Book-ed

So I am back from a week long vacation with my brother to Calcutta, where we went to visit our grandparents. It was raining, it was green, it was slushy, and there were tons of great food to do justice to the awesome weather. The post on Calcutta will be up and running soon, but before that, I chanced upon this amazing tag on books on Swetank’s blog, and given my new found love for tags...here goes.

Number of books I own
About 300-350 is a reasonable estimate.

Number of books lent out to others that never came back
None. On principle, I do not lend books. And if I do, it will only be after I am convinced that you have the capacity to love my books as much as I love them.

Number of e-books I have
About 10 I think. I need my bed, or my bean bag, or at the very least a comfortable chair to read.

Last book I bought
Stephen King’s Skeleton Crew.

Last book I was gifted
Phire Dekha, a collection of Bengali short stories written by my Dad’s aunt, Jayati Gangopadhyay.

Last book I read
Handwritten, and written exclusively for me (after four years of declining my request)...my grandfather’s autobiography.

I'm currently reading
(For the nth time) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – J.K. Rowling

Authors I Love (this has been changed from Five Books That Mean A Lot to Me)
The success of a book (provided it is fiction) in my mind is not so much in the brilliance of the author’s words, it is in the creation of his characters and events. Because at the end of the day, a character is bigger than the author. It is the test of an author’s brilliance that his characters are so immortal that he is remembered through them, and not the other way around. Which is why, I love the following.

Chaman Nahal

There are books on the Partition and there are books on the Partition. It’s a never ending long list. But Nahal’s book Azadi is my favorite. Because of its characters, of how they react in that tiny village when they learn that the country has been partitioned, and that they are suddenly something called Pakistanis, and those who are not, have to give up everything they own, and come to what is now called India. Their bewilderment at not being consulted at any stage of this life-changing decision, their anger and shock, and eventual journey...everything left an impact.

Arthur Conan Doyle

I love the supernatural...be it in movies or books. If ever I decide to give it all up and do a PhD, it will be in something spooky.
Doyle’s brilliance in my mind lies not only in the creation of the very bright and very eccentric, and at times deliciously sexy Sherlock Holmes, it also lies in his multi-layered imagination. In my opinion his true genius lies in his lesser known albeit far more dazzling horror stories.

Jules Verne

For being the most imaginative science fiction writer ever. His Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea was about a submarine called Nautilus which ran on electricity. Today this is a common enough phenomena but Verne explained its functioning in great detail at a time when scientists where producing mere sparks of electricity in their laboratories. The Leagues’ hero, Captain Nemo left a huge impact on my childhood mind, one that refuses to budge to this day. His other book I dig is A Journey to the Center of the Earth. EXCITING!

J.K. Rowling

A writer without a crazy imagination and an inbuilt sense of humor is no writer at all. Rowling rocks for the sheer brilliance of her mind, for her often sarcastic and often right-on-the-surface sense of humor. For the range of unforgettable characters, supremely imaginative places and situations, and for Quidditch. Last but not the least for her increasingly market-savvy mind that understands her reader perfectly. Whether or not mainstream authors admit it, Rowling’s commercial acumen is probably an inspiration for everyone who wishes to get published one day.

Roald Dahl

Be it his writings for children, for young people, or for adults...Dahl is god-like for his choice of words, his cynicism and his imagination which can transform even the most “harmless” grandmother into a vicious murderer. No two stories are alike, nor are two characters, and his words are cut-throat when it comes to their ability to make you forget other authors and read Dahl again and again.

Bill Bryson

I love travel writing, whether it’s me blogging about my trips and travels, or reading other people’s adventures. In this day and age, with a hundred distractions available to every individual, humor is probably the most powerful tool a writer can use to hold a reader’s attention. Bryson excels in that brilliantly. His sense of humor is such that in the midst of reading his words, I have actually had to put the book aside because my stomach and jaw hurt from laughing so much. He observes the tiniest detail, has the ability to laugh at himself, has a questioning probing mind, and most importantly comes across as a wonderful traveller. You read him and you ask yourself, would I have had the intelligence to observe such simple yet awesome details if I was the one travelling and not him?

Books That Made Zero Sense To Me/ Or Books I Want To Burn
Rule of Four - Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason
What was the matter with the publisher, the editor, and most importantly the authors of the book? This has to be the worst thing I have ever read. AWFUL.
Who Moved My Cheese - Spencer Johnson
I have no time, energy, or inclination for self-help books.
The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint Exupéry
Yawn.
This book is supposed to be a classic but it wasn’t to me.
Things written by P.G. Wodehouse
Have tried a couple of his books, yeah so he is supposed to be the god of humor, I didn’t think so. I didn’t find anything even capable of making me break into a smile, so shoot me.

My most treasured books
Every book I own. Even my family members touch my books with my permission. I assure you, I am pretty non-scary and generous otherwise.

People I Tag
Again, anyone who reads this post. Answer as many as you like, want to get to know your side of the story.

Disclaimer: Too many Internet images used. Apologies! Just that I love all these folks so much, wanted to put a face to my worship.