Confessions of a Readaholic

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Confessions of a Readaholic
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Month: July 2013

HOW TO LOVE YOUR FATHER?

It felt I was going to meet my father after a long periodic time. I was excited but also nervous. Meetings with my father always gave me butterflies in my stomach. Due to the past experience, our meetings were always short and premature. We either end up on calmly disagreeing with each other or end up arguing on idiotic situations. His ways, my ways were quite different. Of course, they would be. After all we were two different human beings. But he still supported me. He compromised with his own time and space, and devoted his whole for me. I have always felt a question in my mind, would he had not been my father, what in the hell would I have done with myself? You see, I was that dependent on him still pretending to the outer world and myself that I am independent. We all are, dependent on our parents due to some reasons. And we do not need reasons to depend on them. Those reasons are just a blur of words, the real reason which I realize is their love for us and the love they expect even though they won’t tell us that they crave for it. I knew I would be his offspring as long as I am a material.

The meeting with him this time was different. He did not come to pick me up. Instead, he sent his car. When I came home, I was cheerfully greeted by my mother. And I felt those butterflies were bygones. But then I saw him, and they come back in an instant. I saw him, he had a smile on his face as he always did, even during those times of despair and pain which I gave him or at the time of life which we fought together. I conquered most of the life because he helped me to do it.

I saw him, his decaying face. I could say that cause I bore his blood in my veins. His eyes were filled with those gloomy clouds you must have seen. They just come out of the weather and it never rains. The wind blows them away. But this time, I saw there was no wind. Even the strong west wind which when strikes and blows, material things feel some despair, felt weak. I saw he had grown small, his face was dull and short, and skinny. His black mustache was as white as snow but there was no mountain to hold it up. His voice had grown weaker since I last saw him.

I realized I could have spent all those years with him such that we could have fought against life some more days together. Such that his smile would still have been cheerful and one of the happiest smile. I knew he missed me and I did too. All those bad and sad butterflies were now in my head. As if they can travel even faster than my thoughts. After watching him struggle to stand from his chair and greet me with his hug which was still warm and reminded me of the previous ones. All his hugs were that strong and warm and I always felt my self-esteem boosted as there was someone for me always. This moment I only feel I could time travel back, wish had a TARDIS, would hug him each and every day that I have missed.

By feeling the essence of his presence I was still care free and well protected from the demons of the world. I saw his eyes were looking straight in my eyes and I saw he felt and understood well each and every thought I was having right now in my mind.

Finally those words came out of my mouth, “Dad, I love you”.

He smiled. And this time I saw one of the happiest smile I had ever seen.

 

It was just a dream, I feel the essence of the dream is enough to teach a man.


A GAME OF THRONES: A REVIEW FOR THE IRON THRONE

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
Series: A Song of Ice and Fire #1
Genres: Fiction, Fantasy
four-stars

A GAME OF THRONES

by GEORGE R. R. Martin

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. MartinGame of Thrones by George R. R. Martin had been in my to-read list of books for quite a long time. I generally prefer ebooks over paperbacks. But for this one, I always had a feeling that I should read it in paperback. Its essence is one of the main reasons, plus its length is also a matter of interest. This epic fantasy is followed by four more books in the series called A Song of Ice and Fire which is an ongoing series. There is also a television series based on the title A Game of Thrones, in which I am not interested as it’s not my habit to follow up a tele series. ­

I completed this book in six days and in my normal reading hours (My reading hours varies from 30 minutes to as much time as I get). Though the length of this book is quite long, but once you start reading it you will sense the how fast-read it is. The story is quite pacey too. Sometimes you won’t even sense there is a climax coming and when it strikes… BOOM!

The shifting of the focus back and forth between the characters and the group of characters, specifically the families is quite enjoyable. The plot is at its best. Sometimes you may feel something is coming, and it’s the Winter. Winter is coming.

Mostly books in fantasy genre lack the quality of writing which I have experienced, and immaturity could be seen in words with the naked eye. But Martin succeeds in many of those areas where so many others have failed. Sometimes a book having too many characters and jumping from character to character is quite unreadable or quite boring. But Martin’s ability to tell a story is so good that I started to look forward to these jumps to different characters. Characters were also forced into making unpleasant choices that they’d rather not make as it goes against their morals but they do make a choice because it’s necessary. I like that. ‘Cause the consequences occurred due to the choices made by a character is what excites a reader. This makes a reader stick to the book.

I was fascinated by two characters, Ned Stark and Daenerys Targaryen. Which is what is making me to go for the next book A Clash of Kings.

I’ll recommend this book especially to a fantasy fan. I know some might think that this one is over-hyped because it has a tele series, but my friends go for it. Don’t look for the dark side. Read it. It’s worth reading.

four-stars

THE MYSTERY OF ROBERT GAILBRAITH

Creator of the Boy Wizard, Harry Potter, J.K.Rowling has written a crime novel now, The Cuckoo’s Calling, released earlier this year under the pseudonym: Robert Galbraith.

Over the years, Rowling often spoke of writing a crime novel. In 2007, during the Edinburgh Book Festival, author Ian Rankin claimed that his wife spotted Rowling “scribbling away” at a detective novel in a cafe. Rankin later retracted the story, claiming it was a joke. The rumour persisted with The Guardian speculating in 2012 that Rowling’s next book would be a crime novel.

The story was broken by Richard Brooks, the arts editor of the UK’s Sunday Times.

Kate Mills, fiction editor at Orion Publishing, came forward to admit that she had unwittingly turned down the new Rowling work, and suggested that colleagues at other publishers had done the same.

She told The Independent that the book was well written but new crime novels are hard to launch these days.

The Cuckoo’s Falling follows a private investigator Cormoran Strike who investigates when a model falls to her death from a Mayfair balcony. the book received praise from crime writers including Ms McDermid, Mark Billingham and Alex Gray.

Harry Potter fan site The Leaky Cauldron claimed the book had sold just 1500 hardback copies before the author’s identity was revealed. The site also claimed that a second Galbraith book is to be published next year. Since the author’s identity revealed the book’s Amazon sales have gone up more than 150,000%.

And I am one those buyers as I look forward to the book. As an avid reader of crime fiction and to be more curious, I wonder how  Rowling…oops, Gailbraith, has cope with the world of crime fiction.

The Cuckoo’s Calling

CURRENTLY READING: A GAME OF THRONES

CURRENTLY READING: A GAME OF THRONES

A GAME OF THRONES by GEORGE R. R. MARTIN


NEW BUYS

NEW BUYS

George R.R. Martin, James Patterson, Ian Rankin, David Whitaker


ALE OF BOSNIAN BAR ( A Poem)

ALE OF BOSNIAN BAR ( A Poem)

by Aman Mittal

Get drunk, live life
Have fun, love your wife

If you don’t have one, try somebody else’s

Welcome to the Bosnian Bar

Try some wine

Cheap beer makes you wild

Taste some whiskey

But don’t get too tipsy

Otherwise you’ll end up in trash
Smelling of puke and with no cash
With no clothes on, in the chilly wind of Bosnia

You might get pneumonia

Take care of your missus

She might get some kisses

If not you, then we’ll do

Welcome to the Bosnian Bar.


TOP TEN FOR FIRST HALF OF 2013

2013, a year it is! It’s been six months since the year started, since those words I started to read written by various authors. Six months time is long and but not enough to read. Still I managed to read thirty one books (till the last month, and yes I keep a log). So far, it has been a great reading year for me and thus I manage to compile a list of my top ten books I have read so far.

1. THE GREAT GATSBY BY SCOTT FITZGERALD

I was flattered by the book and the philosophy behind it by Fitzgerald. How this book can be closely related to his private life and the time of 1920s is by reading the book. You might realize after reading it that you have not fallen in love with it or any of it’s characters. But that’s the beauty of it. That what resembles the lavish 1920s. It’s highly recommended by me.

2. NAMING OF THE DEAD BY IAN RANKIN

Ian Rankin is one of the most prolific crime fiction writer of 21st century. And this one is his one of the masterpieces’. He knows what to write. His characters know how to perform. He conveys the atmosphere to perfection. It was quite a page turning for me. This is the sixteenth novel of John Rebus series.

3. METAMORPHOSIS BY FRANZ KAFKA

It always bugs me why this story of Kafka is included in every literature course everywhere in the world. Well after reading it, I got my answer. Kafka displays a new concept by this story. A man to a bug, it was my first experience with German literature and proved to be wonderful in the end. Intense of the story is quite strong.

4. 1984 BY GEORGE ORWELL

 After reading this, I realized this book is a conception of what reality is becoming. And thus, it is turning out to be true. Orwell wrote it after the World War II and till today I feel this book is applicable to our reality. The philosophy behind this book is intensive. But due it’s length, I got a bit bored.

5. THE DEVIL’S DISCIPLE BY GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

 Bernard Shaw, as he liked himself to be called, is a master of witty plays. And I read Pygmalion and Devil’s Disciple at the same time but the two are not comparable. Pygmalion is a straight set win while Devil’s Disciple is totally witty. I enjoyed Shaw’s inscription.

6. THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA BY ERNEST HEMINGWAY

This novella is one of the major works produced by Hemingway. It is one of his famous works but I did not feel why. In the starting I found difficult to indulge myself but when the story goes on, my was indulging deep and down in the sea with the old man. It’s a short read, and certainly a Pulitzer Prize winner.

7. INFERNO BY DAN BROWN 

 The fifth addition to Robert Langdon’s Saga. Angels and Demons was the first book I read written by Dan Brown. It’s still his best work. Inferno, is a fast read, which was not expected by me as Brown’s earlier works worked at normal pace. When it came out I was so excited as I had read pre-reviews about it’s relation to Dante. I started reading when it was five hours after it launched. And read it in tow sittings. I can say I was not impressed by this book as I was by Angels and Demons. 

8. DAISY MILLER BY HENRY JAMES

It was my first of something I read written by Henry James. I had waited for it quite long, and made sure something of Henry James’ was on my reading list of this year. It is a novella and just a novella. I would love to read more written by him.

9. THE DARK ROAD BY MA JIAN

I am glad I read this book. Firstly, I wanted to try a new author this year, and unknown, at least for me. And Ma was one of them. Secondly, it was whole new experience of words for me, the plot, consequence, the atmosphere as the book is setup in China. Ma Jian is the author I am keen to read more and I am recommending this book toe everyone, but it’s a bit too long.

10. BEST KEPT SECRET BY JEFFREY ARCHER

I was recommend to him by a friend of mine a few years back. Then, I read only book but I started reading his Clifton Chronicles lately, and this one was the third in the series. Though it was the first book, Only time will tell which made get myself indulged in this series, I am waiting for the fourth one.

 

With half of the 2013 being a good for reading, I am excited for the other half. I am looking forward to read so many books and in mood of trying some new authors as well.

What have been your favourite reads so far in 2013?


A BLUE BOX (A Poem)

A Blue Box

by Aman Mittal

I am sending back the key

Which let me in your study

Where we made love in madness;

I am sending back the key

Of the darkroom which I cannot see

Anymore, where my X-rayed heart

Thrown away in a blue box.

 


CURRENTLY READING

CURRENTLY READING

The Artist of Disappearance by Anita Desai


A LIFE (A Poem)

A LIFE (A Poem)

by Aman Mittal

Touch it, it won’t shrink

As an eyeball does

Feel it, you can only feel

The feelings inside you,

Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow,

Sometime it’s a landscape view

Blue stream of water

In between the hills

Day in, Day out

Followed by a bright sun,

Sometime it’s a portrait

Hanging on a wall

No movement and very still

A beautiful face

Wearing a set of pearls,

Else, you cannot drag it

Nor can you draw it

On a sheet of paper,

It has no shadow of it’s own

But reckons the one you have

Nor it can breathe

But breathe with your lungs

Nor it can see

But see through your eyes

Nor it can feel

But feels everything you touch

Actually,

The Life is you.

 


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