A few good men!

Summer Vacations! The ideal time to idle away. That’s pretty much what most people are doing. I’m no exception- Movies, serials, talk shows, fear factor- TV’s been a rather stout companion. Chatting, internet, games-quintessential for holiday plans. Badi and football etc. etc.

But we’re supposedly quite grown up so ‘study’ looms large. FIIT-JEE classes 3 days a week, their homework, the extra ‘groundwork’ is inescapable. Suddenly, by some twist of fate, technology has lost its charm. I have turned to an aged system- man’s (uhh!) 2^nd best friend, after dogs as they say- BOOKS!! Here sit the ‘men’ who this post is about.

Dr Brian Weiss- Revered psychologist writing books on after-life and spirituality, apparently true stories. But, being the classical skeptic and having read “many lives many masters” I’d say- Pure fiction. Yet, he handles a pen with great dexterity; his narration makes a believer out of you. Very inspiring and motivating. Thank you Rachiiita for the wonderful reference.

NOTE: It’s a great catalyst to kick off your studies- worked for me.

P.G.Wodehouse: One book and I’m a big fan of his. You see- crazy, maniacal, amazingly creative fiction always finds a good reader in me. And P.G. hands it out in awesome doses. “Laughing Gas”, set in the contemporary world but exceeding all limits of imagination is a must read. The unpredictability is what I love the most.

While we’re on the subject of fiction, the ‘masters’ shall be named. Isaac Asimov and JRR Tolkien have written grand works, the former a breed of science fiction (The Foundation Series, is the best example. All his novels make for interesting reading.) while the latter has adroitly created a whimsical world, complete with its creatures, landscapes, good, evil, its own fundamental rules and contemporary stories. There’s even a background book- The Hobbit. His narration is entirely consistent and still enraptures 50 years after it was penned, simply too good. This transcends our mind, our thoughts, throwing our ideas about everything to the dogs. I’d rate Tolkien and Lord of the Rings many many notches higher than JK Rowling and Harry Potter, it seems kiddish. Read it, to believe it!

“”The concerned blogger hath already spake of the fiend- Dan Brown- who don’t let you put a book down.””

Michael Crichton- His genre can be told as fiction. However, a lot of his books are based on true stories. All his works veer right on the edge of realism, making you unsure what to believe, set you thinking. After that he plays with your emotions wantonly, swinging left and right. The story moves from elation to despair to lust to solitude. He makes you feel every moment of it. A touch predictable- like in Bollywood movies- the hero never loses, but what good is it if that does happen. Crichton is definitely one of the ELITE. Maybe a stickler for technical detail.

Readables: Airframe: Exciting, controversial story with a simple, yet elusive solution. Make it the first one you read.

Prey: His no. 1 I think. A swashbuckling, ripper. You can read it again and again. Nanotechnology is the chosen one.

Disclosure: Again twisting, turning, sex, lies, fledgling careers, a look into corporate politics- got a better recipe for success?

And trust me it is NOT boring. I’ve just finished it and it is 2 am, say from 11ish, and that’s after a 4hour FIITJEE class and a 6 hour sabbatical from home. Call me whacko but I’m writing this entry just after finishing the book.

Life is spooky! Twice, a fukin wasp has come and sit on my arm and leg and I has taken all my energy to restrain from squawking like a chicken and bail out like a moron. You don’t piss it off, it don’t bite you.

Meanwhile, enjoy your summer vacations and I’m going to keep reading so maybe there’ll be more such shit here. Let’s see what Ayn Rand and John Grisham are all about.

I just hope that some day I too am able to write such titillating, eyeball- rolling things like these guys.