There is something magical about reading books. Most people think it is about knowing stories. I don't deny that. Along with the story the reader will be transported to another world, the world where he will get involved with the characters. Here, the imagination is his own. Though he is a mute spectator, the emotions he feel for the people in the book are raw and real. It is my genuine believe that people who read books are generally more mature and liberal. That is mainly because their exposure is aplenty. They would have lived different lives in different time periods. They are familiar with goodness and badness. They can differentiate from right to wrong. They can take stand in a conflict. They can be compassionate and kind. I know there are several exceptions to this generalization of mine. At least I can say reading books made me a better person and it continues to do so.
This World Book Day I want to name few of my favourite books that tops my memory right now. It is an extremely difficult task to begin with. The mere mention of a book name brings back memories associated with it. I may not remember the plot well enough, but mere mention of a book name brings back memories associated with it. The below-mentioned list will not be the same next year. So, here is the list without any particular order.
1. Jugari Cross-Poornachandra Tejaswi
2. Rage of Angels-Sidney Sheldon
3. Parva-S. L. Bhyrappa
4. Kane and Abel-Jeffrey Archer
5. Harry Potter Series-J. K. Rowling
6. To Kill A Mockingbird-Harper Lee
7. The Kite Runner-Khaled Hosseini
8. Wonder-R. J. Palacio
9. The Good Daughter-Karin Slaughter
10. Tulasidala-Yandamuri Veerendranath
Happy World Book Day from one bookish to another.
The year 2019 I've read many new authors, which were mostly recommended in Goodreads. And I've sticked to many of old favourites. I've tried my hands on two books that were long-listed for Man Booker Prize, and a all time classic. My most cherished genres are thriller and mystery, so it is not a surprise I've scored in that pretty well. I've failed to break the jinx of sci-fi and horror genres. I'm jotting down a list for no particular reasons.
The best book that I read in 2019:
To Kill a Mocking Bird-Harper Lee
Not-So-Good book that I read in 2019:
First Night-Sophie Kinsella
A classic that I thought I'l never enjoy:
To Kill a Mocking Bird-Harper Lee
A book that I read after watching the television drama of the book adaptation:
Clash of Kings and Storm of Swords-George R.R. Martin
A book that was intriguing enough to put the screen adaptation in the "TBW" list:
Normal People-Sally Rooney
A book that haunted me in days to come:
My Lovely Wife-Samantha Downing
A book that I couldn't decide whether I liked or not:
Into the Water-Paula Hawkins
A book that I abandoned in the middle:
Faithful Place-Tana French
A book that I wish I had read in 2019:
Becoming-Michelle Obama
A Kannada book that I read in 2019:
Chikkadoddavaru-Shivarama Karanth
A Travel book that I read in 2019:
Apoorva Paschima-Shivarama Karanth
A unfinished series of 2019:
A Song of Ice and Fire-George R.R. Martin
A series that I've started in 2019:
Nothing
An author that I've read most in 2019:
Kristin Hannah
A book that I was embarrassed to read:
Hero-Samantha Young
An author that I wish I read earlier:
Harper Lee
A series that was decent enough to made me watch the movies and get disappointed:
Hunger Games
A book of new geography:
Purple Hibiscus-Chimamanda Adichie
In my last post "The Year that was 2019" I've mentioned my reading challenge for the year was 50. However, while reading my last year's post I've realized that I had set my reading goal for 2019 as 60 books. This is what happens when I neglect my writing space. Over the period I had forgotten what object I had set for myself and started believing in another number. What remains is I had missed my target miserably. I'm not the one to be bogged down by the failures. With full gusto and energy I have taken up the challenge to read 50 books in the year 2020, that is 4 books per month on an average. I console myself saying I had picked two books in 'Game of Throne' series which are astonishingly of huge volume. I've been largely partial to few authors, that made me to pick their work in a row. In 2020 I intend to bring diversity in terms of genres and authors. Without much ado here goes my list;
January
1. Catching Fire-Susanne Collins
2. Betrayal-Danielle Steel
3. Mocking Jay-Susanne Collins
4. Into the Water-Paula Hawkins
February
1. Apporva Paschima-Shivaram Karanth
2. A Great Alone-Kristin Hannah
3. Nightingale-Kristin Hannah
March
1. Last Anniversary-Lianne Moriatry
2. Hero-Samantha Young
3. Nine Perfect Strangers-Lianne Moriatry
April
1. Everything I Never Told You About-Celeste NG
2. Home For Christmas-Nora Roberts
3. The Wife Between Us-Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
May
1. An Anonymous Girl-Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
2. In a Dark, Dark Woods-Ruth Ware
3. Clash of Kings-George R.R. Martin
June
1. My Lovely Wife-Samantha Downing
2. The Girl Before
July
1. Big Girl-Danielle Steel
2. Family Ties-Danielle Steel
3. Bitter Sweet-Danielle Steel
4. Angels Fall-Nora Roberts
August
1. Montana Sky-Nora Roberts
2. First to Die-James Patterson
3. Normal Things-Sally Rodney
September
1. The Silent Patient-Alex Michaelides
October
1. Dead to You-Lisa McMann
2. Dating Game-Danielle Steel
3. Before Anna-Alex Lake
4. Comfort and Joy-Kristin Hannah
November
1. Between Sisters-Kristin Hannah
2. Storm of Swords-George R.R.Martin
3. Purple Hibiscus-Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
4. To Kill a Mocking Bird-Harper Lee
5. Digging In-Loretta Nyhan
December
1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society-Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
2. Chikkadoddavaru-Shivarama Karanth
3. Summer Island-Kristin Hannah
4. Home Again-Kristin Hannah
5. Wedding Night-Sophie Kinsella
