read a book a month

Little Women

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee – Oct 2010
It’s a classic, the world knows that. But what it’s not is a bore, in fact I loved the book and could hardly put it down. Serious issues such as racism, intricacies of life in a southern neighborhood, layers of human relationships, all these are very subtly narrated through the eyes of an 8 year old and I think that makes it very endearing. The author is really gifted, and it shows in how she is able to see things from a child’s perspective. It’s just beautiful!!!I would recommend this any day!

Kite Runner by Khaled Hossieni – Oct 2010
It is a powerful novel which tells a story of cruelty and love between a rich Afghan boy and his servant hare-lipped Shia boy. The story starts with a context of the last peaceful days of the monarchy, just before Afghanistan’s revolution and its invasion by Russian forces.
The books is very descriptive and provides many details of the country’s traditions in a warm and humorous manner. The first half of the book is engaging and takes you through the childhood and adolescence of the protagonist. The second half of the book is slow and dark, especially the description of Afghans living in poverty, fear and wretchedness under Taliban. The storyline completely falters at some points in the second half but the author bounces back with a subtle but real ending.
All in all, a very vivid and engaging novel.
Fish – Nov 2010
A Thousand Suns by Dominique Lappiere – Dec 2010
If Tomorrow Comes by Sidney Sheldon – January 2011
Johnny Goes Down – Feb 2011
Catcher in the Rye by J.D.Salinger – Mar 2011
I also read a few more management books like Tipping Point and Mind of a strategist but I am not counting them here.

I loved this book and finished reading it in one go. Initially, I was not so sure if I was going to complete the book because I did not like his previous book ‘3 mistakes of my life’ but this one was a fantastic read. I liked the way the differences of North and South Indian cultures are brought out, the generation gap and IIM student life are described. People who are well aware of Indian culture and diversity can appreciate this book very much.

Emma by Jane Austen in May 2010
I fell in love with Jane Austen’s books when I read ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and subsequently ‘Sense and Sensibility’ captured me as well but this book bored me through and through! The book begins very slowly, picks up speed and then slows down quite a bit at the end. No doubt ‘P&P’ and ‘S & S’ are better but they are in a different league altogether. Jane Austen does not have any new ideas and the delicate way in which the lead characters connect in her other books is missing in this one. Honestly, I was dissapointed with this one and would not recommend it to other Austen fans.

Thereby Hangs a Tale by Jeffrey Archer in May/June 2010
Jeffrey Archer is back with another book of short stories. In my opinion, Archer has a natural skill for writing short stories than for novels. I find his novels more like fictional biographies – be it Kane and Abel or Sons of Fortune. Anyway, the short stories in Thereby Hangs a Tale are witty and interesting. I liked some of them particularly – A blind date and High heels. I did not like ‘Members Only’, it is too long!!
On the whole, the book is worth the purchase. I am happy to have it in my collection.

Alchemist by Paulo Coelho in June 2010
Good lord, I have no idea why the whole world is raving about this one. May be I am not spiritually on a higher plane. This book was not for me!

Prison Diary by Jefrrey Archer in July 2010
As the name indicates, it is a diary detailing Archer’s days in the prison. Archer really does a great job of writing down everything he finds out. I was shocked about some of the things he learns in prison. The book brings out how a ‘Lord’ and M.P. adapts to the life in prison. It is a slow read but though it is a diary, it is not just details of ‘wake up, eat, sleep’. You can definitely read it once and know more about life in prison.

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown in Aug 2010
I thoroughly detest Dan Brown novels now, after reading this one. Can he get more repetitive!? The book starts slowly and after one point it did get interesting only to lead to a dull ending. I was so let down that I gave up on the book without bothering to read the last 2 pages. Mr. Brown, I swear to never read any more of your books!!

I have “Kavalu” a kannada book by S.L.Bhyrappa and “To Kill a Mocking Bird” by Harper Lee on my pending books to read.

A biography on Dalai Lama – this book is written with full cooperation of the Dalai Lama, it is quite fascinating and relatively up-to-date biography. It tries to captures the public persona and enduring mystery behind one of the world’s most important spiritual leaders.
The book has a lot of information about China and South east Asian politics which I did not know about and also how China inflicted pain and suffering on Tibet, killing close to a hundred thousand people in 1959.
To me, this book seemed more about the history and the institution of Dalai Lama than about the 14th Dalai Lama himself. I expected to know more about Dalai Lama, the person by reading this book and I felt let down when I found hardly any.
The language of the book and the organization of chapters in the book are nice, the book makes for an easy read.
Go for it if you have time and patience to read 20th century Asian history.