Choice

Now is the time I will pick up my next book. Haven't read as much as I would have liked. Plan to change that. And here are my two choices. I am tempted to read both. I have, in the past read two books of almost entirely different natures simultaneously.

Chowringhee is a book set in the 1950s in Calcutta, and through the intimate lives of its multi-faceted citizens it captures the portrait of the city. The book is a translation from Bengali and was much acclaimed when it was published.

Siddhartha, on the other hand is a book on the life of Buddha - his transformation from a man of the material world to a life devoid of attachments. This book was recommended very heavily to me by a good friend, N. But again, N has very rigid views on certain matters which are hard to prove or disprove. And apparently, this is one of the reasons that has dissuaded me from picking up this book that has been lying on my bookshelf unread for almost 10 months.

P.S. Was again unwell today. It's strange how many times I have fallen sick this year. Minor, but frequent. Very unlike at least the last two years when I hadn't taken a single sick leave from office!