A List of the 5 Most Popular Books on Librarywala.com and The Views of a Happy Librarywala.

Our online book rental website (http://www.librarywala.com/) has been doing a phenomenal job at making readers happy all over the country. Numbers most definitely are the best way to judge a book's popularity. After pouring over Excel sheets and analysing numbers, we bring to you a definitive list of the most circulated books across genres on the site.

A true storyteller keeps the reader hooked by unravelling the suspense at the very end. True to that, we go backwards and start with the 5th most circulated book on our website leading up to the most popular book. 

5. The Kite Runner- Khaled Hosseini

About the Book:

"Hosseini's stunning debut novel starts as an eloquent Afghan version of the American immigrant experience in the late 20th century, but betrayal and redemption come to the forefront when the narrator, a writer, returns to his ravaged homeland to rescue the son of his childhood friend after the boy's parents are shot during the Taliban takeover in the mid '90s....Add an incisive, perceptive examination of recent Afghan history and its ramifications in both America and the Middle East, and the result is a complete work of literature that succeeds in exploring the culture of a previously obscure nation that has become a pivot point in the global politics of the new millennium."

Rent it here:

http://www.librarywala.com/WEB/BookDetail.aspx?BID=5510

4. 2 States-The Story of My Marriage by Chetan Bhagat

About the Book:

"Love marriages around the world are simple: Boy loves girl. Girl loves boy. They get married. In India, there are a few more steps: Boy loves Girl. Girl loves Boy. Girl's family has to love boy. Boy's family has to love girl. Girl's Family has to love Boy's Family. Boy's family has to love girl's family. Girl and Boy still love each other. They get married. Welcome to 2 States, a story about Krish and Ananya. They are from two different states of India, deeply in love and want to get married. Of course, their parents don t agree. To convert their love story into a love marriage, the couple have a tough battle in front of them. For it is easy to fight and rebel, but it is much harder to convince. Will they make it?"

Rent it here:

http://www.librarywala.com/WEB/BookDetail.aspx?BID=8716

3. A Thousand Splendid Suns-Khaled Hosseini

About the book:
"The story covers three decades of anti-Soviet jihad, civil war and Taliban tyranny through the lives of two women. Mariam is the scorned illegitimate daughter of a wealthy businessman, forced at age 15 into marrying the 40-year-old Rasheed, who grows increasingly brutal as she fails to produce a child. Eighteen years later, Rasheed takes another wife, 14-year-old Laila, a smart and spirited girl whose only other options, after her parents are killed by rocket fire, are prostitution or starvation. Against a backdrop of unending war, Mariam and Laila become allies in an asymmetrical battle with Rasheed, whose violent misogyny is endorsed by custom and law. His tale is a powerful, harrowing depiction of Afghanistan, but also a lyrical evocation of the lives and enduring hopes of its resilient characters."


Rent it here:
http://www.librarywala.com/WEB/BookDetail.aspx?BID=5424


2. The Lost Symbol- Dan Brown

About the Book:
"The Lost Symbol once again features Dan Brown’s unforgettable protagonist, Robert Langdon. The book’s narrative takes place in a twelve-hour period, and from the first page, readers will feel the thrill of discovery as they follow Langdon through a masterful and unexpected landscape. Dan Brown’s prodigious talent for storytelling, infused with history, codes and intrigue, is on full display in this riveting novel."


Rent it here:
http://www.librarywala.com/WEB/BookDetail.aspx?BID=8502

The number one book won by a huge margin. It is a book loved by many Indians and undoubtedly one of the most popular authors in recent times, Chetan Bhagat.

To the sound of resounding applause, let's usher in the most popular book on Librarywala.com! 

About the book:

"In late-2000, a young boy in Ahmedabad called Govind dreamt of having a business. To accomodate his friends Ish and Omi's passion, they open a cricket shop. Govind's wants to make money and thinks big. Ish is all about nurturing Ali, the batsman with a rare gift. Omi knows his limited capabiltiies and just wants to be with his friends. However, nothing comes easy in a turbulent city. To realize their goals, they will have to face it all - religious politics, earthquakes, riots, unacceptable love and above all, their own mistakes. Will they make it? Can an individual's dreams overcome the nightmares offered by real life? Can we succeed despite a few mistakes? Based on real events, from the bestselling author of "Five Point Someone" and "One Night @ the call centre", comes another dark, witty tale about modern India."

Rent it here:

http://www.librarywala.com/WEB/BookDetail.aspx?BID=6993

On a different note, while we don't rest on our laurels, we definitely appreciate the voices of our loyal customers. Subhash Macha has been a satisfied customer at Librarywala.com for more than 2 and a half years now. He is an avid reader of both English and multi lingual books. His reading appetite gets full at Librarywala.com. Press PLAY to see what the happy Librarywala user had to say about our service: 

Thank you, Mr.Macha. 


Till next time,
Happy reading, Librarywalas. 

Fiction Lover's Must Read: Jeffrey Archer’s - Only Time Will Tell

It’s been some time since JEFFREY ARCHER released his latest book –“Only Time Will Tell”, but its profuse popularity & widespread readership calls for a mention on the blog.

This is first of the five-book series: The Clifton Chronicles which is acclaimed to be Jeffrey Archer’s “most ambitious work in four decades as an international bestselling author”.

“Only time will tell” is set in 1919 in the backstreets of Bristol & revolves around a certain Harry Clifton’s life. The book starts with Maisie’s (Harry’s mother) side of the story of his father’s tragic but noble death as a war hero. Thereon, the book grips the reader in its ingenious plot of deception & enigma that envelopes his father’s death. However, it isn’t before 21 turbulent years that Harry discovers the truth.

                                                          

What gives it multiple facets is that the different characters give a different picture of the same story. As Harry discovers how his father really died, he is lead on to a bigger question? Is he really the son of Arthur Clifton, a stevedore who worked in Bristol docks, if not who is his father?

Around the destruction of the Great War to the outbreak of the Second World War, Harry must decide whether to take his place at Oxford, or join the fight against Hitlers’ Germany.

                                                              

In Jeffrey Archer’s masterful hands, the reader will be taken on a journey that he won’t want to end, even after he has turned the last page of this unforgettable yarn, because then he will be faced with a dilemma that neither him nor Harry Clifton could even have anticipated….

Special mention to the popularity of the book

This one, like most of Archer’s books climbed to the top of the best-seller charts within days of its release.

Plus, Jeffrey Archer visiting India himself simply helped the skyrocketing numbers that the book sales reached.  On his arrival in Chennai, India, he learned about the overwhelming response that Only Time Will Tell had garnered reaching number one on the bestseller list in India after just two days of it’s release.

A number of articles in leading newspapers and sights only go on to prove the intense regard for the author’s work.

DID YOU KNOW :
The readership of his books is much higher in India, even though sales figures are about the same as in major countries. According to a survey, in India approximately 25 people read one copy of a book, whereas in the Unites States and Europe only 2.5 people read a copy – Thanks to the online book rental services which help more people read.


So, fiction lovers & followers, if you haven’t read it yet, what are you waiting for!
Follow the link & order it now, from librarywala. 

BOOK REVIEW : The Death Instinct by Jed Rubenfeld

‘Death Instinct’ uses a real unsolved mystery as its premise and the author manages to convey a plausible solution to a crime taken place almost a century ago.  In doing this, he also takes us through post World War I Europe – a World where people travelled in horse drawn carriages, lived hand to mouth existences, travelled in planes when the trains were unavailable – A world on the cusp of a huge shift to modernity.

On September 16, 1920, a bomb ripped through New York’s Wall Street killing and injuring many, and also shattering the fragile peace of the World just out of a major war.

The story of ‘Death Instinct’ revolves around this bombing and three main characters - War veteran Stratham Younger, James Littlemore of the NYPD and a French radiochemist Collette Rousseau. If Younger has his sights set on gaining Collette’s affection, Collette herself is striving to solve the mystery of her kid brother Luc’s silence and also the whereabouts of her fiancé Hans Greuber. On the other hand, Littlemore has his energies towards solving the mystery of the bombing. The three stories come together in a climax which reveals the truth about many respected and highly placed individuals of the time.

The premise of the story is fascinating as it has a blend of fact and fiction. As the author’s note in the end says, a lot of the characters in the story, names and all, are real. The situations are also real and in that way, the book is a slice of history. The usage of radioactivity in medicine, the advent of air travel, funnily shaped motor vehicle- all form a part of the tale.

For me, the biggest plus about the book was its being set during the times of World War I. Having read a lot of literature featuring the world around and after the Second World War, this different scenario was refreshing. The glimpses into Madame Curie’s life and her struggle to procure radium for curing people of their diseases is aptly documented as one of the defining events of that era. Also interesting was Sigmund Freud’s analysis of human mind which was gaining prominence during that time. It was he who suggested that humans have two instincts, an instinct to survive as well as a Death Instinct.

JED RUBENFELD

But on the flip side, the book feels inordinately long. Divided into four parts, once can’t help but wish that there were lesser pages to read. The writing is slow at times, thereby testing the reader’s patience. The portions involving Younger and Rousseau are pleasing to read but the parts with Littlemore at centre stage are a little dull. Also, I personally got a little confused at a number of points in the story because there are too many characters to follow.

To sum up, ‘Death Instinct’ is a book which will be liked by readers who enjoy taking a peek into eras gone by. For the more practical readers, it might appear to be long and laborious journey. For me, it is a 3 out of 5 stars book, an average read!

Book reviewed by Srilaxmi Pai

- a Librarywala.com member 

"Leading characters in fiction" by Nitisha Pande

"Often times when we read, we experience something not short of incredible.

We laugh out loud at a Suppandi joke we’re reading at the train station. We spend sleepless nights over a novel by Stephen King. We are filled with impassioned idealism after reading Rand. We hold back tears while flipping the pages of a Nicholas Sparks novel.

That is the power of words.  It allows us, rather provokes us, to imagine. To let our imagination run wild.What turns a novel from good to great, from forgettable to memorable, is the strength with which the characters are portrayed. Some characters inspire, some make us question, but their most common consequence is, they become a part of our mental imagery. Indelible images are imprinted in our mind of the Howard Roarks’ and Jason Bournes’ of the literary world, which is why avid readers often shirk from watching the film adaptions of their favourite books.  Here’s a bunch of characters that have made their place in fiction, for eternity.

1. Sherlock Holmes

(Adventures of Sherlock Holmes –

Sir  Arthur Conan Doyle)

Detective par excellence, chemist, violin player, boxer, swordsman- these are just a few of the talents Doyle embodied Holmes with.  Even for the non-reader, Sherlock Holmes is the archetypical spy and crime solver. He has cemented his position as the most loved detective in the fiction scene.

Unforgettable Quote: "How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth? We know that he did not come through the door, the window, or the chimney. We also know that he could not have been concealed in the room, as there is no concealment possible. When, then, did he come?"

2.  Howard Roark and Dagny Taggart



The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

If you check on Facebook, Objectivism is a religion. It is a philosophy by Ayn Rand,  that proclaims the virtue of selfishness. The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged have long been cornerstones of the fictional world, and copies of these books can be found on the shelves of every young idealist.



Unforgettable quote: “Man cannot survive except through his mind. He comes on earth unarmed. His brain is his only weapon. But the mind is an attribute of the individual, there is no such thing as a collective brain. The man who thinks must think and act on his own. The reasoning mind cannot work under any form of compulsion. It cannot not be subordinated to the needs, opinions, or wishes of others. It is not an object of sacrifice.”

3.  Hannibal Lecter

(Silence of the Lambs – Thomas Harris)

Thomas Harris's Hannibal Lecter has exquisite taste, is well read, surrounds himself with utter beauty and is the meanest killing machine on the face of the literary earth. Criminally observant, he often sends tickles down the strongest spines.

Unforgettable Quote: “A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.”

4. Lisbeth Salander

She’s the central character in the outrageously popular Millennium trilogy by the Swedish author, Stieg Larsson. A social outcast, a homosexual, covered in piercings, often mistaken for a teenager this pint-sized death-pixie on wheels embodies the “female asskicker,”!
    

(the Millenium series by Stieg Larsson)

5. Atticus Finch:



To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee



With such moral upstanding values, Harper Lee’s Finch has secured his place as our all-time favourite father figure. 

Unforgettable Quote: “The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience,” he says. Amen.



- Nitisha Pande

A librarywala fan