Books Galore!

After the comparative drought during my first two terms in WIMWI (only three books bought), book buying has come back strongly this year. Have already acquired 8 books this year - not counting the travel guides to Japan and Europe. Unfortunately, the revival of book buying has not translated into better reading habits - listening to too much music, I fear. Still, expect to read a lot in September - when I'll have nothing to do but laze around in WIMWI, waiting for my trip to Europe. And should have lot's of time in the evenings in Europe as well - looks like I will be alone while travelling there, and there won't be much esle to do in the evening but blog and read.

Anyway, back to the books. Quite happy with my purchases - good variety, I think, and good quality, I hope.

In January, I got Baburnama from the Crossword in Ahmedabad. Have only read 70 out of over 450 pages yet. Initially, the excessive use of names of persons and places made it tough going, and quite incomprehensible. But slowly the highlands of Central Asia that Babur called home are becoming exciting, as he recalls the tumultous events of his teenage years (he became 'king' at the age of 10, and actually had to join his army in battles). What is delightful about the book is, of course, Babur's detailed prose (the details are also the bane at times, though). Read this sequence.

"...we rode straight through, putting Kannibadam to our left, set up our ladders by night, and took by stealth the Nasakh fortress, which is ten leagues from Khodzent and three leagues from Kannibadam.

"It was melon season. In Nasakh is a kind of melon called Isma'il-Shaykhi. It has a yellow skin as soft as glove leather, seeds like an apple's, and flesh four fingers thick: it is amazingly delicious. There are no other melons like it in those parts.

"The next morning the Moghul begs said..."

[Page 67 of an edition translated by WH Thackston]

Even while describing a capture of a fort in midst of his struggle to regain his throne in 1499, he does not forget to praise the melons of Nasakh! Just delightful!

I wish I can visit the ancestral homelands of the Mughals one day - Ferghana valley and Samarkhand, how I long for thee! First, I should go to the Mughal's adopted homeland though - the region encompassing Delhi, Agra, Sikri and Lahore.

For my birthday, in addition to an Eyewitness Guide to Japan (by far the most useful gift I have been given so far - my indispensable companion in all my outings in Tokyo and beyond), Kammo and Thoku gave me a biography of JRD Tata - Jeh. Sadly though, I have not yet read even a single page of it. Knowing how enamoured I am of the illustrious clan of the Tatas though, there is very little chance of me not liking it.

In Japan, I finally found some bookstores that kept English books (atleast 3, in fact). Bought many books, including 4 for myself. Additionally, I picked up "50 Masterpieces of Japanese Art" from the Tokyo National Museum's gift shop. Have flipped through its pages once or twice, and it should be an interesting, though not exceptional, read.

Got two manga from Book 1st in Ginza - Vagabond (Vol. 1) and Nana (Vol. 1). Had not heard the word manga before term 2! Then, of course, I became friends with Titli and got the internship in Tokyo. I have not yet read Vagabond, but it promises to be an action-packed tale set in some long bygone mythical era. Nana, I finished yesterday. It contains two stories - both narrating the love lives of two teenaged girls named Nana. Was a good read, though being a novice in the manga world means that I must have missed out on many of the nuances. Have no idea when I will be able to read the next volume though - might buy one in Europe, if I find it there. Manga is apparently becoming a global hit - to my absolute surprise, I saw some manga in the newly opened Landmark bookstore near my home in Bombay!

At Book 1st, I also bought a history of the American Revolution: "1776 - America and Britain at War." (Also bought a book on kanji - a form of the Japanese script). Have not read it yet.

Bought another history from Maruzen bookstore in Nihonbashi, near my office. A History of Japan should be a great introduction to a country whose pre-1868 history (when after a revolution which severely eroded the power of Japan's feudal lords, Japan began its astonishing modernisation) I know very little about.

Earlier this month, I visited the Landmark bookstore for the first time. I was much impressed by its collection of science and history books. Picked up a book I have been waiting to see on a bookshelf for over a year now. Along with Rowling, Tolkien, Nehru, Gandhi and Shakespeare, Richard Dawkins is an author whose every work I aspire to read (incidentally, all of them were British subjects at atleast some point in their lives!). So, when I saw The Ancestor's Tale, there was no question of not buying it. Dawkin's writing is rich with useful metaphors, elucidating the concepts of evolution by natural selection, its mechanism and consequences with forceful clarity. His writings go beyond evolutionary biology - strongly advocating scientific and rational thinking, and debunking superstition and religion in language that even I, with my very strong anti-religious sentiments, sometimes find a bit too excessive. Generally though, my opinions are quite in sync with his.

Now that I have decided to not be too much of a miser in Europe either, I expect to buy many more books there too. Just hope that I can finish the current lot before my flight leaves for Heathrow on September 25. Will get back to the Baburnama now!