Judging a book by it’s cover

Posted on March 27, 2013 by The Nameless One

If you were to judge your favorite book by its cover, would you still read it?

Long answer short, yes.

Now I’ll stick to me reading my favourite books based on their covers rather than justifying the don’t judge a book by it’s cover which is a much common topic of discussion, and honestly, who is stupid enough to not know that by now, and if so (since the world is filled with idiots in a manner of speaking) how many actually follow it?

I have many favourite books. Many of them include graphic novels and comics which have very interesting covers quite evidently, and the others are also intriguing. Many bestsellers have different variations based on the region, language and other factors like over time too and it’s cool to see other interpretations of the same book (cover). So not much of a thoughtful one for me. Besides, in today’s with the much available resources, abundant no. of talented artists, creativity and imagination, a lame or bad cover is just a stupid excuse.

Bedtime Stories

Posted on March 21, 2013 by The Nameless One

What was your favorite book as a child? Did it influence the person you are now?

the-dark-knight-returns-cover Although never had any ‘bedtime’ stories said to me nor I liked any, I did read a lot of books and especially comic books, which as a matter of fact still do today. Particular, if you know me or follow this blog you’ll already know Batman was my hero growing up. Comics, TV and the old movies were a part of my growing up among other things. And yes, very much influenced me into the person I’m today.

Although I don’t have any absolute favourites, The Dark Knight Returns is one of my most favourite books of all time. Recently made into an animated feature in 2 parts which I recommend you must watch apart from reading as it’s not only one of the greatest Batman stories ever told but also one of the greatest pieces of literature ever.

Erasure

Posted on March 12, 2013 by The Nameless One

You have the choice to erase one incident from your past, as though it never happened. What would you erase and why?

I started to think all the bad things which happened in my life. Clearly too many, which also very much outnumber the good ones. Here note, I was thinking about the bad things/incidents, not a one which I would want to erase. Because despite how much I think and pin point one, thinking that was it which caused a certain chain of events and made things worse, or that one was so bad that nothing could ever compete with it, I just realized more on an important thing which I already knew – that good and bad are two sides of the same coin. It’s just a matter of when the coin flips and lands on which side.

If I was to conclude with one, I should just erase the day 26 February 21 years ago – the day I was born. That would spare all the suffering. Otherwise no matter how much I think of erasing a crappy one, there was good attached to it too. No, I’m not going to give the sweet sugarcoated ‘one day things will be better’ pep talk, things will always go wrong. There are times that I wish I could take back many times, and if it was actually possible I might change my thinking and perhaps go for it too, as I don’t hesitate to bend my ethics for the better because I never be a hypocrite. It’s about being grateful for the good, learning from the bad and moving on, or taking the (inevitable anyways) way out.

Coming to which, you should read The Shiva Trilogy by Amish Tripathi, India’s first (and best yet) literary sensation. The third book very much highlights this aspect of the trilogy, check this out which was on my birthday some weeks back.

First Light

Posted on February 28, 2013 by The Nameless One

Keeping a book aside while you sleep (unlike a cell phone) is a good suggestion. Although so far I had nothing interest of note, for today (in continuation of yesterday) my first thought which I could remember was pertained to the latest book I’m currently reading. Yesterday and the day before (ie my birthday) were quite interesting in relation with this, which I wrote a detailed post yesterday, which you can read here. Do let me know how you found my summary/coverage.

Also (in no relation) today is National Science Day 😀

The cake is a lie

Posted on February 26, 2013 by The Nameless One

Those are some of the most famous words in video gaming, from the game Portal. You can’t yourself a gamer regardless of what and where you play if you haven’t played Portal.

Now coming to cakes, today is my (21st) birthday. I never wrote a post pertaining to my birthday, heck I never even celebrate(d). I do shit all the time anyways. An intersting conversation struck between me and a friend of mine, Mehul, who is a fellow big bat-fan. Today is also his birthday (so drop by and wish him too if you must) but unlike me he wasn’t aware of it. I sent him a text at midnight and he replied back with a thank you matey. After 1 AM or so, I got a call from him, and this happened:

Mehul: Hello sir.

Me: Hello sir.

Mel: Wish you many happy returns of the day!

Me: (after a brief silence) Wish you the same 😛

And we both burst laughing. It was quite a while since I had a hearty laugh over something silly such as this. Wishing people ‘same to you/wish you the same’ on festivals, occasions, exams and other days, this time I found someone to whom I could say that too. Actually there are two, him I already said and another fellow blogger friend. (I need to figure out how to embed tweets here now)

Now with that it, coming to the main topic:

The cake is a lie.

Now why is it so? I and Mehul later in the day had a chat asking what did we do. He said he was overdosed with cake. Cheese cake, cream cake, this cake, that cake… cake poisoning. And ironically I didn’t have a cake for months! As I said, birthdays don’t matter to me, I barely even remember it at times (and people barely call me too for that matter). But this did make me thinking. Why are birthdays and cake are so closely associated? Why not something else? This is one of those many clichés I fail to understand.

I don’t do anything special thanks to me and my not-so-at-times boring life, I had this glorious bucket yesterday if that matters.

Coming to today’s daily prompt, I think this should party give some answer. More later as I’ve got to attend a book launch event now and meet the awesome author 😀

Update: The book launch and subsequent event(s) were great. Have a look at the summary/coverage of them. These were 2 very interesting days and a memorable birthday indeed.

Paperback or eBooks?

Posted on February 11, 2013 by The Nameless One

So for this end-week’s challenge, being asked between paperback and ebooks on which medium you prefer reading, I voted for paperback and not so surprisingly that was in the majority about three fourths in number relatively.

Now why is that so? Well for I actually don’t mind either, as I have read lot of books held in my hands and in the past years lots on my computer and my cell phone. While I never owned a e-reader, tablet computer or fancy cell phone, so I can’t really say how much enjoyable reading on one is, say for the few times on an old cell phone of mine and many others on my laptop.

Both have their own advantages. Like in ebook form, I can have many I want with me while traveling and not worry about any additional volume or weight. I have GBs of ebooks (not counting comics, which is another massive world of it’s own) on my computer which if each one were a paperback, I guess I would have to own a building library or something to store them all. But the hassle is, while on the go I’ll have to worry about the battery and the device itself not being screwed.

While on the other hand I don’t have to worry about ‘charging’ my paperback books (or hardcover for that matter). I can read anywhere and in any comfortable position I want (please don’t think about sex, one thing at a time folks), while I could do the same with a e-reader just I’d have to be more careful. Here personally I might be favouring the real thing more as I already said I never had the comfort of a e-reader and lazying around.

But in the end, what matters really are the quality of the book and your level of interest in it. That aside, it should matter much through which medium you enjoy a good read.

E-Readers with e-books are the future, which is what seems likely. But still, the sheer joy of going into a bookstore, the smell of fresh new books and random smiling faces who get your same feelings is a pleasure of it’s own.

Resolution Solution

Posted on January 31, 2013 by The Nameless One

Well I never made any New Year’s resolutions, as I have said countless times already they are stupid. I did however decided to do some things more, which is more or less for self-improvement. Among them, I managed to blog regularly in my almost 6 years of blogging. So far 73 blog posts in this month alone, 4 of them in my other blog and the remaining 69 along with this one right here! With an average of 2 posts and some days 3, this is a record in my life time yet. More than the no. of posts in a year previously. So bit happy on that regard, just have to do more useful stuff now.

Coming to the thing which I didn’t do, still haven’t read anything yet. Need to get back into reading more, hell I have to start with something soon!

Which New Year’s resolution haven’t you kept? Why? How will you redouble your efforts to achieve your goal?

The story of my life (first edition?)

Posted on January 11, 2013 by The Nameless One

If you could read a book containing all that has happened and will ever happen in your life, would you? If you choose to read it, you must read it cover to cover.

That would be interesting really, After a bit of thinking, yes I would read it. While we remember a lot from our lives, no matter what we evidently forget lot which has happened over time and it would be good, no matter how pathetic it is, to read it all again and reflect over it. Once finished from the start to NOW, things will get interesting, might be boring, exciting, some things glad while some not digestible (for the moment) others and even perhaps bit awkward. I mean, will the book say “And now you are reading your life story from the beginning, you have reached the present and continuing further…[ ]… after finishing you say to yourself ‘holy fuck!’ and faint.” Now that would be funny 😛

While many would be of the opinion (even me in quite some circumstances) that not knowing what lies ahead would be better, exciting and a challenge to face, I’d personally rather read it and be able to change what I want, and be prepared for which I can’t change. Well if I’m able to know what lies ahead, odds are very well can. Life would be perhaps a lot better, if not interesting, and well the very fact knowing things might change the probabilities of something happening and how. Alright, I got too much into probability and science (fiction?).

If it were possible, I would like it to be a graphic novel 😀 as that is more of my tastes. And of course would like to ‘see’ all the ‘beautiful’ aspects of life behind and forward too 😉

Weekly Photo Challenge: Resolved

Posted on January 9, 2013 by The Nameless One

So as the title says, although I find ‘New Year’s Resolutions’ silly which I said already, it would be hypocritical of me if I say I didn’t think of doing something to make my life better, where I’ll use the old fashion a-picture-says-a-thousand-words thing as given by this week’s photo challenge.

The latest addition to my vast books collection is the (new edition) box set of the universally acclaimed A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin, which is also adapted into the most amazing tv series run on HBO and the best thing on tv (and my most favourite) I spent nearly 2 hours cleaning my entire house just to make some space for this. You can see a lot of Batman and few others in this section too. As I said in my weekly writing challenge post I want to get back into reading more.

What happened now? The Internet that is. Although my indulgence in too many things apart from these two also is, but that is not really a bad thing right? Time to get back into avid reading as I once was and also a balance in life.

And as bonus, let me show you the song of my people. For all the existing fans, here is something which we actually hope the author sees and does something. 😛

The (Immortal) Secret of Amish Tripathi #INKtalks

Posted on January 6, 2013 by The Nameless One

Amish Tripathi, you sir are awesome. The first sunday of the 2013 I dedicate to you in this post of mine.

For those of you who call yourself an Indian and reader of sorts, he needs no introduction. Undoubtedly my most favourite Indian writer, I hardly read Indian fiction and The Shiva Trilogy is the example which shows the wonderful hidden writers in our country. Coming to his debut work, writing on the mightiest of the hindu gods and making him a being who eventually paves his way of becoming a god (it’s like stripping Superman of his powers and he his on his way to become Superman) is itself very intriguing. I mean who does that? (especially being in India full of fanatics who just like making a controversy on any dam thing)

Coming to why I’m writing this, see the above video from a INK 2011 talk (finish reading this please?) I find myself in the same dilemma of doing what I want most in my life, just a small problem is I’m one step behind- I don’t even know what I want from my life!

I think I’m also waiting for what my soul yearns for, finding that thing where success will cease to matter. Till then the search is still on for me. Till then I’ll continue writing, shooting, traveling, getting myself in trouble, helping others getting out, and all what I do 😀

I remember back in early 2010 being very excited about The Immortals of Meluha and reading the first chapter which was thrown out free for us hungry dogs desiring good Indian fiction. I was completely stroked. The Immortals of Meluha was IT. Still proud of being among the early fans (which is my specialty, liking and publicizing things before they go mainstream). I can’t wait for this to turn into a big blockbuster film and finally give the world Indian mythology which will be a good fight to the likes of famous Greek, Roman and Norse mythology (and in turn eradicate false/orthodox thinking of so many people here)

Here is wishing Amish big success for the upcoming The Oath of the Vayuputras which I can’t wait for and in my flipkart pre-order (dam I gave them such a big fortune so far, can’t they give me something as a compliment? :P).

Last month I got a personal invite for attending his talk in Churchgate from the organizers/friends, and I still curse myself (more the University of Mumbai) for having an exam on the same day in the afternoon. My young sister nabbed the opportunity, went met him and spoke with him also scoring an autograph for herself and she already has a crush on him (beware Amishs wife) 😛

Hopefully I’ll able to do the same (not the crush part) for the release of the third book *fingers crossed*

In other news, I enrolled for INK talks volunteering program for INK2013 (and subsequent years henceforth) for my desire of making the world a better place and in that process, hopefully myself. So expect a lot of INK related material coming up too. Hopefully I’ll make the cut. Check it out, you might be the next innovator too!