To be honest, I did laugh at the jokes in the first few pages, like describing the girl's father etc, and I was also liking the chemistry between the girl and the boy. But after those few early pages, the jokes became too much and started taking precedence over the actual narrative, which breaks the whole flow for a reader. Perhaps the only book I read where the movie was better than the book it was made on.

Even though the movie featured legendary Tom Hanks, the book still does a much better job of portraying the story than the movie did. Robert Langdon is the character neither very close to nor very far from the reader. Throughout the story, you neither develop an affinity nor a resentment to his existence. He just comes across as a fluid protagonist, caught in a situation, dealing with it as it comes. Suspense and thriller are very well maintained throughout the book. The Illuminati angle does raise a lot of expectations but is a bit of downer at the end.

A very tough read. A few children play around the bed with pillows, flashlights, wardrobe doors and what not. While they are imagining spiders, mirrors and anti-matter etc. Thankfully it was a short one.

This was the next Forsyth novel I picked after The day of the Jackal and I was a bit disappointed. There are a few very interesting characters in there, esp the lead villain, a lot of suspense created around that. But in the end, it proved out to be a damp squib. Mr. Forysth is able to create a lot of good situations here and there and does his research with plot pertinent keywords very well, these literary devices do create an environment of ingenuity for the reader, but beyond that, this novel lacks soul.

By writing this book Amish unlocked an entirely different genre in the Indian Fiction writing scene. Strong narrative, vivid imagination and good story-pace keep you engaged with the book. The way he weaves Shiva as a human character with an ethereal out-worldly aura is remarkable. Top that off with picturesque descriptions of tools, weapons, battles, strategies, and way kingdoms and ancient commerce behaved, keeps you wanting for more. The book was a good story in itself, but at the root of it though I did not find the story engaging and suspenseful enough to read the next two books.

Small benefits people have over others can sometimes push the scales heavily on their side. There comes an inflection point in many situations after which the whole situation takes an entirely different turn. Again tactful narrative and interesting examples make this an engaging read from Gladwell.

The first book I ever read years back. Still, remember some parts of the story. Very well written, the words bring out the imagination in a very subtle and succinct manner.

The techniques described in this book are very fundamental to our psychology and the way Cialdini has explained them in a lucid manner is commendable. It requires a deep understanding of the subject to be able to bring such perspicuity to a subject area. In his almost story-like narrative, the author has at times over-communicated or repeatedly emphasized a particular phrase often to benefit of the reader.
As a reader, you may feel that you already know some of these tricks of the trade, but then author brings out specific edge cases where a particular influence approach may fail because you just are trying to blindly apply the technique without understanding those edge cases.
A must-read book for anyone looking to come across as a person who gets the buy-ins she or he wants. Obviously, a mere reading of this book won't make you a master. But taking specific notes and applying them in your real life is what matters.

Any details I give about this book will quaff the fun out of this engaging read, so I would stick to the literary basics. The author does very well in setting up the context in the first half and drives the reader to fast-paced action that follows. The Day of the Jackal is a captivating battle between two meticulous professionals, two experts of their trades on either side of the law. And finally, beneath all its action, drama and chases, it actually boils down to which of them is more disciplined about his work. At one point I did feel though one of the characters did something totally out of character, but I could attribute it to survival instinct. A must read thriller.

Alchemist forces you to think about a lot of decisions you took vs decisions you could have taken in your life. And Coelho inserts numerous of his own thoughts and opinions throughout the story. But the beauty of it is that he does so in a very mystic sort of way that it does not sound preachy. Many of those opinions come as questions, which is a beautiful way of sharing an idea without imposing it. Story narrative is powerful and descriptive wherever required but not as gripping as I found in Brida, perhaps people connect more to this story because of the inspirational nature of it.

I am more of a Sci-Fi reader so this was a new experience for me when I read it. There are some books where narratives don't seem like words, and you actually are pushed into the author's reality. For a new reader, this is one book which challenges the conventions and pushes the boundaries of relationships. It feels so surreal yet so true. And the passion with which Lawrence pens those words is as if he is directly narrating the book inside your head. A remarkable piece of writing.

A very interesting take on real-life situations using principles of economic theory. Seems forced at some places but if looked at objectively it does make sense. For real it's economic steak on a hot plate, with a side of a motley collection of interesting stories.

** spoiler alert ** Really loved the smooth flow of the book and explanatory nature, although a lot of emphasis is on two things either starting a business or entering into real estate, which everyone may not want to do. Also immensely liked the world view that 4 months out of 12 we work for government and rest for ourselves. Really powerful insights.

Afghanistan and abundance were two words I was not aware can be used together before I read this book, but this book opened another different world for me. And while I was getting amazed with the setting and the narrative, the book took such a dark turn which I never expected. A smooth read overall with a motley of sad memories embedded in it. A must read.

Blink puts in question the very phenomena of analysis before decision making and insists that on some occasion we just take a decision in a blink depending on what knowledge we have previously gathered. Very interesting examples and stories. Gladwell really seals the book with an engaging narrative.

If I have to name one book which changed my way of viewing the world it would be this book. It was published as "The Insider" when I read it first and the theories this book brings out via fiction have haunted my sense of reality ever since. The book shakes your soul and in that really pushes you to question your existence. This book propelled me to read a lot about the theories of absurdism and existentialism. I then read Camus' essay "Myth of Sisyphus" and it was in the same league. A rare book which is not horror, but yet it's not for the faint-hearted.

Brida is perhaps the first book I read of Paulo Coelho and not the much revered "The Alchemist" and I am glad I did so. The level of mysticism and paranormal suspense embedded in Brida is just right to make it engaging and the usual Coelho preachiness is on the lower-end making it a far more enjoyable read. Coelho's characters Wicca, Magus, and Brida are much deeply developed in this book than the characters in The Alchemist which makes this book a much more captivating narrative than the latter. There are some sections of Brida which I have read multiple times and perhaps will keep reading them for the rest of my life.

Another book where I was fortunate enough to read the book before I saw the movie. Guess those indeed were good old days where print content was much more accessible than streaming. While the movie rocked with Will Smith and all, the book really takes the case in simplicity with which Asimov presents the Sci-Fi concepts. He doesn't aim to over-complicate with tough jargon or pages upon pages of descriptive hard science. Instead, he connects them to the realities of life and consciousness. Perhaps one of the first books to talk about how A.I. would behave. As I begin my writing journey. Asimov is a great inspiration to me.

It's a good thing that I read the book first and then watched the movie. The movie is legendary no doubt, but the book is even better. One of the few books which can give you real goose-bumps. Power, struggle betrayal. Through this book, Puzo created such a strong presence of Don Corleone and make him a legend. A magnum opus indeed. Perhaps one day I could write like he did.