Tagged : The Book-List

Introducing my second entry into blogosphere which was possible after my write-it-man side finally won over my what-a-pain side in a month long battle since the first post...

Books ! From as long as I can remember I have been fascinated by books. I have had phases in my life when particular types of books have captured my interest corresponding to each phase.

When I was very small, the type was a no-brainer, books filled with lots of pictures and colour. When I was in middle school, I used to love books with photos of volcanoes and mountains and all, it all just felt so grand. In secondary school, I often read encyclopedias and informative books, God knows how, because I have almost completely lost that inquisitive side now. In High School, all the books I saw, whether I liked them or not, were physics, chemistry and maths books that would help me crack the exam that when cracked makes others feel that your life is a walk in the park thereon(the JEE). My novel reading spree actually started in the vacation I got after my first year at IITM. I had read a couple of small thrillers like hardy boys and secret seven in younger days, but those numbers must be like 2 or 3 maximum.

So, when Shruti tagged me with the “15 books that will stay with me” list, I decided to honor all the books that I have thoroughly enjoyed in all phases of my life. Here they are, vaguely in the order of importance they have to me, although I can't really compare two books on totally different topics.

1. The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown
   This book started the novel reading spree for me and hence, is pretty special for me. I got hooked into reading thriller/action/suspense novels after I read this absolute masterpiece first. I think I first read it because I wanted to see what the hype was all about when it was released.
   
   
2. Calvin and Hobbes – Something Under the Bed is Drooling
   
   Bill Watterson seriously created one of the best satirical/comical series on the thoughts of a kid growing up when he came up with Calvin and Hobbes. The particular mentioned book is a large collection of several years worth of comic strips by the genius.
   
   
3. The set of Encyclopedias I got in middle school
   These are 8 blue books on a shelf in my home, filled with facts about almost everything I can think of, in the standard encyclopedia format and there is also an extra book that gives a brief of the lives of countless great people till now.
   
   
4. The World Book series in my school's library
   This was a set of 25 very thick books, each, covering topics starting with a letter or slightly more, from A to Z, housed in my primary school's library. They had golden covering on the side and the paper was the best quality I have ever seen. They defined “cool” for me in my primary school days, hence are here although I don't really own them.
   
   
5. National Geographic issue with lion-lioness fight on cover
   Infinite sentimental value. I read it with my grandpa …
   Plus, it got me interested in nature and wildlife and channels such as discovery and animal planet.
   
   
6. Rising Sun – Michael Crichton
   The book is very well written, and gives a pretty blatant explanation of Japan's high profile but behind-the-scenes involvement in business circles in USA.
   
   
7. The Firm – John Grisham
   Pretty classy style of writing. The grand and dark life of lawyers is explained nicely.
   
   
8. The Bourne Identity -Robert Ludlum
   I read the novel after I watched the movie on it, and that made me enjoy it even more, because the novel has even more detail and a deeper plot than the movie can capture.
   
   
9. Angels and Demons – Dan Brown
   I love all 4 novels of Dan Brown I have read. So naturally, this one figures on the list.
   
   
10. Digital Fortress - Dan Brown
    Refer above for justification.
    
    
11. Jack Reacher Series - Lee Child
    Who doesn't love a hero ? Jack Reacher is an ex-military guy who fights bad guys and … u know the drill. Basically a good set of action/suspense novels, I've read quite a few of them.
    
    
12. Absolute Power – David Baldacci
    Strongly written, powerful novel which involves the US president in a scandal ! The book was made into a movie also by the same name, starring clint eastwood and gene hackman.
    
    
13. The Simple Truth – David Baldacci
    A good read. The standard action/romance/thriller genre.
    
    
14. The Chamber – John Grisham
    The treatment of the death penalty is too realistic. In fact, it is very moving in the way it deals with edgy issues like death penalty and racism.
    
    
15. The White Tiger – Aravind Adiga
    I got this novel for only two reasons, one, because it won a Booker and two, because it was written by an Indian. I have read several better novels than this one but this is on my list because the depiction of India and the analogies of light and darkness are fantastic and sadly, true.

So there it is, my list of 15 most cherished books. I might have not recollected a gem I might have read sometime, and for that I ask that/those book(s) for forgiveness. Speaking of the tagging thing, it took me some time to remember all the books I had read, and got me thinking that although I do read sometime, it is nowhere near enough because had I been asked “30” books instead of “15”, I could not have completed the list.

Now from what I understood of this tag, we are supposed to pass the baton, that is, tag friends who haven't been tagged yet. So, assuming that the following people are first-time targets, I tag Arjun and Kaygee.