vinay87
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Posts posted by vinay87
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Les Misérables by Victor Hugo.
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@ladymacbeth
I can see why! That book is the only one that has scared me!
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I finally abandoned Charles Dickens - A Tale of Two Cities. I'm not going to touch another Dickens book for a pretty long time, I'm afraid. The stories fail to interest me enough. I first thought it had something to do with the style and the level of writing, but even though I can understand his writing now, I just didn't have enough interest though I read about 50% of the book. I'll get back to reading all of his works some day. But right now, I just need a good story.
I'm 25 pages into Nathaniel Hawthorne - The House of the Seven Gables and I'm hooked with his style and the story. I'd tried reading Fanshawe earlier this year but although I had no problem understanding the book but I was too lazy back then. I'll get back to it soon. For now The House is all I needed.
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sixty two and counting.
(I must have bought about 50 books this year!)
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Ah, yes I've come across many other books which depict wrong covers which are based on popular misconceptions. To think the fact that almost every copy of Frankenstein I've come across has the generic picture of Boris Karloff on it! It kept me from buying Frankenstein till recently when I found a cheap (1$) used copy of it with brilliant art. The publishers are inexistant now, I think. The book didn't even have an ISBN for me to search for.
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Those are two of my favorite books, Vinay! Did you not enjoy the Count when you started it last year? I'm sorry to hear it if that's the case. It's pretty daunting though, I'll admit, although I've read it twice
. I also love the Dickens. I don't think you could go wrong with either choice! 
I looove The Count! But I somehow stop reading even though I love every scene. Circumstances I guess. Started A tale of two cities for now.
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Time to update this thread now that I've actually managed to read a few books since my last post.
Michael Crichton - Timeline
I was told about this book several years ago by a close friend. He told me it involved time travel in a very believable setting, and that this book would teach me a lot about the Medieval Age in England.
The book took me about a week to read, which isn't saying much for it seeing as the cover reviews call it "hard to put down". It didn't do much for me during the first half and only after most of the book did I actually get the patience to sit down and finish it once and for all.
I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of Crichton's works but I honestly don't expect to enjoy them much. I will read Jurassic Park some day, but will I like it more than I did the movie? That's difficult to say.
6/10
Pearl S. Buck - The Story Bible Vol. 1 : The Old Testament
Although I'm a Hindu, my childhood was outlined by my inner conflict about religion. My father converted to Christianity and naturally expected my mother and I to go to church with him. I was too young to understand my mother's pain in being forced to abandon our native religion this way, and since I was, and still am, very much interested in a good story, I thus found the church and enlightening place. Needless to say, the first story I've ever read was The Greatest Story Ever Told.
I'm still devoted to my own religion, you must understand, yet my upbringing taught me to naturally want to learn more about every religion there is. And of course, all religions have a great story behind them.
The Bible is one of my favourite books. I've been meaning to reread the entire Bible for the past few years but seeing as how I only own the King James version, I put off the task since it seemed too daunting and laborious.
So to my surprise, I came across Pearl S. Buck's The Story Bible and didn't need to think twice before buying it. Needless to say, my money was well spent.
I've never read any other of her books but by her simple and clear cut writing style, which takes away nothing of the magic that I've always loved the Bible for, Buck has won my adoration.
From the first words, as memorable as ever, she captured me and threw me head first into the land of Israel. Reading her words held me in awe as my own children's version had, nearly twenty years ago. I took the book along for my morning walk and I was in tears when Joseph revealed to his brothers that he was their long lost brother. I wanted to yell out in joy when the walls of Jericho fell. I could imagine Saul's anger when Samuel forsook him, just as Saul had forsaken the Lord. Jubilation filled me when David defeated Goliath of Gath. The story of my favourite prophet, Elijah, and how he mocked the priests of Baal made me laugh out in joy. And I was in awe when Buck's words described how the fish swallowed Jonah who refused to go to Ninevah in service of the Lord.
I suppose this explains how much I absolutely loved the book. I'm saving Vol. 2 : The New Testament for a rainy day, because though I love the Old Testament, no other story did I love more than the resurrection of Lazarus. I'm going to love reading Vol.2.
10/10!
George Orwell - 1984
I picked up this book because I'd come across the name on this forum. THANK YOU!
I've said several times that Stephen King failed to chill my bones. Even horror movies don't really scare me. Not even Anthony Hopkins' voice as Hannibal could give me a nightmare.
Yet. This book frightened me with nothing but one idea.
1984, as the blurb states, has come and gone. Yet we are still held in awe at the edge of our seats as George Orwell presents to us his idea of what could happen to the world in the form of a story that will never grow old.
It's my first George Orwell book and I swear to you that I will buy Animal Farm the next time I visit a bookshop.
The book is astonishing. Nothing scares me more than the idea that we could lose track of recent history. That a person could be erased, or even manipulated by the government is just frightening. We, who take freedom for granted, we, who think that the information that we have access to via the Internet, we, who can talk freely of any topic that could involve political slander on open streets, can't imagine a world as chaotic as one in which we can do none of these things.
If we were always monitored, if children betrayed their parents to the Government for slander, if our dearest friend vanished overnight just because he was wondering if what the Government was doing is right or wrong, then what could we do?
Free thinking is forbidden the citizens of Oceania. Entire histories are being rewritten openly. Humanity is being reduced to stupid drones.
This is a story that will shake your mind should you be able to appreciate it. I'm certain that there will be people who find it boring, but that is because the idea itself hasn't taken root in their own minds. Imagine not being able to kiss your loved one in public, or even in private! Imagine not being able to trust your own children. Imagine openly wanting to turn in your parents because they think too much.
Remember, as you read this book, Big Brother is always watching.
10/10
Jules Verne - Around The World in 80 Days
First off, I'm surprised by the size of this book. I'd appreciate it if someone could tell me how long this is in the original french text. I mean, any writer of today would have blown this book to massive proportions. Books that take place in one city hardly fall under 250 pages these days; a book that spans the entire earth could actually have its own series.
And still, Verne does it again.
This book is as small as it needs to be. No word is unnecessary, and no scene too long.
We follow Mr Phileas Fogg and his new attendant, the frenchman, Passepartout in a wild journey to win a bet of 20,000 Pounds. Along this journey, the devious Inspector Fix follows them, suspecting Fogg of thievery that involves 55,000 Pounds. The two adventurers travel through Paris, India, China and the USA while trying to gain time and to find time to even rescue an Indian Princess.
I'm a huge fan of Jules Verne, seeing as I've reread A Journey To The Centre of The Earth at least five times by now, and this book does not disappoint.
PS: Shame on Bantam Classics btw! They used a painting of the duo travelling in a weather balloon which I was anticipating throughout the book. There is no such scene in the entire book! Wikipedia tells me that this is a popular misconception regarding this book because of the 1956 movie. Bantam should have done its groundwork before deciding to use that picture for the cover.
10/10
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I finished Jules Verne - Around The World in 80 Days this morning and after looking through a few of the books on my TBR pile, I decided to read either Charles Dickens - A Tale of Two Cities or Alexandre Dumas - The Count of Monte Cristo. I've been putting off each for a long while, especially The Count, which I've read 50% of during 2009. I'll definitely restart it, if I pick it up again. And A Tale will be my first Dickens's book ever, should I actually finish it, so it's a close call between the two.
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The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes
I remember studying that poem in school! I'd forgotten about it, thanks for reminding me Kell! I should look into Alfred Noyes's poems.
My absolute favourite is William Henry Davies's Leisure
W. H. Davies
LeisureWHAT is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?—
No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows:
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
Another favourite, which is definitely too long to post here, is Samuel Taylor Coleridge's The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner.
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I read some of these about ten years ago and enjoyed them. For some reason I lost the plot around book 8 and haven't looked at them since. May have to consider trying them again!
Please do! The books from 6 to 11 are really dull for most people, but 12 and 13 are just awesome. I can't wait for the last book.
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1. Age (<18, 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55+)
18-24
2. Gender
Male
3. What do you read on a daily basis? (blogs, newspapers, books, etc.)
Books
4. How often do you read for fun in a week?
Depends. My reading pattern is erratic.
5. What time of day do you like to read?
Usually while on my morning walk. A good one hour.
6. Where do you read?
On the road while walking, in my room, whenever I'm travelling or waiting for someone else.
7. How many books have you read in the last 6 months?
Twentyish?
8. What type/genre do you enjoy reading most?
Fantasy and Classics
9. Why do you read? (entertainment, relaxation, learning, etc.)
To have fun and get to know a lot more stories.
10. What barriers prevent you from reading more?
Laziness and a lack of concentration.
11. Do you think reading for fun is important?
Yep. It's the most important reason for a person to read. Reading for knowledge works only when you're having fun.
12. Do you fold page corners or use a bookmark?
NEVER FOLD CORNERS. Okay I am calm. I use a lot of bookmarks. Some of my own design.
13. Do you prefer to read to music or in silence?
Either works, when I'm concentrating, it doesn't matter if I'm in a construction yard.
14. Do you discuss books with your friends?
Yeah, but most of my friends don't read.
15. Do you borrow books from the library?
Used to. Stopped since I hate giving them back.
16. Do you borrow/loan books from/to friends?
I don't borrow, I do lend sadly and it's only because I can't refuse them when they ask.
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I finished two books this week, George Orwell's 1984 and Volume One of Pearl S. Buck's The Story Bible. I'll start Volume Two later today and perhaps return to reading A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. It's either that or Around The World in 80 Days by Jules Verne.
On a side note: See the Google homepage today! It's R L Stevenson's Birthday!
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I am not at all religious in any organised sense (although I definitely believe in love and goodness and our own non-corporeal essence) and so any interest I might have in reading the Bible would be to see what all the furore is about. I have a strong interest in art and its history and studied this at A-level, so have researched influences on my own initiative.So. Erm...maybe I'll have a look at it one day? How does that sound?
I'm not a Christian but I've read a children's version of the Bible dozens of times. I own a copy of the King James Bible but never really got into it. Just yesterday I discovered this lovely book by Pearl S Buck entitled "The Story Bible". It comes in 2 volumes, one for each Testament. The way she had retold the stories is just plain magical. I'm reliving my childhood as I'm reading it. It's amazing how small each volume is! I recommend it if you want to read the Bible in a non-religious setting. To be honest, the stories read as though she's retelling Greek Mythology. Very, very magical.
@Nollaig: I'll most certainly read To Kill A Mockingbird soon.
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I finished the 13th book 3 days ago
Loved every word of it!! -
1. Anything by Charles Dickens. I just can't digest his writing, I don't think I'm still capable of understanding his books yet. In my opinion, I need more patience there.
2. To Kill a Mockingbird
3. Catch 22
4. Catcher in the Rye
5. The Jungle book
6. Dune
7. War and Peace. I'll be able to rest easy when I finally read this book or anything else by Tolstoy
8. Shakespeare's Plays
9. Sherlock Holmes (I'm fixing that before this year ends. I've read 2 books and I'm going to read the rest by 2011)
10. Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. There is no excuse for not reading either of these books. I should attend to them quickly. I don't even own either!
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Finished Michael Crichton's Timeline last week. Bought George Orwell's 1984 a few minutes ago and I'm just about to begin.
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Inception!
Wow has it really been so long since I went near the cinema hall?!
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I find the books without dedications a bit weird.
Me too! I find it hard to understand why a person would write so many words and not want to gift that to someone, or maybe himself?
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Depends on two things. The writer and the character. If I find the character to be an annoying prick then heaven forbid such a book is ever forced upon me! But then again, there are writers who can do the impossible and make even the point of view of an annoying character very entertaining.
I've read a few first person style books. Of late though, most of my reading has been in that style. I can't bring myself around to write in first person though, because that way I end up putting too much of myself into the character. I prefer a third person non-universal point of view, if that is an accepted term (I came across that somewhere, can't remember where), where the reader can, forgive the pun, read the character's thoughts and not the thoughts of the other characters but he still sees a little more than the POV character actually sees. Thus the field of vision, so to speak, is not limited and the reader can easily infer more from what he has read than the actual character himself at times.
Examples would be J K Rowling's style where it is easy to see more than Harry does through her writing. Also Robert Jordan's.
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I just finished reading the Prologue to Towers of Midnight, the 13th Book. Once again, Brandon Sanderson has done a splendid job. I am drooling for more and the 2nd of November can't come fast enough!!
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Now for a review of both the books.
Arthur Conan Doyle - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
I'm a huge Sherlock Holmes fan now, as opposed to the newcomer I was when I picked up the collection a few months ago. This collection is very entertaining; to the end that I made it a habit to read 3 stories every morning during breakfast. The style suits the pace and every word tells the story.
My favourites from this collection were:
1. The Adventure of the Speckled Band
2. The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor
3. The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet
4. The Adventure of the Copper Beeches
5. The Five Orange Pips
6. The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb
Holmes' humour and his methods are surely something I am looking forward to and I will be rereading these stories ever so often in the years to come. I am planning to read The Hound of the Baskervilles following the completion of Villette and Victory.
R L Stevenson - Treasure Island
Pirates, talks of keel hauling, mutineering, marooning and brandishing cutlasses. These are the first things that come to mind now that I've finished the book. I must admit, I vaguely remember reading the book when I was in my early teens. Now, nearly eleven years later, returning to the classic has been an adventure in itself.
The story of Jim Hawkins and his adventure to Treasure Island, or, as Long John Silver calls it so aptly, Skeleton Island, is a story for a rainy day, when there is little to do and much to expect from a book that is nearly legend. It has suspense, action and the thrill of the voyage in every word. Not a chapter goes when we do not wish to turn to the next chapter. Every page flies as though we are watching a movie that is meant to keep us wanting more. The book starts with the most memorable scene, just how R L Stevenson does it, with a buccaneer who sings out loud a rhyme that will forever be the standard of all pirates to come.
Fifteen men on a dead man's chest,
Yo ho ho! and a bottle of rum!
Drink and the devil have claimed the rest,
Yo ho ho! and a bottle of rum!The book is definitely one to gift to someone who wants a good read, or to treat oneself to. It is a world you can get lost in; but be warned: you might actually hear Capt. John Flint's voice echo when next you look at the sea:
"Pieces of eight!" or if you are worse for it, you will hear the footsteps of Long John Silver himself. And far be it from me to warn you if you end up fearing Davy Jones's Locker from that moment on.
Needless to say, both of the books get a solid 10/10.
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Read 80 pages of Villette
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2 books this week! Wooo! Time to start/continue reading Villette.
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I finished two books this week. I feel proud of myself for my little achievement given how little reading I've been getting around to lately.
1. The Adventures of sherlock Holmes
2. Treasure Island
Enjoyed both. I'm starting Charlotte Bronte's Villette now.
You have only one book!
in General Book Discussions
Posted
I'd love to but it's been over 4 years since I've read Les Mis! I should reread before I join and sadly, there's not enough time. There's nothing against me trying to reread it now though.