Amit Goes Blogging

This novella portrays the struggle of an old fisherman, who has had a grim luck lasting 84 days before he makes a prize catch of a giant marlin. The struggle to land the fish spans three days and two nights. I was glad that the old man survived the ordeal; otherwise, the cover picture of a dark sea broken in storm portends sadness for the reader. But, the protagonist's living triumph does not make me a fan of the book. It did not appeal to me the way it has besotted the imagination of some of the raving reviewers. A colleague swore by its appeal on Thursday last; I couldn’t get started that evening. Friday evening set me on the course. Saturday night I laid the book to rest. Lesson learnt: To factor in my wife’s opinion about a book. I bought her this novella considering the short flights she took at reading. The book bored her to death. She must be heartbroken herself for having given up too early. She amply made up for her stasis by reading up two other classics. ...

I hope to stay my course---read the famous classics from the Greeks until the late twentieth century. I have a decent collection of literary classics. But, looking at my dazzling collection, I am at my wit’s end---where to begin! Will I end up being a mere book collector? Forget majoring in literature, won't I even have the satisfaction of calling myself an informal student of literature? Will the money that could have bought immediate joys to my loved ones leave me with only a hope of future joy? I have browsed the net for inspiration and direction, careful not to ignore the two even if they can be found buried in the comment threads and finger-tiring scrolls. I have browsed through the best books voted by Times, Modern Library, and umpteen other blog posts on good reads to prepare myself for that leap. But, I am still nursing my irritation. Just yesterday I went on another buying spree and ended up with six additions to my collection. Now, I have decided to stop...