One of the recent habits I have fallen into is that of reading a few pages of any book I have on hand, before going to bed. I have always been a voracious reader, but over the last few years the reading had been restricted to travel times - in airports, on flights and during commute in Singapore.
The last three months I have been through about 20 books or so, which is really a lot - all thanks to Flipkart, visits to the library and my latest habit of reading something before going to bed.
My latest book is the French Lieutenant's Woman. Am about half way through it. The plot is not the most out of the box one - mainly because I think I have watched some really silly films loosely based on the same theme - A man falling in love with a woman who is pining for her ex-boyfriend, a sailor, who has gone off to the seas.
OK, that one liner makes it sound like it's some Mills & Boons mushy pulp, but it is hardly that. The book is "postmodern historical fiction" - i.e. it was written in the second half of the 20th century but the plot is based in mid 19th century. That alone makes it interesting, because the narrator calls out that he is in 20th century and constantly draws comparisons - on everything from societal rules, economic structures, and even fashion and architecture - to whats in the plot from the previous century. Plus he demonstrates a sense of humour at the least expected times and has a few kickass observations.
Sample this, as he writes about a lazy guy who asks himself why he should do anything at all when there are so many experts on it already in the world: "You will see that Charles set his sights high. Intelligent idlers always have, in order to justify their idleness to their intelligence." or "We all write poems. It is simply that poets are the ones who write them in words."
I am not sure where the current book will lead, but for now, everyday after am done with the evening's work calls and after Madam is fast asleep, am so happy to curl up in bed and cozy up with a book. It does have the ability to top off even a not-so-good day with a rather good night !
483 more to go.
The last three months I have been through about 20 books or so, which is really a lot - all thanks to Flipkart, visits to the library and my latest habit of reading something before going to bed.
My latest book is the French Lieutenant's Woman. Am about half way through it. The plot is not the most out of the box one - mainly because I think I have watched some really silly films loosely based on the same theme - A man falling in love with a woman who is pining for her ex-boyfriend, a sailor, who has gone off to the seas.
OK, that one liner makes it sound like it's some Mills & Boons mushy pulp, but it is hardly that. The book is "postmodern historical fiction" - i.e. it was written in the second half of the 20th century but the plot is based in mid 19th century. That alone makes it interesting, because the narrator calls out that he is in 20th century and constantly draws comparisons - on everything from societal rules, economic structures, and even fashion and architecture - to whats in the plot from the previous century. Plus he demonstrates a sense of humour at the least expected times and has a few kickass observations.
Sample this, as he writes about a lazy guy who asks himself why he should do anything at all when there are so many experts on it already in the world: "You will see that Charles set his sights high. Intelligent idlers always have, in order to justify their idleness to their intelligence." or "We all write poems. It is simply that poets are the ones who write them in words."
I am not sure where the current book will lead, but for now, everyday after am done with the evening's work calls and after Madam is fast asleep, am so happy to curl up in bed and cozy up with a book. It does have the ability to top off even a not-so-good day with a rather good night !
483 more to go.
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