[Samurai]

Originally Posted by TKMCE

The one about Stanford, "Snapshots from Hell- The Making of an MBA" came out actually an year earlier in 1994 . Written by Peter Robinson, I liked this book much better as it gives a more realistic story of the bottom 20-30% of the class which struggles to make it . Peter Robinson was a "poet" - as the people who were not from one of the more established sources of business school students such as management consulting or financial accounting background were known as .

I read this a decade back, and it is one of the books I really remember. In fact I discussed this book in another thread over 5 years back.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifti...tml#post710626

[E63]

I just made a goodreads group for Team-BHP!

Please join, so that we can discuss books, and we can know what our fellow Team-BHPians are reading, and see the books rated by you and the reviews by you!

http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/115636-team-bhp

[vrprabhu]

Though I am a die-hard fan of John Grisham and Jeffrey Archer, the following books are on top of my list -

a. Seven Men at Day Break, The Wild Geese and Von Ryan's Express (All are made into movies).

b. Tai-pan and Noble House (by James Clavell). Looking for Whirlwind.

c. Pillars of the Earth (by Ken Follet). Starting Fall of Gaints soon. Contemplating buying Winter of the World.

d. Probably take a break and also buy "Business Sutra" by Devdutt Patnaik. I like the way he blends mythology and management

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

b. Tai-pan and Noble House (by James Clavell). Looking for Whirlwind.

I have read all his books except Whirlwind. IMHO, Shogun is his best. In fact, that book started my lifelong Japanophilia, which was recently satiated by visiting Japan.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by Samurai

I have read all his books except Whirlwind. IMHO, Shogun is his best. In fact, that book started my lifelong Japanophilia, which was recently satiated by visiting Japan.

May be, I'll follow your lead and visit Hongkong?

King Rat got me going - the PoW camp and experience was excellent. Only later I realised that he himself was one. If my memory is right, he was also the director of Sidney Poiter's 'To Sir With Love'.

Used to be a big fan of War based fiction - until 'The Rise and Fall of Third Reich' and 'Catch 22' ...... couldn't stomach the mind of both Herr Hitler (wrong way to start a book by reading the last part first!) and Capt. Yossarian (and his endless sorties). 'The Desert Fox' is still lying around untouched. That was more than three decades ago - was I too juvenile to understand? Is there anybody who has completed these two books and willing to share their views?

One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest is in the same vein - have seen it several times. I am convinced that Jack Nicholson is sane and I am mad :-(

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Used to be a big fan of War based fiction

Sorry to quote myself (is it allowed?)

Been thinking after I re-read this post and also a request for book suggestion for 12 & 16 year olds (was it Eddy?), that what was the first war book I read?

The earliest I can remember are -

a. 'Where Eagles Dare' and 'The Guns of Navarone' by Alaistar MacLean (didn't enjoy 'Ice Station Zebra' as much).

b. 'The Eagle has Landed' by Jack Higgins.

Going backward, I can remember only the 'Commando' comics with the 'Spitfires' and 'Messerschmitts'!

Guess this may be suitable for 12 & 16 year olds - if it helps.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

May be, I'll follow your lead and visit Hongkong?

No... I have read both Noble House and Tai-pan, it didn't make me a Hong Kong fan. No, you have to read Shogun to understand that feeling. In fact, I am not alone. I found another BHPian who had similar experience recently. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/intern...ml#post3164335

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

King Rat got me going - the PoW camp and experience was excellent.

This didn't make me a Singapore fan either.

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Used to be a big fan of War based fiction - until 'The Rise and Fall of Third Reich' and 'Catch 22' ...... couldn't stomach the mind of both Herr Hitler (wrong way to start a book by reading the last part first!) and Capt. Yossarian (and his endless sorties). 'The Desert Fox' is still lying around untouched. That was more than three decades ago - was I too juvenile to understand? Is there anybody who has completed these two books and willing to share their views?

I read The Rise and Fall of Third Reich in my mid-teens. But catch 22 was a bit tricky. Again in my teens, a cousin challenged that I can't read beyond the 5th page of Catch 22. I took the challenge and read it until 100th page. But I didn't relish it, and dropped off. I rarely ever stop mid-way, but this was one of them.

I am still a big fan of historic fictions. Stories built around real historic events.

My earlier comments on the same:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifti...ml#post1608336

My favourite historic series:

Sharpe's Series by Bernard Cornwell (24 books) - Deals with Arthur Wellesley battles in India & against Napoleon
The Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell (4 books) - Deals with how Saxons came to England
The Warrior Chronicles/Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell (7 books) - Deals with how England was created by King Alfred and his kids
Grail Quest by Bernard Cornwell (4 books) - The hundred year war between France & England
The Starbuck Chronicles (4 books) - American Civil war from the Confederate side
Horashio Hornblower by C.S.Forester (12 books) - Deals with naval war against Napoleon
Conqueror series by Conn Iggulden (5 books on the Mongol empire)
Emperor series by Conn Iggulden (5 books on the life of Julius Ceaser)

And finally the Revolutionary War, Mexican War, Civil War, WWI & WWII books from Jeff Shaara.

Gods and Generals (1996)—Civil War (1858–1863)
The Last Full Measure (1998)—Civil War (1861–1865)
Gone for Soldiers (2000)—US-Mexican War (1847–1848)
Rise to Rebellion (2001)—Pre-American Revolutionary War (1770–1776)
The Glorious Cause (2002)—American Revolutionary War (1776–1783)
To the Last Man (2004)—World War I (1914–1918)
The Rising Tide (2006)—World War II (1939–1945), Trilogy Part 1 of 3
The Steel Wave (2008)—World War II (1939–1945), Trilogy Part 2 of 3
No Less Than Victory (2009)—World War II (1939–1945), Trilogy Part 3 of 3
The Final Storm (2011)—World War II (1939–1945), Pacific Theater
A Blaze of Glory (2012)—Civil War (1861-1865), Western Theater, Tetralogy Part 1 of 4
A Chain of Thunder (2013)—Civil War (1861-1865), Western Theater, Tetralogy Part 2 of 4

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

I am still a big fan of historic fictions. Stories built around real historic events.

Thanks for the input!

So much to read, and so little time!! I'll try to go through at least one or two soon.. (Started re-re-reading 'Code to Zero' yesterday).

Guess you must have exhausted Leon Uris and Wilbur Smith accounts of Israel and South Africa?

[Samurai]

Added some more books to the my historic list above.

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Guess you must have exhausted Leon Uris and Wilbur Smith accounts of Israel and South Africa?

I have read most of Wilbur Smith, but not Leon Uris.

[TKMCE]

Wanted to share an interesting experience I had recently.

I am a big fan of Jeffrey Archer and have read most of his books. One of the earliest which I read about 20 years back was "First Among Equals" which I had purchased when I was a teenager. As is my bad habit, used to re-read it once a few years so you can say I am more or less familiar with the plot!


Recently I happened to chance accros a copy in my local library and since it was quite a while since I read the same, I thought why not re-read it yet again ! And here starts the fun. Literally from the word go, I found something amiss.The original book I read was accross the ocean at my home but I was pretty sure that something was not adding up. For instance one of the characters (in the book I had at home) was Charles Hampton and what I was reading had a Charles "Seymour" instead! And there appeared to be 4 main characters in the one I am reading instead of 3 in the copy which I had back home.

Decided to turn to Wikipedia and look at what I found! Apparently the US edition had its plot modified suitably to make it easier for US readers to digest. And the one I have it at home apprently is the US edition.And to make it more fun, the English edition was later released in the US as well (which is the one I am now reading!). So I think I should now hold on to my original US edition copy starring the less famous Charles Hampton instead of the more popular Charles Seymour

The following link from Wikipedia explains it all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Among_Equals_(novel)

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by TKMCE

Wanted to share an interesting experience I had recently.

Apparently the US edition had its plot modified suitably to make it easier for US readers to digest.

That is really very interesting. Have to check my copy first and get hold of the other....

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Started re-re-reading 'Code to Zero' yesterday

Err.. sorry, I seem to keep quoting myself.

The third iteration of 'Code to Zero' was rather tepid. What was a thrilling read a decade ago, is no longer fascinating today. Of course, the insights into the rocket tech is still interesting to go through (there is even an american jugaad quoted!)

Got hold of 'Whirlwind' and completed it too!!

It is a big one. 1270 pages. Font size 9.

The story unfolds in Iran - the revolution where Shah is overthrown and Khomeini takes over... not much about Noble House and Tai-pan. I would rate it a 7 on 10.

But there are a few gems - here is one for Samurai :

"What are clouds,
But an excuse for the Sky?

What is life,
But an escape from death?"

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Used to be a big fan of War based fiction - until 'The Rise and Fall of Third Reich' and 'Catch 22' ...... couldn't stomach the mind of both Herr Hitler (wrong way to start a book by reading the last part first!) and Capt. Yossarian (and his endless sorties). :-(

I must admit one of my all-time favorites, that I have reread many times is in fact Catch22.
I think it is brilliant, very funny up to the point of being hilarious, very American and probably depicted the madness of war for these flight crews in a very unusual way.

But it also easy to see why this book might not appeal to everybody

Jeroen

[Eddy]

Oh my, I tried reading Catch 22 twice but failed to continue beyond ten-twenty pages each time. Same was the case with God of Small Things.

Not my cuppa tea definitely.

[yosbert]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

I must admit one of my all-time favorites, that I have reread many times is in fact Catch22.
I think it is brilliant, very funny up to the point of being hilarious, very American and probably depicted the madness of war for these flight crews in a very unusual way.

But it also easy to see why this book might not appeal to everybody

Jeroen

Couldn't agree more. This book is on my all time favourites list too.

It completely strips war of all the glory associated with it. Brilliant.

[Pallavi]

Not suitable to this thread but it is kind of important.

I require 2 copies of the Oct 18th edition of Forbes India magazine. Any suggestions where i can purchase them in Bangalore?

I asked Sapna book house but they sent back all the older issues.

Thanks in advance