Book Thread - May 2010

Book Name: 44 Scotland Street
Author: Alexander McCall Smith

Since I read this book before I decided to write about books I read, I am only writing a quick excerpt here. Nothing against the book, but I would feel I am not doing justice to the many others I read before. So as I have decided I will start from what my reads are currently. So is me :-)
Coming back to 44 Scotland Street, no second thoughts, the book is an absolute fun read...quick, interesting, and light. Focusing on the typical English society with its many shades, the story has multiple threads intervowen through its central character Pat. Each thread focuses on charaters and relationships and brings to liget the farce that is society and the warmth of true friends. Does not make you emotinally charged, but leaves you with a fond smile and hope that you lay your hands on another McCall Smith soon for a lazy Sunday afternoon!

My fav thread - Irene and her son Bertie

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Book Name - South of the Border, West of the Sun
Author - Haruki Murakami

Since I first picked up Murakami by chance, my opinion about this gripping author has not changed, he sure writes intersting stuff in a welcome fresh style, whether it be his left to concluion thrillers, his page turner short sories, or his pleasing to the senses passionate love sagas.

I read South of the Border, West of the Sun start to finish yesterday and this 186 and a half pager to be precise, still has its spell on me. I know hat sounds a like an overstatement but the book makes you live through emotions so strongly it is difficult to close it and brush away that unsettling feeling within you to another day. The beauty is no one is a hero and no one the bad guy, weaving the love stroy through the central character Hajime and his childhood admiration who remains his soulmate Shimamoto-san, the book remains clean of judgement. As a reader, it is difficult to pin down any character as black or white, you simply accpet them as they come, with their flaws yet their beauty. As in all his writings I have read so far, this love story too is a treat of passion to the senses and leaves you high through some passages. It is also a depiction of the frgility and wekneses of humans albeit without the right or wrong tag, this I think is the beauty and strength of it. Most stongly the sense of hopelessness and sadness runs through the book and it is on a very rare occasion that you find yourself smile in a carefree fashion. Mostly a tear striken smile is what remains but the book makes you want to go wild and cry your heart out without shame. It does not glorify pain but if you are as emotional a heart as me (or maybe more) and have experienced the sweetness, beauty, and biterness that is love then you are sure to read this book through the end and feel that light sense of pain that remains....especially the last couple of chapters make it difficult to remain strong and not break down.

Will not forget the manner in which Izumi is portrayed in the concluding chapters of the book. Glass, hardness, void......the emotions are on a all time tumult with her icy coldness......my irrepairable dmamaged inspiration.

Also a salute to Yukiko for the undying spirit of loyalty and coming to terms with reality, something I am sure each one struggles with.

Murakami might have been a pick by chance bu it certainly remians a pick of choice for a long time to come.