These books are thought provoking, despite an often quiet manner. They have been placed under this category instead of good reads, as I did not find them as riveting as the books under that listing.
*A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah (non-fiction)
*American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Perhaps I would have enjoyed this book more in normal times. During this lockdown period, while I admired Gaiman's creativity, I found the book rather contrived at places. Then again, I guess The Sandman series is a tough act to follow. My real grouse about the book is the ending which was quite a letdown—spoiler alert—in fact, I do wonder whether Stephanie Meyer was inspired by the ending of American Gods for it's just the same track: build up for an epic war and then cop out of it!
Read if you haven't had enough of Sandman.
*Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
After reading this book, I wasn't sure where to place it, according to my classifications. I finally settled for quiet reads as it did not move me the way the other books in good reads moved me. However, the book kept one engaged enough to complete reading all 477 pages of it. I enjoyed reading this book to learn about a different culture, though at heart its a love story spanning around 20 years. What was quite refreshing about this novel is how Adichie through the perspective of her main protagonists presents the issue of racism in present-day America and England. A lot of the charm of this novel lies in it being a very contemporary account, part of the narrative is set during Obama's election. One can relate to the period, which in turn highlights the urgency to deal with racism head on. Another example of her book being so rooted in the present is the inclusion of 'posts' from Ifemelu's blog. What I did find irritating though, was the main character of the book: Ifemelu; in a nutshell she is another one of those stupid women hell bent on sabotaging their lives. Instead of feeling sympathetic about her, I just felt like giving her a slap!
Recommended if you want to read a book with interesting insights on racism faced by African Americans and "Non-American Blacks".
*Book of Rachel by Esther David
Book of Rachel is a quiet read by Esther David. It is interesting for the insight one gains into the lives of the Bene Israel community of India, which is fast diminishing as many are emigrating to Israel. The writer has woven in recipes into the book as food has an important role to play in the narrative. Rachel the protagonist of the book is a dignified, strong, independent old lady whom one can’t help admire. Despite these strong elements, this book does not make it to the good or amazing list as the plot is quite simplistic. All the complications get resolved quite easily by prayer, whether it is the issue of land acquisition or that of match-making. As for the food angle, it lacks the magic of Esquivel’s Like Water for Chocolate. The writing here was very reminiscent of the short stories of a decade or two ago found in issues of Femina & Savy magazines.
Recommended if you want to learn a bit about the Bene Israel community.
*Chronicle of a Last Summer by Yasmine El Rashidi
For a review go the following page: https://dbookhub.blogspot.com/2019/05/january-2019-readings_68.html
*Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki and his Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
*American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Perhaps I would have enjoyed this book more in normal times. During this lockdown period, while I admired Gaiman's creativity, I found the book rather contrived at places. Then again, I guess The Sandman series is a tough act to follow. My real grouse about the book is the ending which was quite a letdown—spoiler alert—in fact, I do wonder whether Stephanie Meyer was inspired by the ending of American Gods for it's just the same track: build up for an epic war and then cop out of it!
Read if you haven't had enough of Sandman.
After reading this book, I wasn't sure where to place it, according to my classifications. I finally settled for quiet reads as it did not move me the way the other books in good reads moved me. However, the book kept one engaged enough to complete reading all 477 pages of it. I enjoyed reading this book to learn about a different culture, though at heart its a love story spanning around 20 years. What was quite refreshing about this novel is how Adichie through the perspective of her main protagonists presents the issue of racism in present-day America and England. A lot of the charm of this novel lies in it being a very contemporary account, part of the narrative is set during Obama's election. One can relate to the period, which in turn highlights the urgency to deal with racism head on. Another example of her book being so rooted in the present is the inclusion of 'posts' from Ifemelu's blog. What I did find irritating though, was the main character of the book: Ifemelu; in a nutshell she is another one of those stupid women hell bent on sabotaging their lives. Instead of feeling sympathetic about her, I just felt like giving her a slap!
Recommended if you want to read a book with interesting insights on racism faced by African Americans and "Non-American Blacks".
*Book of Rachel by Esther David
Book of Rachel is a quiet read by Esther David. It is interesting for the insight one gains into the lives of the Bene Israel community of India, which is fast diminishing as many are emigrating to Israel. The writer has woven in recipes into the book as food has an important role to play in the narrative. Rachel the protagonist of the book is a dignified, strong, independent old lady whom one can’t help admire. Despite these strong elements, this book does not make it to the good or amazing list as the plot is quite simplistic. All the complications get resolved quite easily by prayer, whether it is the issue of land acquisition or that of match-making. As for the food angle, it lacks the magic of Esquivel’s Like Water for Chocolate. The writing here was very reminiscent of the short stories of a decade or two ago found in issues of Femina & Savy magazines.
Recommended if you want to learn a bit about the Bene Israel community.
*Chronicle of a Last Summer by Yasmine El Rashidi
For a review go the following page: https://dbookhub.blogspot.com/2019/05/january-2019-readings_68.html
*Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki and his Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
Murakami had been on my reading list for a long time, given his
extensive fan following. So I was very
happy when my book club decide to read his Colourles Tsukuru Tazaki and his
Years of Pilgrimage. The book began
with a lot of promise: the protagonist needed to find out why he had been ostracized
from his high school group of friends.
Ooh, I thought, confrontation with the past. After the first meeting, one discovers that Tazaki
had been falsely accused of a heinous crime.
Lovely, a mystery. Now I was
hooked, I needed to read on more. Each
time Tazaki met a friend from the past, I thought one would get to the bottom of
the matter and so I read on. Finally,
the meeting with the last friend—the key to the whole mystery.
Sorry, no new answers were revealed. All I was left with was the feeling of having
gone on a wild goose chase. Yippee—not really. In fact, at the end of the book, I was left
with more questions unanswered than at the beginning. Very frustrating. If this is Murakami’s style, I don’t think I’m
the reader for him, for at the end of the day I like a good plot to the book I’m
reading. The lack of plot aside, one can
see the charm to Murakami’s work as he has a very clean style of writing laced
with evocative images.
Recommended if you don't mind being no wiser at the end of the book then when you started it.
*Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
Convenience Store Woman is a quick light read which questions today's society and the exact nature of its acceptance of differences in Japanese society. Though a trifle stilted in parts, this was an insightful read as it threw light on contemporary Japanese society and the need to fit in—a dilemma posed in every society. It was interesting to see how the protagonist manoeuvred the challenges of fitting in a society that clearly could not understand her and yet found her calling along with the strength to abide by her decision.
Read when you are in the mood for an unconventional tale.
* Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
I was quite excited to pick up Cutting for Stone as I remember Verghese’s writing receiving plenty of acclaim. Once again, I found myself in the minority as I did not ‘love’ this book. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad book, and was an easy and pleasant read. My grouse against it is that the plot was quite predictable in parts and at times was a tad bit ‘filmy’. I guess the Bollywood sensibility is quite imprinted in the Indian DNA. What I liked about the book was the nuggets of information that was given about Ethiopia’s history, specially since I did not know much about it to start with. Recommended: if you want an easy family saga to read and gain insight into Ethiopia’s past at the same time.
*Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien
*Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
*Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
Convenience Store Woman is a quick light read which questions today's society and the exact nature of its acceptance of differences in Japanese society. Though a trifle stilted in parts, this was an insightful read as it threw light on contemporary Japanese society and the need to fit in—a dilemma posed in every society. It was interesting to see how the protagonist manoeuvred the challenges of fitting in a society that clearly could not understand her and yet found her calling along with the strength to abide by her decision.
Read when you are in the mood for an unconventional tale.
I was quite excited to pick up Cutting for Stone as I remember Verghese’s writing receiving plenty of acclaim. Once again, I found myself in the minority as I did not ‘love’ this book. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad book, and was an easy and pleasant read. My grouse against it is that the plot was quite predictable in parts and at times was a tad bit ‘filmy’. I guess the Bollywood sensibility is quite imprinted in the Indian DNA. What I liked about the book was the nuggets of information that was given about Ethiopia’s history, specially since I did not know much about it to start with. Recommended: if you want an easy family saga to read and gain insight into Ethiopia’s past at the same time.
*Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien
*Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
*Happiness, As Such by Natalia Ginzburg
*Kamchatka by Marcelo Figueras
I picked this book up as it seemed really interesting..a book about a boy who bids adieu to his father forever during the Argentinian era of disappearance, in chapter one itself. I thought I would learn a lot about this dark period of Argentina's history; alas, neither did I learn what exactly happened to his parents nor did I learn anything more than the meagre bit I already knew about this period. While the author left me with an inkling about the terrible frustration of not knowing, I wish more about the times had filtered through. If one puts aside the burden of expectations, this book would qualify as a quiet read, a glimpse into the innocent world of a boy. The book is easy to read and is extremely lyrical even though the English is a translation, kudos to the translator. Read this book if you like to see things from a child's perspective but not to gain a detailed view of a period in history.
*Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo
*Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
*The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua (non-fiction)
*The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell
Deciding where to place this book as a tough choice, as I did not find it the most engrossing of books.
The Bone Clocks is a bit like three novels in one, due to the multitude of stories present within it. The first layer consists of narratives by different people in different decades. For the most part these seem to be the stories of ordinary people, who are often scumbags. Towards the end of the second narrative one realises that there is an overlap of the characters. The second plot is the fantastical one of Atemporal souls vs. the Anchorites which then devolves into a tale of good vs. evil. The final chapter could well be a dystopian novella, where the geo-political world as we know has collapsed.
Do I recommend this book? Well only if you have a lot of time on your hands. It took me quite a while to get hooked to the book, though there were occasional brilliant moments, in particular Crispin’s antics. Crispin is the bad boy of fiction let loose at various literary festivals. Nonetheless, at the end one was left with the feeling that there wasn’t anything really novel about any of the novels in this novel.
*The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
The Buried Giant is a quiet, slow-paced book that subtly throws up issues for thought such as memory and its loss, the cost of peace. It’s a reworking of the traditional quest story set in the post Arthurian World, the latter being part of the reason kept me stuck to the book. While this book did not move me, it did make one think about the healing properties of forgetfulness in both personal relationships and in establishing peace in a multi-ethnic society.
*The Calligrapher's Daughter by Eugenia Kim
*Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
*The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua (non-fiction)
*The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell
Deciding where to place this book as a tough choice, as I did not find it the most engrossing of books.
The Bone Clocks is a bit like three novels in one, due to the multitude of stories present within it. The first layer consists of narratives by different people in different decades. For the most part these seem to be the stories of ordinary people, who are often scumbags. Towards the end of the second narrative one realises that there is an overlap of the characters. The second plot is the fantastical one of Atemporal souls vs. the Anchorites which then devolves into a tale of good vs. evil. The final chapter could well be a dystopian novella, where the geo-political world as we know has collapsed.
Do I recommend this book? Well only if you have a lot of time on your hands. It took me quite a while to get hooked to the book, though there were occasional brilliant moments, in particular Crispin’s antics. Crispin is the bad boy of fiction let loose at various literary festivals. Nonetheless, at the end one was left with the feeling that there wasn’t anything really novel about any of the novels in this novel.
*The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
The Buried Giant is a quiet, slow-paced book that subtly throws up issues for thought such as memory and its loss, the cost of peace. It’s a reworking of the traditional quest story set in the post Arthurian World, the latter being part of the reason kept me stuck to the book. While this book did not move me, it did make one think about the healing properties of forgetfulness in both personal relationships and in establishing peace in a multi-ethnic society.
Recommended if you want a quiet, steady read.
*The Calligrapher's Daughter by Eugenia Kim
*The Hero with a Thousand Faces: A Historical Novel by Karma Ura
*The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante
*The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante
*The Music Room by William Fiennes
Touted as a moving and touching story, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is a simple tale, at times naively so, told simply. While the main premise is original enough (a retired man sets out on a 627 mile journey by foot sans preparation) the narrative is dotted with familiar elements: a quest, an unlikely hero, a leader whose cause is hijacked by his followers, a child who has torn his parents apart, along with a hint of a mystery or two. However, once one sets aside aspirations of greatness, this tale of an ordinary and unlikely hero is quite likable. It’s an easy read that manages to keep the reader engrossed till the end without feeling guilty for putting the book down in-between.
Recommended if you want a non-stressful book read.
*Tso and La: A Journey in Ladakh by Vikramjit Ram
Ram writes very well—I kept highlighting his descriptions of Ladakh—specially those with colours—as they would make great models for descriptive writing. My problem with the book is that once you go beyond the prose, despite being a travelogue, the book doesn't seem to cover much ground. There aren't many anecdotes to keep one engaged or accounts of the various sights. What kept me going is that I was supposed to travel this route, June 2020—and we all know why that is not happening!!!!
Read if you are planning to teach descriptive writing
*The Mysterious Ailment of Rupi Baskey by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar
I’ve always known India to be a land of diversity, yet this
idea has never quite been reflected in English books that I have read, which is
why I found The Mysterious Ailment of Rupi Baskey by Hansda Sowvendra
Shekhar so exciting. While I’m not too
enthralled by the storyline, I enjoyed learning about the world of the Santhals
in Jharkhand, India, so different than mine, even though I live in the same
country. At times, their culture seemed
more liberated than the so-called mainstream Indian culture, with the sexual
freedom enjoyed by the characters. It was
refreshing to be introduced to an Indian world where Hindus are a
minority. As reflected in the title, the
female characters dominated the narrative, and were strong women, who exercised
influence through diverse means including even witchcraft. The ending was a bit of a letdown as it
seemed too hasty as if the writer had been told he had to bring closure to the
narrative.
Recommended if you want confirmation of the diversity of
Indian culture coupled with an interesting read.
*The Prospect of Miracles by Cyrus Mistry
*The Search Warrant by Patrick Modiano
*The Solitude of Prime Numbers by Paolo Giordano
*The Search Warrant by Patrick Modiano
*The Solitude of Prime Numbers by Paolo Giordano
*The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Kaur Jaswal
*The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel JoyceTouted as a moving and touching story, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is a simple tale, at times naively so, told simply. While the main premise is original enough (a retired man sets out on a 627 mile journey by foot sans preparation) the narrative is dotted with familiar elements: a quest, an unlikely hero, a leader whose cause is hijacked by his followers, a child who has torn his parents apart, along with a hint of a mystery or two. However, once one sets aside aspirations of greatness, this tale of an ordinary and unlikely hero is quite likable. It’s an easy read that manages to keep the reader engrossed till the end without feeling guilty for putting the book down in-between.
Recommended if you want a non-stressful book read.
*Tso and La: A Journey in Ladakh by Vikramjit Ram
Ram writes very well—I kept highlighting his descriptions of Ladakh—specially those with colours—as they would make great models for descriptive writing. My problem with the book is that once you go beyond the prose, despite being a travelogue, the book doesn't seem to cover much ground. There aren't many anecdotes to keep one engaged or accounts of the various sights. What kept me going is that I was supposed to travel this route, June 2020—and we all know why that is not happening!!!!
Read if you are planning to teach descriptive writing
*Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
Washington Black, I found was an example of how the combination of a blurb and a cover can mislead you so much. I picked up this book thinking this was going to be a picaresque tale of a voyage by an unlikely duo: an escapee slave and the brother of the former's master. I pictured an account of their escapades on such a journey a la Around the World in Eighty Days. So imagine my surprise to discover that the hot air balloon featured on the cover did not fly too far; instead the book dealt with Washington's travels across continents trying to make sense of his past and to find acceptance in his present—not really what I was anticipating. The travels here were more the background to Washington's sufferings rather than the focus. Probably I would have enjoyed this book more if the cover—back and front—had not been so misleading. Despite being misled, the novel is nonetheless engrossing enough as I was eager to learn what would happen to Washington next.
Read if you want an account of slavery and the racism present in 19th century Europe and Americas.
*White Chrysanthemum by Mary Lynn Bracht
Washington Black, I found was an example of how the combination of a blurb and a cover can mislead you so much. I picked up this book thinking this was going to be a picaresque tale of a voyage by an unlikely duo: an escapee slave and the brother of the former's master. I pictured an account of their escapades on such a journey a la Around the World in Eighty Days. So imagine my surprise to discover that the hot air balloon featured on the cover did not fly too far; instead the book dealt with Washington's travels across continents trying to make sense of his past and to find acceptance in his present—not really what I was anticipating. The travels here were more the background to Washington's sufferings rather than the focus. Probably I would have enjoyed this book more if the cover—back and front—had not been so misleading. Despite being misled, the novel is nonetheless engrossing enough as I was eager to learn what would happen to Washington next.
Read if you want an account of slavery and the racism present in 19th century Europe and Americas.
*White Chrysanthemum by Mary Lynn Bracht
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