Browsing @ Muscat

When I picked up Girls of Riyadh at Hauz Khas market on the eve of my departure for Muscat (27 September 2007), my hands automatically grabbed The Bourne Ultimatum also. Though I had taken The Bourne Identity as well, on second thoughts, I dropped it. What a wise decision it turned out to be.

Though Robert Ludlum is a well known pulpwriter, I never developed a taste for his kind of fiction until now. However, this time I was tempted because of the Matt Damon effect. Reading about his Bourne show in Newyorker recently, I want to try it out. Hence the Bourne Ultimatum buy decision. It was a total crap. Waste of time. Never ever, you know what...

No sooner did I put down the Ultimaturm, GoR took hold of me. Rave reviews about this book in INdian newspapers tempted me and I can confidentally claim that I was not let down. GoR provides a glimpse into the lives of women - young and old - of Saudi Arabia. What I have heard and read about Saudi's strict rules under the Islamic law provided the additional incentive to read. Rajaa Alsanea's style - originally written in Arabic and later translated into English - was innovative. Never come across each chaper opening with an email intro - setting the tempo. A good read. It was breezy. I will recommend this one.

During a recent visit to the Turtle bookshop at Muscat's Seeb International Airport, I stumbled upon Nassir Taleb's Fooled by Randomness. Taleb, for your info, is a maverick invest banker with Arabic roots. Believe me or not, I read about him in 2002 in the Newyorker. The long article was written by Malcom Tipping Point Gladwell! It never occurred to that I would get to see the book five years down the line. Am taking this book home (Delhi).

Coincidentally, Taleb has penned his second book: Black Swan, which was received well. Read a review in The Mint, a new tabloid financial daily from the Hindustan Times stable.

Want to know Taleb's popularity? Google him and know for yourself! If you want to know more about him, visit http://www.malcolmgladwell.com/.

BBC Correspondent John Simpson's The War Against Saddam: Taking the Hard Road to Baghdad is another book I am busy with. 412 pages. Just completed 176. Gutsy fellow. Newsman's grasp and analysis in a war torn area makes you wish you were the one on ground covering the story.

Robert Fisk's The Great War for Civilisation: The Conseuqent of the Middle East is yet another 1300-odd page treatise. This was recommended by Matein Khalid November 2006. By mistake, I had bought a hardcover. It's heavy, of course. Could not take it to bed, too often! So incomplete.

For the next 7 days, I will be unable to touch any book because am getting ready for a trip to Salalah - 1000 km away from Oman's capital Muscat. The Sultanate is gearing up for Eid Ul Fitr falling on 13th October. Holidays will begin from 12th October (Friday, a weekly day off) and offices will remain closed till 17th Oct (Wednesday).

I will be catching 16th Oct night flight back home. Till then, there may not be much reading. But a lot of sight seeing perhaps - though Salalah is not new to me. Last year, I was there.

Catch up with you soon. Cheers