Does reading make you sensitive?

I was in a random bookish discussion with a friend the other day and this question just snaked in my mind. And I began to think about it.

As I started to think about all the books I have read, I realised a few things.

I have experienced things in the books. Things that I haven’t experienced in my real life (and obviously don’t want to experience some of them). For instance, best friends committing suicide. A close friend committing suicide is one of the most common events in YA books. Some describe it at length. Some focus entirely on how the person’s life changed completely by that one event. Death, in general, has been described ‘beautifully’ in books. The sense of loss… does that make one sensitive to suicide?

Some other books describe lives of people from different perspectives. The Witch of Portobello by Paulo Coelho is a fine example. For those of you who haven’t read this book, it describes the same event of a woman’s life through the eyes of different people. And each person has a different point of view about the same event/action. Some call her an angel, some call her a witch.
Does a book like this make you sensitive to other people’s situations?

Does it make you more sensitive to relationships and the society at large?

Tell me what you feel in the comment.

 

Review: Turtles All The Way Down – A Must Read

Books that talk of mental illness have a special place in my heart. I cannot really say why, but books like Perks of Being a Wallflower, Norwegian Woods and now Turtles all the Way Down will probably always be on the ‘books I can read over and over again’ shelf.

Turtles All The Way Down, the latest by John Green was a brilliant read and a bloody fast one too. But before everything else, here’s a confession that I need to make: I have never read a John Green book before. So I won’t be able to tell you how the book compares with the other ones.

Turtles is the story of Aza, a girl carefully named for her father wanted her name to cover all the alphabets. Like most young adults, she has a best friend, Daisy, and a crazy love story going on in the background. Her love story with Davis Pickett has a mystery angle to it as well, in which Aza and Daisy go on to look for a runaway billionaire which has a promise to make them rich. All these stories run in the background of the central theme: Anxiety.

The book has an overall philosophical tone to it, which gets a little over-the-top sometimes. But otherwise when you’re done with reading and you lie on the bed thinking, it all makes sense. This is a book that makes you wanna think, really.

Among the many reasons as to why you should read th book, the prime one that strikes me is this : the characters are real. The people in the book are so real you’d think you could really meet one of them in real life. For instance, Aza has a car named ‘Harold’. Yes she has named it and she has a relationship with the car as if it were a person. Her emotions with the object are real. We all know at least one person who has real relationships with objects.

Another thing that’s commendable about the book is John Green’s knowledge about other things. Animals, stars, medicine, tech and so many other things. It is amazing to read so many new things.

This is a book you shouldn’t give a miss. It is a must read. Young or adult.

Oh and, the cover is beautiful.

Book: Turtles All The Way Down
Author: John Green
Publisher: Penguin Random House, UK
Pages: 286 (Hardcover)
Rating: 4.5/5

Sad Modern Lover

It’s sad to be a lover today.
Our letters are mails,
Our calls, texts.

I wish I loved you back when
letters were the real deal.
I’d keep all of them safe, and
wouldn’t fear them getting ‘deleted’.

I would’ve smelt them,
for your beautiful hands would’ve touched them.
I would’ve traced each word with my fingers,
for your heart must have whispered each phrase.
I would’ve kissed them, thinking I’ve kissed you,
for you must have spoken the words out loud.

And I would’ve held them close,
thinking I’ve embraced a part of you.

It’s sad to be a lover today.

5 Superb Women Authored Books You Could Start Reading NOW

Firstly, I am not a huge fan of ‘Women’s Day’. Sorry if that bothers you, but women and men and other genders are all amazing and fabulous. And women are superb beings. And one day is just not enough to celebrate a woman.

Anyhoo, here’s my list of the awesome women authors you have to read. HAVE TO. Women are rad, but these authors kick ass! A few months ago, or maybe last year, I don’t remember, I got down to reading only women authors. Specially coloured authors like Alice Walker, of course Angelou, Octavia Butler and the likes. Then there was Katherine Stockett, our very own Sudha Murthy (I love her!), Louisa M Alcott, Sylvia Plath, the very rad Sandberg etc etc.

So what happened when I read women authors for about two months. I felt somehow more confident, happier and proud. Being a woman, it is so good to read stories about other women. And if you’re someone who thinks that women stories are all about their ranting and are sad depressing stories then oh you’re so mistaken.

So without boring you to death, here’s my list of the amazing women authors you could start reading right away.

1. The Colour Purple by Alice Walker
I read this on my Kindle, but oh I so want the physical copy of this book after reading this. It is a book I could re-read. It is a classic. I will not give you the synopsis of the tale, but I will tell you this… The story will make you feel miserable and will then set your spirits free. The relationship between Celie and Shug Avery is what you should look out for.

2. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Like women who don’t follow no rules? This book is going to introduce three marvellous women to you and will leave you with a laughing heart. And what’s better, the villains and the heroes of the book are both women. So no man-beating here. It is a fast read.

3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
I cannot explain this book to you, you gotta read this wonderfully poetic and powerful book to fall in love with Angelou.

4. Pinjar by Amrita Pritam (Hindi & Punjabi)
Pinjar is a heart wrenching tale of Puro, that puts forth the harrowing situation of women during the Indo-Pak partition. What’s amazing about the tale is how Puro embodies the injustice and the frustration it accompanies with it, and yet, like most women she rises from her ashes only to find immense strength and courage in her. Read it for the marvellous storytelling of Amrita Pritam.

5. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Most of you must have read this already, but if you haven’t, please, please do. And if you have, this is a book worth a re-read. A story of a mother and four little women, struggling through the trials and tribulations of the Civil War. Everybody loves the March family, and I swear you would too.

So go ahead and read all these lovely books. Thank me later!

Book Lover’s Struggle No. 1

Who hasn’t faced THIS? Every person who loved reading has faced this never-ending struggle of wanting to read soooo many books, but alas, life gives us only 24 hours in a day and a person gotta earn! Damn Capitalism!

Designed by crafts.delhi

I am working on a Thursday series that shows the struggles of a book lover. And the struggle is real! Share yours, so I can try and illustrate them.

 

Three Thousand Stitches: There’s Still Good in the World

Sudha Murty is amazing. If you’re someone who likes to read a simple tale without the complications of long sentences and difficult words, then she is the author for you. Her book Three Thousand Stitches is another example of exemplary writing in the not-so-long a list of books this philanthropist has authored.

An introduction to the lady is a must… Murty is the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation, which is known for all the work they do for the development of the downtrodden and the outcast. Murty sits on top of that or rather walks the extra mile to bring comfort to the lives of the underprivileged. She is a strong woman, if being a chairperson wasn’t enough, hear this: Sudha Murty was the only girl in her engineering college B.V.B. College of Engineering and Technology, and instead of being ‘scared’, as the society would expect, Murty topped the college and was awarded a medal from the then chief minister of Karnataka.

Three Thousand Stitches is aptly shown in the cover image that will become clear to the reader once s/he reads the very first story of the same name. The colours on the cover probably depict the colourful life led by Murty and the different wonderful colours she has filled in the lives of the people around her.

The book of 256 fast-paced pages contains stories of some of the experiences in Murty’s life. Professional and personal. Some of them will warm your heart and moisten your eyes, while some others will bring a great smile. But all of the eleven tales will remind you of the good in the world.

Sudha Murty (Source: Indian Express)

While you read this book, the simplicity of Murty cannot be ignored, owing to her simplistic writing style and the ease with which she explains situations and people. For instance, the story ‘Cattle Class’, which is the fifth story, describes two women who are not good. They are mean and think of ‘class’ as an entity of the rich. But these are my words… Murty in her book just described the whole incident with such honesty, you will end up feeling angry by their ‘cattle class mentality’.

“Class does not mean possession of a huge amount of money…There are plenty of wrong ways to earn money in this world. You may be rich enough to buy comfort and luxuries, but the same money does not define class… Mother Teresa was a classy woman… The concept that you automatically gain class by acquiring money is an outdated thought process.”

In another story, Murty narrates the story of her father, an incident that happened about 75 years ago. Murty has picked up many such stories, from when she was a child to now when she is a grandmother and each story has something to give.

The stories are fast paced and can be read in a single sitting. Each story takes about 15-20 minutes to read, and that’s for someone who reads in an okay speed.

If you want to buy the book, hit a bookstore​ near you. Stop them from closing down. 🙃

Title: Three Thousand Stitches
Author: Sudha Murty
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Genre: Non-Fiction
Pages: 256 (Paperback)
Cost: 250 INR

5 life-lessons taught by a 13-year-old

Anne Frank, the diary of a young girl is a book that comes under ‘must-read’ in everybody’s list. It is not only an awesome book for historians, but an emotional roller coaster for everyone. As emotional as the book may be, it is also surprisingly uplifting and humorous.

What some readers will appreciate is the sheer wisdom that Anne Frank exhibits at an age so young. And through that wisdom and understanding, I’ve lifted five amazing quotes from the book that will really encourage you to look at life in a new light.

Just when you think you don’t have the time, remember this.

So many things, so often, make us so sad. But if only we remember that the world still exists and the flowers still bloom, and the birds still chirp, we’ll continue to be happy.

Life isn’t so easy, and people aren’t always kind. But just because they don’t care about your opinion, doesn’t mean you cannot have one.

Always be thankful. Always.

Even after a long lazy day I have felt tired and wasted and guilty. But a day full of work and production has often left me tired, sure, but so so satisfied.

Such wise words are worth every re-read of the book. If you’re someone who is still unaware of the blazing light that envelopes the reader, you must really really pick this book up as soon as possible. You won’t regret it.

It Is So Hard For Me To Read Non-Fiction. Help!

A new year is here and I am absolutely glad that I am entering this year loaded with books to read. I have on my list four Man Booker awardees, namely, The Underground Railroad , Lincoln in the Bardo, A Horse Walks Into A Bar and The Sellout. These books will take about two months to finish. So yeah, I’m sorted for the beginning of the year.

What I am sad about and want to change in the year 2018, is that my shelves are loaded with fictions. If you go through my Goodreads, you’d see a variety of fiction novels. But alas, I have not read one non-fiction. It is so very difficult for me to read a non-fiction. Why, you ask?

Consider this. I really wanted to know about the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. And I have an absolutely amazing book, The Siege: The Attack on Taj by Adrian Levy, sitting on my bookshelf (my husband’s actually). I picked that book up. The author starts with the names of all the real people in the attack. After the list, he starts telling us about a father-daughter duo who worked at the Taj. A real father-daughter duo. And that was it. I couldn’t read further. I knew that either one of them was going to die, or rather all the people on the list. Yes, characters die in fiction, but fictional characters. Not real people!! Do you understand? I cannot live with the idea that all the people who suffered in the book suffered for real. Their pain was real, their losses were real.

GIF source- giphy

My eyes welled up when I realised that the father-daughter duo would either die or get separated for life. And I couldn’t take it anymore. This is the reason I cannot read non-fiction. I get too attached to the people. So I need your help here.
I really want to read all the lovely books out there, but what is it that I am doing wrong? Am I picking the wrong books for the start? Am I reading it wrong? Or what is it?

Do you have some tricks or tips under your sleeve that can help me read better without crying a river?

Help!

Is Amazon Kindle the right thing for you?

Amazon Kindle is absolutely amazing. Hands down, it is the best gadget for all your reading needs. A decent Kindle costs about Rs. 10,000. And although Amazon tempts you with discounts and brings down the cost by three grands, you’re not sure if you should spend that hard-earned money on the device. I have owned a Kindle for five years. And I have decided on these 9 questions that will help you decide if you should buy the gadget.

1. Do you love showing off your book collection?
   Yes – The Kindle is not for you. All your books are digital. However expensive, beautiful or show-off worthy, they’re inside your device. So you cannot really sport a wonderful teak bookshelf.
   No – Buy the damn thing. If you’re someone who doesn’t care about who sees what you’re reading, then the Kindle is for you.
2. Do you lend your books to others and love sharing the experience of reading?
   Yes – If you’re a lender and like it when people read your books and enjoy it, then the Kindle is not for you. Kindle does not allow sharing books, at least in India. They do offer this in the US, but not in India.  
   No – If you hate people taking your books or even touching them, the Kindle is for you. Your books stay yours, now and forever. You just don’t share because you can’t. Yay!
3. Do you wear spectacles?
   Yes – I wear specs myself, and half the time, I forget them on my bed post, or my side table, or in the pocket of a coat. I am often seen squinting to read something. And when I don’t have my specs, reading a book can be a nightmare. A paper book, that is. But my dear Kindle lets me set the font size. Specs or no specs, I can read my books with minimal stress. If you can totally relate to this, you need a Kindle.   
   No – But, do you often find text to be too small, or the size being a problem when you’re on a bus because it all gets so shaky? A kindle can solve this problem. It can adjust font size and font face. Which is absolutely great.
4.  Do you travel a lot and read a lot during those travels?
   Yes –  I haven’t met a person who likes to travel heavy. And a Kindle weights about 200 grams. That’s feather light. And in 200 grams, you can carry hundreds of books without the weight! And what if you’ve finished your book and need a new one? Well, just download a new one! All you need is the internet. 
   No – Well, if you don’t travel a lot, you could probably do without a Kindle. But that is when you don’t travel to work as well. Because reading on a Kindle is a hundred times better when you’re on a bus or are crushing between people in the metro. Sometimes in the rush, your book falls, you have to shut it because there is no space, people go tugging at your bookmark etc. But in a Kindle, one button and there you go. You’ve closed your book, put the bookmark, and what’s more, the size lets you slide it into your bag, or jacket pocket with utter ease. Your books wont crease!
5. Do you read many books at once?
   Yes- Buy the Kindle. One, because it can carry thousands of books on the device without any ‘space’ problem. Two, it bookmarks your last page read on every book without you having to remember where you stopped. You can read many books with absolute ease, without even having to carry the load.
   No- You don’t need a Kindle just for its feature of holding a thousand books at once.
6. Are you forgetful?
   Yes- So, you forget your book at home, at office, on the metro, in the car? Buy a Kindle. You will remember carrying it just as you remember carrying your phone. And you’ll never be without a book again.
   No- You mean you’ve never forgotten to carry your book with you? Well. Okay.
7. Do your devices always show ‘low battery’?
   Yes- Relax, you need to charge your Kindle only once a fortnight. And that’s when you’re reading all day. And if you’re also reading all night, probably a recharge once a week will do it. I’m serious. The battery life of the device is killer.
   No- Then you have one less device to charge! A Kindle needs to be charged only once in a fortnight! Isn’t it a dream device?
8. Do you read at night?
   Yes- And if you have someone sleeping next to you, you can turn those lights off and turn on your Kindle. No, it does not strain your eyes. The lights in the Kindle don’t work like a mobile phone’s, it is soft and adjustable. Which is pretty cool.
   No- Then you can probably do with the cheapest Kindle. It does not have backlight, but has all the other perks.
9. Do you really want to read the books but find them way too expensive?
   Yes- You’d be glad to know, Kindle versions of books are often very cheap, or they are available at considerable discounts. So that’s a plus.
   No- But who minds cheaper, yet legal, books?

So there you go. decide for yourself if you really need it. As for me, I love the device. It is awesome to own one. Even if you don’t use it everyday, you can always read on it sometimes. Some books are way too expensive, and Kindle comes to the rescue. Some books are hard to find or are not available in your country, use Kindle versions. A Kindle is a beautiful gadget, to own and to gift.

 

The Amazing Reading Challenge: Book Bingo

We all set goals to read a certain number of books each year, and some of my more ambitious friends set one for each month. Some other like me get lost about what to read next and appreciate a challenge now and then to help us catch on reading habits. So here’s a challenge I thought would really help one read.

You must all have played bingo. Remember those 5×5 boxes with random numbers with the goal of the game was to finish one line?

So I found a book bingo on Goodreads and another one on the Penguin website. But they were not  made for the Indian audience. So I designed my own! Yay!

The rules are real simple. Let me run you through them:

1. Pick a line of five squares. It can be vertical, horizontal and/or diagonal.
2. Each book you read can fill only one square. No two squares can have the same book.
3. Tick the boxes off as you finish reading the book and you can write the name of the book as you finish, just to keep a track.
4. Celebrate your win!

Here’s the bingo for you to download and print.

Usually, this game is played in a library. But like me, you can play this with your friends. What I am currently playing with my friends is this; we have all decided to race to complete one line. And whoever completes the line first gets a book from each of the other players. Fun no? And when one line is done and one person has won, you can print a new box and start all over again. This time picking a different set of books for the same line or you can try a different line altogether. Trust me, it is going to be so much fun!

So till now, I have only completed an autobiography – Lone Fox Dancing (Ruskin Bond), which I think I will put under ‘Indian Author’ so as to complete the second last horizontal line. And am currently reading the Schindler’s List, which I think I will put under ‘Based on True Story’. But, let’s see.

This is a great opportunity to find new books to read, and explore new genres. I had never read an autobiography, but looks like I really liked it. So I will try reading more of them. And I also have ‘Open by Andre Agassi’ in my mind. The book looks promising. And them probably I will dwell into ‘A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway’.

So go on people, get reading with your book club, friends, make it a family feud or just play by yourself. The idea is to keep reading and getting to know more characters. 🙂

Happy reading.
Do tell me if you downloaded it and are playing it. Also, share your completed bingo with me.

Show me some love!