Mike and Psmith by P G Wodehouse

A beautiful novel about school and cricket. Enjoyed it thoroughly. It reminded me of Blyton's St Clare's and Malory Towers.

Plum Pie by P G Wodehouse

A collection of short stories. The last story of 'Life with Freddie' is the longest and the best...

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Very nice book. Really enjoyed it. Made me go back to my schoolhood days. Awesome linguistic accent used and nice adventures.

Peril At End House by Agatha Christie

Very nice plot. Puts off the reader, and even Poirot for most part. In fact, one gets the feeling that Poirot has indeed lost the case as a life is lost even after Poirot is on the case. A number of twists and turns makes this book a page turner.

The Mysterious Affair At Styles by Agatha Christie

Poirot's first case. Book by Agatha Christie. A nice read. Pretty interesting. Much much better than that Miss Marple I had just read. In fact, I had to really muster up courage to read another Christie book after Nemesis!

Nemesis by Agatha Christie

An ok-dokey novel. Story is good but I somehow dont like Christie's narration. Perhaps its more so in this novel because main character is Miss Marple who is too old and every other sentence talks about her having to take rest, about having to stroll in the garden and such lot. Readable once when there is no other novel to be read...

Avenger by Frederick Forsyth

Excellent story-telling. Liked especially the names of each chapter. The previous Forsyth novel which I had read (Dogs of War) had disappointed me but this one tops the chart. There is a story behind each character and each story is fascinating. Details of many post-Second-World-War wars of the world are covered in this novel, like the Bosnian war, the Afghanistan war, the Vietnam war, etc. The Tunnel Rats concept during the Vietnam war is mind-chilling. The concept of being the 'avenger' is good. And like a counter-balance, 'Lesser good over bigger evil' also is good. But I felt the ending was more of an anti-climax. The heretofore powerful villain suddenly seemed extremely vulnerable in the end. But, very significantly, the novel ends on 9/10/2001, a day before World Trade Center was hit by terrorists.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

If it were two boys in The Kite Runner, it is two women in A Thousand Splendid Suns. It is again set in Afghanistan, the writing continues to be good and emotionally deep. Too many disappointments, too many sad things happen, but there is always a silver lining lurking. But then I guess thats the reality in Afghanistan, with each and every Afghan over the last so many decades. Worth a read, but rather felt it is stretched to an extent.

The R Document by Irving Wallace

Reminded me of Hardy Boys! Very amateurish but, after a long time, enjoyed reading a fast paced novel. A good read, and a very good subject to write a novel. Rather unique.

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

Dubious and weird it seems but at times it also seems to have some stuff in it. Its nothing but Shankaracharya's Adwaitha Philosophy. All about how everything is in one's mind and how anyone can get anything that they want just by focusing on the item or object of desire and asking for it from the Universe, and believing it and really feeling it as if received. Yeah, I know! Its more of a documentary of comments from various people than just notes from Rhonda. Not really a must read.

The Dogs of War by Frederick Forsyth

I didnt like it. Started well and is a meticulous book, as in any Forsyth novel, but ending was an anti-climax, with nothing great happening than expected. All through the book, more emphasis lay on managing the money that the mercenary was given and the thing about Spanish Harlem was amateurish. Long ago when I read the Day of Jackal and Negotiator and Devil's Alternative, Forsyth was right up there at the top. Or is it that the writing has always been this way and my way of looking at normal fiction has changed...?

Oct 2008

Five Point Someone

by Chetan Bhagat

The Dogs of War

by Frederick Forsyth

Review of books read recently:

1) Life of Pi: A must read. Fascinating imagination. Amazing narration. Although the story is just a simple tale of a cast away boy in the middle of Pacific Ocean.

2) Five Point Someone: An awesome novel of what not to do in IIT! Extremely hilarious and real cool way of looking at life.

Sept 2008 - II

Life of Pi

by Yann Martel

Review of previous read book:

Swami and Friends: A refreshing read! Written through the eyes of a small boy, it portrays innocence in actions and thoughts.

Sept 2008 - I

The Inscrutable Americans

by Anurag Mathur

Swami and Friends

by R K Narayan

Review of books read recently:

1) Big Money: An amazing novel with humorously romantic entanglements in the midst of money-minded businessmen-cum-rowdies!

2) The inscrutable Americans: An Indian villager goes to USA for higher studies and finds Americans really inscrutable. Author Anurag Mathur has brought about all distinct American characteristics that makes Indians in US wonder.

Aug 2008

The Clicking of Cuthbert

by P G Wodehouse

Big Money

by P G Wodehouse

Review of books read recently:

1) The inimitable Jeeves: A novel of short stories yet a novel in itself, especially made by the deliberate attempt to refer to the concluded short stories. A nice book with Jeeves’ smartness portrayed in each short story.

2) The clicking of Cuthbert: Short stories with golf as the main theme. And of course, sprinkled with a touch of romance and humour. A non-golfer can learn a lot about golf reading this book without actually getting bored! Only Wodehouse could write like this…

Jul 2008 - II

Jeeves in the offing

by P G Wodehouse

The inimitable Jeeves

by P G Wodehouse

Review of books read recently:

1) Ring for Jeeves: A novel that has Jeeves but no Bertram Wooster. Set in a dilapidated castle with new characters but the usual romantic entanglements!

2) Jeeves in the offing: A novel that has less of Jeeves and more of Wooster but then Jeeves is the one who scores more points, as usual, in Brinkley Court. Jovial references to Bertie’s prep school days as one of the principle characters is Bertie’s prep school principal!

Jul 2008 - I

Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves

by P G Wodehouse

Ring for Jeeves

by P G Wodehouse

Reviews of books read recently:

1) Full Moon: A Blandings Castle story. Tipton seeing Bill's gorilla-like face every now and then, and thinking it to be an apparition brought about by too much drink is the best part in the novel.

2) Heavy Weather: One of the best books ever. Extremely hilarious. Rather prolongated but thoroughly enjoyable. Sequel to Summer Lightning (aka Fish Preferred). A Blandings Castle story.

3) Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves: Sequel to The Code of the Woosters. Runs on similar lines and humorous, as always. A Totleigh Towers story.

Jun 2008

Full Moon

by P G Wodehouse

Heavy Weather

by P G Wodehouse

Review of previous book: Feynman's book is Must Read.

May 2008

Surely you're joking, Mr Feynman!

by Richard P. Feynman

2008 till date

Galahad at Blandings - P G Wodehouse
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
Catcher in the rye - J D Salinger
Catch-22 - Joseph Heller
Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
The Code of the Woosters - P G Wodehouse