Books I read recently

Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!

My friend Sangeetha recommended this book to me. This is a fantastic book and I already
read it twice. Its fun to read the exploits of one of this century's greatest scientific minds.
I always loved books about scientists, but what sets this book apart is the way Mr. Feynman
recounts his adventures from sharing atomic physics ideas with Einstein and Bohr to cracking a safe. There's no arguing over Feynman's intelligence but what strikes me most about his
character was his unfailing curiosity. This book makes you feel and inspire that you can
learn and do anything you want to.

This is simply one of the best books I've read.

Animal Farm

Animal Farm by George Orwell is a compelling and interesting book describing the evolution of a farm run by animals. This is a very cleverly written book and is to this day one of the best attempts to criticize a totalitarian regime through the means that literature provides: the power of words.

The last paragraph of this book is riveting:

"Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which."

This book is greatly inspired by real events that went down during the era of communism in
Russia. While it helps to know about that time period, the book is written so well that it is easily understood even if you only know a little about what happened during that time. I think the use of animals was a very creative and smart way to tell this story.

A great book that lives up to its reputation.


Lord of the Flies

This is a literary classic written by William Golding. This is a tale tale about a group of English schoolboys who are plane-wrecked on a deserted island. The kids in the book represent how mankind would be without any rules or restictions. A compelling adventure tale, "Lord of the Rings" succeeds in telling a story of the dark instincts inherent in the human condition. Although we are conditioned for a civilized society, Golding makes the compelling argument that if left to our own devices, we will revert back to our primitive roots, one where survival and savagery triumph over order and rules.

Just as 'Animal Farm' is a parody of the Russian Revolution, 'Lord of the Flies' is more
of a parable for mankind. This is a very well written book and I highly recommend this book.