15 Books in 15 Minutes

Following up on yesterday's post about movies, let's do books now.

1. The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho This book has evolved with time for me. The first time I read, it was just a pleasant story. The second time I read it, many years later, it became my bible. The Alchemist is the book that will give as much or as little of the message as you are ready to receive at the time.
2. God of the Small Things – Arundhati Roy Such poetry of words, without loosing the urgency of story. Just sheer beauty of the world was enough to make this book a forever favourite for me.
3. The Black Jewels Trilogy – Anne Bishop This is my TOP COMFORT BOOK. Too tired to do anything, or just not up to starting anything new, then comes out this trilogy. I no longer read it cover to cover most of the time, but just open it up to my favourite passages, get a little dose of comfort. Daemon Sadi…what’s not to love?
4. Banewreaker – Jacqueline Carey I like this Jacqueline Carey’s debut Kushiel series, but this is my favourite of hers. This is a part of a duology. Sunderer was good too, but this is something special. Again, beautiful prose. But in this one, Carey makes us feel the pain of a god. Satoris is so wonderful crafted character that his pain was very touching.
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix – J. K. Rowling Though I am a Harry Potter fan, I wouldn’t class the writing as brilliant. It’s the story and the characters that make it so appealing. But of all the books, I think the 5th had the best writing, as well as dramatic story.
6. Twentieth Wife – Indu Sundersen This is a historical fiction for one of the most famous women in Indian history.
7. The Other Boleyn Girl – Phillipa Gregory I have always been fascinated by Anne Boleyn. This book witnesses her story from her sister Mary’s side, and Mary’s story herself. It’s one of Gregory’s best works.
8. Persuasion – Jane Austen Just read the letter Captain Wentworth wrote to Anne Elliot. No more to say.
9. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea – Jules Verne I read this for the first time in a foreign language, never realising that English book existed. I came across it years later in a library, and it was such a joyful surprise that I still remember beaming smile on my face.
10. The Lord of the Rings – J. R. R. Tolkien No explanation required.
11. Little Women – Louisa May Alcott A pure pleasure.
12. The Upanishads – Eknath Easwaran Spiritual book based on the Upanishads. This is a good book for when one’s mind is troubled. Actually it’s good book for any time, but I find that when I am happy, I would much rather read fiction. :P
13. Daughter of the Forest – Juliet Marillier Great showcase for how a strong first person POV can make a fantasy successful
14. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek – Annie Dillard I had to read this for a class at Uni. Not the kind of thing I would usually pick, but once I started, I couldn’t put it down. Annie Dillard’s writing and especially her observation skill is amazing. Who would have thought praying mantis could be described in poetic prose?
15. Kasturba: A Life – Arun Gandhi Everyone knows about Gandhi. But this is a story of the woman who perhaps had to sacrifice the most to support his causes – his wife, Kasturba, written by her grandson. The woman who stood behind him since she married him at the age of 14.