Five Point Someone - Chetan Bhagat

Seems like I am enjoying reading now. This post is about Five Point Some One - Chetan Bhagat. Though I read this book while I was reading A suitable Boy I am posting it now for one simple reason. I want the world to know what I have read. I dont know why, but I would just like to post a blog on all the novels I have ever read. Boy, that wont take much time. Anyway...
The other special reason why I am posting this is because, I had the opportunity and good fortune (it didnt feel like this later) to meet Chetan Bhagat in person at Crossword, Kemps Corner. He was there releasing his book, One Night at the Call Center (Tamal are you listening ??) . Fortunately/Unfortunately there was no crowd there ( 9.00 pm - Supposed be the time Bombay starts waking up...anyway). Seemed he didnt really care about his fans. I was in two minds whether I should take the book or not but I felt that if I dont buy the book and get it autographed, I might just regret it later on. Well there you go Crossword, your ploy worked. I wish I could get to meet Vikram Seth as well...hmm...
Five point some one is a good light hearted book. You are not bored for a second. But there are no ups and downs in the novel. It maintains its own pace and ends like a normal regular day life ( I wish with Sasi's paranthas ). By the way, the word Sasi just reminds me of Rani Mukherjee in Yuva...Sasi....Good book. I recommend it as light reading on a Volvo bus doing an over nite journey when you just dont enjoy the drab flick or the person snoring next to you. It is not a classy book so I would think there is no snob value attached with it, just the pleasure of reading and having read the book.
I guess you could soon expect a post one "one night @ the call center"
Cheers

An Equal Music

Hello World!
I just finished An Equal Music - Vikram Seth. I must say I am disappointed. Not by the novel but by myself. This novel was not meant to be read by me. There was so much which was beyond my comprehension. All the nuances which are associated with performing music , I could not identify with any of them. Sure there was a lot of emotional play also but I do not think that Vikram Seth would have that in his mind when he wanted to write this novel. I feel there is so much in music which I am totally unaware of. It is not that I know a lot but it felt like moving into the sea from the well....Anyway those who would be musically inclined would absolutely adore this book.
Cheers!

Novels

Its been some time since I have "reported" any thing, but things sure have happened in this time. For one I finally finished Vikram Seth's "A suitable boy". I took an awfully long time to complete this book, having started almost 16 months back. In the beginning I was dragging myself to read the book and then I just stopped reading it. I read Dan Brown and a couple of other novels before I decided to finally pick it up again. Once I started it again it was unputdownable.

I remember the time I was trying to find a good price for this book. As it turned out, a famed author like Vikram, his books were awfully expensive. Being the penny pincher I am, I desisted myself from buying the book at elite stores like Crossword, Oxford etc. I turned towards Fort and after some scouraging I managed a first hand edition for Rs 400. I would say, not a bad deal for a 1350 page saga.

I dont think I have the strength to write a review on the book but I can still go ahead and recommed it to the people I bump into. The one thing which struck me in his book was the lack of melodrama.

Having read A Suitable Boy, I am tempted to read other books by him. As a result I had trotted off to Fort again ( but this time the hawkers have been evicted, only a few daring remaining baring their trade on the pavement ). I managed a second hand copy of An Equal Music for 110. The original price is 500 and the book seems to be in a fairly good condition. I hope that this book will also turn out to be one of my long lasting memories. May be I am a little hasty in seeing that I find his style of writing, in this book rather uncomfortable. Well, time will tell.

Cheers
Aditya