Paperback Heroes

Well, Hello! Welcome to the New Year. I am sure you all had a great time on New Year’s Eve. I certainly did. There must be burst of New Year resolutions, new do's and don'ts and that entire hullabaloo. Resolutions are made to be broken, so I never waste my energy on them. Pleasantries over, now let's move on...

One of my hobbies is reading. Even though I have kept it as a safely guarded secret on the blog, I read every day before I fall asleep. I started by reading ‘Enid Blyton’ when I was in school, a personal favourite even now. Progressed to ‘Sidney Sheldon’ and got most of the info about 'Birds and Bees' from his books. During my Sidney Sheldon phase, many of the girls my age were devouring 'Mills and Boons' with voracious appetites. I read a couple of them and vowed never to touch them again.

'John Grisham' is a wonderful author. His books are a window into the world of American law and class action lawsuits. I have read and re-read his books and still love them. The victory of the underdog has always been the central theme of his books and I am all for the victory of the underdog.

I read a variety of authors at that time. From Ayn Rand, Alistair Maclean to Michael Crichton and Richard Bach. Those were the days of drinking in as much as knowledge as possible. Things were simpler then and life was not fraught with so many responsibilities. It was easier for me to digest all the intellectual wisdom thrown at my brain.

With my cup of cynicism overflowing with each passing year, I have moved on to books and stories with realistic characters and stories. Nowadays, I like my books to be believable and the heroes to be human and not superheroes. I do venture out sometimes from my comfort zone and experiment with different authors only if, I read a good book review.

My current favourite authors are 'Jonathan Kellerman'(JK) and 'Michael Connelly'(MC). They belong to the crime thriller genre. Harry Bosch, a MC character is as realistic as they come. He is a homicide detective in LAPD. Harry Bosch is a loner. He is tenacious and dedicated to solve a murder and plays by his own rules. He is a Vietnam veteran and suffers from insomnia caused because of the war.

The 'Alex Delaware' series from Jonathan Kellerman is another of my favourites. Alex Delaware is a child psychologist who later works as a forensic psychologist. A rich guy, who teams up with his friend 'Milo Sturgis', a gay LAPD detective to solve crimes. He is shown as a sensitive, passionate and caring person. He goes about his work with empathy for people and his patients.

Even though these books are not intellectual fodder. I enjoy them a lot. There is no confusion as to what the author wants to state; neither there are concepts too heavy for the brain. I can curl up with them and nod off without getting too distracted. Plus 'Harry' and 'Alex' are really great guys to get involved with even if through books.

If you have not heard of these authors, I would suggest you to take a peek in their world and decide for yourselves.

Comments

  1. Hi,LP..wow..another voracious book reader..welcome to the club..I'm the same, albeit, these days I fight shy of any book over 200 pages..so, Sheldon,Crichton,et al are out.Perry Masons are definitely in.And the new breed of Indian authors as well,like Chetan Bhagat.

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  2. :) I used to read some of the authors you mentioned. But now I am only a fantasy fan. But I read some fiction once in a while if the hype is strong enough to compel me.

    p.s. - I love Enid Blyton too!

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  3. Amit : Is that age catching up??? hehehe .I like authors who spell out staraight, rather than beating around the bush. Vague concepts take so much of energy to understand.

    Shadowthorne : Welcome!!! Yeah Enid Blyton was always superb. She has been a major contributor for my passion for reading. Thanks for your Comment.

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  4. I read one of Jonathan Kellerman, the story was set in Jeruselem. I should say too gory for me.

    btw, how about checking out zeole.com. It is a new idea I am working on. Zeoling is similar to blogging, but in zeole you get to target your writing at the reader, and reach the reader with much accuracy. Would you like to try it?

    zeole.com

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  5. Then u'll surely like Perry Mason..try one..will email u a ebook if u want.

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  6. Good!
    With my ever-increasing list of 'Long pending books to read' I don't know where exactly I can fit these new additions...unless you present me these books so that I can start reading right away! :P

    ~ Kaustubh

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  7. I am married to a bookaholic but not one myself. My entire home is filled with books everywhere but I haven't got the patience or the focus to sit down and read a book completely. Envy is what I feel for those who do because they learn and experience so much and definitely those who don't read are losing out on that opportunity.

    Good to hear you read a lot.

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  8. The Kid:Yeah!! some Gory Stuff sometimes in JK's books...My Hubby calls me a ghoul as I watch all this gory stuff.Thanks for your comment.

    Yes I will check Zeole.com...sounds quite interesting :)

    Amit : Yes I loved Perry Mason...I have read most of them I think. I liked the spunky Della street a lot.

    Kaustubh: Come to UK and I will gift them to u :) you can keep these in mind and read them once ur pending list is over.

    Sanand: My hubby is like you :) he has no patience at all.

    Yes,reading gives a lot of knowledge about places and people. It opens up world's and makes you more imaginative.You could start off by reading a small book. Try reading 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull' by Richard Bach. Its just 50 pages or so....

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  9. Oh,yes-Della Street- as much a part of the Perry Mason books as Paul Drake..without them, Perry would be incomplete.:)
    ---
    And,hey congrats- gorgeous new look to the blog..first change for the NY and many more to come,I'm sure.:)

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  10. Thanks Amit I like changing the Blog Look frequently .

    Yeah I had forgotten about Paul Drake :)

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  11. Good!
    With my ever-increasing list of 'Long pending books to read' I don't know where exactly I can fit these new additions...unless you present me these books so that I can start reading right away! :P

    ~ Kaustubh

    ReplyDelete

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