I have been reading on and on without falling prey to the reader’s block for quite some time now. I’d say it all started after I indulged in reading a book penned down by this certain author 
Last term I spent a lot of time reading on the culture of Japan. It all started with me having to do an assignment on employee relations out there. I ended up researching more than I had to, got interested in their labor relations and how the Japanese culture heavily influences all aspects and etc. Ok, I have digressed..thing is lotta people had been asking me to read this Japanese author,none other than Haruki Murakami. After this whole craze about Japanese culture…I borrowed a copy of Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman and started reading. His writing style simply amazed me, totally new,fresh and weirdly surreal at times. I loved the way he treats his stories and on purpose leaves a lot of loopholes, leaving it to the reader to fill them up using their own imagination. Anyway I was glad that was his first book I read Next in line was The Wild Sheep Chase and boy it literally was a chase..I started on a Friday evening and Sunday… Wham ! It was over 
Monday I picked up Hard Boiled Wonderland & End of the World.This one took like 4 days I think.
I decided to take a break from him and decided to finish Suite Francaise which I had abandoned after reading a chapter or two. When I started afresh somehow got into the rhythm and the war backdrop totally worked.These days I have this thing for such books ( I am reading Catch 22 at present).
Next came Kundera’s “Ignorance”. I hereby declare he’s my favorite author at present. To quote from a blurb on the book cover ” Poignant filmic dialogue, graceful introspection, witty philosophical digression,poetic aphorisms and surreal historical snapshots” ( Told ya I am in love with such books )
Although it was not a conscious decision to read Booker prize winners I found myself reading a coupla ‘em . Offshore, Heat & Dust, Famished Road and Remains of the Day. I picked up the last one because I loved “Artist of the Floating World” by Kazuo Ishiguro and I had seen the movie based on Remains. And of course not to forget White Tiger All ya desi software peeples pleeze don’t miss out on this one : P 
Confession : I usually have a repulsion when it comes to books that are really hyped up at a time. So as a rule I wait for all that to die down before I read it. But with White Tiger I broke the rule. Reason : I couldn’t resist after reading that first page But then again I obeyed the rule too by reading Freakonomics recently…conclusion of reading this book : I am glad my parents christened me with a great name
Conclusions of all the bantering:
- Xeres highly recommends Murakami and Ishiguro.
- White Tiger is a must read.
P.S Thanks to Chaos, I got inspired by your latest post
Feliz Navidad
Rakesh E R said,
December 26, 2008 at 12:24 pm
wow.. How the hell do u find time to read so many books.. I’ve been stuck with one book for the past 4 months.. guess I’ve gotten a dose of reader’s block…
and Merry Christmas!! hope u had a blast…
PS: I’m home nw and watching Rosebowl. everytime I watch the channel I remember ur post…
xeres said,
December 26, 2008 at 2:00 pm
@ rakesh : Aah the reader’s block..it happens at times. Just a phase that will pass. As for time most of those books are 200-250 page ones
Rosebowl..heh ! Yeah am home too, it’s Tom Hanks movies for the matinee this week
Ghost Rider said,
December 29, 2008 at 5:18 am
Haruki Murakami! You can never have enough of his writings!
Ghost Rider said,
December 29, 2008 at 5:19 am
Oops hit the “Post” button before I wrote the whole of it. Unconsoled by Ishiguro is what I’m reading now!
Prasilius said,
December 30, 2008 at 7:44 pm
You seem to have convinced me to pick up White Tiger. Usually I avoid Indian authors for some weirdass reason. No offense, it’s just that the stuff doesn’t appeal to me. Right now I’m in a very Kafkaesque mood. Started with the metamorphosis. Probably will continue with The Trial, and maybe some Camus for good measure. For the next couple of weeks I’m intending to insulate myself from the blind optimism and good cheer of human society and start questioning the absurdity of life and existence.
Oh yeah, Ishiguro rocks. Remains of the day is a personal favorite
Ghost Rider said,
December 31, 2008 at 3:02 am
@Prasil … Well I guess you should definitely check out White Tiger.. very straight and crude!
xeres said,
January 2, 2009 at 5:51 pm
@Prasilius : Yeah even I avoid Indian authors, but this one just the first page is enough to convince you and get you hooked
@Grider: I plan to pick up Never Let Me Go from the library this week
Prasil said,
January 2, 2009 at 7:27 pm
SCIENCE FICTION ALERT: Never let me go is science fiction!
@Grider @Xeres: I hunted for the White Tiger paperback edition, didn’t find it anywhere! Should pick it up once I’m back in S’pore. The irony!
sanjuz said,
January 3, 2009 at 12:35 am
Glad to be of help
I got a further list. Will update soon
xeres said,
January 3, 2009 at 3:13 pm
@ Prasil : It is ? I am already through 30 pages and everything is fine so far
You buy here lah..tonsa copies in all the bookstores..I see oready lah
@sanjuz: Do that !
Priyanka said,
August 15, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Dude , u have to try Murakami.. !!..so psychedelic!
xeres said,
August 16, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Pinku ! Nice surprise
) I have I have and totally agree. Reading your comment took me back to college days when I used to hang out in your room digging up books and your mom’s butter cookies 