Thanks Smruti

[Rujuta]

Hi all

Smruti what a wonderful idea. I notice you’ve just sent an email to all of us. You seem to have touched a chord in Shanti as I’ve never seen Shanti sending mail ……

 

For the record I’m heavily into British whodunits- Agatha Christie of course. My collection is increasing thanks to Trisha too getting hooked. My BCL membership keeps me in touch with my perennial favourites- Ngaio Marsh, Dorothy Sayers, P.D. James., Peter Robinson …Ruth Rendell and Colin Dexter I collect. As also Georgette Heyer, both the mysteries and romances. Since I buy only those books that I want to read and reread I am extremely possessive about them and badger loanees for my books. Sorry Shanti and Nita.

 

Again thanks to BCL I have read Indian authors too . My favourite is Vikram seth. An Equal music had me gasping tho’ Iam not musical nor do I like romances particularly. I would love to buy A Suitable boy since it’s an impractical book to borrow from the library. Shanti in my post college pre marriage days I loved le Carres the Little Drummer Girl?? Also loved the Fountainhead. Discovered a lot of Ellsworth Tooheys. (BTW anyone have a copy I can borrow. I am a very good returner of books).Revisited them after marriage and found no reason to reject them. However Alistair Maclean’s Where Eagles Dare which I used to play out in my head in my teens got the thumbs down when I read it a couple of years ago.

 

Can go on and on  but won’t.

 

Ruj

 

[shanthi m]

Hi Ruj and All,

  As vikram seth is mentioned, i must say how much i enjoyed reading the golden gate.

 As a result of less exposure to poetry in our school and also due to more thrust towards science, poetry and verse passed me by,so much so that it would put me off  (even in music, i tend to respond more to the music or melody rather than the lyrics,so you will hear me hum a tune without the words as i dont remember them). So, with great courage i took it as a project and read the golden gate and read it all with in a week and reread it before returning it back to Bulbul, whose book it is ( Ruj please note). Simple verses, simple rhythm, easy language and simple story with great emotional depth. Will recommend highly.

 Will pickup an equal music shortly, from Bulbul ofcourse. So, thanx Ruj for reminding me of Seth , as it reminded me of this book.

 Oh, must also mention the speech he gave at the golden jubilee of the doon school ( of which he is an alumni), where he was invited as the chief guest , and he literally "dhhajjiyan udaod" of the school and the boarding philoophy. This speech is one of the many from the book 'Great speeches of modern india', which i baught at Smrutis behest.

So today from me ,' aaj ki shaam vikram seth ke naam'.

 

cheers,

 

shanthi.

[Smruti]

Hi

Re Vikram Seth: I haven't read An Equal Music yet, actually did not
feel the urge to pick it up. Golden Gate though was another era. It
was in those days when one simply HAD to read everything that hit the
shelves. Besides, of course, Seth's reputation and that of his book
were something unparalleled. So, I read it.

Shanthi is right. It's an easy read but deceptively simple. There are
passages that you would want to commit to memory, passages that you
would want to quote only because Seth has put such lovely words to
universal emotions, passages that could stand the test of nearly two
decades of literature that came after it. In the first read, I was
quite bowled over -- more by the form and language than the content
itself.

Years later, when Ananya was a baby and I picked it up again, I found
that I was less touched by it. The power and beauty of Seth's words
may not have dimmed. Perhaps I was a little more deadened by the
world, perhaps I was focussed more on nursing an infant, whatever.

You know what? Just these strands of discussion make me want to pick
up a Vikram Seth. Novel, short stories, lecture (Shanthi, that lecture
was phenomenal. I am trying to get an authentic copy, hopefully signed
by the man himself at some time in my life).

Thanks Ruj, for sparking off the Seth memories. I am told he ghost-
wrote his mother's autobiography, though there is no independent
confirmation of it. Leila Seth is herself a very accomplished woman
and a good speaker. I doubt if she would allow her son to put words to
her thoughts.

Cheers
Smruti

[Rujuta Salvi]

Hmm. I agree with Shanti. poetry passed by me too. Have no regrets.
But after reading your mails I think I should try to find a copy of
The Golden Gate. Smruti you should probably read it again now. I have
read a few verses from Beastly Tales frrom Here and There and found
his approach quite enjoyable and Dahlian. I also read a travelogue of
a backpacking trip he made from China to India via Tibet when he was a
student in Nanking Univ. Again makes a very interesting read (most
travel pieces tend to put me to sleep), probably also becoz I read it
when I was still fresh from my great Himalayan Spiti valley journey.
It was probably called From Heaven Lake.

sangita I would have passed by The Namesake but I read it in my Bong
sister-in-law's house in Singapore. I liked it tho' I found the
Interpreter of maladies very laboured. Tabu and Irfan Khan must have
done a great job aided by Mira Nair but I found the book evocative
enough. I feel grateful that my parents chose to return to India from
UK when I was 7. Old enough to feel unwanted in an alien place. These
NRI split personality books always make me feel-- there for the grace
of god I would have gone!!

BTW I finished rereading The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn - an
Inspector Morse mystery. Will either start on Asterix or William.
Comic relief is always welcome!!

Ruj