📚 Bookshelf
Reading Journey
Here are some of the books I've been reading lately. These ratings and reviews are from my Goodreads account.
Of Mice and Men
Of Mice and Men is one of those books that I had heard a lot about before reading, and I had a distinct image of what it might be. The title, for example, reminded me of that part in All Quiet on the Western Front where the soldiers have to fight mice for food. Then I read the New York Times review stating: "Of Mice and Men is a thriller, a gripping tale running to novelette length that you will not set down until it is finished..." That left me wondering: what kind of thriller is this? With all...
The Mystery of the Yellow Room (Joseph Rouletabille #1)
This is my second Gaston Leroux book, the first being The Phantom of the Opera. I had high hopes, and Leroux certainly delivered! First, let's look at the central character, Joseph Rouletabille, because the detective is incredibly important to me in a mystery novel. I remember reading The Honjin Murders before this and feeling a bit let down by Kosuke Kindaichi because of how weak he felt at times. Rouletabille, on the other hand, is confident, possesses real depth, and has the kind of presence...
Crime and Punishment
Crime and Punishment is among my favorite books of all time. It was my introduction to Dostoyevsky and I've read most of it's translation that are in print except the Sidney Monas and Roger Cockrell translations. I enjoyed this book every single time.
A Gentle Creature and Other Stories: White Nights; A Gentle Creature; The Dream of a Ridiculous Man
Some of the best short stories out there You may have seen White Nights mentioned a lot on BookToks recently. While one of the best short stories out there, it's certainly not Dostoyevsky's best work. It's still a very good story, and I come back to the story of the dreamer time and time again simply because it's written so beautifully. A Gentle Creature is another great story, and I read it long ago in my native language. I've since read it a few different times, and it felt equally good. I...
The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories
This collection of novellas translated by Nicolas Pasternak Slater is a first class reading experience. While I can't comment on the accuracy of the translation without knowing Russian, the prose is fluid and engaging, making the book a genuine pleasure from start to finish. There are six stories/novellas in this book and I more or less liked all of them. 1. The Two Old Men - a solid 4/5 story. Profound, it had a good message and I liked the characters. 2. How Much Land Does a Man Need? - a 3/5...
Salvation of a Saint
This is my least favorite Higashino book. Don't get me wrong, the core mystery is solid, and it's still better than a lot of contemporary crime fiction, but the execution is incredibly convoluted. Character-wise, I found Ayane to be compelling, but Yoshitaka was so unbearable that he honestly deserved his fate. The subplots felt a bit weak too; Kusanagi almost falling for Ayane was laughable, and it was frustrating to watch Utsumi rely on "women's intuition" rather than solid investigative...
The Metamorphosis
I was so nervous to pick up this book. After hearing nothing but good things about Kafka and reading so many of his quotes my expectations were through the roof and Metamorphosis definitely delivered. The Susan Bernofsky translation is excellent it reads very smoothly. But I'm pretty sure the Muir translation will be just as good.
Dracula
The main problem with reading Dracula is that I already knew too much, and the writing alone was not enough to carry an entire readthrough. Growing up, Dracula was one of the characters I encountered most frequently. The first time I read this book was at 14 years old, in a heavily abridged, beautifully illustrated edition. I read it, and I loved it. Eventually, I read another abridged version targeted toward adults, which I enjoyed too. The translator of that edition, Rakib Hasan, is one of the...
দৃষ্টি-প্রদীপ
বিভূতিভূষণের কোন বইই আমার খারাপ লাগে নি। তবে কিছু বই বেশি ভালো কিছু বই কম ভালো লেগেছে, দৃষ্টি-প্রদীপ কমের তালিকায় থাকছে। জিতু চরিত্রটা আমার পছন্দ হয় নি। হতে পারে আমি একটু সংসারী বলেই পছন্দ হয় নি। লেখকের লেখনী বরাবরের মতোই অতুলনীয়, সব মিলিয়ে ভালোই লেগেছে।
গয়নার বাক্স
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
The Honjin Murders (Detective Kosuke Kindaichi, #1)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
The Stranger
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
কালীগুণীন ও ছয় রহস্য
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
কেরালায় কিস্তিমাত (মিতিনমাসি, #3)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
ট্রেজার আইল্যান্ড
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
টেরাকোটা টালমাটাল
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
রাজধানীতে তুলকালাম
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
সিগন্যাল মুন
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
দ্য রেড ফিঙ্গার
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
Different Seasons
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
কারমিল্লা
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
If Tomorrow Comes
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
The Devotion of Suspect X
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
তিন গোয়েন্দা ভলিউম ১/১ (তিন গোয়েন্দা, #১,২,৩)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
তিন গোয়েন্দা ভলিউম ১/২ (তিন গোয়েন্দা, #৪,৫,৬)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
Malice (Detective Kaga, #1)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
পথের পাঁচালী (অপুর পাঁচালী #1)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
অশনি-সংকেত
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
দেনা-পাওনা
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
পদ্মানদীর মাঝি
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
সপ্তপদী
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
কবি
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
দুর্গেশনন্দিনী
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
বাংলাসাহিত্যের সেরা গল্প
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
পুতুলনাচের ইতিকথা
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
হীরামানিক জ্বলে
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
দ্য উইলোস
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
দ্য লেজেন্ড অফ স্লিপি হলো
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
মরিয়ার্টি
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
দ্য হাউজ অব সিল্ক
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
ঘুণপোকা
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
অপরাজিত
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
পূর্বক্ষণ
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
All Quiet on the Western Front
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
দ্য প্লেগ
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
None of This Is True
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
হাজার বছর ধরে
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
নূপুর
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
A Christmas Carol
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
যকের ধন
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
খগম
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
অদ্ভুত লাইব্রেরি
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
আগুনপাখি
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
Newcomer
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
নিরীহ
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
ক্রীতদাসের হাসি
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
অরণ্যের দিনরাত্রি
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
হারবার্ট
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
গল্প সমগ্র
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
Around the World in Eighty Days
Around the World in Eighty Days is just as fun as it was when I read it as a kid. A stellar cast of characters, detailed descriptions of the places being visited, and the breakneck pace of the story make it a certified classic. This translation by William Butcher is undoubtedly one of the best.
Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Stories: Annotated Edition (Alma Classics Evergreens)
Honestly, I picked up this book jist to read the title story, and as far as that is concerned, a solid 4 out of 5 read. Seems a bit drawn out near the end but very, very well written. Maybe someday I'll read the rest of the stories in the book as well.
The Miracles of the Namiya General Store
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
White Nights
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
খোঁড়া ভৈরবীর মাঠ
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
Crime and Punishment
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
The Kite Runner
Undoubtedly a very well written book. Up until chapter 22, I enjoyed a lot and read fast but from chapter 23, I started to struggle. I wish it didn't drag as long as it did. That's my only complain.
ইছামতী
বিভূতিভূষণ বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায় আমার অন্যতম প্রিয় লেখক। তাঁর কালজয়ী উপন্যাস ইছামতী অনেক দিন ধরেই আমার বইয়ের তাকে ছিল, কিন্তু সম্পূর্ণ পড়ার সুযোগ হলো এই সম্প্রতি। লেখকের অন্যান্য লেখার মতোই এটি একটি অসাধারণ সৃষ্টি। এই উপন্যাসে আমি খুঁজে পেয়েছি চমৎকার সব চরিত্র—তাদের সুখ, দুঃখ, সংগ্রাম আর পারস্পরিক সম্পর্কের এক গভীর বুনন। বিশেষ করে, নরহরি ও তার পরিবারের জীবনযাত্রা, তাদের সরলতা আর প্রকৃতির সঙ্গে তাদের একাত্মতা আমাকে গভীরভাবে প্রভাবিত করেছে। বিভূতিভূষণের অনবদ্য লেখনী ইছামতী নদীকে শুধু একটি ভৌগোলিক...
The Phantom of the Opera
I loved how despite having many decorous characters around the Phantom held the center stage throughout. I loved how the story is told as reports/memoirs/notes and so on. This is my first Leroux book and I'm looking forward to reading more of him. I read the translation by Mireille Ribière and I enjoyed it very much. Except for a tiny mistranslation in the Epilogue everything was top notch. You can find further information about all the available translations here -...
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
চাঁদের পাহাড়
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
দ্য বার্ডস
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
রেবেকা
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
আরণ্যক
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
ময়ূরাক্ষী (হিমু, #1)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
দরজার ওপাশে (হিমু, #2)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
হিমুর মধ্যদুপুর (হিমু, #17)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
এবং হিমু ... (হিমু, #5)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
পারুল ও তিনটি কুকুর
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
পিশাচিনী
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
ও
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
নিশিকন্যা
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
আমার প্রিয় ভৌতিক গল্প
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
গৌরের কবচ
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
Coraline
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
The Graveyard Book
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
শেষ বিকেলের মেয়ে
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
The Alchemist
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
Matilda
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
অনীশ (মিসির আলি, #8)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
তন্দ্রাবিলাস (মিসির আলি, #11)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
আমিই মিসির আলি (মিসির আলি, #12)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
বাঘবন্দি মিসির আলি (মিসির আলি, #13)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
হরতন ইশকাপন (মিসির আলি, #15)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
মিসির আলির চশমা (মিসির আলি, #16)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
কহেন কবি কালিদাস (মিসির আলি, #14)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
মিসির আলি! আপনি কোথায়? (মিসির আলি, #17)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
মিসির আলি Unsolved (মিসির আলি, #18)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!
পুফি (মিসির আলি, #19)
Didn't write a review for this one, but it was a great read!