The Books Thread (Fiction)

predatorwheelz · 21st April 2009, 17:32

Very difficult to denote the Top 5 for a bookworm like me. After much thought, heres a Top 10 (not in sequential order, mix of fiction and non-fiction):

Zen & The Art of Motorcycle Maintainence - Robert Pirsig
In Spite of the Gods: The strange rise of Modern India - Edward Luce
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
Why We Buy - Paco Underhill
Fountainhead - Ayn Rand
Pather Panchali - Bibhutibhushon Bandopadhyay
The Greatest: My Own Story - Mohammed Ali
The Rebel Sell - Joseph Heath & Andrew Potter
Deshe Bideshe - Syed Mujtaba Ali
Tipping Point - Mallcom Gladwell

Currently Reading - Nothing! Just trying to save my job in these times of slowdown!

crn12 · 21st April 2009, 18:03

Here is my best list, but this is something dynamic & can change as days pass by:

1) Papillon - Henry Charriere
2) Bram Stokers - Dracula (This book belongs to my grand father, i guess its easily crossed 50 years, & in a commendable condition)
3) Carrie - Stephen King
4) Cosmos - Carl Sagan
5) At swim two birds - Flann O'Brien

Lots more...

The ones not to miss are

1) Sherlock Holmes
2) 20,000 Leagues under the sea
3) Pendragon Series - DJ Mac Hale
4) TinTin Series
5) Interview with a vampire
6) The thief lord
7) The Brothers Karamazov - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
8) The Yiddish Policemen's Union - Michael Chabon
9) Breakfast of Champions - Kurt Vonnegut
10) The Dark tower series from Stephen king
11) The Shinning - Stephen King
12) Haunted - James Herbert
13) Atlas Shrugged
14) Lord of the rings
15) God Father

I will end it for now, but there are a few more great ones!

Abbas · 21st April 2009, 18:48

Here goes mine:

1. Sugar Baron`s Daughter - loveleen Kacker
2. The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
3. Straigh from the gut - jack Welch (Former C.E.O. General Electric)
4. Joker in the Pack - Don`t remember.
5. Loosing My Virginity - Biography Richard Branson

F50 · 21st April 2009, 22:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by deepug

Many Lives Many Masters - Brian l Weiss ( currently Reading)

Someone suggested this book to me. How is it?

Sagittarian · 21st April 2009, 23:15

Tin Drums
Roots
One hundred years of solitude
And quiet flows the Don
Khasakkinte Itihasam (OV Vijayan)

tifosikrishna · 21st April 2009, 23:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sagittarian

One hundred years of solitude

I once read a book by same author named something like 'chronicle of death foretold' and did not understand what it wanted to convey.... and i knew this book is also highly raved about. In fact, I was going through the reviews of the book an hour back.... and found one review which I think would reflect my views, if I attempt to read this ...

I guess I am not still there to understand his style of writing.

Quote:

Just recently, I decided to give this book a second chance. Like other reviewers here, I hardly ever give up on a book. But about 30 pages into the SECOND attempt, I am feeling exhausted. All of the bright and shiny books on my bookshelves have never looked so good at this point. So I came here, read the reviews and feel better. I think I can put this book away and be at peace with not appreciating it. I will say, some of the words Marquez uses- his descriptions, seem to have been created especially for the world that exists within this book. But is the trip worth it? I have decided that it is not. Thank you all for helping me be at peace with NOT completing this novel.

straightdrive · 22nd April 2009, 00:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by pradster

I am Currently reading some Tintin comics!.................

Am going through a comics phase too. Reading a Calvin and Hobbes collection. Then I have a couple of Asterixes to re-read.

zaks · 22nd April 2009, 07:52

Can't pick the top5 since there are a quite a few which are just as good but these are my all time favourites:
-------------------------------------------------------------
Zen and the art of Motor Cycle maintenance - A classic in any way you look at it.
Alchemist - You can't go wrong on this one.
Surely you are joking Mr.Feynman - You only get such men rarely, very rarely.
Call of the Wild - Simply superb.
A Gift of Wings - Try putting down before you finish.
-------------------------------------------------------------

netchef · 29th April 2009, 09:19

1. The Clash of civilisations and remaking of world order (Samuel Huntington)
2. The alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
3. Freedom at midnight (Lapierre and somebody)
4. Lust for life (Irving Stone)
5. Orientalism (Edward Said)

Currently reading motorcycle magazines

Originally Posted by deepug
Many Lives Many Masters - Brian l Weiss ( currently Reading)
Someone suggested this book to me. How is it?

If this is about the person who was regressed and discovered she'd lived through many personas and many starkly diverse eras- sometimes even dying traumatically...if it is, then the author is a Psychologist and she was his patient. Makes you sit up. Highly recommended.

Ankoor · 30th April 2009, 15:10

Just finished reading The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown). It was a reading experiance unlike any other.

Currently I am reading John Grisham's The Broker and lined up is a book called the Monkey Business by John Rolfe and Peter Troob. Its based on the world of Investment Banking.

KITE RUNNER · 20th August 2009, 21:32

The list can quite long, but let me point out my favourite 5.

1) Acts of Faith - Eric Segal

2) Kane & Abel - Jeffrey Archer

3) The Five people you meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom

4) 1984 - George Orwell

5) The grapes of wrath - John Steinbeck

Presently I am outside India and hence not much into reading. Laid my hands on Life of Pi by Yann Martel, seems interesting.

sdp1975 · 12th September 2009, 21:59

Top 2 :

1) Narcissus and Goldmund

2) Siddharta

Both by Herman Hesse. Hardly find time these days to read.

bblost · 16th September 2009, 15:15

James Clavell - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Asian Sagas:
King Rat (1962): Set in a Japanese POW camp, 1945
Tai-Pan (1966): Set in Hong Kong, 1841
Shōgun (1975): Set in feudal Japan, 1600
Noble House (1981): Set in Hong Kong, 1963
Whirlwind (1986): Set in Iran, 1979

Only one remaining:
Gai-Jin (1993): Set in Japan, 1862

One of the finest story tellers. He wrote some really big books. The Shogun for instance was over 6000 ebook pages and the Whirlwind (hardback) will kill someone if thrown hard enough.
If you like reading intrigue, suspense and fiction based on actual events. He is the best.

I have also read his
The Art of War, a translation of Sun Tzu's famous book (1983)
Most of it went over my head but loved it all the same.

While most of his books have been made into movies or TV series. King Rat deserves a special mention. The acting, direction etc make it one of the finest POW movie.

inreverse · 16th September 2009, 15:54

Currently reading...

The Afghan - Fredrick Forsyth

Just got glued to it...!

Gilead · 16th September 2009, 15:56

I am reading Tom Clancy's Red Storm Rising. Good World War 3 story. The technical aspects are astounding as with any Clancy book.

View Poll Results: I read most my books in...
Paper book format	265	62.35%
Amazon Kindle	103	24.24%
Apple iPad	9	2.12%
Android Tablet	13	3.06%
B&B Nook	5	1.18%
Sony eBook Reader	0	0%
Smartphone	19	4.47%
Others (mention in post)	6	1.41%
Kobo eReader	5	1.18%
Voters: 425. You may not vote on this poll

21st April 2009, 17:32	#316
predatorwheelz Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Delhi/Kolkata Posts: 1,723 Thanked: 1,995 Times View My Garage	Very difficult to denote the Top 5 for a bookworm like me. After much thought, heres a Top 10 (not in sequential order, mix of fiction and non-fiction): Zen & The Art of Motorcycle Maintainence - Robert Pirsig In Spite of the Gods: The strange rise of Modern India - Edward Luce To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee Why We Buy - Paco Underhill Fountainhead - Ayn Rand Pather Panchali - Bibhutibhushon Bandopadhyay The Greatest: My Own Story - Mohammed Ali The Rebel Sell - Joseph Heath & Andrew Potter Deshe Bideshe - Syed Mujtaba Ali Tipping Point - Mallcom Gladwell Currently Reading - Nothing! Just trying to save my job in these times of slowdown!
	() Thanks

21st April 2009, 18:03	#317
crn12 BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 184 Thanked: 6 Times	Here is my best list, but this is something dynamic & can change as days pass by: 1) Papillon - Henry Charriere 2) Bram Stokers - Dracula (This book belongs to my grand father, i guess its easily crossed 50 years, & in a commendable condition) 3) Carrie - Stephen King 4) Cosmos - Carl Sagan 5) At swim two birds - Flann O'Brien Lots more... The ones not to miss are 1) Sherlock Holmes 2) 20,000 Leagues under the sea 3) Pendragon Series - DJ Mac Hale 4) TinTin Series 5) Interview with a vampire 6) The thief lord 7) The Brothers Karamazov - Fyodor Dostoyevsky 8) The Yiddish Policemen's Union - Michael Chabon 9) Breakfast of Champions - Kurt Vonnegut 10) The Dark tower series from Stephen king 11) The Shinning - Stephen King 12) Haunted - James Herbert 13) Atlas Shrugged 14) Lord of the rings 15) God Father I will end it for now, but there are a few more great ones!
	() Thanks

21st April 2009, 18:48	#318
Abbas BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Visakhapatnam Posts: 465 Thanked: 544 Times View My Garage	Here goes mine: 1. Sugar Baron`s Daughter - loveleen Kacker 2. The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho 3. Straigh from the gut - jack Welch (Former C.E.O. General Electric) 4. Joker in the Pack - Don`t remember. 5. Loosing My Virginity - Biography Richard Branson
	() Thanks

21st April 2009, 23:15	#320
Sagittarian BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 61 Thanked: 2 Times	Tin Drums Roots One hundred years of solitude And quiet flows the Don Khasakkinte Itihasam (OV Vijayan)
	() Thanks

22nd April 2009, 07:52	#323
zaks BANNED Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 952 Thanked: 181 Times View My Garage	Can't pick the top5 since there are a quite a few which are just as good but these are my all time favourites: ------------------------------------------------------------- Zen and the art of Motor Cycle maintenance - A classic in any way you look at it. Alchemist - You can't go wrong on this one. Surely you are joking Mr.Feynman - You only get such men rarely, very rarely. Call of the Wild - Simply superb. A Gift of Wings - Try putting down before you finish. ------------------------------------------------------------- Last edited by zaks : 22nd April 2009 at 07:53.
	() Thanks

29th April 2009, 09:19	#324
netchef BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 953 Thanked: 60 Times View My Garage	1. The Clash of civilisations and remaking of world order (Samuel Huntington) 2. The alchemist (Paulo Coelho) 3. Freedom at midnight (Lapierre and somebody) 4. Lust for life (Irving Stone) 5. Orientalism (Edward Said) Currently reading motorcycle magazines Originally Posted by deepug Many Lives Many Masters - Brian l Weiss ( currently Reading) Someone suggested this book to me. How is it? If this is about the person who was regressed and discovered she'd lived through many personas and many starkly diverse eras- sometimes even dying traumatically...if it is, then the author is a Psychologist and she was his patient. Makes you sit up. Highly recommended. Last edited by netchef : 29th April 2009 at 09:26. Reason: found another post I had a response to
	() Thanks

30th April 2009, 15:10	#325
Ankoor BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Pune / Mumbai Posts: 69 Thanked: 35 Times	Just finished reading The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown). It was a reading experiance unlike any other. Currently I am reading John Grisham's The Broker and lined up is a book called the Monkey Business by John Rolfe and Peter Troob. Its based on the world of Investment Banking.
	() Thanks

20th August 2009, 21:32	#326
KITE RUNNER BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Kochi Posts: 101 Thanked: 7 Times	The list can quite long, but let me point out my favourite 5. 1) Acts of Faith - Eric Segal 2) Kane & Abel - Jeffrey Archer 3) The Five people you meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom 4) 1984 - George Orwell 5) The grapes of wrath - John Steinbeck Presently I am outside India and hence not much into reading. Laid my hands on Life of Pi by Yann Martel, seems interesting.
	() Thanks

12th September 2009, 21:59	#327
sdp1975 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,712 Thanked: 1,274 Times View My Garage	Top 2 : 1) Narcissus and Goldmund 2) Siddharta Both by Herman Hesse. Hardly find time these days to read.
	() Thanks

16th September 2009, 15:15	#328
bblost Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 11,065 Thanked: 15,975 Times View My Garage	James Clavell - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Asian Sagas: King Rat (1962): Set in a Japanese POW camp, 1945 Tai-Pan (1966): Set in Hong Kong, 1841 Shōgun (1975): Set in feudal Japan, 1600 Noble House (1981): Set in Hong Kong, 1963 Whirlwind (1986): Set in Iran, 1979 Only one remaining: Gai-Jin (1993): Set in Japan, 1862 One of the finest story tellers. He wrote some really big books. The Shogun for instance was over 6000 ebook pages and the Whirlwind (hardback) will kill someone if thrown hard enough. If you like reading intrigue, suspense and fiction based on actual events. He is the best. I have also read his The Art of War, a translation of Sun Tzu's famous book (1983) Most of it went over my head but loved it all the same. While most of his books have been made into movies or TV series. King Rat deserves a special mention. The acting, direction etc make it one of the finest POW movie.
	() Thanks

16th September 2009, 15:54	#329
inreverse BHPian Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: MH-12.com Posts: 140 Thanked: 17 Times	Currently reading... The Afghan - Fredrick Forsyth Just got glued to it...!
	() Thanks

16th September 2009, 15:56	#330
Gilead Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 2,142 Thanked: 60 Times	I am reading Tom Clancy's Red Storm Rising. Good World War 3 story. The technical aspects are astounding as with any Clancy book.
	() Thanks