Slow Horses

 I recently read the Slow Horses by Mick Herron. I first heard about it when an apple tv series based on the name became popular. Last I heard it was renewed for another season. I am rationing my screen time by optimally allocating it in 'certain' sense -- it is either one of the comfort watch of re runs or completing my to watch list -- that I decide to first read the book and I was lucky. Book is very engaging, characters are very well developed, and plot was believable. It had a shadow of John Le Carre in that there is the British bureaucracy and spies -- or rather ex spies -- with human touch. Couple of things are not yet clear regarding the motivation of few characters and I hope it will be made more clear in subsequent books in the series. I can very much imagine it being written for the tv. An office settings, cast of front line workers and management, not too many outdoor scenes, a caustic boss, and a group of misfits. I am looking forward to watching it on tv as well sometime soon.  

Impossible City: Paris in the Twenty-First Century

I finished reading Impossible City: Paris in the Twenty-First Century by Simon Kuper who is also a columnist in FT, host of a podcast Heroes and Humans of Football, and author of other books few of which are already in my reading list.

It is an engaging book. I have not been to Paris - except during transit - but it is a city I would like to visit. Thanks to Netflix tv series such as Call My Agent and Lupin, and having read Simon Kuper's earlier articles, this book was long on my reading list. 

This book establishes why Paris is the centre of France and how that centre is expanding - both geographically as well as metaphorically. Simon moved to France sometime in his adulthood having lived in different countries and therefore brings an outsider's and comparative perspective. Book is divided into different chapters each dealing with one topic and all the topic taken together presents a picture of Paris which is rooted in its century old customs but also trying to grow. As a columnist for FT, he - I assume - has access to the people and places and he takes us to different types of people from other migrants to homeless to politicians and places within the Paris as well as at the periphery or suburbs. I recommend this book to any one having interest in the city and exploration of the city beyond usual tourist things.

Quote

Found at Goodreads:

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” 
― C.S. Lewis

Finished

Finally finished Pride and prejudice. First bought at Dariyaganj at Delhi in 2005. Latest was the fifth, bought on kindle. Glad to record I have finished my first Jane Austen 8 years after I first bought it.

E Book wish list

I like to read. Books are a favorite. They last longer than a normal blog article, usually covers a topic or idea from start to end, and I get a sense of accomplishment after I finish one. Whenever I try to find a book for reading, I start with a search in the library. If I like it, then I buy it. Sometime I do not find the book in library. Then I buy it. Sometimes these are the books which never get completed. Lately, I have started buying eBooks. I am a convert. I never thought I will ever like an electronic version of book over a dead tree version. Some times it is difficult to wait. But main reason, in my case, is size of book. Some of the books which runs into 500+ pages and it is very cumbersome to carry them around. Some books, however, are still not available in electronic format. Here I am maintaining a list I wish to see in electronic format:

• A Suitable Boy
• Kinetics of Materials
• Raag Darbari
• Mujhe Chand Chahiye