Mr Oliver's Diary - Ruskin Bond

Mr Oliver the schoolteacher's daybook, inadvertently falls into the hands of one of his students, who passes it on to our friendly neighborhood author, who thinks it too precious to be consigned to oblivion, publishes it and thus 'Mr Oliver's Diary'. Funny and witty, it has stories and eccentric characters that have never appeared anywhere before. Mr Oliver is sure to become yet another vintage Bond characters.

A good read for children and schoolteachers as well.

My Days - R.K.Narayan

The autobiography is simple and straightforward like his short stories and novels. It portrays his personal life and literary ventures. Writing is a difficult task. Even if you are talented, getting public attention is another big huddle. RK got lucky in both. Any library can boast of having at least a dozen of RK's books since his profession was writing and he was good at it. Parts of Chapter Six- 'divine music days' were part of our university curriculum. He is the creator of Malgudi. He received Sahitya Academy Award for 'The Guide'. The serialized 'Malgudi Days' was the most rated popular serial during my school days. The movie-'The Guide' was a huge success.But somehow RK seems hugely dissatisfied with the picturization of his works. Money matters or twist in the tale? Wonder why there isn't any reference about the political turbulence of his times.....

This autobiography is truly inspirational for wannabe writers and motivates one to read RK's books.

coldddd

God, give the will n muscle powers to drag n force myself to take bath everyday. Don't make me count my winter blessings. I know winter is weak here compared to Iceland. But I'm so hating this cold. Brrrrrr

Cat O' Nine Tales - Jeffrey Archer

12 short stories with twisted tails , out of which 9 were written while incarcerated for 2 years in 5 different prisons ! One is even set in India !! The criminal doesn't always get away with his crime , justice doesn't always prevail. Archer claims the last story- 'In the eye of the beholder'- to be his favorite , but the pun at the end totally escaped through my thin-head.


Jails look such a tempting abode; I , for one is ready to go to any prison if the outcome is something like this...

A twist in the Tale - Jeffrey Archer

A collection of 12 short stories with a twist at the end- in the very last sentence.  Let's check the surprise quotient of Jeffrey Archer:

1. The perfect murder: First of all it was not a murder but an accident. He was the foreman of the jury!! Does that twist make any big difference? Surprisingly bland .
2. Clean sweep Ignatius: Neat,  clean sweep at the end.
3. A LA CARTE: An emotional tale about filial relationship. Cute and sweet without twists and turns.
4. Not the real thing: Totally sarcastic with a perfect end.
5. Just good friends: It's crystal clear from the second page onwards. meaw..meaw...
6. The steal: Funny story with a smart twist .
7. Colonel Bullfrog: A striking war time story with a touching end.
8. Checkmate: Short and tickling tail.
9. The wine taster: The joke just bounced off me. It's high time I dedicate sometime for wine too.
10. A chapter of accidents: Ha ha ha simply hilarious
11. The loophole: Missed out on the loophole here.
12. Christina Rosenthal: A sad and touching love story

Final verdict : Better admit it - you are a certified nincompoop. 

To kill a mocking bird - Harper Lee

Published in 1960,the novel bagged The Pulitzer Prize in 1961. It's a required high school  text in America and Canada. This classic novel is set in South America during the 1930's. The only one novel written by Harper Lee, it covers issues like rape , racism , courage , compassion , prejudice and hypocrisy. And she chooses to tell it through the eyes of a child with a rare kind of humor and irony. It's designed to make people think and act. Yes , it's important to walk around in someone else's shoes in order to truly understand them.


Definitely one of those books you should read before you die.

No One Writes To The Colonel - Garcia Marquez

Marquez is one of my favorite authors. I see magic in his works. I'm not an authority to babble about 'magic realism'. This story is short , sharp and totally realistic. It is about the expectations and hopes of a retired  colonel. He has been waiting for his much promised pension for fifteen years and his future lies with his prize rooster and the pension money. A simple and interesting story.