The Games

Just finished reading "The Games" a novel by Hugh Atkinson, set against the backdrop of Olympic Games. It is quite a fascinating and riveting account of the political machinations, trials & tribulations and the human interest surrounding the Olympics. In this book, he has set the Olympics in a high altitude city and put three people from differing backgrounds in a marathon contest which ends in triumph for one and disaster for others. There is a lot of suspense and drama in this book.

Ghost Stories

Just finished reading "Ghost Stories" a collection by various prominent writers like Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, Saki, Hugh Walpole, Jerome K. Jerome among others. These are absolutely wonderful and different kind of ghost stories and all very imaginative. The best one was by Oscar Wilde. I never imagined ghost stories could be so beautiful.

Mr. Sammler's Planet

Just finished reading "Mr. Sammler's Planet" by Saul Bellow. It is a beautiful story of a holocaust survivor, who relives his horrors in the holocaust of his daily life in New York in his late age. Saul draws beautiful parallels between the old and the new, but it was a difficult book to get into. Once past the 100 pages, the book turned out to be quite stunning. A quintessential book from a Nobel prize winner.

Around the World in 80 Days

Hi All, Just finished reading "Around the World in 80 Days" by Jules Verne. The back cover says Jules Verne is called father of science fiction. I did not find any S/F here, more of travel writing. The fact that Phileas Fogg achieved his mission in less than honourable circumstances make it a 2/5 rating.

Every Second Counts

Just finished reading "Every Second Counts" by Lance Armstrong, the US cyclist who won 7 Tour de France titles from 1999 to 2005. Lance has successfully fought cancer so the books reveals a lot of his cancer days plus his Tour victories, the falls, mishaps, the doping scandals etc. Quite an inspirational book from the sporting side but a bit drag from the cancer side.

The Closers

Just finished reading "The Closers" by Michael Connelly, a detective work of Investigator Harry Bosch, who re-openes a 17 year old unsolved murder and successfully solves it. Scene is from LAPD, lot of police work, good racy book.

Driving Through Clouds

Just finished reading "Driving Through Clouds" by Nicola Lindsay, an emotionally wrenching book about a distraught family that gets protected by its god-angel. Quite a good book, my first one for 2009, happy to open the account on the first day itself.