book! Rana Dasgupta was really a beautiful discovery. I enjoyed the originality of the story, I had never read such a book.
The book is divided into two parts. In the first part we meet Ulrich, the protagonist of the book, a Bulgarian chemist, who reminds all his life. Already almost 100 years old, he is blind and so he relies on dreams. Here begins the second part of the book which is dedicated to his dreams. Every dream is a short story but it takes small and sometimes insignificant details of the true life of Ulrich. Every dream/story has its protagonist and as it goes on the dreams and the characters begin to intersect and their lives intertwine.
Dream and reality are intertwined, coexist. What is true? What is dream? What is more important? The "real" life without satisfaction or a "dreamed" life where we live in a world of our own and where we take satisfaction in order to make real life more acceptable?
It's a book to read slowly, savoring every word. I made ​​the mistake of reading it avidly because once started I was not able to put it down.

I am going to buy the book, dely.

dely wrote: " 5/5

Don't read if you must still finish the book!

What a great book! Rana Dasgupta was really a beautiful discovery. I enjoyed the originality of the story, I had ne..."

Liked the cover illustration of your edition. A single person (identity) scattering into thousand independent birds (identities) off to seek their own destiny.

Smitha wrote: "I am going to buy the book, dely."

It's a good idea. I hope you will like it as I did.
I haven't yet started another book because I am still thinking about Solo. It entered deep inside, really strange, I don't know how to explain. And if I begin a new book it is as if Solo and all the feelings and emotions I had would go away from me.


Aravind wrote: "Liked the cover illustration of your edition. A single person (identity) scattering into thousand independent birds (identities) off to seek their own destiny. "

At the beginning I liked more your cover with the little birds but after reading the book I began to like also this cover because I had your same thought and it seems to me that the man could represent the real life and the thousand birds are all our dreams as if we were made by our dreams.

dely wrote: "Smitha wrote: "I am going to buy the book, dely."

It's a good idea. I hope you will like it as I did.
I haven't yet started another book because I am still thinking about Solo. It entered deep ..."

I totally agree with you Dely. Done with 200 pages and its hard to not ponder about 'Solo'. The other day I was reading 'Solo' inside the bus enroute to office and when I disembarked someone enquired the address to some office there. I had to fumble for words and kept awkwardly pointing when the poor soul said 'Left?'. I only nodded. I had been thinking about Solo.

God, am ordering it this instance.

Parikhit wrote: "I totally agree with you Dely. Done with 200 pages and its hard to not ponder about 'Solo'..."

You will see when you are at the last chapter! :D
Like Aravind said in the other discussion, the prose becomes poetic and it is wonderful. It is like the cherry on the cake. Is this way to say used in English?


Smitha wrote: "God, am ordering it this instance."

I hope you will like it as we are doing! I am sure you will not regret reading it.

Third book of the year: by Michele Ponte. 2/5

There is no English edition; translated it means "Confessions of a psychopath".

This is the book I hadn't won with the giveaways but the author was very kind and sent me however a copy of the book.
He is a young and an emergent writer. The book is in a certain way original though I didn't liked it a lot. It is difficult to write the plot because there isn't a real plot. It is not a tale, it is not a confession of the author, it is quite as the character of the book talks with the reader. The main character is Luigi; his brother dies and he makes a plane ticket to go to Poland. He doesn't stay with his parents and wants only to go away. In Poland he is reached by a friend of him and they travel a little bit. At the end they turn back to Italy.

and 5/5

English edition: The Brothers Karamazov.

Can't review it. I have always loved Dostoyevsky's books because he is really able to penetrate into human soul and talk about human behaviours, emotions and much more. In Dostoyevsky's books is also always something spiritual but it is a kind of love between persons, a brotherly love that should unite everyone; everybody should be compassionate, there should be respect for the suffering of other people and so on. But The Brothers Karamazov exceeds everything, it can be considered a new Gospel. It is something amazing.
I think that only one read is not enough; this book should be read at least two or more times.

dely wrote: " and 5/5

English edition: The Brothers Karamazov.

Can't review it. I have always loved Dostoyevsky's..."

I can't wait to read this.

Parikhit wrote: "I can't wait to read this. "

Have you finished to study for the GATE?
Have you already read something by Dostoyevsky?

dely wrote: "Parikhit wrote: "I can't wait to read this. "

Have you finished to study for the GATE?
Have you already read something by Dostoyevsky?"

The exam was on Sunday. Relieved. :)
I haven't read a complete novel by Dostoyevsky but I read some short stories years ago.

Parikhit wrote: "The exam was on Sunday. Relieved. :)
I haven't read a complete novel by Dostoyevsky but I read some short stories years ago. "

Have you already the results of the exam or must you wait?

I asked you about Dostoyevsky because if The Brothers Karamazov would be your first read I had told you to start with the short stories and his other masterpieces like Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, Demons and so on because starting with TBK would be really hard.

dely wrote: "Parikhit wrote: "The exam was on Sunday. Relieved. :)
I haven't read a complete novel by Dostoyevsky but I read some short stories years ago. "

Have you already the results of the exam or must yo..."

The results are due a month from now.
To begin with TBK would be hard. Why so Dely? Is there any reference or is it the other works would lay the foundation for Dostoyevsky's style? (By the way, I strangely find the name Dostoyevsky poetic :))

Parikhit wrote: "dely wrote: "Parikhit wrote: "The exam was on Sunday. Relieved. :)
I haven't read a complete novel by Dostoyevsky but I read some short stories years ago. "

Have you already the results of the..."

tough for me.not for Pari...its cakewalk for him.

Vinoth wrote: "Parikhit wrote: "dely wrote: "Parikhit wrote: "The exam was on Sunday. Relieved. :)
I haven't read a complete novel by Dostoyevsky but I read some short stories years ago. "

Have you already the ..."

No not really. Russian literature is different. It requires patience but it is worth the effort.

Parikhit wrote: "To begin with TBK would be hard. Why so Dely? Is there any reference or is it the other works would lay the foundation for Dostoyevsky's style? (By the way, I strangely find the name Dostoyevsky poetic :)) "

In order to understand his writing and his thoughts. In every work he does expresses his thoughts and in my opinion TBK contains all his thoughts so it is better to learn and understand them gradually.

Frnds.. Continue the discussion on Dosto's thread created.. :).. I guess Dely would lead the discussion there... :)

3/5

English edition: Pereira Maintains by Antonio Tabucchi

It is a fast read.
The story is set in Portugal, in 1938, and there are the first riots because of fascists. The protagonist is a journalist for culture (he translates French literature), is a widower and lives a quiet life. One day he meets a young guy and his life slowly changes. He feels lured by this guy and hires him for his newspaper although his articles are not good to be published; but Pereira feels he must help him in some way. The boy is recruiting young men to go fight in Spain against the fascists. This strange friendship helps Pereira to make a choice, not to close his eyes to the injustices and to do something for what he believes in.

3/5

English edition: How I Became Stupid by Martin Page

This is the book I will give to my friend and seen that it is very short, and has an interesting plot, I have read it this afternoon so tomorrow I can send it.

It is really a funny read, above all the beginning and in some pages the author remembers me of Daniel Pennac who I like.
The book talks about a young man who isn't happy and he finds out that his unhappiness is due to the fact that he is intelligent. So he tries to become stupid because in his mind in a society like ours only stupid people can be happy because they live passively and don't have questions about nothing.
It is a funny read but however it is an attack that the author makes to our society, its superficiality and its loss of values and moral principles.

1/5

I am sorry for Shantaram lovers but I had to leave midway. For me it is the worst book ever read.
Though it is a romanced autobioghraphy nothing seems real. The main character says always the right thing in the right moment, though he is silent it was the right thing to do; he mets only good people who helps him; everybody loves him; he falls in love with the most beautiful girl of Bombay and she too falls in love with him; he is able to escape all the dangers, all the people who want to hurt him, all the torture in prison. It is too much, it isn't believable for me and though the story is romanced, for my tastes, it is too much.
I am sorry. Perhaps someday I will finish it, I don't know.

dely wrote: " 3/5

English edition: How I Became Stupid by Martin Page

This is the book I will give to my friend and seen that it is ..."

Sounds interesting-"unhappiness is due to the fact that he is intelligent". :D

Parikhit wrote: "Sounds interesting-"unhappiness is due to the fact that he is intelligent". :D "

Yes it is but not everybody agrees. I have read some reviews and some people (who haven't liked the book) say that this is intellectual snobbery. In my opinion it isn't so.
Surely the author wanted to say that a person is intelligent if he has questions, if he has a sensible mind for the problems of the world or the society in which he lives and makes everything to be not dragged by conformism and consumerism. In fact there are some attacks against useless consumerism, attacks against multinational companies. For me it was a good read and the author is also right above all if I watch to all the people who seem all the same but are not able to have a deeper discussion about nothing; it seems that to be accepted we should behave like the majority (the alternative is to stay alone).
Like in The Idiot! Myshkin is a very intelligent and sensible person but people mock him because he isn't like them, he doesn't behave like he should according to the rules of society. This book can't be compared to The Idiot but the concept is more or less the same with the difference that this is a funny read.

At the end I picked up again Shantaram and finished it.
I went also to search some informations about the author and his book and surprise...it isn't an autobiography :/ There is something real taken from his life but much part of the story is invented.

dely wrote: "At the end I picked up again Shantaram and finished it.
I went also to search some informations about the author and his book and surprise...it isn't an autobiography :/ There is something real tak..."

And your reviews now. :) Have they are changed?

If I have changed opinion about Shantaram? No. I don't like it because it is not well written and the characters have no personality. Now I know that roughly everything is invented (and it is not a real autobiography like I thought) and I understand why everything was so exaggerated but if I had known that it is a fiction with love and adventure, thriller and mafia I surely had never read it. I even don't like authors that seen that they have understood important things for themselves in their life now want to "teach" to others. Everybody of us is different so what can be true for him, can't be right for me and I didn't like his tone of wise guy "that knows everything" and that he wanted to hide sometimes with a false humility.

even I couldnot go beyond first few pages however much I tried. I have picked up and laid down the book atleast 3 times or so - I am not so patient as you to persevere with a book if I dont like it, dely.

Smitha wrote: "even I couldnot go beyond first few pages however much I tried. I have picked up and laid down the book atleast 3 times or so - I am not so patient as you to persevere with a book if I dont like it..."

In the past I have abandoned only two books because I am really sorry to don't finish a book. I have picked up again Shantaram because I was too curious to read what other "amazing" adventures would live the main character.

How is going your read with The Master and Margarita? I have read in another topic that you put it down.

dely wrote: "If I have changed opinion about Shantaram? No. I don't like it because it is not well written and the characters have no personality. Now I know that roughly everything is invented (and it is not a..."

Another book I think I should strike off from my to-read list.

Yes, guilty on that account. I did not get past the first few pages. But am going to try harder, and finish it by the year end, even if I dont like it, (remember this was my new year promise to you :D)

Parikhit wrote: "Another book I think I should strike off from my to-read list. "

You can try to read it, a lot of people love that book.
But perhaps borrowing it in the library so if you don't like it you haven't spent money.


Smitha wrote: "Yes, guilty on that account. I did not get past the first few pages. But am going to try harder, and finish it by the year end, even if I dont like it, (remember this was my new year promise to you..."

Don't torture yourself only for a promise! If you don't like it don't force yourself to read it. It is not an easy book and it is full of metaphors and allegories. I love above all the first part because everything seems so absurd.

dely wrote: "Parikhit wrote: "Another book I think I should strike off from my to-read list. "

You can try to read it, a lot of people love that book.
But perhaps borrowing it in the library so if you don't li..."

I will borrow it from the biblioteca and see what the fuss is all about. I hope I got the word right :)

dely wrote: "Parikhit wrote: "Another book I think I should strike off from my to-read list. "

You can try to read it, a lot of people love that book.
But perhaps borrowing it in the library so if you don't li..."

I want to, dely. I read tough books only if I am challanged, and never on my own.

Parikhit wrote: "I will borrow it from the biblioteca and see what the fuss is all about. I hope I got the word right :) "

Yes, right :D

@Smitha, if you have questions about the book I will try to do my best to help you.

thanks, dely

4/5

This editions has The Insulted and Humiliated and The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

I had already read The insulted and humiliated more than 20 years ago and loved it, it is for me a 5 star book. It is also the first book I have read of Dostoyevsky and the one with which I felt in love with him.
Now, after 20 years, I have read also The Gambler (thanks to Pari and the cozy read, otherwise I am sure I would not have read it).
For me it is a 3 star story because I felt the luck of deeper insight of the characters to which I was accustomed reading Dosto's works.