The list - My 10 books

Tormenting times these. Multiple people have been tagged me in their Top 10 book lists. It is painful. You see, I love the feel of books. I love the idea of reading them even more! But most I love is my habit of procrastination. I love it so much I do it all the time. And that's the reason why I have managed to effectively escape reading too many books, despite loving them so much.

I remember going to those book fairs as a child. My mother got that into me. The love for books. It started with those tinkles and then Russian folklore. She would take me to book fairs and I would love seeing those books. And buying them.

Books are like my childhood's first buddy. The ones from who grow apart and yet there always remain the fondness. You still meet them with as much love. I grew up. Yes!

Nevertheless, I am finally putting down a list too. I would not say they are my favourites, but they did open me to new ideas. Here you go

1) Tinkles

Thank god for tinkles. Shambhu Shikhari and Kalia the crow were buddies. This I treasure as my first reading experience.

2) Adventures of Dennis

This was my introduction to another world. Not quite Indian. Russian literature for children is fun. This one was written by Victor Dragonsky. This book was followed by lot of hard bound similar books that kept entertaining me. And in a brilliant way helped shape my imagination.

3) Famous Five

Those who know me know my fetish for ginger beer, lemonade and apple pie. Yes, I got it from Famous Five. And also my desire to be go see if the English countryside is just as I pictures. {of course that has been put to rest after my exposure to English films. I continue to long for that one countryside visit} Those kids, created by Enid Blyton, were beyond just characters. They turned into my best friend. I was probably a part of each of their adventures. I had read the entire series.

4) Hardy Boys

Frank and Joe and their rounded friend Chet Morton took over from the famous five. Damn Franklin W Dixon, I read you books when I was supposed to be studying for schools. What would I do? Those two teenagers could even fly planes for heaven's sake! I still don't have a car. Sigh!

5) Twenty Thousand leagues under the sea

Jules Verne, dude, you got to take a bow. How the heck did you cook up a Nautilus!

6) Swiss Family Robinson

You would not believe, I still wish to get ship wrecked and drift into an unknown uninhabited island! An island where I could find caves to live in, build tree houses, Ostriches to ride... phew! Johann D Wyss certainly was a master. No booked worked my imagination by this one did. Funnily when I read it for the first time it was just an adventure. With time it becomes so much more a satire!

7) Five Point Someone

Yes, I like Chetan Bhagat. No I have not read any of his after this book. (So much for love!) But this book brought me to Indian fiction writing. It entertained me. I had tried God Of Small Things and it effectively put me to sleep. Call me a lousy non-intellectual idiot. I like my books to be entertaining.

8) Romancing With Life

Again, those who know me will know my love for Dev Anand. His love got me to read an autobiography for the first time. Riveting! The love for life that he had... I only wish I could be a fraction of what he was. Or atleast portrayed to be like. I have met him in real life... as charming. But oh! what a life.

9) The Hour Before Dawn [English translation of Assamese novel Antareep]

I am ashamed to admit that I really have not read a single Assamese book ever. Except of course the school texts. And now it is quite difficult too. But the fact that I have never read an Assamese book nagged me for long. That's when I tried this translated work. Blown away. Assamese literature does have characters that could live with you, in your mind, for your life.

10) Da Vinci Code

I really don't need to give a reason for putting this book in the list. The first time I went to Commits (The institute where I did my MA in Mass Comm) my teacher told me to read this book. I took his advice. This is one advice, sir, I would thank you for! This book spawned a series of many more such books. In India and internationally. But an original, is just one.

11) The Complete Sherlock Holmes

Yes an extra one. And an extra special one. This has to be the biggest book I have read. 1084 pages if I remember right. I was in class 8. Sherlock has not left me since then. I love all TV shows, all films that are made on him. And I am certain as hell that 221B Bakers Street exists.

There are so many other books that left me amazed. But then, my short-term memory never helps. I Since Five Point Someone, I have read books like Chanakya Chants, Naga Trilogy that have inspired me. Then there is one of my favourite writers David Baldacci. Absoulute Power thrilled me. I am fiction reader by choice. But there are some pieces of non-fiction too.

And hey, lastly.... I would not end it without saying - Khushwant Singh's jokes book collections rock!

Here I would also thank a certain friend called Pran. When I did not have too many books it was his library that served my purpose.

I would love it if Pran Krishna Nath shares his list. Buddy, the game is still on. I know you still read as much.

My other nominees - the usual suspects - my wife Lee, my sister Pallavi, my buddies - Hriddhi Sunder Doley, Hemanta Medhi, Kritika Saxena, Pramathesh Borkotoky, Sunil Bharti and Victor Mukherjee. And yes, Rajashri Bhattacharya - the one person I envy for reading more books in school than I did.