A sweet and emotive love story set in the background of Iran's political upheavals of 1953 and 1979. It has interesting references to Persian culture, especially the poetry, food and Nowruz celebrations.

HG Wells builds a world, in an isolated and remote place in South America, where not a single person has eyesight. One mountaineer who can see reaches their world accidently and what happens to him is revelation about how human society functions

Part historical fiction, set in 1920s Mumbai of British India, showcasing Parsi life and culture, a murder mystery, and the first woman solicitor navigating her way through a patriarchal system make it an interesting read.

Sweet little novel about how books and bookshops can give us the necessary impetus to transform and grow in our lives. Through this novella, I could travel the lanes of Jinbocho in suburban Tokyo, amid used bookstores.😊

The story of Virginia Hall, a remarkable woman whose dedication to the cause she served, the French Resistance against Nazi Germany during World War II was unparalleled. As a woman and being differently abled( she was amputated in one leg), she faced several challenges.She never sought any awards nor shared the heroic deeds with anybody. Sonia Purnell has told her story in detail, after meticulous research.

What a del8ght it is to get lost in someone's childhood, at a time when life was made of hard work and simple pleasures and when humans lived in sync with nature's cycles.

Poignant stories of how people have regrets and would go to great lengths to go back in time for one chance to make amends. So, in this unique cafe in Tokyo, you can go back once in the past but have to come back before the coffee gets cold ; but nothing that you do can change the present.

Written by a former railway officer, it has interesting anecdotes about life in Indian Railways when it was still the primary mode of long distance travel on land.

This is the first book by Kazuo Ishiguro that I have read , and he has instantly become my favorite author. There is such simplicity, innocence and delicate human emotions woven in his writing ! The novel is about an ageing Butler who has served his Master with great loyalty and looks back at his life and what remains of his day, while undertaking a journey. There is a movie based on the book starring Anthony Hopkins.

"Without seeming like a madman or an idiot, how would I explain to a hunter-gatherer, a farmer in Pemja, or even my great-great-great-grandparents that I spend most of my days sitting in chairs and then compensate for my idleness by paying money to go to a gym to make myself sweaty, tired, and uncomfortable on a machine that forces me to struggle to stay in the same place?"

Just started this book. Joyce Carol Oats' writing is so gripping. I am glad that I came across this.

A daughter on a trip to Japan with her mother, having conversations, reminiscing about her childhood experiences in the Orient, eating rice balls, sea weeds and green tea ice creams.This novella makes one nostalgic about one's own childhood, the places and people we left behind or who left us.

Starting from the letter 'P'. Liking this mild mystery so far.

A short novel but it has so much to say. I understood why this book is a classic; it will never lose its relevance and universal appeal. A satire, which speaks many truths that have reverberated across centuries.

Listened to Maya Angelou reading her own book in her mesmerizing voice. She speaks from the heart and speaks to the heart. The book has several anecdotes about people she met at various junctures of her life who shaped her journey and from whom she learnt something. Very inspiring listen !

Loving the illustrations in this one !

1. The Kiterunner
2. Fantasy/ Literary fiction
3. The House on the Cerulean Sea.

@wondrouswednesday @ Eggs Thanks for tagging me.

'No one seems to have noticed that Miranda‘s saying very little. “I wish you‘d try a little harder,” Arthur has said to her once or twice, but she knows she‘ll never belong here no matter how hard she tries. These are not her people. She is marooned on a strange planet. The best she can do is pretend to be unflappable when she isn‘t.'

Pippi, who lives alone in Villa Villekula with her monkey and horse is such a spirited and confident child and it a joy to escape into her world. I like children's literature because a child 's imagination can overcome the bleakest of life circumstances, an ability that people generally lose with age.

I enjoyed this lovely tale of a pig , Wilber, his friend, Charlotte the spider and other animals in the Barn. The personalities and characters given to these animals tell so much about life.

The stories in this book are set in different countries of the world over the next 20 years and show how AI will change our lives.Reading this book was like living the future vicariously. Mixed reality, self driving vehicles, deepfakes, Avatars , autonomous weapons etc are part of these stories.

Just loved holding this book 😇 ! Maria Popova puts so much effort in her work , which can be seen in her website, brainpickings.org.

Interesting insight into how cults manipulate their members into control and obedience through language. Deceptive techniques like thought terminating cliches, loaded language and 'us versus them' language that cult leaders used are mentioned. Many MLM firms, health and fitness clubs and new age gurus also behave like cults.

A tightly knit murder mystery plot in which it was difficult to guess who did it. Ten people come to an island, on an invitation with no way of leaving and they start dying one by one. The atmosphere of a deserted and eerie island is well constructed.

This book is a powerful and moving story of friendship between two 12 yr old boys, Amir and Hassan, the betrayal and guilt in that friendship and finally redemption. But more than that , it is an ode to the Afghan way of life, which is gone and nobody knows if it will ever come back. With Taliban back in power in Afghanistan, this book shows us the pain that it's people are going through.

This is a story of a woman who runs a successful portal on the internet. First half of the book is all random tweets with pop culture references , which only somebody heavily into social media can relate to. It does portray how inane life on internet is, with everybody blabbering but no real connections. In second half, the writer is jolted into reality when there is a family crisis as her sister is carrying a baby with a rare genetic disease.

This is about a group of elderly amateur detectives who live in a retirement community in Kent, England and run the Thursday Murder Club.. I like the idea and the setting of the novel. It was good to read about how they remain cheerful and spunky despite facing illness and passing away of their friends and partners. But, I think it could have done better on the mystery solving part, as it kind of felt disjointed and all over the place.

A collection of Rilke's ten letters to an aspiring poet, full of profound observations on how to nurture and nourish a creative soul.

“The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Rest Your Heart
"Your heart is precious, so take care of it. It may be able to forgive unconditionally, but don‘t exhaust it by surrounding yourself with those who constantly do you wrong. It may have an infinite capacity for patience, but don‘t exhaust it by surrounding yourself with those who don‘t value your time."

The simplicity, innocence, kindness and togetherness of a bygone era. The book was published in 1906, when it used to be steam engines. One can enjoy the fun , frolic and adventure of a childhood in English countryside. And who was not fascinated by Railways, as children !

First in the series, this YA mystery novel is set in the Ellingham Academy which takes only those students who have talent and passion for any particular field. The lead character, Stevie is admitted to the Academy for her bent for solving mysteries and particularly her interest in solving a cold case of the kidnapping and murder related to the founder of Ellingham Academy, many years back.
Atmospheric and fast paced with cliffhanger in the end.

Such a lovely book to hold and read a poem everyday ! There is a short introduction to the poet also. I find that this kind of format of a poem for every date of the year, makes me read poetry on a consistent basis

Frederik Backman articulates what is common but unseen. He brings out with wit and empathy the very things that everybody hides from others yet is common to everybody. Those things are the pain, suffering and loneliness of existence and the need to belong.

The novel is a comic hostage drama, where the hostage taker, the hostages and the policemen involved develop a bond, as they get to know each other and find a connection.

"That probably sums it all up. Time passes, and yet it doesn't pass (it is only you and I who are passing). People come and go, the mountains remain."

The book, set in Bangladesh is about Naima, a young girl who wants to help her father who is a rickshaw-puller by earning some money. But she and her sister are not allowed to work, as they are girls.

Naima is good at painting alpanas, a traditional art form. One day she disguises as a boy and starts to paint rickshaws at a newly opened repair shop, whose owner turns out to be a woman. It touches on the power of micro credit to help women earn.

I picked up this book at random from my kindle library. Although the language is not upto the mark, it is really hilarious ! It is a witty account of a Kiwi's experiences of adjusting to life in Germany, as his 'Frau' is Deusch. I learnt several unique things about Germany, like it has the most varieties of breads in the world ! The description of Oktoberfest was interesting.

This book is like a warm hug or like having hot chocolate in front of a fireplace on a cold winter night.
I liked the play list that Matt Haig has shared. The book can be read a bit at a time and savoured.

A beautiful story told in a very lucid way, about Kingston , a young Black boy who is going through grief of losing his brother. To cope with the pain of loss, he starts believing that his brother turned into a dragonfly. The story also touches upon issues of racism, LGBTQ and child abuse ,but not in a very heavy or aerious way.

A sci fi classic short story , showing symbiosis between humans and an insect like species which can only survive by implanting its eggs in humans. The humans need support of the alien species to survive away from earth.
It is grotesquely visceral and I found the theme difficult to understand initially.

An interesting glimpse into the Japanese society. Keiko, 36 yrs old is a part- time worker in a Convenience Store since 18 yrs. She always had a problem fitting in.The Store is her life, she is good at her work but her family and friends think it is abnormal to be an unmarried temp worker at that age.Why people find fault with those who live their life differently? Is it out of their own frustation at being forced to make certain life choices ?

#ThinkPositiveBePositive
@TheSpineView
@AnneCecilie

The first unabridged Dickens that I have read since childhood, and I am glad that I picked it.

Great novelists speak to us across ages and time zones. Thats what Dickens does. One starts feeling for Pip through his ups and downs while growing up, love Joe's innocent giant heart and can undertand why Miss Havisham and Estella are so harsh and cold. Dickens goes into the depth of his characters and also where they come from. A masterpiece indeed.

'Gender discrimination is bad for all; it is bad for men and it is bad for children'. RBG worked towards building a more egalitarian world. Her consistent, dogged detemination made sure that through her judicial interventions, slow but steady change kept happening to make the world a better place. I find a message in her life's work- that all of us can work in our individual capacities to make the world a level playing field for everyone

Fascinating magical tales! The narration and sound effects add value to the stories in the audiobook format.