Dear book lovers, perphaps, you could share with us some of your favorite summer readings. Pico Iyer is one expressive writer (author of "Video Night in Kathmandu") I have read and loved:

ABANDON
By Pico Iyer.

ýKill me now, for I long to be with the One I love!ý John Macmillan, an English graduate student of Islamic mystical poetry, determined to view the world in Sufi light hears these words in the somber lecture hall of his California University. In Pico Iyerýs novel, ýAbandoný, the protagonist struggles to understand the more obscure work of the prolific Sufi poet, Rumi. Set against the backdrop of a sunny California, Macmillanýs insatiable desire for some rare but elusive Sufi manuscript leads him through Spain, India and Iran. Equally disorienting is his attraction to the elusive but neurotic Camilla Jensen who seems to float in and out of his orderly-thesis-writing life at the most inopportune times. The story is a merger of Sufi mysticism, spiritual confusion and romantic love ý all of which give a new but parallel meaning to the word ýAbandoný. ýAbandonýýThe state where the true Sufi, the passionate lover and the spiritual travelerýall, give up reason, passion and faith to understand the all consuming desire for knowledge.

At this new age era when new age spiritualism has taken a gigantic hold in the West, Iyerýs book seems timely. Iyer, who was born to Indian parents and educated in England, now lives in Japan; no doubt, his very lifestyle aids him in his depiction of cross cultural mergers and transitions. A keen observer and a sensitive writer, Iyer, in his ýVideo Night in Kathmanduý, reflects on the effects of modernity in traditional societies. A well traveled ýnowherianý, as he refers to himself in his other book ýThe Global Soulý, Pico explores worldwide displacement while experiencing the ýglobal villageý where cultural fusion serves to overwhelm the senses at an alarmingly rapid rate.

"You are the violation of my vows,

My apostasy, my faith.

I shatter myself and you,

I bend to pick up the pieces.



You move me.

Out of stasis.

I see your reflection in the mirror.

I can't tell me from you.



No, no closer.

Stay away!

Already you are as close to me

As the fire to the flame."

(A Sufi Poem from "Abandon", a book by Pico Iyer)

Over the summer, among the many books i read to kill my lame time, "The man in my basement" by Walter Mosley is the most amusing one. It's about a black fella who is in a similar situation like me; no money and lots of troubles. He basically spends his time on trying to make some money here and there, running away from his loans and challenging reputation and of course the most fun thing for guys ;mastrubrating - until one day something very exciting happens on his basement. The man become rich and happy eventually. Worth reading. Highly recommended.

dyamn

Hmmm... recently finished Memoirs of Geisha... historical facts are interesting but the plot is... OK. Currently reading two books Peter Mattheisen's Snow Leopard and Roald Dahl'sMy Uncle Oswald. Snow Leopard is indeed a rich book in terms of content. Spiritual seekers and philosophy buffs will surely love it. I am reading Roald Dahl for the fourth time... ! Hilarious to the hilt! Lovers of fornication will love it!...:-)

HM

Hey sitara u should go to louvre...........it took me 3 days to visit entire place.......coz may be i am history lover and i like doing research in mythology .......................it is beautiful..................when i read book davinci code..........it was like movie to me coz i went there when i was studying in switzerland.......................it gave me a good view.........as far as concerned about leonardo da vinci...............i have bought all the books and documentary on him...........................the experiment was done on his work by BBC and british army was amazing........
1. they tried his parchute.........it worked
2. bicycle it worked
3. tank..........it worked
4. gaint robert............i t worked
5.they tried diving suit .............it worked.,

he has the biggest brain ever had so far....................then comes einstin.............then comes steven hawkings...........then comes nehru.............belive me or not.....

.
.
.Am with:
"THE MIND OF THE SOUL"

- http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/074323698X/qid=1095157414/sr=8-5/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i5_xgl14/103-3689016-2784611?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

AND

"Market Operations in Electric Power Systems : Forecasting, Scheduling, and Risk Management" (which, i am compelled to go thru')

- http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0471443379/qid=1095157697/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-3689016-2784611?v=glance&s=books

I read this 2 books
1) SOCIAL & CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY: A VERY SHORT INTRODUCTION BY JOHN MANAGHAN & PETER JUST.
Its a little book where one can get first impression of antropoogy. I find this book clear and interesting. it is loaded with good examples. Here writers have explained anthropology's contributiion to modern thoughts. Its assesment of present and future positon of anthropology. This book is fascinating one which carries social science. Its a buy from my point of view.
2) The history of nepal by Daniel wright
I am speechless for this book. its a great one to read. I consider its a milestone one.

oops spell mistake
antropoogy= anthropology

After seeing a long and somewhat monotonous discussion in one of the thread, I decided to read "Holy Cow", found it hilarious coupled with sacarsm.

Want to read Freud's 3 essays but hell too heavy a workload this semster. Being a senior sucks.

May be I should list all of my engineering text books for this semester here :)

haha archarya...

nobody reads penthouse these days?

^ OBVIOUSLY you do!

Would one READ Penthouse, or WATCH it? :p ehehe

Fiction: Brick Lane by Monica Ali.

Non-fiction: just about to finish Gandhi's autobiography; and just started Imperial Hubris by "Anonymous."

i was reading this poem from lek nath paudaul.................called kaal............intresting...................and pragati is my fav of all..................

' aakash maa udta changa, chudina saath balaka naanga"
luthchas dhago ramai ramai...........kihta haasyo garyo pragati kihta haas garyo pragati"
\

The Overcoat and other short stories by Nikolai Gogol

Manas1u:
Thanks for bringing up this thread. Poonte, how is "Imperial Hubris"? I heard about it.

Meera, is "Holy Cow" a good read?

like what, just a few weeks ago, i started reading these poems by the guy named Jimmy Sanitago Baca, i dont know how many of you all have heard of him, but this guy is great great greatt poett..man..his poems just rip my heartt.:

this one is called TO MY OWN SELF....

My hands the Hook thunder hangs its hat on,
My breast the Arroyo storms fill with water,
My brow the Horizon sunrise fills,
My heart the Dawn weaving blue threads of day,
My soul the Song of all life...

well i can't sleep without reading some time just a page works.Now i am reading suspicious by Nora Roberts.

my fav book: If tomorrow never comes by Sydney sheldon

Can Asians Think? Understanding the Divide Between East and West, Kishore Mahubani- An excelllent read. This career-diplomat/foreign Ambassador from Singapore ahs some interesting ideas to share. If you are interested in learning about Singapore and other Asian . Tigers' success, this is a must. Its a collection of essays. This almost 200 pages-book is worth reading if you like correctness over political correctness

Thunder From the East : Portrait of a Rising Asia, Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn: Although the first essay on this collection on Indonesia's riots by Kristof is quite scary, other esasys are quite interesting. Kristof and his wife travelled to many regions in Asia, and came up with this book. From the Asian Financial crisis of 1997 to China-India's rise.. from No-Pan-Shabu-Shabu restaurants in Japan to the shipyard of Calicut (not Calcutta), this is worth adding to your collection of leisure reading/current affairs/asian history collection.

Amazon.com is Amazing!

i just read "the tutor of history" by manjushree thapa. i really liked it and her descriptions are so accurate that reading the book puts you back in nepal.

another great novel is "the poisonwood bible" by barbara kingsolver. one of the best books i have ever read! it really captures the sensation of feeling like an outsider in an unfamiliar country incredibly well.

"100 years of solitude" by gabriel garcia marquez ifs full of poetic beauty, lyricism, and surrealist imagery.

"night" by elie weisel is another intense, devastating book. and a very fast read.

there are so many amazing books, but the best of all time is a children's book:
"harold and the purple crayon" by crockett johnson. the story of the creative process and creative thinking/problem solving through a kid's book....it's fantastic!

oh, and "the little prince" by antoine de saint exupery is another wonderful "children's" book that reminds us, as we grow old, it's important to stay young at heart.

Any good book out on International Organizations? Any suggestion? Thanks in advance.