Tuesday, November 6, 2007

UnBooked

I have nothing to read. I have opened my book shelves and peered into their musty darkness, opened the bedside tables and rummaged around to see if a book was hiding itself. I have logged on to the Public Library Catalog and found nothing. Nothing at all. The minute BigGeek reads this, two words in font size 36 and font-weight bold are going to come to his mind. Liar’s Poker. He has been badgering me to read it - he finished it while convalescing – and I haven’t – haven’t convalesced and haven’t read it. Do ask me why. Because the reasons are quite complex and well, somewhat weird.

I crave books the way someone craves food. Remember that Tuesday when you wanted to eat the spicy Green Curry at that little hole in wall Thai restaurant? No other Green Curry quite does it then. Or the time when you simply had to have those itsy bitsy truffles at the fancy grocery store? Or the time, when you taste buds craved *something* but none of the familiar foods even came close to describing what you really wanted to eat? Ever felt that way? I feel the same way about books. If I want to read some thing like H2G2, P.G.Wodehouse won’t cut it. Right now, I don’t feel like reading Liar’s Poker. Or Dune. Or any Larry Niven. Or… Many weeks ago, I started to read Naipual’s Bend in the River, but got sidetracked and the book has since been cast away. And I have a terrible record to trying to read cast-away books. There is Swann’s Way lying somewhere – the last I saw it was when Chip would open it everyday and try to read from it and the hounded me to tell him the story.

But I don’t feel like Naipual or Proust. All I want to read is something that is pleasant, a little amusing, no make that very amusing, laugh out loud insightful, nice prose, not very long, but not a novella or a bunch of short stories – they would just seem very unsatisfying right about now. Something with a touch of sci-fi or exotic history or both. Something a little familiar, but obviously something new. Definitely fiction, hopefully literary. I want the print version of going to a familiar and much loved restaurant and finding a new dish on the menu that sounds interesting and when you taste it, you go – “Ahhhh. This is heaven.”

So, tell me what are you reading? I want to borrow it. That is if it fits into the not-so-fine-print stated above!

26 comments:

Altoid said...

Sigh! I have just had a splendid time with books- two great finds. So I cant complained of being unbooked. I did read your not-so-fine print requirements, me thinks it might just be what the doc would order for ya. I'm sure you checked my posts, if not do so and let me know if you'd like to borrow them :).

-altoid

Shobana said...

I like to read John Grisham and right now I am reading The Brethern by him. It is a fiction and if u are into fiction, you may read this one. It is about the dark side of a man, who is running for the Pres of US (not a reality). So dar it is a ok read. Hope this will take care of the reading bug.

Savani said...

altoid: will do as you say!

shobana: hmm.. Grisham.. been a while since I read him.

B o o said...

Currently Im in a Tamil historic novel spree. But I know what you are saying. Sometimes, the book has to choose you!

I usually re-read Roald Dahl when I crave for something similar to your craving. BTW, have you read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime? Thats an interesting book. Might come closer to your need.

Anonymous said...

Hey Dotmom,

You read Vikram Seth? It will definitely appear familiar to you. My recommendations: A Suitable Boy. If that's a bit of a magnum opus for you, then read An Equal Music. That's interesting as well.

Cheers,
PK

Choxbox said...

Bill Bryson?

Anonymous said...

Hi Dotmom..
Am delurking for the first time here..could not not comment on a "book"post..:)
Am reading "the Ice-Candy Man" by Bapsi sidhwa and "the Twentieth Wife" by Indu sundaresan..
do try the latter ..it fits into ur.."Something with a touch of sci-fi or exotic history or both. Something a little familiar, ..."..:)
Regards
Tudee

Choxbox said...

was tidying up n3's bookshelf (to feel like its diwali i'm pretending to spring clean) when i came across just the book - 'a wrinkle in time' by madeleine l'engle. unless of course you've already read it.

some others which are kiddie reads but very readable by a grown-up too - 'the trumpet of the swans' and the 'swallows and amazons' series.

Anonymous said...

Have you tried Erich Segal ? His Prizes and Class are among my favourites. Definitely dont start with Only Love of his, as it is his most boring, the rest are scintillating.
or Ethan Cain( made to a movie - Emperor's New Club). He seems to be in the same veins as Erich Segal, for me.

Sue said...

I'm guessing these are read already, but why not re-read 'Left Hand of Darkness' and 'Dispossessed'?

P.S.
Took me a minute to work out H2G2... I'm guessing you watch way too many Hindi flicks.

Savani said...

b o o: Roald Dahl? Been a while since I read him. I always found him a bit dark.. never really got into him..

PK: no, that was on my reading list a few months ago.. maybe I should pick that up.

choxbox: hmm.. now thats a name I haven't heard. will look him up.

Tudee: thanks for the reccommendations.

taamommy: yeah.. i read a lot of him in high school.. haven't gone back to him in a while.

sue: they aren't read. thanks. rotfl@ hindi flicks. been 2+ years since I saw one. H2G2 is standard abbreviation for the book (and the BBC series with its cheap effects which is sooo much better than the movie, zaphod is not zaphod without two talking heads)

Anitha(Nikki's mom) said...

Kite Runner - read it for the second time.

Squiggles Mom said...

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time

Quite amusing and a wonderful read.

The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

A romance but with a sc-fi touch and again brilliant writing. Not your usual soppy stuff.

If you want to laugh out loud read Richard Branson's autobiography. I know it's not fiction but it has all the elements of it. Sometimes Fact is stranger than Fiction!

Just Like That said...

If you like dogs, 'Marley and Me' is just great!
Happy Diwali to you guys!

Mona said...

i really, really miss reading, the way i used to when i didn't have all these commitments. when i could lose myself in a book for the whole day, no food breaks, nothing. now, if i can read the paper everyday, i'm really, really happy.
the last book i enjoyed was this collection of short stories by an indian writer whose name i can't remember. i will come back with it soon.

By Deepa and Supriya said...

sorry can't help much..the only thing on my coffee table right now is Chitra Divakaruni :0

Savani said...

anitha: yes... i am one a mile long waiting list to get that at the library.

squiggle's mom: thanks for the wonderful reccommendations. will go to the library to see if they have them. I bet Branson's autobiography would be a hell of a read.

jlt: I have heard of the book on Usha's blog.. thanks :) Happy D to you too.

moma: I feel your pain. remember the college days? where you could loose yourself with nary a worry? sigh.

orchid: rotfl :)

Sujatha Bagal said...

DotMom, you absolutely must read Bill Bryson - Notes From a Small Island or Down Under. Preferably the latter.

Savani said...

sujatha: will scout the library today! thanks!

Fuzzylogic said...

You might want to check "Lullabies for Little Criminals" by Heather O'Neill. A right mixture of laughter with some thought provoking substance.
I second Billy Bryson as someone suggested. A delightful read for sure!

Usha said...

That is a feeling I am familiar with - these are the times when I go into a spell of reading Tamil books. Then I can come back and enjoy the very books that didn't do it for me before. :)
Tell me what you settled for finally.

Savani said...

fuzzy: wow. thanks. never heard of the author or title. That should be a good find. Will look it up.

usha: now if only I could go to Marathi books. But I am slow reader there. I have settled for Larry Niven's Ringworld until Bill Bryson makes his way to me throught the waitlist at the library.

Tharini said...

Dotmom...may I recommend The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough?

It was something I read a long time ago and just loved for the depth of love. I think you might just enjoy it.

Found on Google Books

Sujatha Bagal said...

If you still haven't received Bryson by the time we meet, I'll lend you my copy. :)

Choxbox said...

sujatha/dotmom: 'notes from a big country' (bill bryson) is also good.

Savani said...

tharini: I had read thorn nirds a long tim ago. had loved it!!

sujatha: hahaha. thanks.

choxbox: ok.. i gotta get bill bryson.too many people like him and i want to be one of them too.