The book Shantaram was a seriously nice read, really long though, actually I still have around 200 pages to go. He sure knows how to write in a nice, drawling, philosophical kinda way. But the words he uses!!! I was reading more of the dictionary than the book (helped me with my GRE preps though). Anyways there were a few things about the book that struck me, stuff that we all seem to know, but never able to put in words. Here are a few.
- The contours of all our virtues are shaped by adversity.
- We live on because we can love, and we love because we can forgive.
- Happiness would have been no more than just another facet of our lives had it not been for suffering. One craves for happiness not just because of the joy it can bring, but because it is special. Suffering makes happiness special. If suffering was as good as history and happiness common place, then no one would even give happiness a second thought.
There were actually quite a lot more. Nothing striking me as of now. It's been almost 2 months since i have been stagnant on page 700. I'll have to start reading it again to remember all of his nice quotes. Till then, see you!!!
2 comments:
Keep philosophising!
Hi Kiran,
My son Rufus gave me this book. He is 37 with his own son now. But we all went to India together with our daughter when they were in their late teens and early twenties. I had been to Mumbai before and really not liked it, but going with them to the countyside was beautiful......and Gregory Roberts writes with great love and passion for the place and the people.
I liked your defence of the book for it being too over criticised by other bloggers....
....I have a blogsite.....
www.xanga.com/veryan_weston
best wishes....and keep writing yourself....you write well!
veryan
Hi Veryan,
I usually respond to all commenters. I somehow missed this one. It's a really delayed response; but I guess that's better than none at all.
Glad you liked the visit to India second time round.
Thanks for the wishes.
Kiran
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