Piyush's Logbook for 2014

I am Piyush, 29, from Mumbai, India. An electrical engineer and MBA by education, a finance professional by occupation.

This will be my 6th year with the 75ers. I read Fiction, Non-Fiction (Science and Finance/Economics based), Classics, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Dystopian, Thrillers, Horror and Humour, with a sprinkling of plays. I don't do poetry. I also read, but not log here, quite a bit of Graphic Novels, Mangas and Mahnwas.

I have started my book Blog in October, 2013, which can be found at:-

http://www.thereadersdilemma.blogspot.in/

Following were my top 5 reads for the year, in no particular order:-

1. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
2. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
3. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
4. Angle of Repose by Wallace Stagner
5. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Here is my last year's thread:-
http://www.librarything.com/topic/146563

Marking my place, Piyush, for when the 2014 reading begins.

Welcome back!

Hi Piyush!

Thanks and welcome Linda, Doc and the new to my thread, Diana :)

Hi Piyush, I'm going to try keeping up with your thread in the coming year.

Hi Piyush, found and starred you again. Happy Reading!

Starred, as usual! :D

*waits patiently for books*

#6 Hi Caro, welcome :)

#7 Thanks Nathalie, happy reading to you too, in this coming new year!

#8 Welcome Faith! Currently, I am busy finishing my last book (77th) for the year. While I have already planned many books (quite a few group reads) for 2014, extending till the end of 2014, I am yet to sort out my January first week reading :D

Starring!! Following happily along! ;)

Piyush - my business takes me occasionally to India and sometimes to Mumbai. Wonderful place whose contribution to literature is not to be sniffed at.

Have a lovely 2014.

#10 Welcome to the thread Tina, hope you have started the year on a high note :)

#11 Thanks for the wishes Paul, wish a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2014 to you too. Mumbai is a wonderful city (and my favourite in India), hope you liked it here.

Returning the visit, Piyush. Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Thread is starred. :)

Thanks Rachel, a very Happy New Year to you too :)

Hi Piyush.

Happy New Year and best wishes for the Challenge.

Hello Piyush. Stopping by to visit. I also read/listened to The Handmaid's Tale this past year. I mainly listened because the narration was done by Claire Danes. It was really quite excellent in that format.

I'll be starting Shards of Honor on audio soon!

#16 Thanks James. A very Happy New Year and Happy Reading to you too :)

#17 Welcome Roberta! The Handmaid's Tale, apart from being a powerful story, is extremely well written, I have not yet listened to an Audio Book, but this one would probably be one of the ideal books to listen to. Before joining this group and also for sometime after that, I was very skeptic about audio books in general, now I am more ambivalent and the only reason I haven't listened to any, yet, is because I take cabs and don't drive myself, since the last 5 years.

Hi, Piyush!
I listened to, as opposed to read, The Handmaid's Tale and loved it in that format, too.

Hi Amber, welcome! The Handmaid's Tale, written in a diary format (sans the dates) would probably make for good audio books.

I think I would make a post sometime soon listing down my reasons for assuming (yes, they would be assumptions, since, as admitted in my previous post, I am yet to try any) audio books aren't a great idea - so that folks here who do enjoy audio books can refute / reinforce / do some myth busting (if indeed they do turn out to be myths).

Starred your thread a week ago, but I haven’t gotten around to everyone yet... need to carve out time to read books too.

I have yet to read anything by Margaret Atwood, but she’s on my list the next time I get to the library. Actually I was there last week but it had closed early because of snow.

#21 I am still discovering threads, my first round of starring was the day after the Group was created, because of which I missed many threads, since then I have sporadically starring known threads.

This one was my first Atwood read too, after spending a long time in my TBR. I hope to read another sometime later this year, schedule and TBR permitting. Better luck next time at the library.

Mumbai has very pleasant winters (even if hot and humid weather the rest of the year), temperature remains in the vicinity of 18-20C.

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth

End of Day 5 of the new year, and I finally have my first read for the year! Divergent! While I have planned most of my reads for January, this one, ironically, was the last addition to the list. January is the month when we start with the year long Group Read of the Vorkosigan Series, AND the year long read of Culture Series AND the quarterly read of Middlemarch AND the quarterly (for me) read of Bleak House, apart from a few other books of my own, planned for this month. Luckily, I finished my RL Book Club reads for January (Sputnik Sweetheart by Murakami and Disgrace by Coetzee) in 2013 itself. I knew it to be the author's publishing debut, a Dystopian work, with a female lead character. Surprising isn't it? The surge in the number of strong female lead characters in Dystopian works lately? Or maybe not all that surprising, since most of these new authors venturing into Dystopian works are female authors AND that historically, female lead characters have been grossly under-represented in Sci-Fi / Dystopian works AND that there exists (existed) a huge (latent) demand for such work.

Getting back to the book in question, a strong plot, simplistic and executable, just like it should be - 5 factions, based on (dominant?) characteristics and traits - and while we don't get to see a lot of Amity or Candor or even Erudite, for that matter, one gets a good idea about those factions would be all about. The entire story is enacted within a city, and there is no clarity about the world outside the walls, which I am assuming will be left for the subsequent books. This is actually not a bad thing, rather, this was one of the things I liked about this novel, it didn't try to do too much, too soon. This was one of my complaints with Samantha Shannon's debut work, Bone Season.

Beatrice's is a delightful character, with all her values and contradictions, it was very well done. Unfortunately, this clarity seemed to be lacking in most of the other characters, including in that of Four, the main male character who is part scary, part brave, part mysterious and yet romantic? Clearly, this character needs some work. Many of the other characters (mostly other initiates) have been dealt very superficially, which could probably be an indication of Beatrice not being properly able to evaluate them herself, but I doubt she would know as little as we do.

The rating of 4*, is indicative of how much I still enjoyed this book, and anticipate reading the sequel.

4/5

Glad you liked Divergent, Piyush. Are you planning to see the forthcoming film?

Hi Piyush, I am dropping by to place a star and find a comfortable corner to settle in. I love your list of your top 5 reads from 2013 as I have The Wind Up Bird Chronicle and Doctor Sleep on my TBR and Angle of Repose and The Handmaiden's Tale on my wishlist. I believe there is going to be another Atwood April this year so I will probably read The Handmaiden's Tale then.

Looking forward to following along with your reading this year.

I really enjoyed Divergent when I read it in 2012... I want to see the film & read the third in the series, so I think I'm going to need to re-read both Divergent and Insurgent first to refresh my memory.

Happy New Year, Piyush! I'm also participating in the Vorkosigan reads and probably in at least some of the Culture series, so I'll definitely see you around.

#24 Hi Micky, I sure am planning to watch the movie, that was one of the reasons I wanted to read it in this first quarter.

I wasn't so thrilled with the Catching Fire movie adaptation, hoping Divergent will do better.

#25 Welcome Judith, and thanks, I am sure you will enjoy them all too, once you get to read them. If there happens to be an Atwood April scheduled this year, I will probably join in too, with another book.

#26 Hey Tina! I plan to watch the movie as well, it is scheduled to for a US release on March 21, the Indian release dates aren't out yet, fingers crossed!

#27 A very Happy New Year to you too, Roni! I am pretty sure I have already got your thread starred, and will see you in both of those year long reads as well :)

I have Divergent et al. on my wish list and will likely break down and buy them at some point soon, because I'm pretty excited about reading them.

Re: why audio books: I like them for when I'm knitting or otherwise sitting and working with my hands, because it gives me something to think about while doing repetitive work. Same for listening while driving. But the difficult thing for me is finding readers who don't just absolutely annoy me, and sometimes that can be difficult.

Hi Amber, I think you will like Divergent too, and since the movie adaptation is coming soon, I think sometime in the next 2 months would be a good time to *break down*.

Oh yes, I need to write that post about audio books, soonish, by this weekend I hope.

Found your thread & got you starred, Piyush!

Glad you liked Divergent. I enjoyed that one as well - actually, I liked it better than The Hunger Games, but I think that may just be because I knew what I was getting into with the kid-on-kid violence when I started Divergent. It rather surprised me when I read THG.

#31 Welcome Marcia!

#32 Hi Rachel! Even if my rating for both the books is at 4, I probably liked The Hunger Games (the first part) a little better than Divergent, probably because there the first book was a complete story in itself, and the fact that kid-on-kid violence in books disturbs me less than probably it should.

Have a wonderful weekend, Piyush!

#34 Thanks Diana, wish the same to you :)

2. Shards of Honour by Lois McMaster Bujold

This was for the year long Group read of the Vorkosigan Saga in the Category Challenge (http://www.librarything.com/topic/160914). I have read 3 books in the series earlier, not in the chronological order though. This group read will be a time to make amends and with this hop I started with the first book in the series, one featuring Cordelia, mother of Miles, the protagonist in the latter parts of the series. We also meet another strong and fascinating character, Aral Vorkosigan, Miles's father, but it would be fair to say the book was more about Cordelia.

It would be difficult to define her characteristics, measure her with parameters, the character is so multi-faceted. She is a military woman, but the author has steered away from the temptation of making her a Wonder Woman. She is strong willed, smart and well, as others in the book would say, honourable. And yeah, she is not a love-sick teenager, but a mature middle aged woman, so is Aral (except the woman part!). She is also the one who with her smartness, resourcefulness and no small measure of luck, turns around difficult situations on their head, and supports Aral only like she could. I quite liked Aral Vorkosigan too, in all his military might, and yeah, he actually comes across more honourable than Cordelia even!

There is a war in the background and some really unpleasant incidents, but they all seem to be the setup for the Cordelia - Aral story. The author must again be applauded for exercising her good sense and not overdoing it with the romance part.

Needless to say, I will be starting with the next instalment, Barrayar, within a week.

***1/2

Piyush I'm stopping in to wish you a very lovely weekend.

I'm predicting you like Barrayar even more!

I agree with Roni, as much as I loved Shards of Honor, I did like Barrayar even more. :)

#37 Thanks Roberta, wish a wonderful weekend to you too :)

#38' Hi Roni and Judith, you are building up my anticipation for the next Vorkosigan read! I think I will start this one towards the end of the coming week or the start of the week after that.

Just stopping by to wish you a very happy weekend, Piyush!

Thanks Amber, wish the very best of the weekends to you too :)

Hey Piyush, you should crosspost your review to the Cordelia's Honor discussion thread so it can contribute to the discussion!

#43 Done!

3. Second Son by Lee Child

I had been planning to try this series since the movie adaptation featuring Tom Cruise and Rosamund Pike came out in 2012. Come 2014, and I started with this short novella the first in the series, chronologically, with a teenaged Jack Reacher. I read this book, fully knowing that this short novella was written with the soul purpose to give some kind of background to Jack Reacher, his history, his roots and nothing else; there still was more action than expected.

A satisfying read, for now I will continue with the series.

***

Hey Piyush... Here to come by and say hello and catch up. Hope you are having a good weekend.

Hi Tina! I see you are having a great weekend with that wonderful haul, about which I forgot to congratulate you on your thread *must have been distracted by something shinier*

4. Cry Wolf by Wilbur Smith

This a random read, completely out of my schedule, a book not even in my TBR. This also happened to be my second experience with Wilbur Smith, the first being an entertaining read, River God, which was a very different kind of book, set in an entirely different time and space.

Cry Wolf is a war fiction based on the 1935 Italian attack on Ethiopia, a deplorable event, a testimony to the ineffectiveness of the League of Nations (not that the current United Nations is doing such a stellar job). There seems to be a lot of errors and omissions from the actual event of attack, which may still be forgiven for this being a fictional account. But the book isn't much otherwise either, some bravado, some romance, a pinch of humour and a lot of craziness; but it fails to make a mark, emotional or otherwise. I probably would have been more moved by a well written account of a war between Martians and Plutonians.

An average read, I doubt I will sample more of what Wilbur Smith has to offer.

**1/2

Here is an article listing the 16 major movie adaptations of books releasing this year. Gillian Flynn, interestingly has two of her books, being adapted into movies. I have only read Gone Girl of the two, which was quite a ride, though I hear the movie adaptation would be changing Book 3 of the work. I have read only 2 of the 16, probably will read a few more of them this year.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariellecalderon/books-to-read-before-they-hit-theaters-t...

1. Labor Day by Joyce Maynard

2. The Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel and Bret Witter

3. Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin

4. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

5. A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby

6. Divergent by Veronica Roth

7. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

8. The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais

9. The Giver by Lois Lowry

10. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

11. This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

12. The Maze Runner by James Dashner

13. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

14. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

15. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

16. Serena by Ron Rash

Now I feel ... err... what is the opposite of well-read? :)
I didn't read one of those books that will be turned into movies.

I have only read The Giver, which is a classic. I'm dubious about the movie.

#50 I was just thinking the same Nathalie! I haven't read any either, though I keep thinking about reading Gone Girl. Then I get distracted...

#51 I too am dubious about the movie. I wonder how they are going to "ruin" it. They have already aged the main character.

I'm listening to/reading Wild right now.

#50 Nathalie, I have read only 2 of the 16 too, and one of them (Divergent) early enough to catch the movie version expected to come out in the later part of March.

#51 & #53 I haven't read The Giver, it is on my TBR, but I am not sure when will I be able to read it. Thankfully, I don't feel compelled to watch movie adaptations of ALL the books I have read, I wilfully skip many of them, and now I don't even feel cheated when the movie deviates significantly from the book, as long as I know upfront that, that would be the case, like in the case of the Hobbit trilogy.

#52 Gone Girl is a very interesting read, Bekka, you should definitely get to it, with or without planning to watch the movie adaptation.

#53 Roberta, please do share your views on Wild, once you are done reading/listening to it. I am not the backpacker / traveller kind, guess I am too entrenched in the luxuries of city life, but I do find the concept very interesting.

Oh, a Giver movie, eh? Interesting...

I teach high school English, and read some YA lit so that I can make recommendations to my students. I am really looking forward to the movie adaptations of Divergent and The Fault in Our Stars. The tagline on TFioS movie poster is causing a bit of stir - "One Sick Love Story." I think it's clever and true to the book, but Shailene Woodley, the star of the movie, really dislikes it. I guess it may be a bit snarky for a film about two teens with cancer.

Hello Dear Pisyush!

I found and starred your thread. I'll check back often. All good wishes are sent to you. And, by the way, your blog is great!

#55 Interesting indeed! *pretends to know what Amber is talking about, having not read the book*

#56 Hi Kait, While reading Divergent was an easy choice to make (choice to read), The Fault in Our Stars isn't so, for me. I agree with the Ms. Woodley, the tagline doesn't really seem appropriate, even if it makes some kind of factual sense.

#57 Hi Linda, welcome to the thread, I heartily reciprocate all the good wishes, and more. I am glad you liked the blog.

Stopping by to say hi, Piyush. Have you finished Barrayar yet?

I haven't read The Fault in our Stars yet, but it's sitting on a shelf. But I know what it's about and I don't really like that tagline either. Blech.

I feel the need to re-read Divergent both to prep for the movie and to prep for reading Insurgent again so that I can finally get to Allegiant. I've forgotten so much!

Hi Piyush. I've read three from the movie list, The Giver, Divergent and The Maze Runner, I can see both Divergent and The Maze Runner making action packed movies, but I am a little nervous about The Giver, at least it does have Jeff Bridges in it.

Almost all the other movies listed are books on my TBR so I guess I need to get reading since I always prefer to have read the book before seeing the movie.

#59 No Roni, haven't even started with Barrayar yet, currently finishing up Consider Phlebas, the first book of the Culture series. I figured we have a month each for each Vorkosigan book (I have read 3 more in the series in the last year, year and a half) and each Culture book, so no need to rush the reading.

#60 Hi Tina, let me know if you would be interested in a mini group read of Insurgent and later Allegiant.

#61 Hi Judith, it has happened multiple times with me that I watched and liked a movie without previously knowing that the movie is an adaptation and that I had the option to do things differently (for instance Cloud Atlas). That is the reason this time I checked for the movie adaptations of books scheduled to be released this year. I have read Divergent and Gone Girl and might consider reading a few more before the movies hit the theaters.

How are you liking Consider Phlebas?

49: Hmm, I've read four of them: the two by Gillian Flynn, Unbroken, Wild. I didn't think so highly of Wild, but I'd see movies of the others.

I'm quite excited for The Maze Runner film, but I'm also worried about whether it will be any good or turn into another Percy Jackson fiasco. I've yet to read Divergent, but it's on the shelf and I'll definitely pick it up before the film is out.

#63 Mixed thoughts Kriti, will finish and write about it soon, probably this weekend.

#64 Katherine Wild is the one of the less likely books for me to read from that list, I might still be tempted to watch the movie though, if the reviews are good.

#65 Faith There is a good probability that I would read and then watch The Maze Runner. I haven't read or watched the Percy Jacksons, though it has been on my TBR and I would very much have got to it, had it not been the year long Vorkosigan read.

I'm still waiting for the library to deliver Consider Phlebas to my local branch, Piyush.

5. Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata - Devdutt Pattanaik

Mahabharata is an epic, the longest one in the world. It forms the most important part of Indian mythology and is a cornerstone of Hindu religion. Many of its sub-sects, like the Ramayana (an abbreviated version) and Bhagwada Gita, are quite famous in their own right.

Jaya is an ambitious effort by the author in illustrating and interpreting many of the events of Mahabharata, in which he traces the ancestry and origins of the Kauravas and Pandavas, relating stories about their ancestors, illustrating how every event is the result of Karma, even if it is not immediately apparent, and that such Karma is not necessarily restricted to that birth and could be carried forward from a previous birth, or inherited (for better or worse, generally worse) from an ancestor. Funny story about Karma, not all apparent good deeds carried out with the best of intentions are necessarily good and not all apparent bad deeds carried out with the worst of intentions are necessarily bad.

While I was generally aware of many of the main stories of Mahabharata, and some side stories, a lot many more were new to me, neither had I always thought about the interpretation of those stories in such terms. I was pleasantly surprised with the illustrations and interpretations, in which the author doesn't try to moralise or create interpretations to be different or for the shock value.

Among other things, the book lists down the names of all the 100 Kauravas, the origin of patriarchy in India, the breaking of rules in the battle of Kurukshetra (Pandavas, are surprisingly the culprit of most of such breaks in Rules of War; the justification being that Kauravas, in the events leading to the war have followed Matsya Nyaya (equivalent to Law of the Jungle) and hence can no longer deserve a fair battle) and the eight ways in which a man and woman can come together. I have noted for my personal reference all the above and some more of such very interesting tit-bits, which makes this book quite a pleasure to read.

I don't know if and when will I be ever able to read the complete Mahabharata, for now, I can only hope.

****

#67 Hi Roni, I have just finished Consider Phlebas, will hopefully post a mini-review tomorrow, if I don't get too lazy.

>68 PiyushC:: Oh, I like the sound of that one - thanks for the excellent review, Piyush!

6. Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks

Culture Series is a Science Fiction series written by Iain M. Banks, famed author of The Wasp Factory, which he wrote under the name Iain Banks (less the initial of his middle name "M", which he adopts only while writing Science Fiction). Consider Phlebas, the first book of the Culture Series, however became my unlikely first encounter with Banks, now that I am reading it for the year long Culture read. Among other things peculiar about this book, to which I shall return shortly, I would never have guessed, even after reading the book, the significance of the seeming random title of the book, until I actually googled for it!

In a typical first book of a 10 book series, one would expect a lot of world building, introduction to few of the key characters, and a few skirmishes. Not so in Consider Phlebas. This one is being like thrown into the deep end of a pool to figure out All of the Above, while gasping for breath. There is a protagonist, Horza, a changer, a humanoid species, about which not much is known, other than bits and pieces here and there over the course of the book. Then there are the two warring factions about whose idealogical differences we are equally clueless about, other than some vague philosophising by the protagonist when he tries to explain why he chose one side over the other. I, for one, randomly chose the side of the protagonist for most part of the book and kind of switched sides near the end. It is only while reading the epilogue that things become somewhat more clear.

Surprisingly, for a book concerned with a super-war between two super-species, we meet not more than 3 characters each from each of those two factions, the rest of the cast being or should have been miscellaneous characters. Then there is a whole lot of action, not all pleasant, not all palatable. There are also passages where the book becomes an absolute drag, readers would be able to identify "the eaters" being one such passage. Also, there is a whole lot of idiocy and stupidity among characters, (mostly on "the planet") which can sometimes be very grating on the nerves.

For all that (and not all the characteristics in the above paragraphs are negatives, they are mostly peculiar), the book is very fast paced, reads like a standalone book, and I am not sure if this book will have any connection to the rest of the series, time will tell. I will continue with the series.

***

#70 Thanks Amber! Are you, perhaps, interested in Indian Mythology?

#71: Piyush, all the Culture books are standalone – I should've perhaps mentioned that in the group read thread. I'm just reading them in order because I want to.

>72 PiyushC:: I am, Piyush. I've read parts of the Mahabharata, but I'd love to read more. Years ago I started studying Sanskrit, but I was in grad school and didn't have enough time to devote to it properly. I wish I could pick it back up, really.

#73 That is something I didn't know, not a bad thing really, though I doubt how can one understand the culture of "The Culture", reading books which are separated by 100s of years, maybe more, given that culture itself is a fleeting thing, a thing at an instant of time, continuously evolving. Guess, I will wait and see.

#74 Hi Amber, there are quite a few translations available if you are okay reading it in English. I can read the Sanskrit script (or used to be able to, in my high school days), but I cannot write (not to be confused with copying), speak or understand (other than the basics) the language with any degree of expertise. I laud your effort in trying to learn Sanskrit, it is not an easy language to learn, there are 21 different forms of verbs and 3 grammatical numbers (singular, dual and plural), and the gender is just a tad less confusing than German.

7. Killing Floor - Lee Child

After reading chronologically, the first Jack Reacher book, I started with Killing Floor, the first Lee Child novel, written with Jack Reacher as the protagonist, a book which won the Anthony Award for Best First Novel when it got released in 1997.

Set in a small town in America, this was a fast paced thriller, with its not-so-small plots and conspiracies. There is a lot of action, some goriness, and a whole lot of entertainment. The book doesn't strive to be real and hence avoids from becoming ridiculous - you know what you are reading, and why you are reading it. One of the takeaways from thrillers is that with the research the author puts in, or supposed to have put it, one gets to know a whole lot of interesting tid-bits, which otherwise may not have come in one's way - this one for instance gave a crash (if lacking in details) course on counterfeiting operations.

I see no harm in continuing with the series.

***

> #76 - Maybe just some slight harm to your wallet, Piyush, as there are some 20 books in the series! ;)

Piyush, I really liked Killing Floor and it sets off a very good series.

#77 Well, yeah, but Lee Child is a famous enough author in India to get good quality second hand books which I can later pass on; I am happy with them, but I am sure I will never re-read them and they are not keepers for me.

#78 Paul, I thought so too, especially it being his debut novel, I hope the series will continue to entertain me.

The first month of the year ended with 7 books, Jaya by Devdutt Pattnaik and Divergent by Veronica Roth being the top reads for the month.

This year, I am also trying to create a monthly reading plan, how much I will be able to stick to it, only time will tell, but an effort, I am definitely going to make.

So here are my reading plans for February:-

1. The Player of Games (Book 2 of the Culture Series) by Iain M. Banks
2. Die Trying (Book 2 of Jack Reacher Series) by Lee Child
3. Jeeves in the Offing by P. G. Wodehouse
4. Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
5. The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
6. The Serpent's Tooth (Book 5 of the Empire of the Moghul Series) by Alex Rutherford

January Reads:
1. Divergent by Veronica Roth (****)
2. Shards of Honour by Lois McMaster Bujold (**1/2)
3. Second Son by Lee Child (***)
4. Cry Wolf by Wilbur Smith (**1/2)
5. Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata by Devdutt Pattanaik (****)
6. Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks (***)
7. Killing Floor (***)

I loved Player of Games last year - hope you enjoy.

I'm reading my first Wodehouse now and just loving it. Glad to see him on your February list!

#81 Bekka, I have started the book, and so far, so good :)

#82 Amber If you are reading your first Wodehouse, you have a jolly good time ahead of you :)

The one I chose was picked randomly, but it is a Jeeves book, so I expect it to be good.

#82 and 83 Absolutely! I love PG Wodehouse and must have read about sixty or seventy of his books, and re-read many of them several times. I think that Right ho, Jeeves and The Code of the Woosters are probably the best of the Jeeves and Bertie stories, while Leave it to Psmith is probably the apotheosis of the Blandings novels (with the added benefit of featuring Psmith who is a marvellous character in his own right).

Absolutely YES to Insurgent and Allegiant. Just let me know when so I can re-read Divergent again first before we start those two!

#84 James Jeeves in the Offing will only be my 6th Wodehouse, a wise, old man here (named Richard) once told me to go slow with the Wodehouses, lest I lose interest in them. Amongst the 3 named by you, I have read and like Leave it to Psmith, I agree he is quite a marvellous character by himself, though Lord Emsworth's worth is not to be underestimated either :)

#85 Tina How about you re-read Divergent in February and we schedule Insurgent for March and Allegiant for April? I am open to alternative schedules.

Darn! I forgot I had signed up for Anne of Green Gables and drew up my February schedule and publicly broadcasted it for the first time this month. It would be a shame to drop one of the "chosen" ones, even the less deserving ones, and let my monthly schedule run awry in its very first month, I will try to somehow fit this one in as the 7th book for the month and hope for the best.

8. The Player of Games by Ian M. Banks

The Player of Games is the second book in the Culture Series, the second in a series of ten. As I have already mentioned earlier in my review of Consider Phlebas, the first book in the series, I am reading this series as part of a year long read

Now, while I didn't care much for Book 1 in the series, Book 2 was an entirely different matter altogether. For one, the title of the book is exactly what the book is about; the protagonist, Jernau Morat Gurgeh, is a Player of Games, nothing more, nothing less. There is a hint of Ender's Game, but no more than just a hint. The games themselves, set in a world far too much in future, are no high tech video games, but Board games! Strategy based Board and card games! There is less action of the traditional kind, less bloodshed, and the book is much better for that. While game playing is the premise of the book, from beginning to the end, the change in the protagonist is more fascinating. The book is brilliant in that it doesn't lack congruity at any point of time, the culture of Culture is better understood in this book and so is the place of humans and machines in their culture.

There is travel to a distant civilisation, interaction with other humanoid species, and perhaps the most exhaustive game in the universe. The "Minds" in this book continue to be all knowing, benevolent. I could be wrong, but I suspect an Assimovish twist to the story in its latter parts.

Humans in Culture are genetically enhanced, with in-built drug glands, ability to pass food and drinks through, easy sex changes, growing back of parts, among other things. Yet they need to pee, sounds quite wasteful for a civilisation like Culture, doesn't it?

4/5

Since the library still hasn't gotten me Consider Phlebas, maybe I'll just skip that one and go straight to Player of Games!

#89 Roni Not a bad idea, given that this is not a traditional series, and all books can be read on a stand-alone basis. Read Consider Phlebas whenever you can.

Glad you liked it Piyush - I must must pick up more Culture novels. Have you read Complicity at all? I know it's not a culture one, it's just the remaining 1,001 Banks I haven't read. I was thinking about it this year.

hi Piyush, this is Parvin from Assam. the books in your list seems pretty interesting. happy reading!!

#91 Bekka These last two Culture novels are my first interaction with Banks, I am yet to read any of his other works, haven't read any of his works from the 1,001 either. I must update my 1,001 list, I believe I will be somewhere around the 100 books mark in that list.

#92 Welcome to my thread and the 75ers Group, Parvin, always glad to see a fellow countrymate reader.

Just checking in, Piyush...hoping the week ahead is a good one for you!

#94 Hi Amber Am not in the best of health, caught some flu over the weekend, with all the usual goodies, cold, cough, fever and body ache. Generally, my illnesses are short lived, 3-4 days to get back to working conditions, even if the full recovery takes a little longer than a week; taking a day off on Monday, lets hope I am better by Tuesday.

9. Die Trying - Lee Child

Die Trying, was almost like a back-to-back read for me, after reading Killing Floor, towards the end of January. Worried as I was, about a Jack Reacher overdose, it was just alright this one time. This was another fast paced thriller, this time about a bunch of delusional revolutionaries. Jack Reacher, once again continues to be at the wrong place at the right time, which I believe will be the theme of the series, something I don't seem to mind at all!

Long story short, the hero beats the hell out of the bad guys, etc.

I like the way Lee Child's endings differ from your typical James Bond novels when it comes to the female leads.

I think I will wait a couple of months before I read the next installment.

3/5

Hope you feel better soon Piyush. Reading time if nothing else.

Sorry to hear that you're not feeling well, Piyush! Get well soon.

95: Oh no! Hope you have a supply of books to settle in with.

Oh, no! I hope the flu gets gone soon for you.

Thanks Bekka, Kriti, Katherine and Amber for the wishes, should be up and about by tomorrow I think.

10. The Serpent's Tooth - Alex Rutherford

The Serpent's Tooth is the fifth book in Alex Rutherford's Moghul Series, a series I started and read the first four books of last year. This instalment deals with the ShahJahan's reign and the coming in power of Aurangzeb. This book also includes the making of Taj Mahal, the actual construction of which, was lightly touched upon, a shortcoming in my opinion, given the status of the monument, as well as the general aura of mystery surrounding its construction.

The battle scenes have grown stale and all we learn from the book is ShahJahan's sob story, how much he loves his wife, and how much he misses her once she dies, neglecting his kingdom and his children (and yet, oddly, not denouncing the crown in favour of his eldest, who is well into his 30s). We probably were supposed to feel sorry for him, I didn't. Equally lacking was the lacklustre character development of ShahJahan's children, including the wicked-most of them all, Aurangzeb. He comes across as a fanatic, conspiracy freak who is either (or not) a good General. Perhaps the next book (the last in the series I guess) would shed some more light.

2.5/5

Sorry to hear you were hit with the flu bug, Piyush, but hope you are now up and feeling better.

Ditto what Judy said. I hope you are feeling better today!

Thanks Judith and Linda for your kind thoughts. I am better and have resumed work today. No adverse effects other than some fatigue.

An interesting top 100 list, liked the willingness to abandon great titles, disgruntled with many choices.

http://www.harvard.com/shelves/top100/

30/100

I like that list! I've read 41 of them and most of the ones I haven't I'd actually be willing to read!! Hope you are feeling better, Piyush.

I like the list, too, although I don't think I've met a book list that I *didn't* like. I've only read 33/100, but lots of them are on other lists that I'm working through, so that number should rise soonish.

I'm on 41 too - and agreed, most of the ones I haven't read I'd be willing to try. Though some I think are odd choices.

#107 Roni, there are a few I may not want to read, the Toni Morrisons or the Hemingways for instance. I think you are the right person to ask, what is Dealing with Dragons? I read my fair share of fantasy, and this one really caught me by surprise!

#108 HiAmber, I have a few, listed in my message to Roni, which I did't like or wouldn't want to read, though I expect my tally to reach around 50 as well, without making an extra effort.

#109 Bekka! Odd choices for sure, even if not too many bad choices - it made me wonder on multiple occasions, why this instead of that, while going through the list.

But a very different list compared to the usual ones, I liked it for that, as much as for anything else.

Dealing With Dragons is a very funny, light fantasy about a princess who runs away to live with dragons and does NOT want knights to rescue her. Very clever and engaging, even if it doesn't sound like your cup of tea.

#111 Thanks for that info, I don't really know whether or not if it would be my cup of tea, LT readers seem to rank it quite highly, so do you by all appearances.

11. Barrayar - Lois McMaster Bujold

This is the second book (chronologically) in the Vorkosigan Saga, the first being Shards of Honour, the book I started my year long Vorkosigan Saga read this.

I have elaborated enough on Cordelia's character in my previous review, in this (short) one, I will talk more about the book.

Cordelia takes off from the first book, doing all the things which endeared her to me and I am sure many other readers. She, then dons her Rambo outfit, and even in that she excels.

I was however disappointed that in her effort to flaunt Cordelia, Bujold made Aral too much of a side character - we don't see the non-Cordelia portions of the war at all! And I do mean, at all! The title of the book could well have been Cordelia in Barrayar.

There was enough space for the two to co-exist, Cordelia's adventures set in the background of Aral's manoeuvring of the war effort, with the contrast in their (supplementary) abilities would probably have made for much better reading in my opinion.

3.5/5

12. Jeeves in the Offing - P. G. Wodehouse

Wodehouse was the chosen author for February, and while I rarely participate in the monthly Author reads, any excuse to return to the wonderful world of Wodehouse is a welcome one.

Picking a Wodehouse is generally a safe bet, picking one featuring Bertram Wooster and Jeeves is an even safer one. Jeeves in the Offing was no exception.

Despite not being one of the top Wodehouse works, Jeeves in the Offing, manages to entertain. There was a lot less of Jeeves, but the book was carried admirably by Bertie and Bobbie Wickham. It is surprising how well Wodehouse develops his characters, old and new, even in books as short as his usually are; with most of the characters being sketched and portrayed in conversations among the other characters.

This was a refreshing read and it made me get over the disappointment of my last Wodehouse, The Clicking of Cuthbert.

3/5

Came across this list of the most difficult books, I confess to having tried none of them and hence can't comment objectively, though was surprised to not see Ulysses in there, another book I have not yet tried.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/tip-sheet/article/5340...

1. Nightwood by Djuna Barnes
2. A Tale of A Tub by Jonathan Swift
3. The Phenomenology of the Spirit by G.F. Hegel
4. To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
5. Clarissa, Or the History of a Young Lady by Samuel Richardson
6. Finnegans Wake by James Joyce
7. Being & Time by Martin Heidegger
8. The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser
9. The Making of Americans by Gertrude Stein
10. Women & Men by Joseph McElroy

13. The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

The History of Love is different, even if my writing skills fail to showcase how. This is not a sad story or a happy one, it just is. A book with the most interesting and extreme characters, this is not a love story, at least not entirely, and yet it is about love. It is about a love story with an unsatisfactory end, another with a satisfactory one, a story about lives wasted, betrayal and guilt, about never getting over a lost one, a story about a father's love for his son, friendship, a young girl in past, a young one in present and a very eccentric child.

It is extremely well written, even as it challenges the reader to keep up with the multiple threads interwoven across lives, across time. While covering the lives of so many characters in detail, the author does an even more amazing job of consciously ignoring some of them, leaving just enough to the imagination of the reader, and all the reader has are the realities and perceptions of those characters, as seen through the eyes of the ones whose lives were covered. There is not a sense of closure to most of the characters and even that is not unwelcome.

4/5

#115 I've read three - A Tale of a Tub is awful but blessedly short, I loathed To the Lighthouse but I am a Woolf hater. And Clarissa is just long. Very very long.

I've also read parts of The Faerie Queene for uni - I'm not sure why that's on there. Asides from the length I mean.

#117 Bekka, I have read Jacob's Room by Woolf and quite hated it, if To the Lighthouse is more of that, I shall stay away.

>115 PiyushC:: Well, I've read Clarissa and The Faerie Queen and very much enjoyed both. The Spenser is a bit difficult to get into at first until you get used to the language, though. I've read Ulysses, too. Ptooey, I say! Blech!

Better late than never... found you and starred. :)

#119 Amber, Clarissa seems to be a monstrous one, congrats to you and Bekka for finishing it. The Faerie Queen, among other things, is in verse form, a format I tend to avoid. Someday I shall attempt the Joyce works, someday, definitely.

#120 Kathy! Good to see you, better late than never! Now that I think about it, I am not sure I saw your thread at all this year. *goes looking*

You couldn't have seen it as I opened the thread (www.librarything.com/topic/170972) just yesterday. :) At the moment I'm lurking and looking around to see what's new here on LT.

>86 PiyushC: I missed the mark for February, but I can re-read both Divergent & Insurgent this month & be ready for Allegiant in April.... That good for you, P?

>122 PersephonesLibrary: Yup, found and starred yoy :P

>123 TinaV95: I haven't read Insurgent either, already have a hectic March reading scheduled, will post about it in a day or two. I can do Insurgent in April and Allegiant in May if that works for you?

14. Anne of Green Gables - Lucy Maud Montgomery

My last read for February, this was one more of my LT Group reads - Anne of Green Gables, a children's story, which turned out to be a most delightful read. Set in, from what I hear, the very picturesque Prince Edward Island in Canada, the pride and delight of the author in describing the beauty of the island, through the eyes of little Anne, was very apparent.

And little Anne turned out to be quite a character too! With no one immune or able to resist her enchanting influence, she thrills the otherwise quiet folks at Avonlea. That she charms the reader too, is a foregone conclusion.

The book was just the right length too, and ends with Anne as a 16 year old girl. Apparently there are sequels, but I would likely skip them, for I highly doubt the young woman, Anne, would hold my attention as much as girl Anne did.

4/5

The month of February ended with another 7 reads, and surprisingly enough, I was able to stick to my schedule.

The summary of my February reads is as under:-

1. The Player of Games (Book 2 of the Culture Series) by Iain M. Banks
2. Die Trying (Book 2 of Jack Reacher Series) by Lee Child
3. The Serpent's Tooth (Book 5 of the Empire of the Moghul Series) by Alex Rutherford
4. Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
5. Jeeves in the Offing by P. G. Wodehouse
6. The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
7. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

My March plans are as under:-

1. The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri (for RL Book Club)
2. The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold (LT Group Read)
3. Use of Weapons (Book 3 of the Culture Series) by Iain M. Banks (LT Group Read)
4. The Beautiful and the Damned (for RL Book Club)
5. Salem's Lot by Stephen King
6. Bleak House by Charles Dickens
7. The Great Influenza by John M Barry (LT Group Read)

Hi Piyush, I am happy that you enjoyed Anne of Green Gables as that is one of my favorite childhood books and is considered a Canadian treasure.

>125 PiyushC: I also adore Anne, Piyush, so I'm glad you found her a kindred spirit. Whenever I stayed home sick from school, my mom would always put on the film with Megan Follows (which I highly recommend but only watch the first two. The third is a travesty).

>127 DeltaQueen50: No wonder! Though had I known it earlier, I probably would have considered mentioning it to the Right Honourable Governor General and the Viceregal Consort, when I met them last week. Probably not, I didn't mention Atwood either. Though he is quite the story teller himself!

>128 MickyFine: Kindred spirit indeed! Thanks for the recommendation, I will have to hunt for the movies, but I think I will make the effort.

Delighted that you loved Anne, Piyush! Her story is so embedded in the culture of the time and place, I wasn't sure if you would connect with it.

That plan works well, Piyush! I keep getting sidetracked so I'll definitely be able to squeeze in Divergent this month & then keep with your schedule for the other two.

Ah... Prince Edward Island is wonderfully picturesque and tranquil... until you run into the hordes of tourists. Particularly those visiting Green Gables. Hah!

I have many fond memories of visiting PEI as a child (and some scary ones, when I discovered a dead jellyfish on the beach... haha), so if you ever take a trip to Eastern Canada, definitely make the time to spend a few days there!

I keep hearing such great things about Divergent! Must. Find.

>131 TinaV95: Back to my plan... I think I may see the movie BEFORE I re-read the books so I won't be disappointed!! :)

Piyush, I can't talk about the books you're currently discussing... So I am just stopping by to say hello. :) Impressive reading plans for March - how are they going?

*Happy weekend wave*

Hope you are busy reading Piyush that you have had no time for all of us.

Have a lovely weekend.

Piyush??

I hope you're doing good, Piyush! :)

Hi all,

Sorry to have worried you all, was down with a nasty case of Flu the week before (with fever exceeding 103F for 4 days), and ended this entire week catching up with work; for most of the last week, was too sick to even read :)

And reading The Great Influenza didn't help the case much either :)

>130 ronincats: The story was quite removed, both in time and space, but fortunately I still was able to enjoy it :)

>131 TinaV95: Great Tina, I have got my copy of Insurgent ready for April.

>132 dk_phoenix: Hi Faith! I definitely will, I hope to be able to visit and spend some time in Canada, for business or pleasure, in the next 5 years hopefully.

>133 sibylline: That I think you should, it is quite good without being brilliant. :)

>134 TinaV95: Whatever suits you best, Tina, the movie has already released in US last week I guess? In India, it will be another couple of weeks before it hits the theatres.

>135 PersephonesLibrary: Hi Kathy! It is a weird little list I have compiled for March I agree! I have finished 5 of the 7 planned, will definitely be able to finish the 6th, the 7th - Player of Games seems doubtful, would need a little bit of push from my side to finish that one too.

I will release my April plans by April 1st I think, that should be another 6-8 books.

>136 wilkiec: Thanks and wish the same to you, even if you meant it for the previous weekend :)

>137 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul, thanks for dropping by, unfortunately that wasn't the case (please refer to >140 PiyushC: for details).

>138 ronincats: Hi Roni!

>139 PersephonesLibrary: I am now, Kathy, thanks :)

Hey Piyush, I'm glad to hear from you. Sorry about the Flu - I hope you're are on your feet again and fully restored. :)

Hope you are convalescing quickly. How ironic is it that you were reading about the great influenza!!!!

>140 PiyushC: And reading The Great Influenza didn't help the case much either
Heh. I think in your shoes I would've set that one aside for awhile.

>143 PersephonesLibrary: Hi Kathy, I am very much back on my feet, and almost fully restored. :)

>144 sibylline: Ironic indeed! And not highly unpleasant!

>145 qebo: Believe me, the temptation to put it aside was great, it was my sheer muleheadedness which didn't allow me to do so(shall not allow myself to be defeated by Flu or this damned book). It did make me keep checking myself for some of those grisly symptoms though :P

Hi Piyush, glad you're feeling better.

Thanks Kriti! :)

So, I was barely able to fulfill my March plans to the dot with the following 7 reads:-

15. The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri (4/5)
16. The Vor Game (Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold (3/5)
17. Use of Weapons (Book 3 of the Culture Series) by Iain M. Banks (4/5)
18. The Beautiful and the Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald (2/5)
19. Salem's Lot by Stephen King (3/5)
20. Bleak House by Charles Dickens (4/5)
21. The Great Influenza (Non-Fiction) by John M Barry (3/5)

Due to my illness this month and general paucity of time, I have decided to forego reviewing any of my March reads, April should see me resume with my reviews.

I have another 7 books lined up for April, here it goes:-

1. The State of the Art (Book 4 of the Culture Series) by Iain M. Banks
2. Cetaganda (Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold
3. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
4. Ethan of Ethos (Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold
5. Insurgent (Book 2 of Divergent Series) by Veronica Roth
6. Fault Lines: How Hidden Fractures Still Threaten the World Economy (Non-Fiction) by Raghuram Rajan
7. The Jewel in the Crown (Book 1 of the Raj Quartet) by Paul Scott

So glad to see that you're feeling better, Piyush! And it looks like you've got some good reading planned for this month.

>150 scaifea: Thanks Amber :)
I have been trying (and so far succeeding) in reading 7 books a month so far this year, the reading, however, my reading has not been as diverse as I would have liked it to be - too much lopsided towards Sci-Fi and Dystopia. A non-fiction every month or two helps, but not enough classics in my reading lists.

Hi Piyush, I was sorry to read that you weren't feeling well, but glad that you have now recovered. I too have trouble keeping diversity in my reading, I usually read at least one non-fiction a month, but I definitely have trouble with the classics. I will be very interested in your thoughts on The Jewel In the Crown as I read it last month and plan on continuing on with the quartet next month.

>152 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, thanks for dropping by and the wishes :)
I am a little less fussy about my non-fiction reading, I think there have been years when I have hardly read any; though lately I have been trying to accommodate 6-12 a year. My Classics reading, however, has been steadily dropping and hence the concern.

I am reading The Jewel in the Crown for the group read. Being an Indian, I am quite excited about this read too!

Hey Piyush! I'm sorry to see you were under the weather, but I'm glad you're better now!

Here's my progress:
"Divergent" movie -- done!!
Divergent -- re-read (just finished a bit ago)

Now on to Insurgent and then I'll be ready for Allegiant with you in May!

>154 TinaV95: Thanks Tina, I am all recovered now :)

My progress:-

Divergent - read
Divergent, the movie - Wanted to watch it this weekend, perhaps the coming weekend would not be too late either!
Insurgent - read

I am quite ready for Allegiant in May too!

23. The State of the Art - Iain M. Banks

Finally a review! Even if I am the only one getting excited over the fact! This was the fourth book in the Culture Series, the version I read consisted of a number of short stories culminating with the novella titled "The State of the Art".

Short stories, as a rule, don't agree much with me, and this one proved to be no exception. Some of the stories and a few scenes were quite shocking, in their grotesqueness - that however, is far from being a reason for me not liking this installment as much as the last two. It is just that more than a few stories failed to resonate any kind of chord with me, and while some of them were quite good, on an average, I found the book, average!

3/5

The State of the Art isn't my only read of the month so far, in fact I have been doing quite good with my reading this month. Will hopefully catch with the reviews for this month by this weekend.

22. Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold

I think I am doing quite well with my schedule of reading the entire Vorkosigan Saga this year. I should also, perhaps, start my review by saying that this one, so far, stands out for me as the best in the series.

This was, perhaps the first Miles book I have read, where he is downside and is still full of his usual stratagems and blunderings. The Cetagandans, both the ghem and hauts, are delightful; and then there are the haut women; who reminded me of a cooler version of Aes Sedai, though without the superpowers. I shall refrain from speaking of their other virtues, which I think Miles's inner thoughts in the book have summed up quite well.

4/5

Happy Easter!

>159 wilkiec: Thanks Diana! Wish a very Happy Easter to you too :)

Wishing you and yours a very

>161 TinaV95: Thanks Tina! Wish a very Happy Easter to you and your loved ones too :)

24. Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Insurgent is the second book in the Divergent Series, a series set in a Dystopian world, where the human beings are categorised and segregated into factions, based on their dominant traits, with those failing to qualify in a faction, leading the life of factionless (not much different from our equivalent of homeless). And then, there are the divergent, individuals with multiple dominant traits, who are a closely guarded secret, a dangerous one, since they are immune to one of the critical tools used in the society, the simulations. The factions, all, serve different purposes and between themselves, manage to keep their little society functioning and self sufficient.

Like in any Utopia, things go wrong, the nature and extent of the wrongness is something the author seems to have reserved for the final installment. The second installment of the series, is not necessarily an improvement on the first. It also fails to significantly add to the storyline so far, since the series has only one more book to go, I am assuming all the action (relating to storyline, blind violence, there was plenty of in this one too) will be concentrated in Allegiant, the third and final installment of the series.

3/5

I still can't decide whether to pick these up...

>164 BekkaJo: Hi Bekka! Reading and liking The Hunger Games should be a good litmus test as to whether or not this series is for you. If you haven't read those ones, you will just have to guess whether you would like reading a moderately well written series set in a Dystopian world with a female protagonist.

I would hesitate in calling it a strong female lead though, for me Katniss Everdeen was a strong female lead, she seemed to always analyse the likely effects of her actions, and despite that take the risks; Tris's actions on the other hand, as her boyfriend rightly points out, seem to derive from her desire to act out, and are frankly quite stupid most of the times in the second book.

25. Ethan of Athos by Lois McMaster Bujold

*skipping review*

3/5

26. The Jewel in the Crown by Paul Scott

The Jewel in the Crown is the first book in the much acclaimed The Raj Quartet. Set during the British Raj of India, the first book in the series tracks the events that unfolded in the town of Mayapore. The story revolves around young Kumar, an Indian brought up in Britain, but who returns to India under after his father's death, friendless, penniless, in a country he has nothing in common with, other than the colour of his skin - the identity crisis he faces as neither the British in India, nor the Indians recognise him as one of their own - and Daphne Manners, a young British girl who finds herself caught under extraordinary circumstances, culminating in her tragic rape, even if her story doesn't end there - indeed, the strength of her character shines through after the aforementioned tragedy. The book has various other remarkable characters, be it the Rajput born princess, Lili Chatterjee, the British officers (both pro and anti Indian), a couple of remarkable ladies, who serve India and Indians in their own ways, one through education, the other by providing healthcare to those for whom no one, not even their fellow countrymen care.

I started this book, with a very skeptic frame of mind, like I usually do whenever reading books based on India, by either Indian authors (for playing to the stereotypes) or foreign ones (for just not getting it right). The premise of the book was specially an explosive one, even if the current generation of Indians blame the politics and policies of the last 60 years of Indian governance rather than the 150 years of British dominion (including 90 years of the British Raj). The author, however, managed to avoid taking sides by presenting the story from the point of view of the amazingly well conceived characters. Through the eyes of those characters, the author also managed to represent the conditions, relationships, political tendencies, etc. of both the communities - whom time had done more to separate than integrate, into an atypical master-servant relationship.

The author also, doesn't excuse the snobbery, high handedness and divisive politics of the British, while also highlighting the anti-social elements of the native population - the kind for whom events of instability, riots, are opportunities for rapine, loot and plunder, indiscriminately, if I may add. The fact that such elements are part of the Indian society, even in today's time and age, makes their existence in those times all the more believable.

The author only makes passing references to the Indian freedom struggle and the main characters of the same, which probably wasn't a bad idea. All considered, a well written account, rich in the depth of the characters as well as the plot of the story in all its complexity.

4/5

27. Labyrinth by Lois McMaster Bujold

*review skipped*

2.5/5

Great review of Jewel in the Crown, Piyush. I am looking forward to continuing on with the quartet with The Day of the Scorpion in May.

Thanks Judy :)

I think I will have to schedule The Day of the Scorpion in June, but I am quite looking forward to it! I see that you liked The Jewel in the Crown too, read and thumbed your review on the LT page of the book.

When are you going to try to read Allegiant? Early month, mid month, late month?

Hi Tina! Mid of the month sounds good to me, it that would suit you as well? Else later part of the month works for me too - start of the month, I have got The Bell Jar and The End of the Affair lined up for my RL Book Club meet on May 11.

Mid to late works well for me too. Just wanted to be sure we were on schedule! :)

>173 TinaV95: Great :)

I did better than my start of the month reading plans, helped in part with the ample holidays and the fact that a few of those books were short reads. My reads for the month (not necessarily in the order of my reading) are as follows:-

1. The State of the Art (Book 4 of the Culture Series) by Iain M. Banks (***)
2. Cetaganda (Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold (****)
3. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (***1/2)
4. Ethan of Ethos (Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold (**1/2)
5. Insurgent (Book 2 of Divergent Series) by Veronica Roth (***)
6. Fault Lines (Non-Fiction) by Raghuram Rajan (****1/2)
7. The Jewel in the Crown (Book 1 of the Raj Quartet) by Paul Scott (****)
8. Flash Boys by Michael Lewis (***1/2)
9. Labyrinth (Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold (**1/2)
10. Borders of Infinity (Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold (**)

I plan, well, at this point of time, it is more of a wish really, to read the following books in May; may fall short in absence of the holidays, my travel plans in the last week of the month and the fact that the there are a few voluminous books in my May list.

1. The End of the Affair by Graham Greene (for my RL Book Club)
2. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (for my RL Book Club)
3. Debt: The First 5,000 Years by David Graeber
4. Brothers in Arms (Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold
5. Excession (Book 5 of the Culture Series) by Iain M. Banks
6. Allegiant (Book 3 of Divergent Series) by Veronica Roth (with Tina)
7. Words of Radiance (Book 2 of The Stormlight Archives) by Brandon Sanderson
8. Runaway Jury by John Grisham

Good luck with your May reading, Piyush!

I just finished The Postman Always Rings Twice and I had to rush over and thank you for choosing that book for me. I couldn't put it down and read it in two sittings. A 5 star read for me.

>176 DeltaQueen50: Thanks Judy!

The Postman Always Rings Twice is amazing, isn't it? I have been recommending it to everyone since I read it last year, very glad you loved it as well :)

Have you read anything else by James M Cain? I have Double Indemnity and I am planning on getting myself a copy of Mildred Pierce.

Oooooh.... The Bell Jar? I've got that one too. Pop on my thread and let me know when you are about to start it and Allegiant. I'll read them both with you, P! I've been wanting to re-read TBJ for quite some time. Now just to see if I can locate my book!! :)

>178 DeltaQueen50: Unfortunately (or fortunately?), I haven't read any of his other works, though I do intend to read both the works you have listed there!

>179 TinaV95: Ah, I have already read The Bell Jar and The End of the Affair for my Book Club meet on May 11.

32. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath

3/5

33. The End of the Affairs - Graham Greene

4/5

34. Runaway Jury - John Grisham

3.5/5

35. Words of Radiance - Brandon Sanderson

4.5/5

Well, fooey. I'll pick it up eventually. ;)

Hurry up and finish Allegiant. I need to know your thoughts, pronto!

I had a massively bad reaction!

36. Allegiant - Veronica Roth

1.5/5

37. Brother in Arms - Lois McMaster Bujold

3/5

>184 TinaV95: Sorry Tina, I was off traveling to Moscow. I think my rating would tell you exactly what I felt about the book, if I tried writing a review, it would just come out as an array of frustrated words.

I see you liked Words of Radiance, though. My only frustration with the book was argh where's the next book.

Ha! So I'm not the only one!!! I was afraid you would love it, P.

I'm glad to know you were frustrated as well. If you want to chat with the spoiler thingy, let me know! :)

I'm just starting Words of Radiance myself. The title caught my eye on someone else's thread and I found myself wandering over here. Sounds like we enjoy a lot of the same type of books. :)

Hmm, The Bell Jar is coming up on one of my lists, and I've always been curious about it - what did you think?

>187 kgodey: I hear you! So apparently, Book 2 of Warbreaker would come out in 2015.

>188 TinaV95: Well, I don't think we need the spoiler thingy for this at all! They pull at each other's jeans, kiss - make unilaterally bad decisions - combined with bad plot and execution - and a most random, localised ending.

>189 Kassilem: Hi Melissa, indeed we do! I see from your library that you also read Mangas, which I do too, but don't list here.

>190 scaifea: Well, if I didn't know about Sylvia Plath's life story, it would have been a below par read - as matter stands, it is just about average. Someone from my book club also told me, that The Bell Jar is much inferior to her unabridged diaries. Anyway, it is safe to say, that contrary to the hype, this book is not a female equivalent of The Catcher in the Rye.

>>192 PiyushC:. I used to include them in my 75 Challenge thread but just recently I switched it up and now I keep a seperate thread for the Graphic Novels. I just got started on the Vinland Saga series. :)

I was MOST peeved at the ending, for certain Piyush. All the other things bothered me quite a lot, but the ending just made me want to throw the book across the room. I almost did it. But I controlled my temper. :)

>192 PiyushC: Hm. Well okay then. Not so much looking forward to it - ha!

>190 scaifea: & >192 PiyushC: I have to say that I am another who was not blown away by The Bell Jar. Ted Hughes, being both much maligned by the feminist movement and unfairly blamed for her suicide as well as being my favourite modern poet doesn't help me toward it I suppose but, I thought it pretty dull and prosaic. Her poetry is much, much better (but not a patch on Hughes' own).

Have a great Sunday, Piyush.

>195 scaifea: Even if (and when) you do read the book, it would definitely be better to dive in with modest expectations.

>196 PaulCranswick: Nice to see you here, Paul. I haven't read any of Ted Hughes's poetry, or Sylvia Plath's for that matter, the mediocrity of her this work was my only frame of (I hope, unbiased) reference. Wish you a great weekend to you too, as mine comes to a close.

While an erratic internet connection at home for the last one week has resulted in this delay in posting my May summary, a week long Moscow trip resulted in me not finishing my reading goals for the first month this year (not that I am complaining!)

1. The End of the Affair by Graham Greene (for my RL Book Club) (****)

2. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (for my RL Book Club) (***)

3. Brothers in Arms (Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold (***)

4. Allegiant (Book 3 of Divergent Series) by Veronica Roth (*1/2)

5. Words of Radiance (Book 2 of The Stormlight Archives) by Brandon Sanderson (****1/2)

6. Runaway Jury by John Grisham (***1/2)

7. Nude Before God by Shiv Kumar (*1/2)

The two leftover books from my May schedule and a few more constitute my June reading plans. There is a week long domestic travel for this month too, but I am hoping it won't derail my reading this month too.

1. Debt: The First 5,000 Years by David Graeber

2. Excession (Book 5 of the Culture Series) by Iain M. Banks

3. Before the Dawn (Non-Fiction) - Nicholas Wade

4. The Day of the Scorpion (Historical Fiction) - Paul Scott

5. The Canterbury Tales (Anthology, Medieval Poetry) - Geoffrey Chaucer

6. Mirror Dance (Science Fiction) - Bujold

7. The Art of Fielding (Contemporary Fiction) - Chad Harbach

39. Debt: The First 5,000 Years - David Graeber

4/5

Will this be your first time reading Chaucer? I'm excited to see what you think of it!

Hi Piyush.

Are you using the Nevill Coghill translation of the Chaucer?

>200 scaifea: Yes Amber, this is my firs time reading it. I am reading it with a plan to finish it by month end.

>201 Eyejaybee: Hi James, my copy is indeed a Nevil Coghill translation, published by Penguin Classics.

I hope you enjoy it, Piyush.

I read the Coghill translation when i was at school and then worked through the original as a student. Occasionally heavy going but great fun throughout.

>203 Eyejaybee: Thanks James. I doubt I would ever read the original, but the Coghill translation is quite fun as well.

40. The Art of Fielding - Chad Harbach

5/5

Belatedly agreeing on The Bell Jar, although it certainly has its place on every list of books with great first sentences. Read it some years ago and don't remember that much more. Paul's comment reminded me that I should really continue with Ted Hughes' poetry. Got the complete works edition and read less than half...

Looking forward to the review for #35. 5 stars??

>206 Deern: I had to visit the book page to remember the opening line, and yes it was quite impactful; and well a sign of things to come? Wonder if I would ever try Ted Hughes's poetry...

The review may have to wait for some time I think, schedule and frame of mind would rebel against any such intention as of now :)

Rest of my June readings (apart from Art of Fielding):-

41. The Canterbury Tales - Geoffrey Chaucer

4/5

42. Mirror Dance - Lois McMaster Bujold

3/5

43. Before the Dawn - Nicholas Wade

3.5/5

44. The Day of the Scorpion - Paul Scott

4/5

Checking in on you, Piyush...

Hope you are doing well.

>209 TinaV95: Oh yes, I am doing quite well, thanks for checking. I have been busy with travel and work and patchy net connection at home (I had to connect through hotspot created by my cell phone 3G connection for a month!).

45. Be Careful What You Wish For - Jeffrey Archer

3/5

46. The Tailor of Panama - John le Carré

3.5/5

47. Komarr - Lois McMaster Bujold

3/5

Hi Piyush - just finally checking back in, sorry I couldn't keep up with you lately.

Did you skip Memory or had you already read it? (goes between Mirror Dance and Komarr)

Are you still planning on reading The Stand August - October?

>212 Deern: Hi Nathalie! Thanks for dropping by, I have been finding it difficult too, to keep up with all the people I want to follow here.

>213 ronincats: Hey Roni! I realised that there is something called Memory which is not part of the Omnibus when I started Komarr, there seemed to be a break in the story. Now that I have missed reading it in the order, I would probably procure it and read it after finishing with A Civil Campaign and Winterfair Gifts.

>214 luvamystery65: Hi Roberta, I am still very much in for The Stand read from August-October.

I've started the thread for the August-October group read of The Stand by Stephen King. Join in if you are interested.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/178358

Actually, Piyush, ACC would make a lot more sense if you read Memory first, and I would strongly recommend you do that.

48. Excession - Iain M. Banks

4/5

49. The Billionaire's Apprentice - Anita Raghavan

3.5/5

>217 ronincats: Advice taken, Memory procured, set to commence reading in August.

*whew! major disaster averted!*

I really must read more Banks... a resolution I made at the beginning of the year and so far I have read... well no more. Oops.

>220 ronincats: Yup, reading one book out of turn may be forgiven, but reading two in a row would be catastrophic!

>221 BekkaJo: You should get to them, sooner rather than later, I would say. The year long read was a good way to start like I did. It is still not too late, 1 a month would still finish half the series, and I am sure many readers would take the series into the new year.

50. Death of a Salesman - Arthur Miller

4/5

51. Spring Tide - Cilla Börjlind

3.5/5

52. Inversions - Iain M. Banks

3.5/5

>223 PiyushC: It has been years since I've read Death of a Salesman. Looking forward to seeing your thoughts if you have time to post them. I can't remember much about it.

>222 PiyushC: Yeah... I should... but I doubt it'll be this year (which is rapidly vanishing in the rear view mirror on me). They are on the e-reader and ready to go though :)

Hi Piyusch! It's been awhile since I visited here. Happy day to you.

>225 TinaV95: Hi Tina! I hope to be able to write a mini review, at the very least, but have been quite busy with work, and was down with Flu for 3-4 days, and then again back to work. I have barely been able to even login here these days.

>226 BekkaJo: Hi Bekka, next year would be soon enough :)

>227 Whisper1: Hi Linda, so kind of you to drop by, I hope you have been doing well.

53. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

1.5/5

54. Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold

3.5/5

55. Towers of Silence by Paul Scott

3.5/5

56. Total Control by David Baldacci

3/5

57. Heidi - Johanna Spyri

3/5

Hi Piuysh, I didn't read the Goldfinch and won't get to it any time soon, I just noticed it gets loads of positive reviews so looks like a must-read. What was it you didn't like - story or writing or both?

#231 Hi Nathalie,

The biggest drawback for the book was its size - it simply was too big for the quantity (and quality) of the story. Now we come to the writing part, there was a lot of rambling, drug-induced, deranged or plain crazy, you take your pick, but voluminous, low quality rambling none the less. Add to it, the essentially non existant story line and you complete the picture.

I know there are a lot of positive reviews, and this was a book that was selected in my RL Book Club - I clearly failed to notice whatever the positive reviewers of this book did.

58. Peril at End House by Agatha Christie

3/5

59. The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins

4/5

Hm, The Selfish Gene is on my non-fiction TBR but I go through that list much slower than my fiction TBR :)

>234 Kassilem: The Selfish Gene was part of a Group read we have here, the Science, Religion, and History group, for the quarter July-September. If you want to join in, it is still not too late. The thread for the read can be found at http://www.librarything.com/topic/177030.

Thanks! I'll take a look at it :)

> 232 Thanks for the explanation, low-quality rambling doesn't sound good. I like long books, but I admit I already felt bored just reading the blurb of that one, so maybe it's just not for me.

I'd have to agree with >237 Deern:... I've read some of the positive reviews for The Goldfinch but it looks massive and I've seen other reviewers (not just you) that were less than thrilled with it. So, it's a skip for me. Thanks for taking one for the team, Piyush!

>236 Kassilem: You are most welcome, Melissa :)

>237 Deern: & >238 TinaV95: Hi Nathalie and Tina - I would also get to know this Saturday how my fellow Book Club members fared with the book; for me, it was an annoying experience.

60. The Inimitable Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse

3.5/5

61. A Civil Campaign - Lois McMaster Bujold

3/5

>235 PiyushC: Sigh. I haven't started it yet, though I've had it sitting out prominently as a reminder. Conceivably I'll be able to fit it in before the end of the month/quarter.

>242 qebo: It is a small book, you should definitely be able to finish it even if you start next week.

62. Off on a Comet by Jules Verne

2.5/5

63. Look to Windward by Iain M. Banks

3.5/5

64. Winterfair Gifts by Lois McMaster Bujold

2.5/5

65. The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene

3.5/5

Popping in to say hello Piyush. How are you?

Yep, what Roberta said... How are you?

>247 luvamystery65: Hi Roberta and >248 scaifea: Amber!

I am doing quite well, haven't been able to login here mostly because of my domestic and international travels and (trying) catching up on work while I am in Mumbai. Travels, however, are great for reading and I was able to get my Halloween reading done in the month of October along with a couple of other books.

Hope both of you have been well. I will try catching up on the other threads over the next few days.

Halloween Reads:-

1. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
2.5/5

2. Twilight Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko
4/5

3. World War Z by Max Brooks
3/5

4. Turn of the Screw by Henry James
3/5

5. The Stand by Stephen King
3.5/5

6. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
3/5

7. Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin
3/5

Further October reading:-

73. Rob Roy by Walter Scott

3/5

November reading:-

74. Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold

3.5/5

Only one four star? Sorry you didn't like the rest as much. Happy Reading!

>253 Kassilem: Hi Melissa! They were all fine reads, unfortunately, however, none stood out.

So this apparently is the top 10 favourites of Stephen King.

http://www.openculture.com/2014/11/stephen-kings-top-10-all-time-favorite-books....

From the five, I have read from this list (plus The Raj Quartet I am close to finishing now), the list seems pretty impressive.

More November reads:-

75. V for Vendetta by Alan Moore

4/5

76. Full Moon by P. G. Wodehouse

3.5/5

77. Tripwire by Lee Child

3/5

78. The Fault in our Stars by John Green

3/5

79. Cryoburn by Lois McMaster Bujold

2.5/5

Hmmm hubby keeps telling me to read V for Vendetta. And it's been a while since my last graphic novel...

Congrats on blowing past 75!

>257 BekkaJo: Your hubby is quite right! And while you are at it, grab the awesome movie too!

>258 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

V for Vendetta is one that I've not read, but have seen the movie (and loved it!).

>260 scaifea: What is there not to love! There is the awesome plot, V - one of the coolest characters ever sketched and well, then there is, Natalie Portman.

>216 luvamystery65: Agreed: Natalie is a doll. And, also, Stephen Fry!!

>262 scaifea: So glad that we agree :D

Piyush, it's Chrismas Eve's eve, and so I am starting the rounds of wishing my 75er friends the merriest of Christmases or whatever the solstice celebration of their choice is.

Wishing you a Happy Year-End, Piuysh, or as >264 ronincats: said "whatever solstice celebration of choice" - great expression.

Happy Holidays, Piyush!

Happy Holidays!

Wishing you the best of the season, Piyush. I thought you might be interested that The Postman Always Rings Twice is on my list of My Best Reads of 2014. Thanks again for choosing it for me last year. :)

Happy Holidays!

Hope you are having a break and best wishes for the festive season :)

>264 ronincats: Thanks Roni! Wish the merriest of Christmas and a very Happy New Year to you too :)

>265 Deern: Thanks Natalie! Hope you had a good Christmas (it is already Boxing Day here by now); and a wish you a Happy New Year in advance :)

>266 scaifea: Happy Holidays to all residents of the Scaife manor, you, Tomm and Charlie :)

>267 qebo: Thanks qebo! Hope you are enjoying the holidays :)

>268 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, The Postman Always Rings Twice was one of my fav reads last year and I had no hesitation in picking that one up for you. I am yet to read either of the books I received last year, and I was too busy with work and travel to even check if there was a Secret Santa thread this year. Hope you have had a good year, reading or otherwise.

>269 Kassilem: Thanks Melissa! Wish the same to you, and a fantasy filled reading year 2015!

>270 BekkaJo: Unfortunately no break for me. Even more work this week than usual if that is possible, since in true Holiday spirit I allowed my teammates their leaves; no reason why we all need to miss out, is there? A very best of the holidays to you too, hope Cass and Will are doing well and enjoying their holidays :)

80. Legion: Skin Deep by Brandon Sanderson

3.5/5

81. Liar's Poker by Michael Lewis

3/5

82. Atonement by Ian McEwan

3.5/5

83. After the Funeral by Agatha Christie

3/5

84. A Division of the Spoils by Paul Scott

4/5

85. Surface Detail by Iain M. Banks

4/5

Happy New Year Piyush!

>275 luvamystery65: Thanks Roberta! Wish a belated Happy New Year to you too. Hope you are doing well.

Are you setting up a new thread?