In Xanadu - William Dalrymple

The opening lines of Coleridge's poem serves as the title of noted author William Dalrymple's literary debut. This book is a travelogue by genre, but a very unusual one at that. It chronicles the authors journey across the same route that Marco Polo once undertook, from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem to Kublai Khans palace in Shangdu (popularly known as Xanadu) in Mongolia. As is imaginable, the length and the magnitude of the journey is substantial, it is expected that just a straightforward account of each and every day would be more like a logbook and certainly not qualify as an interesting read.

This however is taken care of by William Dalrymple by his masterful control over his prose and his characteristic style of switching the narrative between the past and the present times (also witnessed in his other work, The City of Djinns) seamlessly thereby giving the reader two different perspectives at the same time. What results is an intricate and often a poignant commentary on the places that he happens to pass through interweaving the details of internal conflicts between countries and the corresponding effects on the inhabitants, the views of different strata of people towards foreigners, governments, women and life in general, the present condition of the famed silk route and the prevailing social, religious and cultural practices of different races encountered during the course of his journey. Humorous anecdotes both from the past and present times scattered throughout the book ensures that the tone never gets too serious or preachy and although the prevailing political situations in countries are often discussed, the author ensures that it does not disturb the essence of the book which at heart still remains a travelogue. This one is recommended for people who love armchair travelling and desire something more interesting and intimate than a simple travel guide just listing out places to see. So go ahead and follow the footsteps of Marco Polo with William Dalrymple as your guide...

The Agony and the Ecstasy - Irving Stone

An acclaimed author of the historical biography genre, Irving Stone's stunning portrayal of the life and times of the famous Renaissance artist Michelangelo is almost epic in its scale and execution. It chronicles the life of Michelangelo from his humble beginnings, his aspiration to become a master sculptor in the face of stiff opposition from his family, his interactions with popes, kings and his equally famous contemporaries (Leonardo Da Vinci), his refusal to bow to the traditional artistic norms, his controversial depiction of gods and saints in his paintings and sculptures, and his turbulent love affairs with three different women in different stages of his life. The amount of research and hard work that the author has put in the book is clearly reflected in the amount of detail visible in each and every incident and place described. The most striking feature of the book are the chapters which describe the construction of Michelangelo's most famous works (Pieta, Moses, Sistine Chapel, the dome of St. Peters), capturing in detail the inner turmoil and emotions experienced by an artist striving to achieve perfection and inner satisfaction in the face of a rigid social framework which often does not see eye to eye with the artist's vision.

All in all, this is a truly engrossing read for everyone who has an interest in Renaissance art and sculpture and would like an insight into an artist's mind. Keep in mind however, that this is no Da Vinci Code and don't go for this one if you are looking for a light read. This one is recommended only for people who want to know about Michelangelo and what went behind each of his works and the attached motivation. Although a fictionalised biography, it is the credit of the author who crafts such a realistic tale which may lead you to believe that it is an actual authorised biography of Michelangelo that you are reading.

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone - J.K.Rowling

As any of my close friends will tell you, I happen to be a self confessed Harry Potter fan(atic). This book marked the beginning of the Harry Potter saga which captured the imagination of the entire world. Harry Potter - an orphan with a lightning shaped scar on his forehead leads a miserable life with his aunt and uncle (a concept borrowed from numerous fairy tales) until one day a fierce giant (Hagrid)turns up and tells him that he is a wizard. Harry's disbelief soon gives way to astonishment when he is admitted to a school for wizards (Hogwarts) under the guidance of the headmaster (Dumbledore), finds friends (Ron and Hermione) for the first time in his life, gets to know the true story about his past and his arch enemy - Lord Voldemort. Since this book was primarily aimed at a young audience, the writing may seem a bit childish to people but nevertheless, it is a captivating book.

Rowling succeeds in making the reader a part of Harry's journey as he uncovers the truth about his past, deals with the unwelcome fame that comes his way and confronts his nemesis. The best thing about this book is that it introduces the reader to the magical world of Hogwarts castle together with the many surprises and quirks that are part of it (talking portraits, headless ghosts, three headed dogs anyone ? ) and paves the way for the future books. Also, since the setting for the books is a school (albeit a magical one), the readers soon discover that a wizard student is not very different from a muggle (for the uninitiated, a person without magical powers) student. They go through the same cycle of sleeping in class, struggling with homework, last minute cramming before exams and the anxiety of failing in them. The only difference is that the exams in Hogwarts consist of turning a mouse into a snuffbox, making a pineapple tap dance and explaining the working of self stirring cauldrons. All in all, this book is an amazing debut from J.K.Rowling who had little imagined the effect this series was going to have on the literary world. If you enjoy fantasy and haven't read the Harry Potter series yet, go ahead and begin your journey. Trust me, you will not regret it

20,000 leagues under the sea - Jules Verne

It is only fitting that I start this blog with the first book I read, way back in school (albeit in an abridged version). Jules Verne, one of the pioneers of the science fiction genre wrote this book at a time when underwater travel existed only in flights of fancy. The book begins with an account of the mysterious attacks on seafaring ships that cannot be attributed to any known creature. An expedition is assembled comprising of Prof Arronax (who also narrates the story), his assistant Conseil and the master harpooner Ned Land. They encounter the 'monster' after a long search, which in turn is revealed to be a submarine by the name of 'Nautilus'. During the attack on the expedition ship, the three persons mentioned earlier are taken aboard the submarine. Here they encounter the captain of the submarine, Captain Nemo (we never know if this is his real name, for Nemo means 'no-man') who welcomes them aboard but also rules out any possibility of them returning as they now share his secret. What follows is a wondrous journey through the depths of the waters of the world. Jules Verne riveting description of the underwater life and the different adventures truly transports you to 20,000 leagues under the sea. I recently had a chance to read the unabridged version and the amount of research Jules Verne must have done to write this book is truly staggering. Every sighting of a marine flora or fauna is accompanied by a commentary on the biological classification by Prof Arronax (which can get a bit overwhelming at times) down to the class, order and suborder.

The most interesting character in this book is undoubtedly captain Nemo. Although we are given no clear picture as to why he leads this strange life in the waters, it is subtly attributed to his contempt for the world above with its rules and divisions governing every aspect of life together with a thirst for knowledge. I particularly liked the way the different facets of Captain Nemo's personality were exposed through the different incidents that occurred throughout the book. Every adventure that the crew of the Nautilus encountered revealed the different shades of Captain Nemo's character - father figure, rebellious, ruthless, vulnerable, caring, nature lover to name a few. Among the other characters, Prof Arronax acts as the narrator of the book who slowly comes to sympathise with Captain Nemo and longs to be part of this journey due to the wonders it holds, Conseil is the archetypal assistant figure who supports his master without any questions and the harpooner Ned Land is a perfect example of a rebel - one who believes in writing his own rules and does not bow down to anyone.

Well, I believe this will encourage some of you to give this truly marvellous book a read which never fails your attention from the riveting start to the equally mysterious end. A word of caution though, if the thought of reading pages and pages of biological classification scares you or threatens to put you to sleep, I would advise you to read an abridged version. For the rest of you, who love the subject of biology and are looking for a good read, this is manna from heaven for you. Enjoy..

Welcome

Hello readers and welcome to bibliophiles central. The sole purpose of this blog is share with you my views on some of the books that I have read and find it worth recommending to other bookworms. As I am a voracious reader and am not confined to any particular genre, you will find all sorts of books being discussed here, from science fiction to eternal classics, from travelogues to biographies, from thrillers to memoirs. Those of you who haven't discovered the joys of the written word yet, this blog may prove to be a starting point for you to do so and as for the rest of you fellow bibliophiles, this blog may encourage you to pick up that particular tome you have been wanting to read or enlighten you about some obscure title which you have never even heard of (trust me, anything is possible). So without further ado, let us turn the pages and embark upon this literary voyage. Happy Reading