So this is for all the booklovers out there? What is your fallbook? As in which is the book you read when you don't feel very good, or need to take a break from the Universe?
Harry Potter or Hitchhiker’s Guide to Galaxy
Harry Potter is one of the first few books I picked up, and probably why I have a reading habit of sorts in the first place. As a kid, reading them was nothing short of a magical experience, and I find going back to them again and again - each time I interpret them in someway new. Especially the later books which are more complex.
I find people developing contrarian opinion over ubiquitous things. When something goes too mainstream, people like to avoid it, like Game of Thrones. If that’s keeping someone from picking these up, then let this be the push you need :P The series is very engaging and I thoroughly enjoyed Rowling’s writing, so much so that I have read all her work (including her adult works such as The Strike series which is perfect for someone into mystery). Harry Potter is the perfect immersive experience.
Then comes Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, the thing about the works of Douglas Adams is that they make no sense whatsoever. So if you want a quick witty, funny absurdist adventure - look nowhere else. Ever since I’ve begun reading up on philosophy, my appreciation for Adam’s work has skyrocketed. We humans like to rationalise things, think so much but is there a pattern to things? Don’t most things just happen? Is the world supposed to make sense?
Thanks for writing this :')
"I find people developing contrarian opinion over ubiquitous things. When something goes too mainstream, people like to avoid it, like Game of Thrones."
lol I actually did this. saw only few episodes of GoT since everyone was talking about it. also used to feel bad when some of my fav Indie bands went mainstream :D
Adams also taught me that it's perfectly ok if doesn't make sense. #42 #dontPanic and his signature wit<3
"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move. Many races believe that it was created by some sort of God, though the Jatravartids believe that it was in fact sneezed out of the nose of a being called the Great Green Arkleseizure. They live in perpetual fear ofThe Coming of The Great White Handkerchief."
“There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened.”
and more: Douglas Adams Quotes (Author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) | Goodreads
S H A N T A R A M
there is a beautiful audiobook out there of Shantaram... thank you for reminding me this, I used to listen to it while i travelled in the metro during cllg. will start again..
Haven't listened to any audio book. But reading it is a pleasure to any bookworm.
Shantaram is so finely written book, from the 1st page to last.
An Australian author who lived in India was able to describe us more accurately than was done by many Indian authors. Our beliefs, our traditions, all explained effortlessly without hurting us anywhere. It's a gem of a book.
Story is simple: the life of a prison escaped Australian who stays in India doing odd jobs. There is much more to it but I'm keeping it simple.
Why I liked the book: WRITING.
RATING : 5/5
S H A N T A R A M
there is a beautiful audiobook out there of Shantaram... thank you for reminding me this, I used to listen to it while i travelled in the metro during cllg. will start again..
Haven't listened to any audio book. But reading it is a pleasure to any bookworm.
Shantaram is so finely written book, from the 1st page to last.
An Australian author who lived in India was able to describe us more accurately than was done by many Indian authors. Our beliefs, our traditions, all explained effortlessly without hurting us anywhere. It's a gem of a book.
Story is simple: the life of a prison escaped Australian who stays in India doing odd jobs. There is much more to it but I'm keeping it simple.
Why I liked the book: WRITING.
RATING : 5/5
audiobooks are great substitutes, I have listened to sapiens Shantaram, autobiography of trevor noah, and american gods.. had a great time, will prefer it over the books.
ssver2,S H A N T A R A M
there is a beautiful audiobook out there of Shantaram... thank you for reminding me this, I used to listen to it while i travelled in the metro during cllg. will start again..
Haven't listened to any audio book. But reading it is a pleasure to any bookworm.
Shantaram is so finely written book, from the 1st page to last.
An Australian author who lived in India was able to describe us more accurately than was done by many Indian authors. Our beliefs, our traditions, all explained effortlessly without hurting us anywhere. It's a gem of a book.
Story is simple: the life of a prison escaped Australian who stays in India doing odd jobs. There is much more to it but I'm keeping it simple.
Why I liked the book: WRITING.
RATING : 5/5
audiobooks are great substitutes, I have listened to sapiens Shantaram, autobiography of trevor noah, and american gods.. had a great time, will prefer it over the books.
Harry Potter: Stephen Fry<3
MarcusA,I recommend everyone to read the preview of SHANTARAM, free on Google Books (I shared you the link), atleast some 5-10 pages.
I was instantly pulled into that book when I started reading it's 1st page itself. Trust me, you'll love it. The writing was irresistible to me.
https://books.google.co.in/books/about/Shantaram.html?id=5JaxSJlpGmAC&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button&newbks=1&newbks_redir=1&redir_esc=y
A sample of 1st page
ssver2,DesiJonSnowS H A N T A R A M
there is a beautiful audiobook out there of Shantaram... thank you for reminding me this, I used to listen to it while i travelled in the metro during cllg. will start again..
Haven't listened to any audio book. But reading it is a pleasure to any bookworm.
Shantaram is so finely written book, from the 1st page to last.
An Australian author who lived in India was able to describe us more accurately than was done by many Indian authors. Our beliefs, our traditions, all explained effortlessly without hurting us anywhere. It's a gem of a book.
Story is simple: the life of a prison escaped Australian who stays in India doing odd jobs. There is much more to it but I'm keeping it simple.
Why I liked the book: WRITING.
RATING : 5/5
audiobooks are great substitutes, I have listened to sapiens Shantaram, autobiography of trevor noah, and american gods.. had a great time, will prefer it over the books.
Any good application/Website for audiobooks?
Brave,S H A N T A R A M
there is a beautiful audiobook out there of Shantaram... thank you for reminding me this, I used to listen to it while i travelled in the metro during cllg. will start again..
Haven't listened to any audio book. But reading it is a pleasure to any bookworm.
Shantaram is so finely written book, from the 1st page to last.
An Australian author who lived in India was able to describe us more accurately than was done by many Indian authors. Our beliefs, our traditions, all explained effortlessly without hurting us anywhere. It's a gem of a book.
Story is simple: the life of a prison escaped Australian who stays in India doing odd jobs. There is much more to it but I'm keeping it simple.
Why I liked the book: WRITING.
RATING : 5/5
audiobooks are great substitutes, I have listened to sapiens Shantaram, autobiography of trevor noah, and american gods.. had a great time, will prefer it over the books.
Any good application/Website for audiobooks?
I used to scrape through the internet to find whatever was available, otherwise, there is audible.in
thanks to telegram there is a plethora of free books, you can also go here
AzadHindFauz,"Papillon" - don't watch movie. Reading this book is not parallel to movie. Theme: Ambitious young man in his twenties imprisoned on forged charges. He makes plan to fly from prison. Every time is plan don't get success. For each failed attempt to escape, punishment get stricter. At last he imprisoned on isolated island. With a brilliant plan he successfully escapes.
But main catch is here, Those who had helped him in his 18 years of imprisonment, he wanted to pay back. He gave gold ring to one prison mate, some dollar cash to other, likewise... One who helped him in his master plan, he wanted to give him more. He decided to escape that friend also. So, both get escaped, travels about 32 days from handmade small ship. After a month, they reach nearby shore. They were hungry, thirsty, impatient to jump to shore. Papillon could maintain his calm and patience. His friend was impatient to touch soil. about couple of feet from shore, his friend jumped in sea to reach shore............... BUT, that place was marshy..... his feet stuck there. Big wave came and escaped him from life..... Papillon later settled in other country, made indian wife in his 40s. opened restaurant and lived happy life. Takeaways: Work hard (made about 20 escape attempts); be optimistic (even after many failures, injuries he believed one day he will escape) help friends , believe in spirit of cooperation, pay back gratitude. Have a patience. Who knows you may be very close to success (like his impatient friend who jumped out of impatience just few feet away fro destination) AND this story compels to believe in fate
Nicely explained. Loved the take aways. 👏👍. Will definitely read it one day
Tuesdays with Morrie
After Mains, I read 2 books which were long long in my book list
1. Seriously you are joking? Mr. Feynman. It's good, insightful & also witty.
2. Tuesdays with Morrie. This was actually recommended by Robin Sharma in one of his books (may be who will cry when you die), so it was in my booklist since 4 years. It's good book, simple convos about life Q like death, love etc between a professor on death bed & his favourite student. I especially liked few pointers, forgive yourself before you can forgive others, feel the full of emotions so that you can detach yourself etc.
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
I stumbled upon this book when I was going through a really bad phase of my life. I knew I had gotten into a complicated maze of bad habits, but I was not able to find my way out of it. Then, Charles Duhigg’s masterpiece came in my life! It would not be exaggeration if I call it a watershed event of my life. It brought me back from getting lost to oblivion in terms of personal, professional and romantic aspects of life.
This book aptly captures the iconic quote from ‘Shawshank Redemption’, No good thing ever dies. Good things remain in abeyance only as long as one is not ready to grasp the goodness in them. As soon as one gets rid of the vision mired in bad habits, they can be seen conspicuously present everywhere.
It still think about this book. I still revisit a few pages that are my favourite<3
Great description about how it changed your life, watershed..! 👏
I haven't read this book but think I read it's summary in one app. Will try to read this book. I always think hobbies are powerful which can make or break our lives.
AzadHindFauz,S H A N T A R A M
there is a beautiful audiobook out there of Shantaram... thank you for reminding me this, I used to listen to it while i travelled in the metro during cllg. will start again..
Haven't listened to any audio book. But reading it is a pleasure to any bookworm.
Shantaram is so finely written book, from the 1st page to last.
An Australian author who lived in India was able to describe us more accurately than was done by many Indian authors. Our beliefs, our traditions, all explained effortlessly without hurting us anywhere. It's a gem of a book.
Story is simple: the life of a prison escaped Australian who stays in India doing odd jobs. There is much more to it but I'm keeping it simple.
Why I liked the book: WRITING.
RATING : 5/5
audiobooks are great substitutes, I have listened to sapiens Shantaram, autobiography of trevor noah, and american gods.. had a great time, will prefer it over the books.
Any good application/Website for audiobooks?
JhansiKiRanii,What's your fall back book sir...?
AzadHindFauz,
What's your fall back book sir...?
Don't judge me, but its Doctors by Erich Segal. Its preface still gives me goosebumps. I read it as an adolescent, and it has stuck with me.
With a single exception they were all white. And with five exceptions all male.
Some were brilliant bordering on genius.
Others, genius bordering on madness.
One had played a cello recital at Carnegie Hall, another had played a year of professional basketball.
Six had written novels, two of which had actually been published.
One was a lapsed priest.
One was a graduate of reform school.
All were scared to death.
What had brought them together on this bright September morning in 1958 was their common status as first-year students at Harvard Medical School.
They had gathered in Room D to hear a welcoming address by Dean Courtney Holmes.
His features could have come straight from a Roman coin.
And his demeanor gave the impression that he had been born with a gold watch and chain instead of an umbilical cord.
He did not have to call for quiet. He merely smiled and the spectators hushed.
‘Gentlemen,’ he began, ‘you are collectively embarking on a great voyage to the frontiers of medical knowledge – which is where you will begin your own individual explorations in the yet-uncharted territory of suffering and disease.
Someone sitting in this room may find a cure for leukemia, diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus and the deadly hydraheaded carcinomas …’
He took a perfectly timed dramatic pause. And with a sparkle in his pale blue eyes he added, ‘Perhaps even the common cold.’
There was appreciative laughter.
Then the silver-haired dean lowered his head, perhaps to signify that he was deep in thought. The students waited in suspense.
When at last he looked up and began to speak again, his voice was softer, an octave lower.
‘Let me conclude by disclosing a secret – as humbling for me to reveal as for you to hear.’
He turned and wrote something on the blackboard behind him.
Two simple digits – the numbertwenty-six.
A buzz of bewilderment filled the room.
Holmes waited for quiet to return, drew breath, and then gazed straight into the spellbound auditorium.
‘Gentlemen, I urge you to engrave this on the template of your memories: there are thousands of diseases in this world, but Medical Science only has an empirical cure for twenty-six of them. The rest is … guesswork.’
And that was all.
With military posture and athletic grace, he strode off the podium and out of the room.
The crowd was too dazzled to applaud.
I am no knight. Do not call me Sir
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