I always felt my memory is not strong enough. Though i read enough, i dont remember much. During one of the morning meditations, i ruminated about the books i remember and which impacted. Here is the list and interestingly most of it, i read it between 1998 and 2002, when i was in college.
a. Zen and the art of ..... this book hooked me for days. I read and re-read it. i was reading will durant during this time, i felt i understood a little better of Kant reading this. What i remember now is the difference between car and motorbike ride, his discussion with a monk. The one shift was the way i looked at material things. Perhaps this led my buy bullet. Though i am not a great rider
b. Freedom at midnight, Naokhali yatra. This led to read Gandhi's autobiography and more biographies, judith brown, fisher, last 200 days, etc: . I vividly remember reading his autobiography. I was crying, couldnt even cost 60 pages. i have read almost all the biographies i think.
c. Future shock series... how wealth creation and distribution determine culture. This led me a lot more understanding of different cultures and societies. I wrote a long essay after this.
d. Brothers karamzov... i find this the best novel i have ever read. What i remember is dmitri and ivan conversation in the monastery and many more with alexei. Guilt of intelligence without caring for consequences stayed.
e. We the people, this is the first novel i read with strong women protagonist, i probably identified with her i guess.
f. Anna Karinina. Of all, i remember annas stoical husband. the role holder in me gets alive when i read
g. JJ: his meeting with a leper/begger and subsequent passages.
h. Peter drucker: I have loved all his books, he along with porter, kotler are pleasure reading. It has influenced the way i look at business. Post capitalist society remains favourite.
i. God that failed: For this quote, faith is not acquired by reason, we reason it to defend it.
h. Bharatiya chit manas and kaal, this is the collection of essays and speeches by dharampal, though many would remember his beautiful tree, i think his best was this and perhaps understanding gandhi as well. This essay, brought me closer to india, i guess looked at people positively and learned to listen to stories.
i. Siddhartha, of the many, what i remember is the buddhas caution, "beware of your mind"
j. Leela, this was better than zen and the art, "Using morality as power"
k. colombo to almora; This i guess was anyones favourite.
l. Tao of physics and dancing wu li masters.
m. Mahabharata: Udhyoga parvam, for its many dimensions of dharma and conversations around that.
n. Tagore/nehru notes on nationalism.
Essentially my outlook to life remain the same i guess. All other books i read along with these and after didn't shift my space much.
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