tagged and more ...

with all due apologies to Tarun, I stole the following text from his post. Not as if I cant write, but i found the para expressing it so well, that, why tax my bankrupt grey cells anymore??

Tarun: "There is this game that I have seen people play on the blogosphere, usually when they are out of topics to rant and rave about. Called Tag, it asks you to blog about something in particular, favorite songs, disastrous dates etc and then you pass the baton on, asking others to do the same. The rules of this one are as follows:“Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes. Tag up to 15 friends, including me because I'm interested in seeing what books my friends choose”.

Well from here it is my writing (you may well close the window if you want). I have not read much books, but still I will try and stick to the books. I will also tell you some must do things before you leave this institute :). And yes the list does not indicate any preference or favourites first ....just whatever came to my mind .

1. On War: A brilliant book on war (actually written by a woman..wife of the author after his death) , the book is famous for its fundamental lesson that many have ignored at their peril "War is the continuation of politics by other means".
2. V for Vendetta: Amazing book, better than the film, the ideas and the language shake you to the extreme.
3. Count of Monte Cristo: Another book based on vendetta, the plot is so engaging that i spent straight 36 hrs doing nothing but reading it. My favourite lines "Now, farewell to kindness, humanity, gratitude, Farewell to all the sentiments which rejoice the heart. I have played my part of Providence in recompensing the good, may the God of vengeance now permit me to punish the wicked!"
4. Mein Kampf: I was disappointed when i read it. Contains no solid ideas, no proper ideologies and you realise that there was nothing deeper to Nazism. It was pure incoherent hate. But still read it, and you will know why Hitler deserved to be defeated.
5. The Republic: Did it as part of my coursework, but i found the book truly amazing for its logical flow of ideas. More than that, it leaves you amazed how political systems 2300 years ago faced same kind of problems and dilemmas that we face today. many of the ideas expressed are still so relevant....and this was all discussed already 2300 years ago.
6. 1984: Magnum opus by Orwell ....our very own bihaari bhaiya :). The way it describes a totalitarian regime and its functioning ( the methods of surveillance and control, all thought before 1949) and how it will survive any kind of rebellion, is amazing.
7. Mahabharata: I have read the Gita Press publication, which is the one on which TV serial was based. And i love it for the central message of following the dharma, come what may.
8. Prince and Discourses on Livy: Read the first one if you don't have time.....but the second one gives you much better insight into what was Machiavelli. And yes i read it somewhere.......................those in power have already taken their lessons from "prince".

Now coming to few things you should pucca do before leaving this place.

1. Play Rammstein (full volume on Creative ) on the night before the A slot quiz to help your wing mates concentrate better.
2. Cycle up to mahabalipuram ( 60 kms). (if you do it in less than 3 hrs..post a reply here). if you are a sensible guy......cycle up to pulicat lake (130 kms...do it in less than 7 hrs...I will treat you at CCD )....and if you are brainier still .............cycle up to pondicherry (yours truly is planning to if and when he can steal a cycle).
3. Down a bottle of Vodka...and climb up the water tank near Mandak (sholay veeru style) and climb down without anyone noticing you (especially the Dean). Don't forget to take a picture there.
4. Take a picture of yours at every place where the Adieu video for 2009 was shot.
5. Play Counterstrike/Quake or just watch porn on one those projectors in the classrooms ....or CRC.

Well.....I will gt more ideas in next three years.......so what for the remaining 2 points??

OK I will write two more books that i loved reading (and so will you)

1. Swami and friends : The novel has kind of tragic ending.....but the way it explores the vicissitudes of childhood is amazing...sometimes it feels like your own story.
2. Principles of Economics (By Mankiw) and Fundamentals of Physics by Resnick, Halliday, Walker.

I will tag Kaushik, Anirudha, Amritha, Kavitha, Paras, Aashish, Uttara, Saranya, Kommu, Cheistha, Udit, Bhanu, Vibhu, AC/DC, and you .