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What are you Reading today? All about Books.

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sankara_sharmah

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I am starting this thread to share information about the books we are reading with a short review or a link. This may help other members to decide what boooks to read.

And also talk about Books. Novels, Histories, Anthologies and what not.

Now that we have ebooks it becomes easy for us to choose. And to stock. I have more than 5000 books in my computer. A lot to choose from. This would not have been possible if I had to buy physical copies. I do have more than 3000 books in six book shelves. But locating a book is a big problem. So I have restricted purchase of physical books.

I am addicted detective/mystery. Especially of the older kind. Like Agatha Christie.

Just now I am reading "The Door Bell Rang" by Rex Stout. One of his Nero Wolfe books. May be I have read it earlier. But I do not remember. I have a number of books by Rex Stout.

Rex Stout - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

BTW do you prefer E books? I do.

I read them on my computer and Kindles. Though I can read them on my phone, I am not comfortable with that. And then the battery need recharging so often.

How about you?

Please post. Write about the books you love.
 
I was surprised to learn that "The Doorbell Rang" by Rex Stout led to serious consequences.

Rex Stout was one of many American writers closely watched by J. Edgar Hoover's FBI. Hoover considered him an enemy of the bureau and either a Communist or a tool of Communist-dominated groups. Stout's leadership of the Authors League of America during the McCarthy Era was particularly irksome to the FBI. About a third of Stout's FBI file is devoted to his 1965 novel. The Doorbell Rang. In its April 1976 report, the Church Committee found that The Doorbell Rang is a reason that Rex Stout's name was one of 332 placed on the FBI's "not to contact list," which it cited as evidence of the FBI's political abuse of intelligence information.

--Wikipedia
 
I read in some newspaper article the the Book reading is no longer popular among the young. I do not believe it. I see lot of young people in Book shops.

So I am surprised that no member has posted here.

I was talking about Agatha Christie. I prefer Miss. Marple series. I do not like Hercule Poirot all that much. Then there are a couple of books involving Tommy and Tuppence Beresford. (N or M)

These are traditional English detective stories.

Another good author was Dorothy L. Sayers with Lord Wimsey as the detective. But I do not see many of them now.

Dorothy L. Sayers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
dear sankara,

thank you for the invite. i just completed an awesome book, one which was in my reading list, for years, and finally i managed to get the tamil version and finish it in one setting - all 180 pages.

one of the benefits of living in toronto, is that the toronto public library, in addition to carrying all the popular magazines, has between its many branches over 5000 tamil books, most of them current fiction and of excellent choice.

it was here that i picked up அம்மா வந்தாள் by t. janakiraman. i had come across this book, as a serial in illustrated weekly, during khushwant singh's time i think, as a translation, 'the sins of appu's mother'. i did not read it then.

over the years, the topic had always been at the back of my mind, and finally my interest was satiated a couple of days ago. janakiraman is considered among the better of tamil novelists of mid 20th century.

this is my first book, and it is written in brahmin tamil, which to me, a pattar, is more a tamil with liberal sprinkling of வட மொழி whose meanings i understood more by the context of the book. it is very free flowing and easy to read, which was janakiraman's speciality - ie the book read like a narration in a thinnai, and needed no further effort than to graze one's eyes' over the words. the content, by its very nature, sunk in, and sunk in deep too.

the subject, is probably a taboo for many still. but it happens. otherwise, janakiraman would not have imagined it...for such things are more a reflection of the society. the story may be fiction, but i think, it is fiction based on what happens in our society.

the story begins with 24 year old appu, leaving his gurukulam, after 16 years. the gurukulam is run by donation from bhavaniamma, who lives in the house next door, along with her 24 year old widowed daughter in law indu. as per request from her dying son, indu was not அலங்கோலம்d. so we can presume, that at 24, she is at the prime of her looks and desires.

due to circumstances, indu and appu are left alone that evening, and indu tries to seduce appu. he refuses, and tells indu, that she is like his own mother to him, for having taken care and fed him for 16 years. the disappointed indu, flairs out, that casts doubts of appu's mother's honour and fidelity.

we come then to madras - a middle class middle aged family. appu's. appu is the second son, with an older brother, sister (married off), and three younger siblings (2 brothers, one sister). the father is a mild man, and the mother, alangaram, is one hell of a well built beauty.

appu comes to madras, and catches his mother with her paramour sivasu, who visits the house frequently, during the daytime, when the father is away.

the mother, had 16 years ago, decided, that appu her second son, should study the vedas, as she felt that this was the true education. her desire, as she repeatedly says, was to stand in the shade of her son's erudity, and seek forgiveness for her desires.

if i say more, i would be giving away too much. the story progress, to a full circle, and ends back in the small village where it all started. the ending is satisfying. i would recommend it, to anyone, in either english, 'the sins of appu's mother' or அம்மா வந்தாள். by T.Janakiraman.

here is a better review of the same book for your reference.

review 1

Thank You.
 
Kunjuppu,

I read the book அம்மா வந்தாள் by Thi. Janakiraman a couple of years back. Got it from the local Bharathi Sangam Library. We liked it so much that we got all his novels and read them.

Unfortunately the theme of infidelity of middle age married Brahmin women is a recurring theme in almost all his novels.

We did not like that.
 
The books I like to read now a days is mostly (auto)biographies of scientists and mathematicians, stories written by mathematicians and travelogues. The books that I read the last few months.

Yandell's book on The Honors Class: Hilbert's Problems and Their Solvers

The Honors Class: Hilbert's Problems and Their Solvers: Ben Yandell: 9781568812168: Amazon.com: Books

And Strogatz The calculus of Friendship Strogatz, S.: The Calculus of Friendship: What a Teacher and a Student Learned about Life while Corresponding about Math.

A book written by Wolcott (Math Ph D student at University of Washington (who has spent time in India).) My Name is Not Susan: A Love Story Between
Mathematics and Non-Mathematics

My Name Is Not Susan: Luke Wolcott: 9780557066520: Amazon.com: Books

http://forthelukeofmath.com/documents/mnins_final_crop.pdf
 
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Kunjuppu,

I read the book அம்மா வந்தாள் by Thi. Janakiraman a couple of years back. Got it from the local Bharathi Sangam Library. We liked it so much that we got all his novels and read them.

Unfortunately the theme of infidelity of middle age married Brahmin women is a recurring theme in almost all his novels.

We did not like that.

sankara,

pray sir, please tell me why 'We did not like that'.

i can think of various reasons, from one end, unable/unwilling to deal with such an 'unpleasant' theme to such things when we talk about brahmins, is equivalent to brahmin bashing.

so, if you could lead me to your train of thoughts, we can perhaps, think it and discuss it through. i will, ofcourse, give you my own view of things, after your initial input.

thank you again.
 
Kunjuppu,

For more than 10 years now, we have strictly avoided reading about Violence and other human depravities. We do not watch the soap serials with unending fights between family members. Avoid reading modern English Novels which portray continuous mayhem and violence. That is why we prefer the traditional English mysteries.

We read all of Thi. Janakiraman's novels because his writing is extremely good and we are able to understand/empathize with the social milieu. Even this theme in அம்மா வந்தாள். But when it is repeated in every novel, we do not like it.

I had read Mulk Raj Anand's Untouchable and Coolie when I was 16. It made me think about society, about inequalities and the horror of the caste system. Though I have a copy of that novel Coolie, I can not read it now. It makes me sick.

LITERATURE AT ALBERTS: Mulkraj Anand - Coolie

These are two novels which every Indian should read.
 
Kunjuppu,

I read the book அம்மா வந்தாள் by Thi. Janakiraman a couple of years back. Got it from the local Bharathi Sangam Library. We liked it so much that we got all his novels and read them.

Unfortunately the theme of infidelity of middle age married Brahmin women is a recurring theme in almost all his novels.
We did not like that.

Dear Sri Sharmah,

தி ஜானகிராமன் is one of my favourite authors, அம்மா வந்தாள் is considered his masterpiece. Yes, you are correct this author's stories center around life of Brahmin families in Agraharams in the period of early twentieth century. Though I have also noticed theme of infidelity among the married Brahmin women in அம்மா வந்தாள் and மோகமுள் , I enjoy his way of handling the language. His short stories are equally good.

Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.
 
Dear Brahmanyan,

I agree with you 100%. Janakiraman's strength is not only the plot, but the lucid manner in which he tells it. It is almost like he is sitting in front of you and speaking to you. There is no formality or rigid structure. I am on the lookout for மோகமுள் and நடந்தி வழி காவேரி - the travelogue that he wrote with Chitti. TJ had this fascination for Kaveri. I will not be surprised, if after reading the second book, I too will be bit by the bug to follow his footsteps along the river.
 
Dear Sankara,

I agree that re gurgitating the same topic in different books can turn monotonous or boring. Take John Grisham for example – his earlier book The Firm was well written – but the latter ones, all pale imitations and dealing with law, most of them are not even worth the paper on which they are printed.

Having read TJ’s அம்மா வந்தாள் , I have had the taste of only one of his works. Let me read a few more, and then I can perhaps agree or disagree with you.

On the whole, I find the idea of infidelity among strait laced tambrams fascinating – not because it happened (after all we are humans like everyone else). But the extent to which the society denies it and moves on as if nothing has happened.

Here in அம்மா வந்தாள், we have an apparently normal middle class household – except we have the paramour visiting the mother as often as 15 times a month, and it is openly acknowledged that he has fathered the last three (of the total 6) children. And everyone in the community appears to know it except Appu.

The person I admired the most, is the father, who had his own reasons for putting up with this ‘shame’. Ultimately he is exonerated, and it is the wife who leaves him to go to kasi as penance. Yet another reason, for women to seek the refuge of Varanasi with the end purpose of dying!

Every family has skeletons in the closet. I still remember my parents/grand parents, discussing something that happened over 60 years ago in Trivandrum. Two couples, one of whom was related, both the men in high positions in the community, splitting up, and swapping the wives and living publicly. Ofcourse at that time, I did not understand the impact or the consequences of this. The interesting thing, is that one of the couples, due to recurrent nightmares turned to religion and apparently their house became the venue of regular homams and yajnas. …and so it goes on.

One last word about TJ’s play with words. Twice in the novel he has repeated his physical description of Alangaram, appu’s mother. On both occasions, one can get a visual image from that description – voluptuous and sexy, but never obscene. If that is not the beauty of the author’s skillset, I don’t know what is.

Thank You.
 
Dear Brahmanyan,

I agree with you 100%. Janakiraman's strength is not only the plot, but the lucid manner in which he tells it. It is almost like he is sitting in front of you and speaking to you. There is no formality or rigid structure. I am on the lookout for மோகமுள் and நடந்தி வழி காவேரி - the travelogue that he wrote with Chitti. TJ had this fascination for Kaveri. I will not be surprised, if after reading the second book, I too will be bit by the bug to follow his footsteps along the river.

Dear Sri Kunjuppu,

Welcome back.
I have heard about தி.ஜா's Travelogue 'நடந்தாய் வாழி காவேரி, but could not get a copy of this book so far.
His other books "மரப்பசு" மற்றும் "உயிர்த்தேன் " are also good but little dragging. His short stories are like O'Henry's stories, with surprise ends. Some of them are available in the net.

Other authors of modern time whose writings I like are சுஜாதா, தி. சா. ராஜு, பால குமாரன்.

Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.
 
Dear Kunjuppu Sir,

Thanks for posting about AMmaVandhal"...a masterpiece from TJ. I sincerely wish you read thru "Mogamul"...such a beautiful novel and we are transported to the Tanjore, cauvery river side....due to paucity of time am unable to write more. But will certainly share more on TJ soon in this thread. BTW his another travelogue on his visit to "Japan"is also wonderfully written.
thanks for making me to go back tonight and read thru Amma vandhal from my collections.

cheers.
 
Dear mr.sankar sharmah,

will cerrtainly post on the books i am reading and read . Good you have opened a thread. I would love to share my interest, the books i have read and plan to read... authors like, Kalki, Jeyakanthan, T.Janakiraman, KA.NA.SU, pudumaipithan, LA SA RA, Indumathi, Lakshmi., DEvan, Anuthamma, Rajam Krishnan, Balakumaran, Kothamangalam Subbu, Osho, Swami Rama, .....................just come before my eyes and go....

Cheers.
 
I am reading "Mrs. Jeffries Appeals the Verdict" by Emily Brightwell. Yesterday I read "Mrs. Jeffries and the Silent Knight" by the same author.

These two are part of "Mrs. Jeffries" series of mysteries. They are Detective stories set In England in the Victorian Era. I have six of her books.

Emily Brightwell - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

BTW a good place to locate good books to read is

Share Book Recommendations With Your Friends, Join Book Clubs, Answer Trivia

You can read the reviews before buying a book. You can also write your own review.
 
Dear mr.sankar sharmah,

will cerrtainly post on the books i am reading and read . Good you have opened a thread. I would love to share my interest, the books i have read and plan to read... authors like, Kalki, Jeyakanthan, T.Janakiraman, KA.NA.SU, pudumaipithan, LA SA RA, Indumathi, Lakshmi., DEvan, Anuthamma, Rajam Krishnan, Balakumaran, Kothamangalam Subbu, Osho, Swami Rama, .....................just come before my eyes and go....

Cheers.

manohar,

one query if you dont mind.

how do you compare kalki's ponniyin selvan with balakumaran's udayar?

characterwise. also PS has many muliti faceted complete characters, plots and sub plots. how does that compare with Udayar?

any other feedback?

thank you.
 
Since there are very few views for this thread and fewer posts, I have started a poll to find out the reaction of members. Please Vote.
 
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