What I Read in 2010!

1. The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

Every book reader might have known this work of Paulo Coelho. Though this is about destiny, hope and all, I liked the ‘love’ part especially. If you both are in true love, you will unite one day. No extra effort needed.

2. The Power of Now - Eckart Tolle

One of my friend asked ‘Why you are reading this book? Live the now. That’s all’. Then I wished to ask Eckart Tolle ‘Why a book, for a simple thing?’. But its already a bestseller, added to Oprah Book Club. Anyway this is worth reading, for understanding the Now. Have to read it some more time.

3. Magic of Believing - Claude M Bristol

Belief - Is it enough to have a good life, career, relationships etc., ? This book says, Yes. Its a collection of beliefs of people around. Some enchanting, some others are funny and not acceptable.

4. The Power of Subconscious Mind - Dr. Joseph Murphy

A good introduction to the Subconscious. Whatever you want to do, you can do, by deploying your subconscious. Nice Read.

5. Karma Yogam - Swami Vivekananda(Tamil)

In simple words, The Power of Now is nothing but Karma Yogam. But going through Swami’s writing, its good. But I also came to know, I differ in some opinions with Swami. Will discuss it later.

6. Waiting for Mahatma - RK Narayanan

7. Swami and Friends - RK Narayanan
It took me to my school days (Everyone say this na!) I can identfy myself closely with Swami.

8. Muththollayiram - N. Chokkan (Classical Tamil)

9. Appam Vadai Thayirsatham - Balakumaran (Tamil/Novel)

This book went throught everyone’s hand in my home. I am happy with this. A good, optimistic novel. Will read again and again.

10. Irumbu kuthiraigal - Balakumaran (Tamil/Novel)

I became a fan of Balakumaran. This novel started a lot of discussions within me. Answers are still being worked out. In between the hero’s fascination towards Horses and his poems about them are superb.

11. Thalaimai Seyalagam - Sujatha
A well done work about the Human Brain. Thanks Sujatha.

12. Kalyana Samayal Saatham - ‘Arusuvai Arasu’ Natarajan
In life, you don’t need to be a superman/superwoman, no need to be a hero, no need to be a billionaire. Still, you can also live in serenity and peace. ‘Arusuvai’ Natarajan tells you how, with his hard earned experiences.
 
13. Guruvayur Kesavan - Unnikrishanan Puthoor

Biography of an elephant, which lived nothing less to human.

14. Ennagal - MS Udayamurthy
Equal to As a Man Thinketh. Donno how many books are in Tamil for Thought Process Studies. But this one is a easy and good to read.

15. The Prophet - Kalil Gibran

Good. Have to read a lot more, to learn the meanings in between the lines.

Just Fifteen Books? Yes I was a bad reader this year. Will try to read at least 100, the coming year.

I Want a Hippopotamus

As a child we wanted to possess different things. From fur bears to real puppies, we wanted to have millions of things. Like this recently I came across a song written in 1950s, a girl says 'I want a Hippopotamus'.

Listen to the song, its refreshing.



Lyrics:
 I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
Don't want a doll, no dinky Tinker Toy
I want a hippopotamus to play with and enjoy

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
I don't think Santa Claus will mind, do you?
He won't have to use our dirty chimney flue
Just bring him through the front door, that's the easy thing to do

I can see me now on Christmas morning, creeping down the stairs
Oh what joy and what surprise when I open up my eyes
To see a hippo hero standing there

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
No crocodiles, no rhinoceroses
I only like hippopotamuses
And hippopotamuses like me too

Mom says the hippo would eat me up, but then
Teacher says a hippo is a vegeterian

There's lots of room for him in our two-car garage
I'd feed him there and wash him there and give him his massage
I can see me now on Christmas morning, creeping down the stairs
Oh what joy and what surprise when I open up my eyes
To see a hippo hero standing there

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
No crocodiles or rhinoceroseses
I only like hippopotamuseses
And hippopotamuses like me too!

Waiting For Mahatma - R.K. Narayan

Title: Waiting For the Mahatma
Author: R.K.Narayan
Publishers: Indian Thought Publishers
Pages: 256

Falling in love, is a like new birth. If you know the men who fell in love, you might have understood that change or new birth. The way he change, depends on the girl.

This is my first read of R.K.Narayan's works. I wanted to surprise myself, so I avoided Malgudi Days and took Waiting for Mahatma.

Bharathi and her love transforms Sriram from being a lazybum into a man, who fights British, who fights his own people for supporting British and atlast a man of dream. Yes, the dream of marrying Bharathi at any cost. He takes orders from Bharathi, goes from villages to villages to educate people about 'Quit India Movement'. On their road to marriage, Bharathi and Sriram comes across various obstacles; Bharathi surredering herself to police, Sriram comes in touch with a terrorist (who follows Subash Chandra Bose), and then imprisonment of Sriram also.

Through the characters of his novel, R.K.Narayan expresses his views on the various aspects of Indian Freedom Struggle. He supports Gandhiji's views through Bharathi, expresses his goodwill on Subash Chandra Bose through Jagadhish(the terrorist) and finally taking a samll dig at the congressmen for the benefits they enjoy in prison, through a fellow prisoner.

The story ends with Gandhiji given permission on Bharathi and Sriram's marriage before he was shot dead. Waiting for Mahatma is a well compilation of Indian Freedom Struggle, humor and romance. Sriram takes an unusual journey to marry Bharathi.

This book is a nice read, especially a good start for English Literature.

Love can change anybody.