Friday, July 2, 2010

A glimpse into my bookshelves...

So, what with tests and everything, I haven't really gotten a chance to update my blog. However, here's a little quick glimpse showing you what I've read in the interval, what I'm reading right now, and what I plan to read in the future.

Reading:

Of Human Bondage
- W. S. Maugham

Of Human Bondage (Signet Classics)

I picked it up from my school library mostly because I'd been meaning to read it since last year, when I read and really enjoyed William Somerset Maugham's 'The Luncheon.' So far its a fascinating read. You can expect a review sometime after the 11th of July. Earlier if I read it faster, but I doubt I can.

Update 8th July: I finished the review here.

The House of Seven Gables and The Scarlet Letter
- Nathaniel Hawthorne

The House of the Seven Gables (Enriched Classics) The Scarlet Letter

Another author I picked up because I enjoyed his short story (David Swan) when I learned it last year. I really enjoy his writing, his ideas give me shivers, but the books are slow and this one has been taking me a phenomenally long time to read. I think I'll finish it just as soon as I have nothing else to read. You can expect a review sometime in the next month, at least for the House of Seven Gables, if not for the other one.

Just finished:

Arranged Marriage
- Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Arranged Marriage: Stories

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is one of my favorite Indian English writers. (My other favorite is Jhumpa Lahiri.) I really enjoyed this collection of hers. Its sad, touching, beautiful. She writes with a rhythm and a certain style that I've never seen replicated, and her stories take you far away and seem fantastical even as they expose you to the dirty underbelly of human nature. You can expect a review of this story sometime in the next week.

Updated July 5th: My review of Arranged Marriage.

Ink Exchange
- Melissa Marr

Ink Exchange (Wicked Lovely (Quality))

I read this book with two misconceptions - that it was the first book in the series and that it was good. Unfortunately, I found that it was neither. While the first did not hamper my reading of the book, the second definitely did, and I was pretty much put off. My review of the book can be expected sometime in the next week, provided I can find the words to describe just why I was so repelled by this book.

Updated 9th July: I wrote this post here.



Pygmalion

- George Bernard Shaw

Pygmalion

We have this play this year in school, and I read finished it yesterday. I really enjoyed it. It is quite a beautiful story, even if it seems both a little disjointed and the ending is a little abrupt. I look forward to studying it in more detail in class (and seeing 'My Fair Lady') before I review this book, so I believe this review cannot be expected before the end of this year (at the very least.)


I want to read:

Two States
- Chetan Bhagat

2 States: The Story of My Marriage

When Five Point Someone, One Night at a Call Center and Three Mistakes of My Life came out, I confess I was as smitten as everyone else in the country. However, since then my appreciation of Bhagat's writings has worn off a little bit, and having received less-than-stellar reviews of this book I've been avoiding it. However, mom recently bought it and she says its absolutely hilarious, so I'm going to read. When? Now that's another story.

White Tiger
- Aravind Adiga

The White Tiger: A Novel (Man Booker Prize)

I've got mixed opinions about this one. Some people have told me that this a horrible book, written for that particular group of people who like to read about India's poverty. However, someone else tells me that this book is very beautiful and very moving. I must confess that I'm quite eager to form my own opinions about this book. So far, I'm unable to predict a date for the review of this book.

Well, that's about it from my bookshelves for now. I'll see you next week when I have time to read more than school books. Until then, keep reading! :) (Oh, and if you want to recommend a book to me to add to my bookshelves, please leave me a comment).

7 comments:

  1. I wanna read Arranged marriage and Scarlet Letter.
    I was never a big fan of Chetan Bhagat and I left reading 2 states midway :P
    And about 'The White tiger',yes. Its seems like it was written for ppl who like to read about India's poverty, but hey, most of it is true. It gives you a god knowledge on how things work in India.Let me know what you think after you read it

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  2. Arranged Marriage is one of the best books about Indian women that I have ever read - especially about the transition from India to America. If you like it - read Lahiri 'Unaccustomed Earth' - another great book. The Scarlet Letter has an extremely interesting premise.

    I think the thing about Bhagat was that he swept the country with something so different - and now if you look in any bookstore there are whole shelves of books about 'romance in iit' etc.

    I'm definitely looking forward to read the white tiger. I mean, I don't mind descriptions of the poverty of india as long as they're handled correctly, sensitively, and properly - not Slumdog Millionaire esq.

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  3. If you didn't like Slumdog, you'll most probably hate this book :D. I thought it was a very entertaining movie. I didn't want to waste the movie experience by thinking about India-victimization etc.

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  4. hey! two states is REALLy awesome....btw u forgot to give me THEODORE BOONE!!! :( nvm....i'll take it on monday!:) btw i REALLY wanna read ur review on INK EXCHANGE! :D u hated it so vehemently!!! "its all abt the things that the character DOESN'T wanna do and sex....:P" hahaha.....just btw i recommend not seeing I HATE LUV STORYS unless u're a HUGE HUGE fan of imrean khan 'coz he looks really cute! :)sonam kapoor also luks pretty and the movie has a few funny parts but thats about it. 'coz most of the time u're like- "when the HELL is it gonna get over!!" :) lol

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  5. I just thought Slumdog was overhyped beyond all reasonable imagination.

    Aanal: My grandad started reading Theo Boone all of a sudden, so you might have to wait a week or so...really sorry...and I really want to write a review of ink exchange...the book was sickening...and I am a huge, huge fan of Imran...and Sonam...so I'm gonna see the movie today..I hope its not as bad as all that. :D

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  6. I have read only 'The White Tiger' out of that. I found it good at the time I read it, (it was couple of years ago, I think) though now I may have different opinions.

    But, not a drab read nevertheless.

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  7. I'm really excited about reading White Tiger, mostly because of all the different opinions I've got of it. I believe that if ten people have ten different opinions about a book its bound to be good. :D

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