Return of the native

After a long gap I decided to continue my blog. In between my last post and now I had been to India and had my cataract operation on my left eye. Because of Operation I could not read much. Before The operation I have read Jumba Lahiri’s The Interpreter of Maladies. It’s a beautiful collection of short stories. It deserved the Pulitzer Prize. After that book I have not read much. Back in U.S. I could not find time to read as baby sitting of my grandson never allows me to read much. Hence my free time is now is fully spent on browsing the net only.

The following quote is from an article I have read it from the net.

The pleasures of Shakespeare are sometimes there on the surface, but always only partially; they always subsist as well on a deeper, more difficult, unfathomable level. Reaching it requires reading and rereading the entire body of work, the whole giving an almost unbearable thrill to the part.

I cannot but agree.

Challanges for 2009

My Reading challenges for 2009.

I never attempted any challenges for every New Year. This year I set a reasonable reading goal for me. These challenges can be met only if I am able to locate it in my library and that to in a reasonable time.

In year 2008 I read about 22 books. I have also read some story collection by Somerset Maugham, Anton Chekov and Flannery O’Conner. I discarded many books after gone through few pages as I did n’t have the appetite to finish.

Sweet Dreams, Michael Frayn recoomended by The Neglected book blog
Netherland by Joseph O’Neil
Nothing to be frightened of -Julian Barnes
A short history of nearly everything –Bill Bryson
How to read a book-Mortimer J Adler
The Stranger-Albert Camus
Farenhit 451 -Ray Bradbury-
Outliers- Malcom Gladwell
Jhumba Lahiri-Interpreter of maladies
The White Tiger- Aravind Adiga
The Reader- Bernhard Schlink
To Kill a Mocking Bird-Harper Lee
The Selfish Gene- Richard Dawkins

I have some books in my bookshelf unread. I hope to finish this year.

Herzog- Saul Bellow
The Golden Note Book- Doris Lessing
The Metamorphosis- Kafka
Emma-Jane Austin

Besides this I wish to read some Raymond Chandler, Katherine Mansifield, Virgenia Woolf. Anton Chekov etc.

I am also planning to re-read Colin Wilson’s The Outsider which I bought recently along with Jack Kerouc On the Road. My son has bought a bound volume of The Crime and Punishment which is also in the list for re-reading.

It is also in my wish to collect Somerset Maugham books from second shops in my Chennai.( my love affair with Maugham would never end.)


I hope to finish at least two books per month. Considering my age, a tall order.
Wish me luck. I need it.

Inspired by other blogs…

Hey folks! I intent continue my blog from this month. I intent to continue it as a blog on books I read and my views. I got my inspiration from blogs like book world. This month when I went to my favorite bookshop Landmark I was fortunate enough to got hold of hard cover edition of The Karamazov Brothers and The Dairy of Anne Frank at the discount counter. The enormous volume of The Brothers of Karamazov, nearly 900 pages, made me baffled at the thought of reading it. Any way I made a start. During my visit to Eloor Library I borrowed three books- Almost A Childhood by Hans-Georg Behr, Anton Chekhov Five Great Short Stories and V for Vendetta a novel based on The movie by same name.

Almost A Childhood by Hans-Georg Behr is based on growing up in Nazi era. Anything on World War II always fascinates me. Unfornutely This book did not stir my interest after reading few pages. I am unable to continue. So I have decided to return it .V for Vendetta is a page turner. I have almost come to the end. It is a story about an authoritarian rule in near future. The main character uses a mask. His portrayal is loosely based on Scottish historical character Guy Fawks. He chooses the same day as Guy Fawks for the execution of his terrorist act.

Anton Chekov Five Greatest Short Stories I have finished reading The Black Monk The classics always require second and third reading before you could grasp the real meaning of the story. Hence I will come to it after giving sufficient reading.

The Brothers Karamazov and The Dairy of Anne Frank is my own book. There is no need to rush. Any way I have finished reading introductory chapters in Karamazov.