Thursday, September 21, 2006

The first books that came into my mind after I was tagged for this "Book Meme"

I have been tagged by lotus reads for this book meme. I usually do not play for tags. But this one I will play along. Only because I read hell of a lot. My compulsive buying of books is more than my reading power. Too many books lying around to be read. Here I enumerate the first ones that come into my mind. I know I will not be able to do justice to this. But what the hell!


1. One book that changed your life?





Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. After reading that book, I quit thinking one person cannot change the world. One single entity can if she/he is determined enough. I read it the first time when I was 17 years old. I was half in love with Howard Roark for a long time afterwards. Maybe I am still searching for him. A must read book. I feel one must read all of Rand's book like I have done.




2. One book you have read more than once?




There are too many books, I read more than once. Three men in a boat by Jerome K. Jerome takes the cake though. I must have read it numerous times. I simply cannot get over it. It's too hilarious to be put down after you start it.



3. One book you would want on a desert island?








East of Eden by John Steinbeck. It sustains interest throughtout and is a great story of courage and survival. I need to read it yet again. What better place than a desert island?





4. One book that made you cry?



The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. It brings tears into my eyes even if I pick it up now. Very powerful touching kind of book.




5. One book that made you laugh?






Catch 22 by Joseph Heller is a satire of the times which has the power to make us laugh at human foibles and failings. Very intellectual kind of book with underlying humour and irony!






6. One book you wish had been written?


About how not to follow religion blindly by Pope Benedict! For obvious reasons!


7. One book you wish had never been written?





Men are from Mars, women are from Venus by John Gray. It is too cliched for the likes of me! One book I wish I had never bought. If I ever see John Gray, I will kill him with my bare hands.




8. One book you are currently reading?

Infact I am reading three books all at the same time. I always do.






The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishguro.










The unbearable Burden of Lightness by Milan Kundera. It is my 5th book by Kundera. It is as interesting as the others that I have read.









The scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I got this book for a long time now. I got around to reading it now. As they say, better late than never.




I plan to write reviews for all three after I finish those.



9. One book you have been meaning to read?







The original version of Kamasutra by Vatsayan. Too many copies circulating. I want nothing but the best! Mind you, it's not a book on sexul positions. It is a treatise on love and sensuality.



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These are just a few of the books I have read, am reading and mean to read. I left out most of the non-fiction, political commentaries and silly detective novels(that I simply love!). Not to forget poets. I can only write so much here!



I enjoyed doing this. How could I miss a good thing? Thanks for tagging me, Lotus!


Am I supposed to tag too? Let me think! Ok, I tag homo escapeons, within without, jon aristides, Ghost Particle, frontier editor and david Israel. Hope you play it. If you don't it's ok with me!

But do indulge me!


19 comments:

Lotus Reads said...

Hi, Gautami!

I'm thrilled you did the meme, thank you! I read Ayn Rand's "Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged" around the same age as you, and although it impacted me a lot then, I can barely remember the details now.

I am so interested in your current reads. I read the Milan Kundera novel many, many years ago and my friends and I would stay up late into the night discussing it! :) Needless to say I await your review with bated breath!

About the Kamasutra, I have two copies but sadly neither one is the original version, both are translations, but they're just as informative! ;)

gP said...

oh man! :(

Romeo Morningwood said...

My dearest gautami,
Guess what...as thrilled as I am that you thought of me....
I already got memed..please look in my archives for my excrutiatingly dull list of books on
You Are What You Read
dated Thursday, Sept 7th....

Now let's look at your list...hmmm Rand, Hawthorne, Steinbeck, Heller lots of Yankee Doodle Dandies here?

You will have to get in line to beat up John Gray, miz bohemia has first dibs!..
and the Kamasutra..my word Madame..

(we are talking about the illustrated menu of the 'art' of lovemaking that is impossible to replicate unless you are a circus contortionist or an olympic gymnast... aren't we?)

there now, for your enjoyment I shall play the part of the ignorant Western Victorian Prude, (who simply expects his wife to close her eyes and think of England)
who discovers a copy of the Kamasutra in the Officer's Lounge...(ready)

"Hrrumph..I say Lord Stanley have you seen this...how ghastly...is this even humanly possible...I dare say I should not expect Lady Penelope to bend over in such an undistinguished manner
(flip page)...oh my
(flip page)..oh dear..
GOOD GOD..
I am afraid that I shall have to confiscate this book and hide it from the men in my chambers...
My word look at the time...
well I'm off, Good Day to You Sir!"

gautami tripathy said...

Lotus: There are too many books. I named the ones which came into my mind the first instance. I feel so bad for leaving out many other ones. I think I will take those one for my book blog.

I have read most of Kundera.

I forgot to mention Kafka and Nietzshe who too affected me in one way or the other.

ghost: Indeed!

homo escapeons: now I feel a fool after looking at your sep 7 post! I was too busy with the first terminal exams. So I must have missed it.

Hey man, Kamasutra( which INdia gave to the world) is about love, not acrobatics of sex.

Come to think of most do mot understand what it is all about.

Please do gift a copy to you good lady. She will be thrilled to bits!

Frontier Editor said...

Gautami,

It was a messy process, with lots of hemorrhaging from the eyes, ears and nose and possibly even a minor cerebral explosive event, but I've answered your tag with something approaching a thoughtful selection of works.

Okay, I'm lying. It's a half-baked assemblage of cheap pop-culturalism. But I still bled from the cranial appendages as I thought up my answers. >B^D>

gautami tripathy said...

Thanks frontier editor! I know it wasn't easy but don't you think it was fun?

I enjoyerd doing it. Though I did miss out on hell lot of books!

Known Stranger said...

my good ness a great reader of multi legend books on varied subjects. I wish i can be more poignant and eloquent.

Frontier Editor said...

The one thing I miss about my job is having time to read. Any reading I do now is a combination of paper-grading and intelligence gathering.

Frontier Editor said...

But thanks for making me remember what good things there are out there at any one time to read and relish

WithinWithout said...

Gautami:

I've been having a hard time getting around to doing this, but I still hope to!!

Now I have to get back to reading blogs, which it seems is about the only thing I DO read any more.

Cherrypie said...

I liked Catch 22 too, when I actually got around to reading it. I imagine Yossarian would have been a great blogger.

I'm pleased I finally found my way here. For some reason, I couldn't link to you from the lovely comments you left over at mine x

gautami tripathy said...

known stranger: Thanks!

I even read the labels on shampoo bottles!

frontier editor: thanks for being a sport and writing the book meme. I am going to read a few of the books you mentioned.

I know, most of us seldom get time for simple pleasures like reading. This is one interest I refuse to give up.

within without: I am waiting, I am waiting! Just buzz me when you do get around it.

cherrypie: thanks for coming here. I too am glad I found you.

I feel we do need the likes of Yossarian in our midst now more than ever.

Schrodingers cat said...

hey Miss G.

long time..

Schrodingers cat said...

and oh yeah...one of my all time favorite character is Orr from Catch-22 :-)

M.

WithinWithout said...

Buzz. Buzz.

Frontier Editor said...

Frankly, I think Milo Minderbinder is an economic role model extraordinaire - if you like having no ethics.

gautami tripathy said...

Well Frontier, why not? I need to learn to be unethical....

Welcome back Manoj, You were missed!

Within without: thanks for indulging me. Been there, done that

Frontier Editor said...

Then hanging around WW, HE and me will aid your transformation greatly >B^D>

gautami tripathy said...

frontier: What do you think I am doing? Hanging around you all!

Who knows I might change you all yet!