... The Tickler ...

There are many books which have been termed as great. Many criteria are held up to prove that a book is a masterpiece. Many times it is just a hoax. Many a times it just might be a creation whose praise and the worthiness of such a praise have been blown up many a times the deserved amount. This blog is my expression which I wish to make public even if it means proving myself an idiot. I am not perfect myself but still I choose to do what follows. Still, no offense to anyone's sentiment is meant here because what will follow is sure to bring some "not so well wished comments".

Talking about masterpieces in writing, many have been declared so by the crowd, both -the elite and the non-elite alike in a "I too understand classics and appreciate them and I swear I do" fashion and how I wish I could murder such verdicts. Here I go and let loose the guillotine on my neck.

"The Alchemist". A lot and a whole lot has been sung in praise of this book. It is the most inspiring novel according to some. These people would find themselves lost if they did not have this book by their side 24x7. When I had read the book I was unaware of its status. I read it. That was it. It did nothing to me. Actually it did. It made me laugh. Not at the humor or the message in the climax but at the sheer feeling that I had been cheated, robbed off my hours which I had put into reading the book and that I could do nothing about it. Soon enough I chuckled once again over it. This time it was when all of a sudden I started hearing "My favorite book is The Alchemist", "The most inspiring thing I have ever read is The Alchemist", "The Alchemist changed my life". All of these were uttered by many TV stars, models and the like. Among the glitterati was one actress about whom I doubt if she could distinguish between two nursery rhymes, let alone the idea of reading a whole book. I suppose it was the only book she would have had read in her whole life time and the same goes for many of the twinkling stars. All these things make me so sure about the feeling I have about the page3 class-the class which makes or breaks fashion, be it about clothes or about books. The feeling goes like-do they even know how to solve class V math? The answer to it I have with me but who cares...

I read another of Coelho's "great piece" and tried my best to digest it but I suffered from indigestion. A very bad one and I really felt sick. "Eleven Minutes". A story about a girl who gives into prostitution for simply no reason. No reason at all. She was not forced, nor did she have "no other option" situation. All I could deduce out of it by revising (literally revising) the whole context, to ensure that I had not missed any crucial, life threatening or earth shattering reason, was that she wanted to make some quick money. Why I say this is because that the girl had a very good opportunity of working in a gift gallery and earn a decent living for herself and her family! (Yes, she had a family too!) But she chose to be virtuous the erratic way. Well, Mr. Coelho wished to make a demi-God out of a lecherous creature and he stated it as a journey of a girl who tries to know herself and then to prove it he has made her talk to an inner voice of hers.

I think I'd be sued by Mr. Coelho so I am asking for forgiveness right here right now. Please sir do not do so. Neither can I afford to have a case against me in my resume nor will I be able to pay any damages. I took my third chance with "Veronika Decides to Die". A work hell-bent on driving anyone to the heights(or depths or whatever...) of depression. The title of the book should have been "If You Are Cheerful...How Dare You?”. This book forced me to add “usually” to the next sentence. I "usually" don't leave any novel till I have read it to completion. This book challenged me to read it full and I bowed out of the duel after 24 pages of self inflicted torment. Had I not given up, I would have landed up as a neighbor of Mr. Coelho-in the asylum. In short, Coelho has been to an asylum and "Veronica Decides to Die" is his way of inviting everyone to join him! So, am I anti-Coelho?...Frankly, I am not so but I am anti-all-such-verdicts which have declared such novels as classics and this makes me hate these novels all the more over and over again! These have failed very badly in inspiring me. Not a bit in me was motivated. I was moved and I was moved only due to the tickle I felt after reading The Alchemist, a faint one though but again I was glad that it was a tickle and not any trip to an asylum or a brothel.

But there are many books which actually have moved me or tickled me well enough so that I could very well and gladly suggest reading those. Not for any divine reason but just for the sake of reading and mind it I am not giving any verdict. I'd rather not compare one "great writer" to another right here in the same post- I'd better not for I might get sued by both of them!!

Happy Reading!

P.S.: Please don't sue me Mr. Coelho.
P.S.: P.S.: Others please pray that he doesn't sue me for this!