The year 2015 has ended on a good note. I have read some great books and started this blog with three of my friends. I am very excited about the blog since all three of us read different genres and it is going to be a delicious cocktail.
Here are some books that I am looking forward to reading in this year:
A Game Of Thrones (Song of fire and ice) George R.R. Martin
Game of thrones is easily the fattest book that I have dared to read, after gone with the wind. I sadly quit it after getting through 25% of the book on my kindle. The TV series really spoilt my patience and I decided to keep the book on the back burner and watch the series instead. Now that we foresee a long wait to the release of the new season I have decided to buck up and read through the series.
Yes, I know it sounds Utopian. What?! After watching the series?! But I am surely going to do it. And to prove that I am serious this time, I have bought myself a paperback. I am getting on to reading it. Right after I finish the book I am reading currently. And one or two more!
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
Voted as one of the best books every architect should read, I am probably the only architect on the planet who has not read it yet. I vow to read this book this year and be prepared for a conversation so that any intern who walks into the office does not think I am an alien. “the fountainhead”, “an architect “ and “ a reader are trio that go together. There is no other exit.
The Secret Life Of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
I tried reading this book a couple of times but I never got beyond first chapter. The book is from the point of view of a child where she is trying to capture the bees and surviving her close to evil father. Even though I did not finish the first chapter too, this book was too much for me to take in. I just felt pity for the child everytime and decided I do not need to read sad books. But here I confess that I want to read the book as much as i want to just read.
This year I pledge to read this book and get over with the guilt of not finishing the book once started.
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
A classic that has been admired for the writing and criticised for child sensuality. I have been wanting to read the book since a long time but haven’t been able to. This year i have decided to read more classics and get back to the school of English. Lolita being on my list since a decade gets the first precedence.
The Picture of Dorian Gray Oscar Wilde
Another classic by its own right, this book has been on my to-read shelf since years. One time, much criticised for its offensive narration, picture of dorian gray has easily become one of the most sold books of all times. It is the power of reflecting the soul without stripping it has made it famous among the classic lovers. This year I pledge to find the copy that has been buried under the books under my shelf since forever. And read it too!
Sophie Says by Judy Balan
There was one time when I was discovering Indian Authors when I came across Judy Balan’s first book called “Two Fates”. I was spell bound. Not because of the story but her command over the language. Hence when her second book released I can claim that I was the first person to buy it. Both kindle and paperback copies. Yes, I now own both the copies. Soon the excitement died when I read reviews and many people criticised the book. Since then I have not picked up the book to read.
This year I think is a good time to remember why I liked her first book which was just for the writing skill and give the second book a shot again!
Slade House by David Mitchell
I received ARC copy of the book by the publisher. I could not contain the happiness when I realised I would be able to read the book much earlier than many. I started reading it immediately but to my surprise I could not get through the first chapter at all.
The book is an excellent composition, not to mislead. It’s the writing style and the stories itself that were difficult to wrap my head around. Such complexity and from the very beginning till the end. These are the kind of stories that you read and let them sink. And come back to read other stories later. But it has been a long time since I started the book and I owe the publisher a review. So I have decided to finish the book this year, early this year is what I mean. Hopefully I would be able to gather my thoughts and put across what I liked on the book clearly!
The danish girl by David Ebershoff
This is partly because I admire the author for the work he has done on ‘The Nineteenth Wife’ (review yet to come) and partly because I want to be ready when the movie comes out. The trailer looks beautiful to say the least. It consists of one of my favourite actors as the leading man or lady?! I can’t wait to see him in action again.
Not to miss, the complexity of the story.
Love In The Time Of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
The classic by Gabriel García Márquez has been on my to-read shelf since years now. The love story based at the time of second world war has been recommend to me by everyone whom I trust with good judgement of books. I have already taken a small step in the direction by reading ‘the story of a shipwrecked sailor’ by the author. Even though it is said to be much different from the latter works by the author I hope to understand the expression better. One hundred years of solitude is another book that I pledge to read this year. For similar reasons of course!
The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh
This is one of the few great Indian Authors who is keeping the readers lined up near the book stores, I have been hearing praises for the book. Nearly sure that I would love this book, I bought myself a hard bound copy of the same. It is now lying on the shelf under other titles. This year I have decided that I am going to dust it off and start reading. I have a feeling I will discovered another favourite book by an Indian author.