You've got some fantastic titles in your list! I haven't read Ciardi's translation of The Inferno (by Dante) but of the three titles in the Comedy, The Inferno is my favorite, followed by Paradise. I admit that I struggled mightily with Purgatory however. Seemingly apt, no? :-D
I rad Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (by Roald Dahl) for the first time just a couple of months ago. It was the gateway book for my daughter and I felt guilty for not having read it before! I ended up loving it too :-)
I read The Remains of the Day (by Kasuo Ishiguro) a few years ago. For most of the book I was a little bored and wondered what the big deal was, but then... the ending! I won't spoil it, but it packs a punch!
I probably would have liked The White Tiger more than I actually did if I hadn't already listened to the audiobook edition of Shantaram (by Gregory David Roberts; narrated by Humphrey Bower.) Shantaram is an epic, gorgeous book set in India. The irony is that the book is written by an Australian, but he puts to shame many books written by South Asians! I think that may be because native Indian writers take some things for granted whereas G.D.R. had an eye for the exotic even amongst the commonplace. Anyway, I'm pretty much in love with Lin, the protag of Shantaram and imagine him to look like Jason Strahan :-D
I rad Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (by Roald Dahl) for the first time just a couple of months ago. It was the gateway book for my daughter and I felt guilty for not having read it before! I ended up loving it too :-)
I read The Remains of the Day (by Kasuo Ishiguro) a few years ago. For most of the book I was a little bored and wondered what the big deal was, but then... the ending! I won't spoil it, but it packs a punch!
I probably would have liked The White Tiger more than I actually did if I hadn't already listened to the audiobook edition of Shantaram (by Gregory David Roberts; narrated by Humphrey Bower.) Shantaram is an epic, gorgeous book set in India. The irony is that the book is written by an Australian, but he puts to shame many books written by South Asians! I think that may be because native Indian writers take some things for granted whereas G.D.R. had an eye for the exotic even amongst the commonplace. Anyway, I'm pretty much in love with Lin, the protag of Shantaram and imagine him to look like Jason Strahan :-D
Good luck with your climb! :-)