Habeebi
-
Posts
147 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Books
Posts posted by Habeebi
-
-
welcome! Where are you from? X
Welcome
I know how you feel. The reason I found this forum was to share my thoughts about books and I am forever in real life talking non stop about a book that I have just read and they normally start looking interested and then I can see their eyes glazing over and just generally looking bored.
I know that look well Easy reader, very familiar m my work colleagues and other halfs faces. Would love to be around more book worms!
-
Hi and welcome x
-
Yipee! Finally finishd Cider House Rules by John Irving. Really enjoyed the second half of the book although the first half was a necessary slog and wasn't that bad looking back I just think I maybe picked the wrong book for my mood at the time.
I have to say even though I watched the film before reading the book I didn't envisage the characters as Michael Caine and Elijah Wood. I had totally different pictures in my head.
Anyway started The Ring by Koji Suzuki time for a spooky change of pace! X
-
Just had to comment as my dad bought my mother a kindle for her birthday - I have never been keen on them as I look at screens enough during the day but I have to say I was well impressed! She has one of the new generation ones and the screen just looks like the page of a book with no glare or reflection showing. It was nice and light and she had only had it a day and downloaded about ten books for 7 quid or something!
My folks do travel a lot so I think it is ideal for my mum but I have to admit I am slightly more in favour of them now I have seen one up close! It would never replace my real books but I think for travelling and commuting etc it's great plus you can get some very very cheap books on it.
Hmmm might just have to add one to my Christmas list this year!
-
Nearly finished cider house rules and really enjoying the second half. Hmmm what to read next...
-
Watching an ep off the first disc of Being Human season 3 tonight. Wooo Mitchell!
I looooove Mitchell!! Can't wait to see him in the Hobbit!
-
Day 1 - best book of last year...
A Fine Balance, by Rohinton Mistry
I had to read this for my F2F reading group, and was initially daunted by the size of it - but I LOVED it. Beautiful writing, so atmospheric, and took me through a whole range of emotions.
I’m not really sure how to write this review…this is an absolutely wonderful book, and I really want to try and do it justice.
Set in Mumbai in the 1970s when India has been declared in a State of Emergency by the Prime Minister Indira Ghandi, it tells the story of four people who are brought together, and the effect that the relationships between them have on their lives. Dina Dalal is a widow, fiercely independent and determined to support herself, rather than rely on her brother’s financial help, or get remarried.
Ishvar and Omprakash (Om) are tailors from a low caste, who seek work in Mumbai and find themselves working for Dina.
Maneck is a young man, brought up in a loving family in the mountains, who comes to the city to attend college and needs a room to rent.
All of them are from very different backgrounds, but are thrown together as they try to make lives for themselves during what is a very difficult period in India.
The first half of the book centres on the histories of the characters and tells how they came to find themselves in their respective situations. The second half concentrates more on the bond between the four of them, and the trials that they face as individuals and as a group.
There is also much in the book about life in India at the time, and how difficult it was for so many citizens.
I adored this book. Each character was so beautifully drawn that I felt that I really knew them, and I certainly came to care very much about them. The descriptions of some of the horrors that took place were gut wrenching and very distressing to read about – all the more so, because I was aware that such things really did happen. It certainly made me realise how lucky I am to have the freedoms and privileges that most of the time we all take for granted. This is a tale of a population which has been failed by it’s government – and when the rulers of a land can’t abide by their own rules, how can anyone else be expected to? I could only read with trepidation as some of the characters seemed to be drawn along a road that could only lead to heartache.
There are a number of other characters who are relatively minor, but all of whom were fleshed out and were entirely believable.
The writing was beautiful – so eloquent, but also very accessible. The location and time were really brought to life.
At no point did I get bored – I just wanted to read on and learn more about the lives of these fascinating people, and the ending when it came, took my breath away.
This is a wonderfully written, warm and absorbing read – very highly recommended indeed. (Don’t be put off by the length – you may well wish it was even longer!)
Lovely review - so pleased you liked this book - it's certainly one of my favourites of all time!
-
Jelly babies definitely - bite off their heads first!
shower or bath?
-
ah he's lovely kylie! That doesn't look so comfy lying on those books though!
-
Busy watching Legend! Fab 80s flick with a hot and very young Tom Cruise, beautiful unicorns and fantastically ugly demons and goblins - cheesy as hell but I love it! Accompanied by a lovely sammy and bottle of kopperberg by my side. Housework can wait methinks...
-
Hope you enjoy the site, hmmm why did you pick Waits for your username - give us a clue!
-
I just try and scan authors and titles to see if I can spot anything I have heard has been recommended or is by an author I like - however I do try and pick books I have never heard of and try not to read recommendations when I bring them home.
I love the second hand book shop near me there are loads of different rooms with comfy sofas in you can read a few pages and decide if you like the book before purchase and no one pesters you - I could happily spend a whole afternoon in there!
-
I also remember having to put down Gerald's Game by Stephen King at a certain point (no spoilers!) and sit down and rub my wrists for a good half hour!
Ian
Hmmm I'm really curious now! Fancy reading the book to find out what you're on about!
-
Hey, thanks for the welcome!
I've not read any of Patterson's books, always seen them and thought I should give them a read; any in particular you would recommend?
Thanks! It wasn't the Matthew Street Festival was it?! Despite living here I've never been to one!!
No love it was Creamfields! x
-
Hi and welcome! I was down in Oxfordshire buying my car in October - lovely part of the country!
Hope you enjoy the site xx
-
Hello and welcome! Last time I was in Liverpool was for a festival three years ago!
Hope you enjoy the site. x
-
I'm taping this on Sky - only watched the first two episodes - not really taken with it but then I haven't read the book so it probably doesn't mean as much to me however my OH seems to like it ( could be something to do with the nudey women!)
-
I know what you mean. I don't ever like to leave a book unfinished so I've got several books stacked up that are about a quarter read because I wasn't enjoying them as luch as I'd hoped and I was so excited about starting my next one.
I've got a new one on its way in the post and am determined to finish my current book before it arrives, heheh.
Its daft really as generally I find they always get better as they go on so I know I should stick with them - I think the trick would be to not buy the next one until you finish the one you're on but when you have a huge TBR list and so many people recommending good books (you know who you are BDF people!) its pretty much impossible!
At the end of the day they do furnish a room nicely so even if you don't enjoy it they have other uses!
-
I am still reading Cider House Rules although is has definitely become a lot more interesting and I'm starting to get through it a bit quicker - I hate wishing books to finish just because I'm excited to get stuck in the next one but I was feeling a bit like that with Cider House Rules although I am enjoying it more though. John Irving certainly does need stick with I found that with the other books of his I have read - worth it in the end though.
-
I've read Scarlet before, but wasn't impressed enough to buy it frequently, I used to read Cosmo religiously but found they just kept printing the same things with new titles so gave it up, I still buy it occasionally when I am out of things to read.
Scarlet has a new editor and the mag isn't as good as it used to be but I still prefer it to most women's glossys that are on the shelves
-
Ah hell where do I start
I subscribe to Health and Fitness, which is a general women's fitness mag, Cycling Active, Scarlett (which is a bit, erm alternative!) and Cosmo which I will be ending as I really don't find it remotely interesting anymore. Oh and National Geographic which I have been subscribing to for about 15 years eek!
I occasionally might pick up Company or Look magazine but it normally leaves me feeling miserable as I can't afford the lovely clothes in it and would never be as thin and gorgeous as the models wearing them anyway haha
-
I'm busy watching a couple of Jools Hollands I've taped - Fleet Foxes is on - I love this band I think they're music is so dreamy - it always puts me in such a good mood.
Also watching my kittens of course - they've been fighting, cuddling and licking each other for the past half an hour...they have just toppled off my sofa entwined in each other haha wish I could of recorded that!!
-
haha its easily done madcow - although I haven't got a kindle (still contemplating) it is so easy buying books online it doesn't seem like you're using real money!
Saying that my book haul of 7 books only totalled less than four quid - not bad! Still had plenty dosh left for a huge corned beef slice, cuppa and mars bar cake bliss!
-
There's a fast and furious 5really?? Didn't realise there was a 3 and 4! And you gave it a 10/10? Hmmm!!
I watched The Road last night and was petrified one minute and bubblinh my eyes out the next - pretty tragic and depressing film but probably quite a true reflection on how the end of the world, if that's what it was meant to be, would be. I have't actually read the book but presume it was some nuclear fallout that caused it all. Not sure if the book gives more history.
Your Book Activity Today ~ Thread 14
in General Book Discussions
Posted
Totally peed off as have no internet for the past couple of weeks so unable to post much on here. Am nearly finished ring by Koji Suzuki. Not massively spooky but a good read. Plan to start on She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb after this. Have a free night so plan to get stuck in as the tely is rubbish at the mo!