Will the paperback die?

Travelling back home on the evening fast train, I was lost in my battered old Shakespeare Paperback until a lady sitting right across me caught my eye. Well actually it was a chic little black gadget in her hand that caught my eye. No it was not an i-pod or a Blackberry considering the way the lady was intently staring at the screen. On a little closer inspection i realised that it was an e-book reader!!

Smart, sleek, portable and capable of storing hundreds of books at a time, the Electronic Book Reader saves up precious space in you bag while you're on the move and you can practically carry your library with you. I looked depressingly at my paperback... was the e-reader soon going to put the traditional books out of circulation? Was the good ole paperback nearing extinction?

Sitting there, my mind already taken over by the above mentioned depressing thoughts, i decided to do a mental E-Reader v/s Paperback debate :)

What tosses the coin in favour of the E-reader is its portability. Now who wouldn't like their bag to be a little lighter while going to work in the jam packed Mumbai locals? Also, the e-reader has a vast memory and so you can store as many books you like in it... so if mid way you finish off a book, you do not need to wait until you reach home to pick up a new book to read!!

And then there came a deluge of women rushing right inside the compartment and the crowd wouldn't stop knocking our knees!! Let me tell you, in such a situation, it is far more easier to take care of your book as compared to your e-reader. What would happen at the most is that the book might be knocked out of your hands, it will fall, get a little dirty or a page or two might come loose. But the e-reader won't survive such an assault and there goes your Rs. 15,000 down the drain!

Also, while you can flip through the pages of your book easily, the constant tapping and scrolling through your e-reader gets a little frustrating and strains your fingers after a while.

What will happen if your book is stolen? Well you can always go back to the bookstore and buy a new one... 300 bucks are not that heavy on our pocket; but if your e-reader is stolen (and the chances of this happening are very high), how many people will be as willing to shell out 15-20k for a new gadget again?

And lastly, there is no comfort as lying on your soft couch, sipping a nice cup of coffee and reading a book.. the gentle sound of the turning pages is extremely soothing :)

While I do not say that the paperback is Better than the e-reader or vice versa, the mental debate put me at ease because i know that the e-reader along with its amazing pros also has it cons and so it will surely never kill the paperbacks.

5 Books that every Guy should read

OK, so after my hugely popular blog about 7 books that every Woman should read... here is my Must read list of 5 Books for every Guy!!

1. The Kite Runner: Set in the pre Taliban occupied Afghanistan, this is the story of Amir and Hasan, one the son of a Rich man and the other, the son of his servant. This heart wrenching tale is about the enduring power of friendship between these two boys, which spans across a lifetime --- distance, lies, betrayal and war notwithstanding.

2. The Godfather: Arguably one of the best books written about the mafia, the lesser I talk about this book, the better :) A Must Must read for all the guys!!

3.The Picture of Dorian Gray: All that Dorian Gray wanted was to be the best looking chap in town and freeze his handsome looks forever. But good looks come at a heavy cost!! This clever and witty tale by Oscar Wilde tells us about the pitfalls of being...... or wanting to be the most Good-looking guy around.

4. Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus: I put forth my point here again... I Hate Self help books!!! But then this is one book that has to be included in this list... simply because it makes an honest attempt to help Men understand the complexity of a woman's brain (and vice-versa!) ;)

5. Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra: Semi- autobiographical, this is a collection of short stories by Ruskin Bond. Chronicling his life from his childhood days to his youth, the stories are written in a simple, almost lyrical language, and they innocently capture all the emotions and moods of a boy who is on the verge of becoming a Man.

P.S. This list is shorter than the one I wrote for girls simply because I found myself at loss racking my brains over and over again thinking which books would be most suitable for guys.
If any guy is reading this post, please suggest some "Includable" books and i will rewrite this post again :)

Don't judge a Book by its Movie

"Don't judge a Book by its Movie" --- so said the bookmark at Crossword. And I could not help agree more!

I remember the time when I was watching Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone and at least 10 times throughout the movie i was wondering "Heck, was this even there in the book?"

The plot was put on a complete fast forward mode, characters were ruthlessly omitted and seriously the Quidditch Matches in the movie did not give me the goosebumps like those in the book.

But then there are exceptions everywhere, and so even here. If me and you think likewise about the whole books into movies trend, then I suggest you have a look at the below list. It took me quite some time to figure out this list, but I feel it was worth all the effort.

Here are 3 Books-made-into-movies, which are worth a watch, simply because they succeed in bringing on the big screen, the original charm and beauty of the plot and the characters, without spoiling its "True Feel". At least now I am satisfied to know that sometimes, just sometimes, it is OK to Judge a Book by its Movie

The Blue Umbrella: Adapted from the story of the same name by Ruskin Bond, this movie is charming, touching and original. Watch out for the rock solid performance by Pankaj Kapoor.

Marley and Me: Adapted from the book of the same name, it tells us the story of the author and his life with his badly behaved dog Marley. The movie rarely strays from what is there in the book, is delightful, funny and tender. Must watch movie for all dog lovers, I bet you will hug your doggie endlessly while watching Marley & Me.

Godfather: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Mafia and Francis Ford Coppola---- sheer genius.

A 23 year old Love Affair

A love affair always begins with something simple and harmless-- a simple look, a small conversation, even a seemingly minuscule hello!! An then it turns into something that is all encompassing, passionate and unforgettable!!

Mine began with something as simple and harmless as a Birthday gift... a First Birthday gift to be more precise.

While most parents would pamper their kids silly with toys, clothes and other such goodies, mine decided to give me a set of Childcraft-- 16 volumes covering everything that a child should know-- History, Geography, Biology, Maths, Literature, Art and Cultures + an Atlas and a Dictionary.

Those 16 books where the first ever books that i owned as a year old toddler, the first books from which I learnt to read, the very first Dictionary that I learnt to refer to. They were the truest companions when introvert little Miss Bookworm preferred staying at home than play Hide-n-Seek.

They say you should have something that you are passionate about in life, because Passion makes the world go around!

23 years ago unknowingly I found my Passion :)

My dearest Set of Childcraft .... Here's to You :)

7 Books every Girl should read

Inspiring, Funny, Tearjerkers, Emotional, Tender, Real and Gritty --- this is my compilation of what should be the ultimate 7 books that every girl, every woman has to read at least once in her life.

The Princess Diaries: Every girl secretly dreams of becoming a princess someday :) Except For Mia, whose sole aim in life is to remain as insignificant as humanly possible!!
And as her luck would have it, she wakes up one fine day, to find out that she is in fact a princess, and the only heir to the throne of the minuscule, pear loving country of Genovia.
This book is a roller coaster ride, full of downright hilarious moments and ultimately a touching account of Mia's coming of age story where she finally learns to appreciate and stand up for herself!

I Dare: She was India's first woman IPS officer, the first woman to become the Inspector General of Prisons at the dreaded Tihar Jail, a place known to house the most hardcore criminals, and the first police officer to win the Magsaysay award. I Dare is the story of Kiran Bedi -- immensely inspiring and spellbinding, read this to know that Glass Ceilings are a Myth and women, though the fairer sex can also be the Tougher sex.

The Bridget Jones Diary: She is Bridget Jones, a 30 year old British Woman/Girl who is on a perpetual quest of self improvement. The perfect antithesis of the ideal heroine, she is desperately trying to lose weight, give up smoking and get a life, though not necessarily in that order. A complete laugh riot, this book has become a sort of bible women across the globe.

Not without my Daughter: Betty Mahmoody thought she finally had everything she wanted in life -- a loving husband, a beautiful daughter and a satisfying job. This was until a family vacation to her husband's home country Iran, which turned out to be a nightmare and forced her to become a prisoner.
Every escape route suggests she run away without her daughter, and Betty just isn't ready for that.
A true life story, this is a tale of grit and determination and ultimately about a mothers undying love for her child.

A Thousand Splendid Suns: Set in Afghanistan, this is the story of an unlikely friendship that develops between Mariam and Laila, two women who are victims of circumstances and the cruel unforgiving Taliban rule. Heart wrenching to say the least, this book will at once move you to tears and make you realise the power of friendship, love and sacrifice.

Women and the Weight loss Tamasha: What is it with us women and wieghtloss anyways?? Do we really have to starve ourselves and stare longingly at all those pastries to look beautiful? "Stop all this tamasha and eat!!!" is what the author says :)
An amazing book by Rujuta Diwekar, this is Nutrition Bible for women of all ages and professions. And the best part of this book? It teaches you to love yourself (even after you have eaten a big chocolate pastry) :D

Shobhaa at 60: though personally I detest self help and self improvement books of all sorts, this one is an exception simply because it is a one of a kind book telling us women that life DOES NOT end after we turn 60... or for that matter 50. Full of tips and tricks on topics ranging from health and personal grooming to travel and coping with the loss of your partner, this book sure is a must read and a must have on your book shelf.

P.S. Do you feel I have missed out on any significant book which should have been a part of this list?? Or have I included a book which should rather NOT be on this list?? Post a comment and let me know :)