I read very selectively. I don’t read just any book I get hold of. I mostly buy the books I want to read and keep them with me. Books are like good friends. You can turn to them for a good time again and again.
I’ve read a lot of books more than once. But, I’ll list down only a few of my most beloved books. Here we go.
Books
- Siddhartha by Herman Hesse
- Purpose by T.P Kailsam
- Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach
- Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantsakis
- Lust for Life by Irving Stone
- The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
- As A Man Thinketh by James Allen
These books are so good I listen to their audiobook versions again and again. I’ve included them below.
- Siddhartha by Herman Hesse.
“I can think, I can wait, I can fast.”
“. . . gentleness is stronger than severity, water is stronger than rock, love is stronger than force.”
I liked the translation by Hilda Rosner.
Herman Hesse was German. A Nobel Laureate. Yet, here’s a story set in India. This fact itself is enough to make this book a fascination.
(Siddhartha is not Gautam Buddha’s story. Siddhartha is a contemporary of Buddha in this story.)
Siddhartha is a story of man who leaves everything to explore. He’s not happy but he doesn’t know what he wants yet. So, he sets out on a journey which brings him into contact with people from different walks of life. From renunciation to indulgence, from learning to forgetting.
More touching than Gautam Buddha’s story, everybody can relate to it. It’s more humane, practical.
This is easily one of my most favourite books and one that I read or listen to again and again.
I absolutely love this audiobook version by Michael M. Thompson. Masterful rendition.
2. Purpose by T.P Kailsam
It’s a play in two acts; the period isThe Aadi Parva of the Mahabhaarata. The dialogue between three characters make up the play. The dialogue is fresh, lively, and very excellent. It is written with the typical wit of Kailsam.
T.P Kailasam was a playwright and prominent writer of Kannada literature. He is known for his wit and satirical comments on society. He was educated in London and was influential in theatre.
Two boys aspire to become the greatest archer in the world. One is the prince Arjuna and another is a forest-dwelling Ekalavya. For both, Dronacharya is desired to be the master. But, Dronacharya is under the aegis of Bheemsa, the grandfather of Arjuna. So, Dronacharya is forced to turn down Ekalavya even though he very much loves to teach him.
Arjuna is childish, immature, petty, and selfish. Ekalavya is innocent, humble, and noble. Arjuna wants to become the greatest archer to gain fame; Ekalavya to save the lives of deer and fawns from the wolves.
It’s one of the most famous stories in Mahabharata and Kailsam offers a refreshing interpretation.
It’s one of the most moving, inspiring writing I’ve read. You can read it here.
3. Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach
“But way off alone, out by himself beyond boat and shore, Jonathan Livingston Seagull was practicing… For most gulls, it was eating that mattered, not flying. But for this gull, it was not eating that mattered, but flying. More than anything else, Jonathan Livingston Seagull loved to fly.”
Once in a very very long while, you come across a book like Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Then you hold on to it for your lifetime.
I’ve read this book a lot of times. I’ve listened to the audio version countless times. At each reading, I’ve grown to love this book more and more.
How could it be that a small, deceptively simple book with pictures of seagulls in flight has touched the hearts of millions of people around the world? I’ve always wondered if Richard Bach isn’t some kind of Master.
The book is a spiritual treasure. The inspirational, passionate aspects are apparent but it goes far beyond them. For me, it’s Zen-like.
It sometimes happens that in a fit of divine inspiration, people create something they themselves don’t understand later. They act as hollow bamboos for some play of divine melody.
This book is a phenomenon. It has inspired a film, an album by Neil Diamond, and different versions of audio books. I see there’s an interactive mobile app on this book too.
Well, the readers of this book must listen to the album by Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Neil Diamond. It’s a masterpiece. Rich orchestra, uplifting tunes, and a soulful voice of Neil Diamond. It’s truly superlative.
And there’s this audio book by Richard Harris with music composed and conducted by Terry James. Well, what more can you expect? The narration is superb and paints pictures with words. What glorious pictures!
4. Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis
“You have everything but one thing: madness. A man needs a little madness or else — he never dares cut the rope and be free.”
It’s based on a real-life character called Zorba the author met in Crete. The book brings out the contrast between the author who is intellectual, a thinker and Zorba who is sensual, doer, and down-to-earth. The author learns in wonder the idiosyncrasies of Zorba that he himself has irretrievably lost in his quest for higher things.
This book is about celebration in the ordinary joys and sorrows of life, accepting what is, being too busy living to complain about anything else.
Now, I loved this audiobook version by George Guidall.
https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Cl...
5. Lust for Life by Irving Stone
It’s a biographical novel about the Dutch Painter Vincent Van Gogh. This book is as grand as Vincent Van Gogh’s life. It’s a masterpiece.
To read this book is to love Vincent Van Gogh. From his childhood to his premature death, it’s story of an obsession. An obsession to create, to do something unique.
It’s a book worth its weight in gold. You’ll read about the great love between brothers, an artist’s struggle to give birth to his creations, hunger, poverty.
6. The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.
Kahlil Gibran was a Lebanese American writer, poet and visual artist. The Prophet is a book composed of twenty-six poetic essays. There are essays on Love, Marriage, Beauty, Work, Prayer, Time, Clothes, and more.
This book is a masterpiece and extremely beautiful. The prose is very poetic and is accompanied by illustrations by the author.
There’s a beautiful narration by Paul Sparer. I’ve listened to it innumerable times.
Audible.com: Audiobooks & Original Audio
7. As A Man Thinketh by James Allen
Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself.
The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors; that which it loves, and also that which it fears.
If there is one book which has directly impacted my life, THIS is it. It helped me come out of all the superstitious bullshit I was conditioned in my childhood.
I’ve listened to this book many times. It never fails to inspire me, to fill me with hope. Anyone who reads this book can never fail to do good and be good.
I love this particular version of audio book narrated by Brian Johnson.
As a Man Thinketh : Brian Johnson : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
(…to be continued.)
