Travel Book Review

One thing I love about traveling is having the time to read. I can proudly say I read a lot of books last year as well, thanks to my avid book club ladies. I am really into it, sucking in the words one by one. I thought I'de pass on what I read so far and let you know what I think.

Water for Elephants - Very nice story from the 30is, describing live in a circus, told in memory style by an old man in an elderly care home. Something like The Notebook and very much also movie material. Cant wait for someone to pick it up. Loved it!

Milan Kundera - Laughable Loves - A delightful selection of short stories. As the title says it's about love, but not always in the ways one may expect. Very cute and easy read with a touch of affection and erotic at times, as well as absolute surprise in the opposite direction. Kundera is an old favorite of mine and I am glad I am revisiting his book shelf.

Haruki Murakami - Kafka on the Shore - For those who know me well, you know I am a Murakami fan and have read almost all of them, but never this one, even though it's one of his most popular. I guess there is a time for everything. And boy was I ready for this one. I LOVE THIS BOOK!!! I love the idea of leaving books on my travels and picking up new ones, wondering who might be the next reader. This book I am still holding onto even though I finished yesterday. I am carrying it around as a bible. This book is not your average fiction read, this book is about life philosophy. Very unexpected the reader gets a line of something special on every page. There are several parallel stories which merge in the end. Each story has it's own touch of life lessons behind, in the way things are happening, as well as the actual writing. In one story a boy is running away from home and in unusual ways is finding learning in his way. In another story we are introduced to a ever so slightly retarded old man, who in his simple ways teaches the way things are in his world. His language very much contains mainly of questions which then reveal simple life philosophical statements, that are for anyone to hear. I sucked in this book so much. The individual stories are grabbing and one can not wait for the continuation. This characteristic I am used to by the author and happy to find in this book again in the most brilliant way. I will leave the book at some point as one can not afford the extra weight, but am looking forward to one day in my live picking it up again only to find the special lines. Here a sample of what I am talking about:
- We fall in love in search of ourselves.
- Memories warm you up from inside, but they also tear you apart.
- When you are in the forest, you become a seamless part of it. When you are in the rain, you are a part of the rain. When you are in the morning, you are a seamless part of the morning. When you are with me, you become a part of me.
- Memory isn't so important here. The library handles memories.
And many many more. So so so very goooood!!!!! I can't believe it took me this long to come across this book.

Milan Kundera - Ignorance - Back to Kundera again as I needed a short read for the weekend only. Not finished yet, but can already tell his is going to teach me some history here about Communism in the Check Republic, before he is going to continue his story about an ex pad woman who moved to Paris. Fine by me.

I am of course also reading Buddhist literature as part of my ongoing practice. The book stores here are loaded with the books which otherwise are hard to get, and I have bought many already. I am not going to share any lines as most of them include old and secret teaching that each person has to find when they are ready for it and transmitted in a direct way. I do want to mention that my absolute favorite and daily read right now is the Dakini Teachings, a book given to me in a special moment and therefore brought into my live this way. Here some items just from the glossary. The definitions are new to me and intriguing, Buddhist or not:
INDIVIDUAL SELF: The mistaken idea that there exists an "I" that is an independent, singular, and permanent entity.
HABITUAL TENDENCIES: Subtle inclinations imprinted in the all-ground consciousness.

Next I am reading an Indian Author, which name and title I forgot, but the book has been recommended and is sold everywhere right now. We'll see. The book is in Delhi and first I have to get back there to get it.....