Indian Readers discussion

A thread dedicated to read those door-stoppers that scares us. It's time to put our fear behind and start reading them. Austin, Bookworm, Luffy and Savita will decide which one to start with. All the best guys.


P.S: I will definitely join if something catch my eye. :D

I think Shriti already has her list of nominations ready.
I'll post my list tomorrow.

@Em, how about you nominate couple of tomes too.

I guess each one of us will only join if the selected book appeases them. So, no pressure. How about we share the poll link in the newsletter, once we have all seconds, that way anyone in the group who's interested to actively BR can participate.

These are my nominations, in no particular order:

‣ Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
‣ 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
‣ Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (1st in a trilogy)
‣ Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
‣ A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
‣ The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
‣ Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
‣ Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

Nice name for the thread, Em. Tomes surely scare me with their sheer size. Buddy reading will definitely help me in tackling those big fat books.

I will post my list in a day or two.

Shriti wrote: "These are my nominations, in no particular order:

‣ Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
‣ 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
‣ Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (1st in a trilogy)
‣ Infinite Jest by David F..."

I have read 1Q84, Pillars of Earth, Suitable Boy, and Cloud Atlas. Loved everything except the last one.

Bookworm wrote: "I think Shriti already has her list of nominations ready.
I'll post my list tomorrow.

@Em, how about you nominate couple of tomes too.

I guess each one of us will only join if the selected book..."

I think the only tome I am going to tackle this year is Anna Karenina. It's been on my current read shelf since forever.

Shriti wrote: "These are my nominations, in no particular order:

‣ Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
‣ 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
‣ Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (1st in a trilogy)
‣ Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
‣ A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
‣ The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
‣ Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
‣ Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell"

I wouldn't mind any of this list becoming BOTM. Maybe excluding PoTE, because I've read it.

Um, it's not BOTM Luffy

Austin wrote: "Um, it's not BOTM Luffy"

My bad.

So, straight to it. I have chosen 4 books :-

- Churchill: A Life
- City of God
- Peter the Great: His Life and World
- The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers

Here's my list -
Two of them coincide with Shriti's list, so will put them at the end.
1. The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky
2. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Murakami
3. Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson (Don't kill me..lol)
4. Bleak House by you-know-who (it's been so long, ready to take the plunge.. kindof)
5. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand


Also in Shriti's list: (we may ignore to avoid duplications of nominations)
6. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
7. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Bookworm wrote: "Here's my list -
Two of them coincide with Shriti's list, so will put them at the end.
1. The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky
2. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Murakami
3...."

Murakami must be doing things right if the ladies like his books so much. And Cryptonomicon? You are one tough cookie, lady! 🤣

Luffy wrote: "Bookworm wrote: "Here's my list -
Two of them coincide with Shriti's list, so will put them at the end.
1. The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky
2. [book:The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle|11275..."

Oh trust me, there're some Murakami things which are weird to me. Otherwise, I do like his writing.

Regarding Cryptonomicon - thanks!!
let's see if I'll finish the tome or it'll finish me 😂 (if it gets selected by any chance)

Bookworm wrote: "let's see if I'll finish the tome or it'll finish me 😂 (if it gets selected by any chance)"

If you live up to your name, chance will have nothing to do with it. Seriously, I like the difference between all (so far) three of our lists. There is a wide variety of literature in these books.

I am petrified at the variety in our choices 🥲
but nevertheless,
I second the following nominations:
➥ City of God
➥ The Brothers Karamazov
➥ Bleak House

Shriti wrote: "I am petrified at the variety in our choices 🥲
but nevertheless,
I second the following nominations:
➥ City of God
➥ The Brothers Karamazov
➥ Bleak House"

Being a task that carries an ultimatum, you, definitely, might change your decisions as the rest of the group pitch in their lists. But thanks for choosing City of God! if only temporarily :)

Luffy wrote: "Bookworm wrote: "let's see if I'll finish the tome or it'll finish me 😂 (if it gets selected by any chance)"

If you live up to your name, chance will have nothing to do with it. Seriously, I like ..."

Ah...living upto my name, that's the goal!
That's true, so far our lists have variety.
We still have Austin's and Savita's list to look forward for. :)

Btw, once all lists/nominations are up, each of us can second 3 books? Or 2 books?
And based on the seconds, we can have an open ended poll to decide on the book?
Is that correct?

It is 3 books. There can be only one ;)

My 2 cents: Let there be no cap on how many nominations we can second. Subsequently, we should have a poll only between all the nominations seconded (that way we know atleast 2 people want to read that particular book).

Luffy wrote: "Shriti wrote: "I am petrified at the variety in our choices 🥲
but nevertheless,
I second the following nominations:
➥ City of God
➥ The Brothers Karamazov
➥ Bleak House"

Being a task that carrie..."

Well, my logic is that if I'm going to buddy-read a tome at least I should pick ones that I've eyed for some time from afar. No point in choosing a book whose blurb sends me swiveling 180° in the other direction.

Shriti wrote: "My 2 cents: Let there be no cap on how many nominations we can second. Subsequently, we should have a poll only between all the nominations seconded (that way we know atleast 2 people want to read ..."

Sounds good. I would love to second multiple books as well with no caps but we may end up with too many books going to the polls. Up to 10 books on the polls is fine I think. Usually BOTM poll has 5 books.

Bookworm wrote: "Here's my list -
Two of them coincide with Shriti's list, so will put them at the end.
1. The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky
2. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Murakami
3...."

I second Bleak House and The Goldfinch

Here's my list (in no particular order)

1. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
2. Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco
3. Gora by Rabindranath Tagore
4. River God by Wilbur Smith
5. The Winner by David Baldacci
6. A Time to Kill by John Grisham
7. A Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer
8. Micro by Michael Crichton & Richard Preston
9. Watchers by Dean Koontz
10. Thunderhead by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
11. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
12. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
13. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
14. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
15. Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

I have avoided book repetitions. Otherwise list would have been even more longer.

Shriti wrote: "My 2 cents: Let there be no cap on how many nominations we can second. Subsequently, we should have a poll only between all the nominations seconded (that way we know atleast 2 people want to read ..."

I think there should be 3 seconds max. Anything more defeats the purpose of selectivity. But though I'll accept any change in this process, I might limit myself to 3 seconds personally. This way everyone is happy.

Austin wrote: "Here's my list (in no particular order)

1. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
2. Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco
3. Gora by [author:..."

Hey, looking good, Austin! Koontz, Grisham, Tartt, Archer etc, are authors who are still alive. Great list.

I second Shantaram, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, and A Prisoner of Birth.

A Prisoner of Birth is a retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo!

So now only Savita is left. I am waiting for her list so I can start seconding books.

Luffy wrote: "I second Shantaram, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, and A Prisoner of Birth."

Interesting selections, including my Prisoner of Birth :-)

Luffy wrote: "A Prisoner of Birth is a retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo!"

I see, but I haven't read it. I read an abridged version of 3 musketeers when i was a kid.

Austin wrote: "Luffy wrote: "A Prisoner of Birth is a retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo!"

I see, but I haven't read it. I read an abridged version of 3 musketeers when i was a kid."

I have read both. Gave Monte Cristo 2 stars, and A Prisoner of Birth got a really underserved rating from me. I had always intended to reread it some day, and thus give it the score it deserves.

Luffy wrote: "Austin wrote: "Luffy wrote: "A Prisoner of Birth is a retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo!"

I see, but I haven't read it. I read an abridged version of 3 musketeers when i was a kid."

I have r..."

Initially I thought of nominating As the Crow Flies by Jeffrey Archer. But then I changed my mind and went with A Prisoner of Birth

Bookworm wrote: "Here's my list -
Two of them coincide with Shriti's list, so will put them at the end.
1. The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky
2. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Murakami
3...."

Is the The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle 3 stories in one book?

Austin, I think they're going to be interrelated somehow, I could be wrong too. Is that a deal breaker?

£BK No, it's not a deal breaker. Just wanted to know. Never read a Murakami book so far.

I read Wind-Up few years ago and remember liking it very much. It was my first Murakami book.
Don't worry about (1-3) annotations - you won't regret diving in.
Just my 2 cents.

Hmm. There's also IQ84 nominated by Shriti. How did you find that one Gorab?

I've only read Wind-Up and Kafka. Will join for 1Q84.

@Gorab, I know it's weird to compare Murakami's books. They all end up being even weirder and stranger in their own way.
But I would like to know which one you liked more, Kafka or Wind-up?

Interesting list of books above . I really don't know very many tomes , and I am not familiar with many of the above mentioned books / authors. But that's the best thing about Goodreads - we get to know so many new authors / books .
Suggesting the following :
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo . 642 pages . There is already a thread for this book , by Ayush .
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. 1768 pages . I have heard a lot about this book, but the size is formidable .
Madame Curie: A biography by Eve Curie . An interesting and very inspiring life . I think she won the Nobel prize twice . If I am not mistaken , Eve Curie was also the recipient of the Nobel prize . A very Illustrious family . 460 pages.

I second Bleak House ( Bookworm ) , Tess of the D'Urbervilles ( Austin ) and Oliver Twist ( Austin ) .

📚 🤔

Austin wrote: "Here's my list (in no particular order)

1. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
2. Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco
3. Gora by Rabindranath Tagore
4. River God by W..."

I enjoyed this selection the best! Lot of these are interesting enough for me to pick on my own even i.e. no BR-motivation required.

I second the following
nominations:
➥ City of God
➥ The Brothers Karamazov
➥ Bleak House
➥ The Winner
➥ The Secret History

I second Tess and Oliver Twist

@Austin, you have made seconding a lot tougher! So many choices. lol

I'll second the books by this evening. Will try to stick to 3.

Shriti wrote: "Austin wrote: "Here's my list (in no particular order)

1. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
2. Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco
3. Gora by Rabindranath Tagore
4. River God by W..."

I enjoyed this se..."

Wow. Thank you. This list could have been even more better if not for me being forced to drop 300 - 500 page novels.

Welcome. :)

Same. I have so many novels in my tbr till 600pgs. Dropped all of those.

Bookworm wrote: "@Austin, you have made seconding a lot tougher! So many choices. lol

I'll second the books by this evening. Will try to stick to 3."

Haha. Thanks. Looking forward to what you are seconding.

Bookworm wrote: "Welcome. :)

Same. I have so many novels in my tbr till 600pgs. Dropped all of those."

Page count alone shouldn't be the criteria. Sometimes the font size is too small (as in The winner and Foucault's Pendulum)

I will have to make another list soon for the Secret Santa 2022 event! :-)