Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A story of passionate love and fanatic revenge. So many people dislike a book because the characters portrayed in it are unlikeable! I cannot comprehend this judgment of a book being good or bad resting on the shoulders of the fictional characters and their likeability. For me, it is more intriguing to explore the prospects of dark characters and their emotions.Moreover, the crudeness of raw emotions and actions depicted in this book perhaps reflects the life and times of 1800 era.

I liked the way Emily Bronte has bounded the story in a subliminal explanation, that does seem unnecessary to some. However, (I reckon) it is employed consciously to the subconscious of readers to support the writer's description of events and surroundings. The tiresome details of surroundings not only make the story more vivid in reader's mind but also bolsters the state of affairs of the scene. Likewise, the contrast between the two households is a good symbolism and reflects the mood and culture of the bearer of the place.

The story and emotions in this book are not quite simple to be judged by a bare 'good' or 'bad' it reflects complications and hue of human emotions followed by fanatical/(or rather well thought off) cacoethes.The dynamics of the relationship in this book was unfit/unhealthy and yet exploring the relationship gone bad was interesting. I would restrain from disclosing more in an attempt to conceal the spoilers...

I enjoyed reading it.


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The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's an interesting read, the protagonist speaks to a crowd and the reader experiences it's being directed to them as well. The Protagonist, a wise man, talks about a way of living and about the common themes such as friendship, love, pleasure, pain, etc. It teaches about a balanced way of living, in a beautiful prose. The expression is simplest yet metaphors used are clever and admirable.
The "preaching" is about finding equilibrium in life and being a better human yourself rather than seeking outside conditions be to make life better for you. The Prophet talks about being a better person towards others (if done collectively could turn life pleasant for everyone). It tells about compassion and empathy. Moreover, it infers that being judgemental towards others is not a good practice. It can be deemed into a spiritual book but not religious. However, It talks about "God" but not in a morphic-ish state.
I recommended this book, it indeed is a masterpiece and a must read.


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The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True by Richard Dawkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It was interesting to read about the mythological stories from different cultures and eras. I was rather more impressed by "The God Delusion" than by "The magic of reality". Perhaps, because it was my first Richard Dawkins's book and I was hugely impressed by the argument made there (as the same was in my subconscious all my life). The debunking of myth in this book is something not very new to me. However, it includes bits and peaces of information that I was not aware of and I profoundly enjoyed gaining information about those bits.
I specifically liked the part related to "sleep paralysis" as I experience the same quite often. Back in my "Theistic" days, I use to relate it with supernatural (Guilty as charged). But as I started to think rationally over things, it was not quite logical to follow.
I recommend this book to people seeking an empirical evidence against the so-called "miracle" of past. A typical Dawkins style approach to encourage people to think rationally.
I enjoyed reading it.


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Maus II : And Here My Troubles Began by Art Spiegelman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Heartbreaking! The time in Auschwitz reflected in Vladic's actions and haunted him for all his life. His stinginess and possessiveness as a materialist come from his experience during the war. I felt sad for him.
What preoccupied me the most is how Art Spiegelman was called "Richieu" by his father in the end. The depth of sibling rivalry with a dead child hits the readers at this point, Indeed very intense.


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Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Maus, I: A Survivor's Tale: My father bleeds history, is a book about conversations between Art Spiegelman and his father (Vladek Spiegelman), about Vladek's life during WW2 as a polish Jew. As all Holocaust stories this one is also sad and fascinating (for the very reason that, how could human beings let that happen!).
It is very interesting how Nazi and Jew are portrayed as Cat and Mouse. In the animal analogy of the book, the Poles are Pigs and the Americans are Dogs (interestingly who saved the Maus from Cat). This distinction though on the surface may seem meaningless even racist but, the first quote in the book “The Jews are undoubtedly a race, but they are not human.” by Adolf Hitler is represented in this analogy. In my opinion, it is the impact of Holocaust on the survivor's psychology that reflects in the book. Moreover, dehumanization of Jews during that era is no hidden fact.
The book ends with a cliffhanger and I am looking forward to reading Part 2.


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We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It is a wonderful read. Gender is not a comfortable topic for many. People are often repelled by the word "Feminist". It IS challenging to change the status quo. However, we need to address the elephant in the room and unlearn the lessons of gender that we have internalized. To make world a better place for future of humankind.


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The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read The Little Prince few years back and after re-reading it, I realized that I had missed out on the metaphorical essence of The Little Prince back then. It's really wonderful when you see it falling into place and understand what everyone refers to when they talk about the deeper meaning of this piece. It teaches a lot about life and relationships, one has to have knack or experience to pick up the metaphors and understand the gist. It is a beautiful book, makes you read between the lines.


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The Meaning of Liff by Douglas Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am a huge Douglas Adams's fan! and frankly, I will sit and read even a "liff" by him. It is amusing and nostalgic. Surprisingly made me realize how small things have changed over time(way of living). Anyone who has conscious memories of mid-1990's or past will be able to relate to most of the incidents. I enjoyed reading it.


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The End of the Affair by Graham Greene
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So Ugh! IDK! towards the end where Graham Green's hinting at the supernatural made me want to tear apart the book. But, I think that this strong feeling is an indication of well-crafted words (and me taking it way too seriously to be realistic to me and my way thinking!).
Some charterers are complex (Bendrix and Sarah). On the other hand, Henry was quite plainly written (providing details on his perspective would be unnecessary thought). It's interesting to see how the different perspective of a story can totally turn the tables! including both party's point of view changes the "affair's" opinion in the mind of a reader.
In the end, the story left me unsettled for a totally unexpected reason (religion). The affair was portrayed very well and realistically. The book keeps one absolutely interested in it throughout.


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Candide by Voltaire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG! I loved it! It's witty and satirical but, most of all it is short yet encapsulate so many things! It feels like it was too short of a book to cover so much content... It delivers more than written words. Wonderful and impressive!


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Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If a book makes you feel profound emotions, it passes the test of good writing(, I believe). This book just drowned my heart! There is a strange sense of impending hope throughout the novella. It has a somewhat sad tone but yet it keeps the track filled with anticipate. It was my first John Steinbeck's book and it surprised by the level of spellbinding-ness it imposes on the reader. It is a story about friendship and "dreams" (intended to target the idea of the idealized American dream.). It shines a light on the agony of loneliness and constant rapacious nature of humankind towards each other.
I recommend it to people who want to read about the melancholic dark side of life and human nature.


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The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It is a very philosophically written book. It provokes many thoughts as you read through. The characters are portrayed in a very psychoanalytical fashion. Theme revolves around romantic relationships in a disarray about love and sex.The style of writing is fascinating.
I was hoping that it will resolve the concept of relationships in the end. However, the ending does not resolve it into an absolute but makes it clear that the idea of love is not absolute but a nuance. Relationships are complex so is human consciousness. I would like to reread the book someday.( When I am older and wiser in that domain.)


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The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It is an interesting read to get an introduction to the ideas of a great thinker. It explains the social and economic structures of society. I mostly agree with the manifesto.
I recommend this book to everyone. It expresses the power of ideas in society collectively. Moreover, it is critical to be aware of the way people think, may it be from the side of opinion you hold or form the perspective of the contradicting opinion.
Capitalism is inherently unstable and is bound to collapse, no doubt. However, the communist social structure is pretty much too "idealistic" in the current situation. Nevertheless, Communism is not a state of society it is more of an ongoing process to achieve an idealistic social structure. It shall require many iterations in order to include all "classes" of society in unity/equality.


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