Tag: Booker prize

Reading and Being a Reader!!

It’s always exciting to start with a new hobby! The moment you begin something, You are hungry to know everything about it. The Rules, The loopholes, the prize, the strength, the weakness, the opportunity that lies and the threats you face in continuing your hobby.

And then there comes a point, in persuading your hobby, where you don’t enjoy it anymore and you start thinking about how time flew by all these years.

Reading was an accidental hobby, I came across right when I turned 18.

It was only after reading a couple of books, that I realised what I enjoy reading and explored more on those genres and topics.

When I was looking to read more newer topics and stories, I came across the prestigious award that have been recognising talent.

While reading about all the books, that had been awarded or had been nominated.

I picked up a book. I genuinely loved the way it was written and narrated.

After that moment, I waited every year for the announcement to read more of these nominated and award-winning books. This I did for about a couple of years, and then moved to some of the other prominent awards and so on…

Then I realised, these book awards were representing a certain style of writing, and storytelling and were very depressive and emotional.

Also either, they wanted to reach a new audience or wanted to market a newer country, when they awarded books to a writer belonging to that region or country.

These book awards were also biased towards authors from certain countries and not equal to the rest who had equally good writing talent.

The book awards, too were very inclined and favouring genres that represent political views, Race, Gender and a cultural movement, which they believe were more important than voicing one’s story.

Similarly same goes for Academy awards… That is considered a landmark of success!

They too seem to have similar criteria, since these awards are reviewed and judged by selective jury members, who believe are the only voice that matters in making decisions.

There have been films and books that have been better than the ones that have been nominated or awarded but are given little importance too.

It was a couple of years ago when I decided to move past these book awards and read books for the stories, they want to tell and to my surprise, there are so many stories in each country in the world, that are worth reading and investing your time into, than to read books that have either been awarded or read by certain nationalities.

Now, looking to read my next book, I either visit the local bookstore in the cities or go through the most-read books in the country and read the synopsis and see what I would like to read next.

Some Of The Lockdown Reads!

The Gaze by Elif Shafak

The Gaze was the first book that got me interested in Elif Shafak as an author. As the story idea is different – It’s about a couple who change their genders one day and go out for a meal only so that the society doesn’t judge them anymore.

And a Turkish Writer writing this story with Turkey as a backdrop. What more would you want in a story? The Gaze becomes my third read instead of first as this book was difficult to be found so I began with forty rules of love and then read The Bastard of Istanbul both of these are lovely too and the bestseller for the author.

Night Boat To Tangier by Kevin Barry

Night Boat To Tangier by Kevin Barry has been a book that on love, Drugs and Sex and this book particularly interested me was because not just the blurb of the book sounded interesting, But also because I had visited Morocco, Marrakech about one and half years ago and thought this would be a story that I could relate to after visiting the country. The book is good! But doesn’t really hold the story right till the end.

Blockchain by Stephen Williams

The Whole concept of blockchains was something that I wanted to know more about, Ever since it became the thing to watch out for in the next few years. And the interest became after watching a google talk of Alex Tapscott explaining the revolution of Blockchain. The Blockchain by Stephen Williams is a great read telling you about the blockchain like you are dummy. Simple & Easy to understand without using much of the technical Jargons.

Hygge by Meik Wiking

Hygge is a Danish way of living Like the Ikigai is finding the purpose in your life in Japan. a Danish and Norwegian word for a mood of comfortable with feelings of wellness and contentment. Hygge is a lifestyle that’s very popular in Denmark and teaches you the importance of lighting in Danish culture. A must-read if you like books on cultures and loved “Ikigai”.

Book Review – Bastard of Istanbul!

Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak’s is a story of Nineteen year old unmarried woman who walks into a doctor’s surgery.

‘I need to have an abortion,’ she announces. And twenty years later the daughter is born from the unmarried woman, Asya Kazanci who lives with her extended family in Istanbul. But, All the Kazanci men die in their early forties, Victims of mysterious family curse, so it’s a house of women. Asya’s cousin visit‘s the family in Istanbul and she bringing long- hidden family secrets connected with turkey’s past. Elif Shafak the author had been on my reading list for a long time and my sister got this book as a souvenir from turkey. In many ways It was like revisiting Turkey, Istanbul and enjoying all the local delicacies through the storytelling as the story unfolds and explores sides of Istanbul that only a local could show you around. The locals delicacies described in the book from Pilaf a popular rice dish in the middle east to Bastrima – Beef cold cuts like Salami is more commonly known as Pastrami to the Manti a type of Turkish dumpling to musaqa baked dish that mainly consist of eggplants ( Aubergines) or potatoes with meat. Very popular in Greece and the Middle East.To the last but not the least Kaburga a Turkish term used for Ribs make the book more authentic and enjoyable.And besides the food, the whole experience and details written, Are more relatable and deepens the connect to understands the country and locals. A Book that will make you want to travel to turkey if you haven’t. And if you have would make you want to revisit turkey.