Who's reading what,when & the experience

Nick-H · Mar 1st, 2008, 14:45

Yes, I've finished She and it qualifies as a ripping good yarn. Have gone on to the sequel; I bought the two books in one volume anyway.

There's a limit to how much heavy stuff I can take. Louis de Bernier's South American trilogy has some unforgettably nasty details, some of which I skipped a bit on the second reading. Probably about my limit, I guess.

Aishah · Mar 4th, 2008, 21:33

My recent read, Trust Me, is not a 'ripping good yarn' - too trite for words. I think teenage girls might like it, supposedly a 'filmi chick-lit romance' it never raised a laugh with me and boring would sum it up. I gave up after three chapters.
Now for short reads before the light goes out, I'm diving into Manohar Malgonkar's 'Dropping Names'. A bit pompous, but so far interesting.

shelley13 · Mar 13th, 2008, 21:00

I've really recieved a lot of great book ideas from reading this thread. I've added numerous to my must read list.

I am currently reading The Song of Kahunsha by Anosh Irani. It's about a 10 year old orphan in 1993 Bombay. He runs away from the orphanage and basically the book is about seeing Bombay through the eyes of a boy who has certain ideas of what "his" Bombay looks like. It's a quick read, but I am enjoying it.

Past books I have read and thoroughly enjoyed are:

Moloka'i by Alan Brenert
Long Way Gone memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah (I went to a reading of the book by Beah in Ottawa). Very powerful book!
Middlesex By Jeffrey Eugenides
Catfish and Mandala A 2 Wheeled Voyage Through the Landscape and Memory of Vietnam by Andrew X Pham
Sweetness in the Belly By Camilla Gibb

And of course
Shantaram By Gregory David Roberts
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

My next read will be :
Prisoner of Tehran A Memoir by Marina Nemat

Casey · Mar 14th, 2008, 14:02

I am off to New York and I have packed Shadowlines by Amitav Ghosh, one of my favorite authors. I was saving this for a special occasion, I two hours in the Detriot airport works for me! I am looking forward to many of the large bookstores in New York as I will have to get another book as this one is quite short.

iwanttogoback · Mar 14th, 2008, 15:21

do let me know about 'shadowlines', i've not read it but i am a big ghosh fan. it's quite difficult to track down his books here through the library system or even bookshops (student budget means not much book buying unfortunately).

puchoo · Mar 14th, 2008, 15:23

It was incidentally part of the Delhu University English Hons syllabus when i was doing the same.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iwanttogoback

do let me know about 'shadowlines', i've not read it but i am a big ghosh fan. it's quite difficult to track down his books here through the library system or even bookshops (student budget means not much book buying unfortunately).

Aishah · Mar 14th, 2008, 15:25

That's one of his I haven't read, Casey. Thanks for posting your choices, Shelley, have noted a few.
I've dropped, 'Dropping Names' in the meanwhile and am now well into Vikram Chandra's series of stories with a common link, 'Love and Longing in Bombay'. He's a great storyteller - I really like this book. Enjoyed 'Shakti' particularly - all about social climbing and circles in Bombay - very clever, although a slightly contrived ending I thought, but fits well into the theme of the story.

JuliaF · Mar 14th, 2008, 15:37

Shadow Lines by Ghosh - I really enjoyed it and hope you like it Casey. i'm a big Amitav ghosh fan too, and am always recommending to people his (non-fiction) In An Antique Land which is partly about his travels in Egypt but mainly about his investigations of all the historical connections between South India, the Middle east, the Mediterranean and all the people who were travelling backwards and forwards by sea and the connections between them. Fascinating. Writing this makes me want to read it again! But I've just started a biography of Mrs Beeton which I'm enjoying a lot ...

devleenas · Mar 15th, 2008, 16:52

Reading the "Roots" by Alex Haley and parallaly reading "The Hungry Tide" by Amitabha Ghosh .."The Glass palace" is next in the queue..Back to fiction after some non-fiction reading ..feeling great..

Aishah · Mar 15th, 2008, 17:01

I loved 'The Glass Palace' Devleenas - it's a great read. Enjoy it!

devleenas · Mar 15th, 2008, 17:16

thanks Aishah..
Many people has recommended "The Glass Palace" ..waiting to read it .

Apparently i didnt much like "The Calcutta Chromosome" by Ghosh ..Maybe because I was just out of Aldous Huxleys "The Brave New World" which I left unfinished ..
"The Brave New world" is in the list of "100 best fiction " of all times but ....mmm ... somehow was too much of a sci fi for me ...

hash666 · Mar 15th, 2008, 17:32

just finished "holy cow"

devleenas · Mar 15th, 2008, 17:40

hey ... I loved tat book..
though the first few chapters is filled with sarcasm ..having experiencing India for the first time ..but on the whole quite a hilarious book and also has facts on various cultures and religious practices in India

Khak · Mar 18th, 2008, 00:16

Hi
recently i've been to chennai and visited Landmark in Spencer mall........... found good collection of travelgoues.......... bought two travelogues that involved train journeys........... haven't finished up reading both of them, but still wanted indiamike to know of this sbook store

The Old Patagonian Express
Riding The Iron Rooster

Shiver me Timbers · Mar 18th, 2008, 00:40

I've read 'em both.

If you liked them Khak, you should get 'The Great Railway Bazaar', its his first and best IMO, and includes a few chapters on India. Great stuff.

Another great one from Theroux, though not based on train journeys, is 'Dark Star Safari', about a trip from Cairo to Cape Town.

Mar 1st, 2008, 14:45	#1141
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,773	Yes, I've finished She and it qualifies as a ripping good yarn. Have gone on to the sequel; I bought the two books in one volume anyway. There's a limit to how much heavy stuff I can take. Louis de Bernier's South American trilogy has some unforgettably nasty details, some of which I skipped a bit on the second reading. Probably about my limit, I guess. __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Mar 4th, 2008, 21:33	#1142
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 4,961	My recent read, Trust Me, is not a 'ripping good yarn' - too trite for words. I think teenage girls might like it, supposedly a 'filmi chick-lit romance' it never raised a laugh with me and boring would sum it up. I gave up after three chapters. Now for short reads before the light goes out, I'm diving into Manohar Malgonkar's 'Dropping Names'. A bit pompous, but so far interesting. __________________ "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

Mar 18th, 2008, 00:16	#1154
Khak Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: kolkata/hyderabad/atlanta Posts: 429	train journeys by Paul Theroux Hi recently i've been to chennai and visited Landmark in Spencer mall........... found good collection of travelgoues.......... bought two travelogues that involved train journeys........... haven't finished up reading both of them, but still wanted indiamike to know of this sbook store The Old Patagonian Express Riding The Iron Rooster __________________ ~Khak~ Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover

Mar 18th, 2008, 00:40	#1155
Shiver me Timbers Dreaming of Palm Trees Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Dublin Posts: 1,497	I've read 'em both. If you liked them Khak, you should get 'The Great Railway Bazaar', its his first and best IMO, and includes a few chapters on India. Great stuff. Another great one from Theroux, though not based on train journeys, is 'Dark Star Safari', about a trip from Cairo to Cape Town. __________________ Europe to India Overland Andaman's Tips Pakistan Tips Flickr Photos

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Mar 13th, 2008, 21:00	#1143
shelley13 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 112	I've really recieved a lot of great book ideas from reading this thread. I've added numerous to my must read list. I am currently reading The Song of Kahunsha by Anosh Irani. It's about a 10 year old orphan in 1993 Bombay. He runs away from the orphanage and basically the book is about seeing Bombay through the eyes of a boy who has certain ideas of what "his" Bombay looks like. It's a quick read, but I am enjoying it. Past books I have read and thoroughly enjoyed are: Moloka'i by Alan Brenert Long Way Gone memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah (I went to a reading of the book by Beah in Ottawa). Very powerful book! Middlesex By Jeffrey Eugenides Catfish and Mandala A 2 Wheeled Voyage Through the Landscape and Memory of Vietnam by Andrew X Pham Sweetness in the Belly By Camilla Gibb And of course Shantaram By Gregory David Roberts A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry My next read will be : Prisoner of Tehran A Memoir by Marina Nemat

Mar 14th, 2008, 14:02	#1144
Casey Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 637	I am off to New York and I have packed Shadowlines by Amitav Ghosh, one of my favorite authors. I was saving this for a special occasion, I two hours in the Detriot airport works for me! I am looking forward to many of the large bookstores in New York as I will have to get another book as this one is quite short.

Mar 14th, 2008, 15:21	#1145
iwanttogoback is sorry Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: perth Posts: 1,570	do let me know about 'shadowlines', i've not read it but i am a big ghosh fan. it's quite difficult to track down his books here through the library system or even bookshops (student budget means not much book buying unfortunately).

Mar 14th, 2008, 15:25	#1147
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 4,961	That's one of his I haven't read, Casey. Thanks for posting your choices, Shelley, have noted a few. I've dropped, 'Dropping Names' in the meanwhile and am now well into Vikram Chandra's series of stories with a common link, 'Love and Longing in Bombay'. He's a great storyteller - I really like this book. Enjoyed 'Shakti' particularly - all about social climbing and circles in Bombay - very clever, although a slightly contrived ending I thought, but fits well into the theme of the story.

Mar 14th, 2008, 15:37	#1148
JuliaF Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Co Cork, Ireland Posts: 74	Shadow Lines by Ghosh - I really enjoyed it and hope you like it Casey. i'm a big Amitav ghosh fan too, and am always recommending to people his (non-fiction) In An Antique Land which is partly about his travels in Egypt but mainly about his investigations of all the historical connections between South India, the Middle east, the Mediterranean and all the people who were travelling backwards and forwards by sea and the connections between them. Fascinating. Writing this makes me want to read it again! But I've just started a biography of Mrs Beeton which I'm enjoying a lot ...

Mar 15th, 2008, 16:52	#1149
devleenas Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 95	Reading the "Roots" by Alex Haley and parallaly reading "The Hungry Tide" by Amitabha Ghosh .."The Glass palace" is next in the queue..Back to fiction after some non-fiction reading ..feeling great..

Mar 15th, 2008, 17:01	#1150
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 4,961	I loved 'The Glass Palace' Devleenas - it's a great read. Enjoy it!

Mar 15th, 2008, 17:16	#1151
devleenas Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 95	thanks Aishah.. Many people has recommended "The Glass Palace" ..waiting to read it . Apparently i didnt much like "The Calcutta Chromosome" by Ghosh ..Maybe because I was just out of Aldous Huxleys "The Brave New World" which I left unfinished .. "The Brave New world" is in the list of "100 best fiction " of all times but ....mmm ... somehow was too much of a sci fi for me ...

Mar 15th, 2008, 17:32	#1152
hash666 Lord of the Flames Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Land of the Free Posts: 320	just finished "holy cow"

Mar 15th, 2008, 17:40	#1153
devleenas Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 95	hey ... I loved tat book.. though the first few chapters is filled with sarcasm ..having experiencing India for the first time ..but on the whole quite a hilarious book and also has facts on various cultures and religious practices in India

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