Books I Have Read In 2005
Last night I forced myself to spring clean my writing table. Tucked in the corner of the lowest drawer was a handwritten list, proudly announcing to anyone who chanced upon it, the 'Books I Have Read In 2005'. I remembered last year's resolution. A resolution I made in July to make time to read more and taste a variety of authors. Glancing over my list, I saw that I had been brave. None of the names had been familiar to me six months ago. Pleased, I began counting them. The grand total? 23 books in six months. Both fiction and non-fiction. Not too bad for someone who only managed single digits in previous years. I ran through the list again, pausing after each book to observe the flashbacks of that reading experience. Here are some of them:
Chronicles of Narnia (Volume 1-3), C.S. Lewis
I had spotted this value-for-money edition while I was hurrying down the escalator in MPH. Eager to read it after horrifying a fellow writer with my unfamiliarity with C.S. Lewis, I snapped it up and invited it to be my companion on the long bus ride to Singapore. I devoured it on the trip back. With another half-hour more to go before we pulled into Pudu, I indulged in delicious daydreams about living in Narnia.
The Girl Who Married A Lion, Alexander McCall Smith
I still maintain my stand that this book is like flavourless gum. I only finished it because I kept telling myself to give the next story a chance. And also because I hate abandoning a book halfway.
By The Light of My Father's Smile, Alice Walker
I fell in love with Walker the instant my eyes fell on the cover. After the first chapter, I knew it would be an everlasting love. This book left me feeling like a bud of beauty and tenderness had been planted in me. I had to keep putting the book down every now and then to savour the beautiful phrases that are liberally sprinkled within its pages. Even after I finished it, I kept returning to it just to read ym favourite lines. And they still have the same effect on me.
Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston
I love any book that involves women empowerment. the main character Janie lived up to expectations and gave me a little insight into why women stay with abusive men and what they're really thinking. This was a very emotionally satisfying book but reading it took time because of the African American slang. I tried reading the dialogue aloud and promised myself to never again do such a foolish thing.
Possessing The Secret of Joy, Alice Walker
This book was heavier than the previous, as it dealt with female genital mutilation. I remember how sickened I felt after reading it and it prompted me to do a little research on FGM. What I found out sickened me even more. But Walker addressed the subject without a direct appeal to emotions. She told a story and she told it beautifully.
The Lemon Table, Julian Barnes
I have no real complaints about Barnes' collection of short stories, but they just aren't my cup of tea. The stories were short enough to hold my interest but there was none of the much-enjoyed electric charge one feels when reading a good book.
Sightseeing, Rattawut Lapcharoensap
All it took was the first story for this book to be included in my list of All Time Favourites. Lapcharoensap has a wicked sense of humour, a sharp eye and a stunning writing style. He manages to expose Thailand's quirks without shredding its dignity. I can't wait for his next book.
Lucky Child, Loung Ung
This book was on my Christmas list and my father was darling enough to hunt it down. I opened it on Christmas night and finished it on Boxing Day. Ung, a Cambodian, tells the story of how she immigrates to US with her brother and struggles to fit it. I remember being rather impatient at her frequent emotional outbursts but then I realised it was only because I was uncomfortable with the thought that it could have been me.
Bono:The Biography, Laura Jackson
The frontman for U2 became my new hero halfway through this book. I loved his selflessness, his ability to scrutinise his own faults and above all, his humility and compassion. And Jackson did a superb job in shining the light on all these qualities.
The Noodlemaker, Ma Jian
My first complete taste of Chinese flavour. And it satisfied my palate. I've always been hesitant when it comes to Chinese writers, believing they could never quite match up to the humour and flair of Indian writers. Each tiny sip I've had of their writing left a dull taste in my mouth. But Ma Jian was a delightful surprise. This book addressed public suicide, death and adultery in a startlingly practical manner. Very refreshing.
The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Nightime, Mark Haddon
One of my favourite books. I immediately bought it as an early birthday present for a friend as soon as I turned the last page.
I loved the dry humour and the honest thought pattern of an austic child. It helped me see that sometimes things really are exactly as they seem and it is us who mess it up by being over-analytical. I started on it in Thailand and read a couple of funny bits aloud to PP. From then on, she kept asking me to keep narrating the story and to read out all the parts that made me laugh. Even without reading it, she loved it too!
Chronicles of Narnia (Volume 1-3), C.S. Lewis
I had spotted this value-for-money edition while I was hurrying down the escalator in MPH. Eager to read it after horrifying a fellow writer with my unfamiliarity with C.S. Lewis, I snapped it up and invited it to be my companion on the long bus ride to Singapore. I devoured it on the trip back. With another half-hour more to go before we pulled into Pudu, I indulged in delicious daydreams about living in Narnia.
The Girl Who Married A Lion, Alexander McCall Smith
I still maintain my stand that this book is like flavourless gum. I only finished it because I kept telling myself to give the next story a chance. And also because I hate abandoning a book halfway.
By The Light of My Father's Smile, Alice Walker
I fell in love with Walker the instant my eyes fell on the cover. After the first chapter, I knew it would be an everlasting love. This book left me feeling like a bud of beauty and tenderness had been planted in me. I had to keep putting the book down every now and then to savour the beautiful phrases that are liberally sprinkled within its pages. Even after I finished it, I kept returning to it just to read ym favourite lines. And they still have the same effect on me.
Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston
I love any book that involves women empowerment. the main character Janie lived up to expectations and gave me a little insight into why women stay with abusive men and what they're really thinking. This was a very emotionally satisfying book but reading it took time because of the African American slang. I tried reading the dialogue aloud and promised myself to never again do such a foolish thing.
Possessing The Secret of Joy, Alice Walker
This book was heavier than the previous, as it dealt with female genital mutilation. I remember how sickened I felt after reading it and it prompted me to do a little research on FGM. What I found out sickened me even more. But Walker addressed the subject without a direct appeal to emotions. She told a story and she told it beautifully.
The Lemon Table, Julian Barnes
I have no real complaints about Barnes' collection of short stories, but they just aren't my cup of tea. The stories were short enough to hold my interest but there was none of the much-enjoyed electric charge one feels when reading a good book.
Sightseeing, Rattawut Lapcharoensap
All it took was the first story for this book to be included in my list of All Time Favourites. Lapcharoensap has a wicked sense of humour, a sharp eye and a stunning writing style. He manages to expose Thailand's quirks without shredding its dignity. I can't wait for his next book.
Lucky Child, Loung Ung
This book was on my Christmas list and my father was darling enough to hunt it down. I opened it on Christmas night and finished it on Boxing Day. Ung, a Cambodian, tells the story of how she immigrates to US with her brother and struggles to fit it. I remember being rather impatient at her frequent emotional outbursts but then I realised it was only because I was uncomfortable with the thought that it could have been me.
Bono:The Biography, Laura Jackson
The frontman for U2 became my new hero halfway through this book. I loved his selflessness, his ability to scrutinise his own faults and above all, his humility and compassion. And Jackson did a superb job in shining the light on all these qualities.
The Noodlemaker, Ma Jian
My first complete taste of Chinese flavour. And it satisfied my palate. I've always been hesitant when it comes to Chinese writers, believing they could never quite match up to the humour and flair of Indian writers. Each tiny sip I've had of their writing left a dull taste in my mouth. But Ma Jian was a delightful surprise. This book addressed public suicide, death and adultery in a startlingly practical manner. Very refreshing.
The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Nightime, Mark Haddon
One of my favourite books. I immediately bought it as an early birthday present for a friend as soon as I turned the last page.
I loved the dry humour and the honest thought pattern of an austic child. It helped me see that sometimes things really are exactly as they seem and it is us who mess it up by being over-analytical. I started on it in Thailand and read a couple of funny bits aloud to PP. From then on, she kept asking me to keep narrating the story and to read out all the parts that made me laugh. Even without reading it, she loved it too!
posted by starlight at 3:04 PM
3 Comments:
I just finished The Curious Incident of The Dog in Night-time! I loved it too.
that's quite a list!
Krista - isn't it such a great book!
Bibiobibuli - oh come on, i'm sure your list will make mine look puny!! :)
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