Two more reading lists from 2012

Many times when you go through your normal day, you realize that much of the conversations are actually not getting you too excited or even useful. The reason being, most people are too optimistic or too pessimistic. In those rare situations where you meet the realist / pragmatist, things only get worse. They leave you confused.

Most often i have resorted to reading to keep my not so useful conversations down. I write a weekly review of the books i read (Check for Books and Me for recent reviews). These have helped readers identify books that have enhanced their work and their lives. So when i come across book lists, i generally tend to dig into them to find a few gems that i can pick for my next read. And once in a while i share the lists i read as well – so that people who love to find their gems can do so as well. So today while i was reading online, i came across two interesting lists of books. Please see if you will like the many books mentioned in each of them.

Greg’s 2012 Digital Tonto Reading List is a interesting list of books across subjects. Whatever be your interest, you are bound to find some useful and enlightening picks.

Link: http://www.digitaltonto.com/2012/the-2012-digital-tonto-reading-list/

Maria Popova’s article on 10 favorites and the messages from them is an interesting and different list.

Link: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/12/26/best-books-2012-reader-favorites/

Happy Reading!

Books and Me: Books I have Loved

Book Title : Books I have Loved

Author        : OSHO

Osho always amazes me – as a person, as a master and as a thinker. He has over six hundred books to his name!  Right from the time in 2003 when I read a book called “India, My Love!” by Osho, I have become a fan of his thoughts and writings.  There is something mystical about the way he conveys the intended idea. Some of the key reasons why I continue reading a lot more of Osho include audacity in thinking, fresh perspectives, contrarian views,  breadth and depth in parallel apart from the fact that they were all spoken first and then scribed into books.

As a lover of books and one who loves reading when I found a book by Osho titled “Books I have loved” – there was nothing that could stop me from grabbing and consuming it.  In his trademark style containing all of the earlier mentioned characteristics, this book does not disappoint even one bit.  It was however surprising that he chose to dictate this book sitting in the dentist chair.

He declares to have read over a hundred thousand books – even 10% of it in today’s circumstances is an achievement. The book discusses 168 titles that have inspired Osho and have had a profound impact on his life.

When one looks at the variety of books it shows his versatility irrespective of region, time, race, religion, philosophy etc.  You have Russian authors, Germans, Greek, French, Persians, Indians, Chinese and Japanese amongst others.  You also have the usual strong opinions of Osho embedded within the book.

The range of books also has a variety of genre such as fiction, poetry, manifestos, autobiographies, epics, spiritual texts, collection of songs etc. It is interesting to also have a few books recommended as ‘Not to be read’. I will leave it to you to find these out for yourself.

There are also few statements (stated as facts by Osho) that will make you stop to wonder if they can really be true.  A couple of these include who actually wrote JK’s first book and from where did Shri  Aurobindo get  his inspiration and information.

Osho had originally intended to talk about the top 50 books that had inspired him – but he has ended up having 168 in total.  The second fifty came as P.S. and once he had finished the second fifty he wrote the remaining under P.P.S. It shows how nothing intended by man is higher than going with the flow.

A little bit of humour interspersed through the narration makes one smile as you read and hear Osho speak.  It definitely has inspired me to continue my journey in reading. It has also made me write the section ‘BOOKS and ME’ in my blog more regularly. It has also given me a whole variety of books that I can add to my reading list.

When I read this book I remembered being asked by students of mine for list of books to read. This book has inspired me to start referring the ones that have impacted me, which I hope to do through this blog.
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